With the growth of makeup and the skincare industry, it has become increasingly difficult for women to find the right product that not only matches their skin tone—whether they have dry skin, oily skin, or a combination—but also offers an inclusive range of shades.
This is especially true for women of color. The steps toward achieving the ideal makeup look have been overly complicated and exaggerated, fueled by the influence of social media platforms and beauty influencers. What was once a form of self-expression has transformed into a toxic global industry.
However, amidst this trend, some makeup brands have consistently worked to create clean and organic lines that celebrate the beauty of all skin tones. One such brand is Lamik Beauty.
The TCC Connection spoke with the founder of Lamik Beauty, Kim Roxie, an award-winning entrepreneur and creator of this national makeup brand. Roxie, originally from Houston, Texas, graduated from HBCU Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Ga. During her college years, she needed a job and began working at a makeup counter in a mall.
Despite having little to no experience applying makeup, she excelled in sales compared to her colleagues and manager. She explained, “I fell in love with making women feel good about themselves, and it had less to do with how well I knew how to do makeup because I really didn’t know how to do it well.”
She emphasized that her brand’s core philosophy is, “Beauty is revealed, not applied.” Roxie explained that beauty is revealed by acknowledging and seeing people for who they are, which helps them feel seen and valued. Her journey into the beauty industry was inspired by watching her mother, who loved makeup, apply it regularly.
After her mother’s passing, Roxie began researching makeup ingredients and discovered that 75% of beauty products were not marketed to women with deeper skin tones and contained toxic ingredients. Realizing this problem, she started examining the ingredients in everyday items, from deodorant to food, to address the need for clean, safe products.
Roxie pointed out that traditional makeup and cosmetics often contain harmful ingredients, but the issue goes beyond that: “It’s also the toxic images that impact us.” She shared her personal experience of being diagnosed with alopecia, which led her to be more self-conscious and have an identity crisis.
Initially, she wore wigs to cover her bald spots but eventually decided to embrace her natural look. She also lost hair around her eyebrows, which inspired her to develop Lamik’s “Revelation Brow Duo,” a product she worked hard to perfect. Roxie explained, “Brows frame 75% of your face, so you know they have to look good.”
Roxie believes it is essential to challenge the beauty industry’s narrow standards, emphasizing that beauty is not limited to flawless skin, slim noses, or long, straight hair. Instead, beauty can encompass a bald head, dark skin, and various body sizes. She stressed the need to reverse both the toxic imagery and ingredients perpetuated by the industry.
Lamik Beauty embodies this mission by offering vegan, U.S.-made products that cater to all skin tones and are formulated with conscious ingredients. The brand specializes in custom-blend foundations.
JeTara, who also goes by JT, the store manager in Tulsa, is part of a team that mixes foundations based on customers’ skin tones and types. This personalized process can be done online or in-store, with instructional videos provided to help customers apply the products correctly.
For Lamik, promoting inclusive and clean beauty is a daily commitment. Roxie stated, “Clean does not mean light,” highlighting the beauty industry’s bias toward darker shades. She referenced a McKinsey report discussing the “Black beauty effect,” which revealed that women of color spend 80% more on cosmetics and nine times more on beauty products than their counterparts.
Roxie’s goal is to educate people on the diverse needs of women of color. She pointed out that Black women can have conditions like albinism or vitiligo, which result in fairer skin, and Lamik’s products are designed to suit all skin tones. Roxie’s expertise in creating color-inclusive beauty products is enriched by her dedication to representation and innovation.
After successfully operating her first makeup store in Houston, Roxie has now opened a store in Tulsa, continuing her mission to redefine beauty standards and offer products that empower all women.
Upcoming events include the following:
Feb. 28, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Custom Blend Foundation Event
April 12, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Brunch
For more information, visit the store located at The Boxyard, 502 E 3rd St, Suite 11. Its social media pages are Instagram: @lamikbeauty and Facebook: Lamik Beauty.