She’s changing the landscape of beauty

Amidst the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the uprising following George Floyd’s murder, Tameka Jones, a proud Rondo native and passionate makeup artist, emerged with a strong desire to restore beauty and uplift her community. In 2020, she seized an opportunity to make a positive impact by creating a plant-based, gluten-free lipstick line.

REALIZING HER PASSION FOR MAKEUP
Jones, 47, owner of makeup company Lip Esteem, has always had a passion for makeup. As a young child during her visits to California, Jones cherished the memories of playing with her grandmother’s makeup and the loving encouragement she received.
“It was like a safe and fun place for me, and so ever since I just started doing makeup, even if I was doing it wrong, I was still practicing. So, my love of makeup came from seeing how beautiful my grandma would look when she would walk out the house, and how beautiful my mom would look,” Jones recalled.

A JOURNEY TO SELF-DISCOVERY
After sending her daughter to college in 2014, Jones embarked on a journey to pursue makeup artistry in California.
“I packed my car and I drove to California because I knew I was going to be a makeup artist to the stars, and my pastor said, ‘You think you’re going to make over stars, but you’re really going to make over hearts,” said Jones.
While spending time in both California and Atlanta, she gained a sense of freedom and self-discovery. It was during this time that Jones came up with the logo for Lip Esteem, which is a Black woman with natural hair blowing a kiss at a butterfly. For Jones, the logo represented something much more significant than what meets the eye; it represented her hopes and dreams.
Jones’s experiences in these cities not only helped her find her purpose, but also laid the foundation for her transition into the lipstick business. Driven to make her mark in the beauty industry, she ventured into cosmetics with Lip Esteem.
The name of Jone’s brand, “Esteem,” holds a deeply personal significance. It represents embracing and feeling good about one’s lips, regardless of their size or appearance.
“I had a lot of insecurities about my lips and so I would try to come up with ways that I thought would make them look smaller, like putting black lip line around and that looked crazy!” Jones recalled. “Eventually I was around 19 years old and someone complimented my lips, which was something I’ve always felt insecure about. So. I went in the mirror and I looked at my lips and I had a cute gloss on and I was like… there’s nothing wrong with my lips.”

PRIORITIZING INCLUSIVITY
In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic and civil unrest, Jones felt called to take her destiny into her own hands and start her business. With the help of being featured on a television series, “Small Business Revolution,” and participating in entrepreneurial cohorts, she achieved her dreams.
Starting out at the Midtown Farmers Market in Minneapolis, Jones established her business from modest beginnings and garnered significant support from the local community.
The encouragement and validation she received played a crucial role in shaping her entrepreneurial journey. However, despite residing in South St. Paul, Jones felt a profound need to reconnect with her roots by opening Lip Esteem in the Rondo neighborhood, which is located right on Selby and Victoria. For Jones, it’s a tangible connection to the community that holds an immense impact on her life.
Initially, she attempted to create the lipsticks herself, but encountered difficulties. Realizing the importance of a personal connection to her brand, she decided to pivot and seek out a manufacturer who could bring her vision to life. For Jones, the quality and ingredients that went into making her products was key, as she wanted to be inclusive as possible.
Driven by a genuine commitment to cater to individuals of diverse skin tones, Jones embarked on a transformative journey to establish a brand that not only embraces but celebrates the beauty of every individual.
“I make sure that everyone is represented all ages and races,” said Jones. “The whole vision and mission of my business is to bring people of all nationalities and colors together.”
Jones not only strives to incorporate diversity into the brand but also works to be inclusive towards individuals with different health and lifestyle needs.
“When the thought occurred about having a business, I wanted to make sure that I had the best of the best and so, being plant-based and gluten free was very important,” said Jones. “I have friends that have Celiac disease and so they were always talking about how they couldn’t use certain lipsticks. So, when I thought gluten free, I was like, oh, this is perfect!”

INSPIRING OTHERS TO FOLLOW THEIR DREAMS
Through her story, Jones encourages others to follow their dreams relentlessly. She emphasizes the importance of forward momentum, leaving the past behind, and trusting in timing and purpose.
“I would encourage people to follow their dreams. If you’re not in a place where you want to be, don’t worry. Keep moving forward. Don’t look too much behind you because you left for a reason,” Jones said.
With her own experiences as a testament, she dismisses societal pressures and shows that age or circumstances should never hinder one’s pursuit of passion and success.
“A lot of people in their 30s are like, ‘oh, my God, my life is over! I’m not where I should be.’ And that is foolishness. It’s about timing. It’s about purpose and plan, and so you can’t get caught up on your failures. All you can do, is do the best with where you are, because everything will end up falling in place. I know it because I’ve experienced it,” said Jones.