HBCU students always know how to take a product and make it better! You can guarantee Bowie State University alumna Jasmine Butler entered the lip products market with a bang. The entrepreneur has shown us and those in her industry that social-consciousness does not mean compromised quality.
Not only are Juicy By Jay products well-made, but they are vegan and cruelty-free as well! The brand also has a philanthropic side. To stand with her community as a business woman, Jasmine donates a lip jelly to women in programs and facilities that protect them. “Every woman, no matter her situation, deserves respect and reminders that she matters,” reads a heart-warming message on her website. Juicy By Jay makes supporting a black-owned business feel so rewarding, so we had to sit down and learn more from the woman behind the magic.
The HBCU experience is unmatched, but each campus is unique. Having gone to Bowie State, we asked her about the impact of that on her career moves and sense of self.
“College at an HBCU is an experience that is unmatched, for sure! I was a Comms major with a focus on Public Relations, a student-athlete and very active on campus when I wasn’t traveling for track meets. I met lifelong friends there and connected with mentors and leaders that looked like me, which is always important… Bowie was a place where I connected with my peers, professors, coaches and advisors and counted on them to help guide me in the right direction.”
Considering that she majored in Communications in college, we wanted to know what led her on this journey to start her own line.
“My love for gloss and connecting with women inspired this brand. I’ve always loved glosses and natural beauty so I wanted to create something that I use on my lips every single day, but was more than just a moisturizer. I experimented with different ingredients (sugar + spice + everything nice) and fell in love with what I created. I shared it with my friends and family and they loved it too, and that’s when I knew I was on to something.
Our signature product, Lip Jelly, is the perfect balance between lip gloss and lip balm. It’s non-sticky but has high-shine, light pigments and ultra hydration. It’s the lip product you’ll use every single day and never get tired of it.“
Entrepreneurs can often find themselves putting profit margins before quality, but with Jasmine that just wasn’t the case. We could tell her business was destined for greatness just based on what she identified as her start-up challenges!
“Some challenges for me were finding ingredients and creating products that I was proud of; understanding my brand voice and how I communicated my message to my customers; managing the business tools and online platforms; along with preparing for a successful launch — all before I sold a single product…I have so much more to learn, but I think the most valuable thing that I learned was to just do and keep doing, that’s the only way you can make anything happen. Entrepreneurship is not easy or as glamorous as it seems, but it is worth it.”
People already love her glosses, so we know there is a demand for more products! Although we were a bit disappointed that there aren’t any current plans for more products, we have to respect her perfectionism!
“For now, Juicy by Jay is focused on perfecting all things lips! As a business woman, I’d love to take over the entire market, but as a perfectionist I have to take my time to develop products that you can’t live without. It would be absolutely amazing to see our products in stores, but I am trusting the process completely so we will see!”
You can support Jasmine and the Juicy By Jay brand by visiting her website, and following the brand on Instagram!
