How the Mented Cosmetics Founders Built Their Own Seat At The Table

Sometimes in order to break the glass ceiling, you must build your own house. That was the case for KJ Miller and Amanda Johnson--founders of Mented Cosmetics, a beauty brand headquartered in New York City that’s finding success through specialized products for women of color. And they’re starting with the potentially trickiest beauty buy of them all: "nude" lipstick. With over $1m in capital raised (a feat less than 1% of black owned startups achieve), features in publications like Essence, Martha Stewart Living, and Fast Company, glowing reviews from top influencers, and growing a social media presence, Mented Cosmetics is having a lit 2017. We caught up with them to hear how they built their business; they also participated in a panel discussion at New York’s YouTube Space on December 14.

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