Inclusivity in the Beauty Industry: Mented Cosmetics

Malin Phelan
Nov 17, 2021
2 min read

Author: Maggie Blundin '24

KJ Miller believes that “every woman, every person, should be able to find themselves in the world of beauty.” KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson founded Mented Cosmetics in 2014 to create makeup products that specifically suit the needs of women of color. Miller and Johnson felt excluded from the beauty industry because makeup brands prioritized lighter skin tones. For years, they struggled to find makeup shades that appeared nude and natural on their complexion. Most brands lacked lipstick and foundation shades that complimented their skin. Once Miller and Johnson saw this untapped market, they decided to create Mented Cosmetics to fill this gap in the cosmetic industry.

Miller and Johnson are both Harvard Business School graduates and met during their time as students there. After graduation, the two women decided to start a business together, and after many discussions, they formulated the idea for a cosmetics brand that later became Mented Cosmetics. The first product they created was a line of lipsticks. According to Miller, one of the issues women of color faced in the beauty industry was a lack of nude lipsticks; these lipsticks aimed to combat that. They looked to their friends for help, who gave feedback on the products and modeled the first lipstick line. The business started with them creating lip products in their homes but soon expanded into something much larger.

Over the past 4 years, Mented Cosmetics has become a well-known brand. After raising $1 million in investments, Miller and Johnson were able to grow their brand. The company's yearly revenue was $5.9 million this past year, with the company's expansion into retail stores helping to facilitate this growth. Currently, Mented Cosmetics’ products can be found in Macy’s, Ulta, and Target, as well as on the Mented Cosmetics website. Additionally, Mented Cosmetics now sells an array of beauty products, including nail polish, eye makeup, and blush.

KJ Miller considers her brand to be one of the driving forces in a “beauty revolution.” Historically, makeup and beauty brands have created products based on the needs of white women, but the goal of Mented Cosmetics is to change that. Both Miller and Johnson hope that their brand will be a leader in the cosmetics industry by showing that it is possible to create products for people of all skin tones. Mented Cosmetics prioritizes women of color because they have often been excluded by other brands, and “when it comes to beauty, no one deserves to be an afterthought.” They also hope their makeup line is empowering. Miller and Johnson believe that “if we’re able to help even a single woman feel more confident and more beautiful, we’re doing something magical.”