Vivrant Beauty is Harlem’s newest beauty retail experience with a vast selection of swoon-worthy skincare, haircare and cosmetic products catering to women of all skin tones, nationalities and hair textures. Founded by Desiree Verdejo, a Harlem-native and former lawyer, Vivrant Beauty is one of the few beauty boutiques out there providing an elevated shopping experience for women of color. After seven years of practicing law, Desiree jumped off the corporate ladder to pursue her lifelong fascination with entrepreneurship. We caught up with her to find out how she did it.
What was the inspiration for you to take the leap and leave Corporate America to become an entrepreneur?
I’ve had the concept of Vivrant Beauty in my head for years and ultimately the idea began to haunt me. I started to spend my free time working on the business plan and researching brands (and not just to shop, lol). It became very clear that focusing on the beauty boutique was what I liked doing and talking about. I woke up on New Year’s day of this year and decided that I would do everything necessary to launch the company in some form in 2015.
Did you bootstrap to finance your business or did you seek early investors?
Vivrant Beauty is definitely self funded. My husband and I saved enough money to get the idea off of the ground and ultimately I also took out a business loan.
Do you have a background in the beauty industry or is this a career change for you? If it’s a career change why Beauty?
I have never worked in beauty and only worked in retail as a college student so many aspects of running Vivrant Beauty are new to me. The thing that comes natural is my love for the beauty products, the ingredients and the stories behind the brands. I am as enamored with the beauty industry as I am with the gorgeous products themselves so transitioning to beauty has been a natural journey. I am also a Harlem native that definitely feels the need to contribute to the current local landscape so opening a brick and mortar boutique in my neighborhood feels right.
How did you validate your business idea before jumping in head first?
Because it took me a few years to take the leap to start the business, it also means that I spent a few years researching the beauty industry, talking to people about my business concept and watching other similarly situated beauty businesses. I felt very confident about the business when we launched. That doesn’t mean that one month in I don’t have a list of fears but I feel like the general idea behind Vivrant Beauty is filling a void.
A mix of doing as much as I can by myself and using the professionals when DIY just won’t do has been a great recipe for staying on budget.
Can you share a business challenge you’ve overcome that would help other budding beauty entrepreneurs?
We have a few challenges on our plate as a new business but a constant challenge is budget. I definitely want Vivrant Beauty to go toe-to-toe in professionalism and experience with large beauty retailers but as a one-woman shop with limited funds that is a huge challenge. With that being said, I’ve used lots of DIY efforts, creativity and affordable talent to fill in those pricey gaps. For example, building out a website can be thousands of dollars so I, instead purchased a template for less than $200, added all of the products and information myself, and then found a talented graphic designer to add certain features and do some final coding edits to give our website a premium look and feel. This mix of doing as much as I can by myself and using the professionals when DIY just won’t do has been a great recipe for staying on budget.
We absolutely love your branding! How did you come up with the concept?
Thanks so much! I love the word Vivrant – it makes me think of something very vibrant and energetic. My goal is for Vivrant to be a company that feels very alive, welcoming and stylish so that is something that I keep in mind when making designs for the company whether its the decor, products on our shelves or even an Instagram post. It’s exciting to see how it is all coming together.
What are your 5 must-have beauty and hair products selling in your store?
I love soooo many products that line our shelves but a few products that I’ve been using a lot lately are:
1) Earth’s Nectar Honey Curls – I was never a gel girl until I started using this product. It’s more like a custard and has a nice hold without getting hard and flaky. I twist my hair using Honey Curls and one of my many favorite creams to get a really defined twistout. It’s also great for wash-n-go’s.
Inside Vivrant Beauty
2) Davines Oi Absolute Beautifying Potion – I apply oils to my hair almost daily (and wash only once a week) to maintain its sheen but some oils can really weigh it down after a couple of days. Oi Beautifying Potion is made with an oil from the Amazon rainforest called Rocou oil. It’s a light oil but its’s super moisturizing and the product smells amazing. The Absolute Beautifying Potion, and most of the products from the Davines line, really, have a clean perfumed scent that makes them feel really luxurious on top of working incredibly well.
3) AHAVA Dead Sea Osmoter Concentrate – I love Ahava products because they are enriched with Dead Sea minerals and all have super moisturizing and brightening effects – the two things that I always need. The Osmoter is a gorgeous face serum that I layer on before applying my moisturizer and after a couple of days of diligently using it, my skin always feels softer and more awake.
4) Ren Clear Calm 3 Anti-Acne Treatment Mask– I have acne-prone skin so my worst skin season is the hot, sweaty summer. This is such a great antibacterial mask that also cleans your pores so it does a good job of minimizing the amount of breakouts that I typically have and clearing up blemishes when they do occur.
5) Becca Ever Matte Shine Proof Foundation (Tobacco) – It was harder than I thought it would be to find a small premium cosmetics line that carried a great range of colors for brown skin women. Becca is one that definitely delivers and their Ever Matte Shine Proof Foundation is amazing, especially for someone like me that has an oily T-zone. The foundation goes on liquid but dries matte and really keeps my skin from looking shiny. Despite this matte effect, it feels light on. I am a huge fan!
For many naturals it’s a journey to fully understand their hair. It’s a process of trial and error. What was your “Curls Understood™” moment (the moment you felt like, “I’ve got this!”)?
My “Curls Understood” moment took place a few years ago when I wore my natural hair out to work in a corporate environment. I felt like I was owning my hair at that time and stating that my hair was not only beautiful but that it was also professional and appropriate for all occasions.
What’s next for Desiree and Vivrant Beauty?
I am so focused on spreading the word about Vivrant Beauty, getting more people to know and love the store and making sure that we have products that they are excited about that work well. Vivrant Beauty is only going to get better.
Vivrant Beauty is located on 220 Saint Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY 10027. Visit their site at www.vivrantbeauty.com.
