Let’s be honest—when it comes to beauty, Black women have always been the standard, even if the industry has been slow to give credit where it’s due. But while some are still playing catch-up, Danessa Myricks Beauty has already rewritten the rules—and ensured we’re front and center in the narrative.
From melting down drugstore makeup in her kitchen to landing on Sephora shelves across the globe, Danessa Myricks didn’t wait for anyone’s permission. She built her own table—and now the world’s pulling up a seat.
From “Accidental Artist” to Beauty Powerhouse
Myricks didn’t come from a legacy of wealth or beauty school credentials. She came with hustle, vision, and a deep belief that makeup should be for everyone. According to her Closers 2025 Time Magazine feature, after getting laid off from a publishing gig, she took a chance on creativity and started doing makeup—teaching herself through trial, error, and audacity.
Her early kits? Straight-up DIY magic. Melting down products to create the shades she should’ve seen in stores. That’s not just innovation. That’s survival and style rolled into one.
She launched Danessa Myricks Beauty in 2015 with a clear mission: create high-performance, pro-grade makeup that doesn’t leave anybody out. And she meant anybody—all shades, all skin types, all levels of artistry.
What Makes Danessa Myricks Beauty a Game-Changer?
This isn’t just another makeup brand with “diversity” in the tagline. Danessa Myricks Beauty is built on the principle of inclusion. According to her company’s page, her products are intentionally multipurpose, meaning that depending on the look, your eyeshadow might also serve as your blush, lip, or highlight. It’s intuitive, versatile, and rooted in creativity.
She’s not creating for trends. She’s creating for real people. People who want to experiment, express, and actually see themselves in beauty campaigns. Her formulas work on the deepest skin tones without needing a primer and a setting spray—and that alone puts her in a different league.
Let’s Talk About The Funding Struggle No One Wants To Admit
Here’s where we keep it real. As revolutionary as Danessa Myricks Beauty is, getting funding has been a battle. And not because the brand isn’t profitable, but because the system wasn’t designed with Black women in mind.
According to data pulled by Women’s Wear Daily, in 2023, funding for Black-owned businesses dropped by a staggering 71 %, at the exact time when Black beauty spending was soaring past $9 billion. The math doesn’t match, and the message is loud: even with receipts, we still get questioned.
Myricks did secure a funding round in 2022 through the Parity Collective, an intentional investment group aligned with the Fifteen Percent Pledge. But as WWD noted, she called it like it is: “If you see that success and still don’t want to invest, then you have other reasons beyond revenue, which is scarier.”
Danessa Myricks Beauty Is More Than Makeup—It’s A Movement
Danessa Myricks Beauty is what happens when skill meets soul. The 54-year-old entrepreneur continues to lead product development, teach workshops, and foster a global community of artists. Her products aren’t just flying off Sephora shelves—they’re changing how people feel when they look in the mirror.
It’s no exaggeration to say her work is healing. “Makeup changed how I worked, how I showed up in meetings and conversations, how I showed up in relationships. It changed my life,” she said to Time Magazine. And for so many people, that resonates.
The Legacy She’s Creating? It’s Bigger Than Beauty
Myricks’s impact isn’t just about sales or social media metrics—it’s about legacy. She’s showing what’s possible when a Black woman dares to dream out loud. She’s offering a blueprint for building something iconic without a safety net, and she’s doing it with style, strategy, and deep cultural insight.
Danessa Myricks Beauty stands tall—authentic, innovative, and rooted in community. It’s not just changing faces; it’s changing the face of the industry.
