We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Diamond Weems a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Diamond , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I never thought in a million years that this is what I’d be doing. It all started in 2015 when I attended Cosmetology at CPCC. I would always come to class with my makeup and hair done, and I was constantly being asked what lipstick did I have on.

I proceeded with “Merlot”, which was a matte lipstick from my cosmetic line. Long story short, I passed out my lip collection, that ranged from lipglosses, liquid lipsticks, and matte lipsticks, to all my classmates. Days later I was getting feedback like, the moisture of the product is good, I love the smell, it’s very long lasting, and it’s in competition with M.A.C.

I took all that positive feedback and went to the drawing board on how I can create more colors. Weeks later, I was getting requests to come out with specific colors for ones skin tone, more so nudes and reds. It wasn’t until January 2018, when I attended Painting with a Twist when I had my ah hah moment.

From that day, I put together an idea that was later known as Lip N Pour. Lip N Pour allows guests to come in and create their own unique lip color that matches their skin tone while creating a memorable experience. Since February 2018, I’ve created over thousands of lip colors. “ln 2022, I’ve decided to franchise my concept, and got my first franchisee that will be opening up in Fayetteville, NC – May 2023.

Diamond , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Diamond Weems and I am the CEO and founder of Lip N Pour. Lip N Pour started from the frustration of not being able to find the perfect nude lipstick. As an African American woman, I would sit at the beauty supply stores for hours just swatching lip colors on my hands. It wasn’t until I went to sip and paint where I had my ah hah moment. I said, “I can do this same concept, just with lipstick and lipgloss.” I told my friend to get 16 of her friends together, I rented out a hotel conference room, and it literally took off from there. I have created thousands of lip colors, I was able to take the concept on Carnival Glory in which I visited Turks and Caicos, the US Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico all while making lipstick and lipgloss. I also got the opportunity to be a key makeup artist for B.E.T

What sets me apart from other cosmetics brands is that it’s really customized to one’s liking. Customers can actually create any shade imaginable, they can add their own shimmer, add their favorite flavor, and the best part – naming their product. Not only was I solving my problem, but other women just like me.

I am super proud of the success that has came about for myself and Lip N Pour. My biggest accomplishment is franchising my concept last year and getting my first franchisee – in which she will be opening up this spring in Fayetteville, NC. My goal is to continue to grow Lip N Pour in different cities, so others can experience this awesomeness.

My two big accomplishments this year – was getting approved to sell on Walmart.com and Amazon. This is huge as I can see my products in retail stores. I currently sell my whipped body glazes on Amazon and Walmart- which are amazing skin lovin’ goodies. Our whipped body glazes are your new nightstand necessity. It’s ultra-luxe, lightweight, and body lovin’. It glides on buttery-smooth and absorbs instantly. Triple-whipped for that rich, fluffy feel that makes your skin feel it’s softest. My next retail stop is to be able to have my products in Target. This has always been a goal of mine – to walk into a big retail store and purchase my product off the shelf.

What I want our followers and fans to know about Lip N Pour is that we are the first black owned custom blend franchise of the world and you don’t have to be limited by the beauty counter. We create memorable experiences for you so you can feel comfortable in a lip color of your choice. We use all natural plant waxes, we are cruelty free, paraben free, vegan free, and gluten free – so we are sure you are creating with the safest ingredients.

Have you ever had to pivot?

A time where I had to pivot in my business is during Covid. As a cosmetologist I was told by the governor of NC, that no service based businesses are allowed to be open. Since I was a service based business, I had to shift – big time. I created and designed my webpage in which guests can make their lip product online and I will ship it out to them. They got to create any shade possible, add their own scent, name their product, and provide their social media handles so they can see the recorded process. This was a huge shift in my business, but also a great one because that means thousands of people – outside of Charlotte got to see what Lip N Pour is really about.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients for me is social media – particularly Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Since I am selling experiences, I show guests having fun. I create highly engaging videos in which guests can see how much fun it is to be at a Lip N Pour event. I have been viral plenty of times on Tik Tok, with my highest views is over 8.2 millon. I use those videos to my advantage and then run Facebook ads to maximize.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lipnpour.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/lipnpour
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/lipnpour
• Youtube: www.YouTube.com/lipnpour