We were lucky to catch up with Cynthia Johnson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Cynthia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.
My company, Cindy J Cosmetic Labs, is dedicated to supporting small black-owned beauty businesses by providing a streamlined manufacturing solution that is seamless and cost-effective, allowing beauty owners to focus on what they do best – creating amazing products that celebrate diversity and individuality. But sometimes, I have that nagging feeling of self-doubt when I am in my space. The fear of failure starts to trump that positive energy and holds me back from reaching my full potential. However, bridging that gap lets me know not only is it important to remember that confidence is not about being fearless; it’s about taking those necessary actions despite our fears. This is what the Cindy J community is about.
We empower black women to recognize their worth, embrace their strengths and challenge those self-limiting beliefs. Black owned businesses represent 2.5% out of a 60 billion dollar beauty industry. Cindy J will be able to help increase this market by supporting and uplifting black beauty entrepreneurs in their quest for a defined product development service. By consciously choosing to patronize black-owned businesses like Cindy J’s, consumers can contribute to the growth and success of underrepresented communities. We believe in challenging the status quo and doing things differently. I have always been a firm believer in diverging from conventional norms and pushing boundaries. My years of experience in the cosmetic industry have cemented this belief in everything I do. Our organization understands that the cosmetic industry is heavily saturated, yet underrepresented and that standing out requires innovation and a unique approach.
Confidence can be cultivated which is why I am in the cosmetic science space, challenging the status quo. I am also proud to serve as the Area IV Director of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. This role allows me to connect with educational programs while cultivating and advancing a culture of diversity. I am proud to say that I have successfully represented a segment of a population that is underrepresented in a $60 billion industry. I am also proud of the branding and community that Cindy J has created on social media. Last year, we invested $500 to a small business owner at our Beauty Collective Brunch. Because of this investment, the beautypreneur was able to rebrand her business and invest in a graphic designer to create her new logo. For this year, we are looking to invest $10,000 through crowdfunding to 2-3 beautypreneurs at our networking event in the fall. This makes me so proud and it solidifies why I am in business.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Because I was fascinated with my hair and skin, my professor saw chemistry in my future. I on the other hand saw basketball and volleyball on a professional level. He saw I was putting time into learning more the laboratory setting. My parents knew I would go far in life so they equipped me with skills that molded me into the young woman I am today. I told them, “Instead of working in someone’s laboratory, I am going to build my own.” While tackling courses like organic chemistry and studying on the road, I maintained a healthy balance physically and mentally. Because of these skill sets, I was able to learn how to communicate with others and build time management tactics. My foundation as a student of the game helped me overcome obstacles and break barriers as a black woman scientist. After graduating with my Masters in Cosmetic Science, I started Cindy J Cosmetic Labs to help black women beautypreneurs gain access to product development resources and gain knowledge in their custom formulated product. Cindy J’s mission is to first educate, then formulate. I was also featured in the October 2020 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Magazine. The article highlighted Black Scientists, Doctors, and Entrepreneurs who are challenging the status quo in the beauty industry. I also recently received the Graduate of the Last Decade Award (G.O.L.D.) from the University of Cincinnati. I am also proud to serve as the Area IV Director for the Society of Cosmetic Chemists.
Cindy J Cosmetic Labs, LLC is a research and development organization for cosmetic brand owners. We offer custom formulation development in the hair care and skin care industry. Cindy J Cosmetic Labs focuses on delivering effective formulations that will benefit the customer and the target market. Our mission is to extend access of innovative ideas to brand owners and indie beauty brands in order to develop prevalent strategy for long-term success. We plan to to expand our laboratory business to contract manufacturing because small cosmetic businesses and indie beauty brands typically do not have the capital to afford MOQs (minimum order quantities) of today’s contract manufacturers. Small businesses are looking to produce a lower number units. Also, there are a limited amount of cosmetic contract manufacturers in the state of Maryland. Cindy J Cosmetic Labs wants to be the solution for this small business community. In order to become the solution, we must invest in innovative technology and hire personnel such as social media specialists, laboratory technicians, microbiology and quality laboratory technicians, and sales representatives.
One of my biggest accomplishments is forming The Cosmetic Concept, a subsidiary of Cindy J Cosmetic Labs. The Cosmetic Concept strives to empower Black beauty owners & founders as they break into the industry. Black-owned independent beauty founders often lack access to auxiliary business services, industry knowledge and networks. For Black owners, the journey from concept to launch is full of friction and frustration. Walking in the spirit and essence of my Ancestors who were educators, I created a plan to achieve parity in the beauty industry by creating simple solutions that not only teach founders about the product development process, but also provide strategic guidance from concept to launch. Our hero product, A Planner for Product Development, conceptualizes product ideation while we build a business ecosystem that helps emerging, independent beauty brands bring products to market.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Cindy J’s impact on the beauty community has shown that chemists can wear more than one hat. Chemists can be independent entrepreneurs or content creators. We are more than our laboratory environment behind the bench. We want to continue to inspire students through innovation and education. Before the pandemic, our Instagram follower count was around 500 followers. During the pandemic, we increased our social media marketing strategies by creating content centered around storytelling, relatability and education. Because of COVID, consumers were looking for ways to enhance their self-care. In addition, our brand owners were looking for ways to simplify their product development needs. We discovered that our content could provide resources and formulation education to help with self-care and business needs.
Fast forward to today, we have over 10,000 followers due to our strategies. I am very passionate about entrepreneurship and black women growing in the business space (especially manufacturing). Because of this pain point, I created solutions on social media by being transparent and raw without gatekeeping. I am honored to have the opportunity to teach brand owners on social media about the ingredients that go into their prospective products. If I can help one beautypreneur take their idea to concept to launch, I have fulfilled my goal for the year. Networking with young women who want to partner with me to help expand their business is more than a “one man show.” I am also proud to network with people that have a genuine concern about the diversity and inclusion in the beauty industry. To participate in their panel discussions and to share everyone’s thoughts about how to create ways to include everyone in the beauty industry is a start to a dynamic movement.
For those building a new social media platform, my advice is to keep education as a priority over profit. We tend to get caught up in making money that we forget to give back to our community. Show your audience who you are and how you can be relatable to your audience. Also, start building relationships with people in your industry and interview them on your platform. Build your community through brand positioning and messages that align with your core values.
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
After college, my friend invited me to a network marketing meeting. This meeting helped me see a different vision, a different view on my life. I wanted to own my own laboratory facility! I knew in order to expand my knowledge, I had to further my education and work for a manufacturing company. In 2015, I became a full-time cosmetic chemist at a manufacturing company in Odenton, Maryland. I then enrolled in the University of Cincinnati’s Master degree program in Cosmetic Science in 2016. This is where the fun begun! After graduation in 2018, I registered my business in the State of Maryland. My business was part-time since I was still a full-time cosmetic chemist.
In 2017, I worked for a contract manufacturer to continue my hands-on experience as a cosmetic chemist. November 2019 changed my entire life. I bought my first home and I won an award through the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. However, my company called me into their office with the President of the company. They gave me an ultimatum stating, “Either you shut down your social media or we have to let you go.” Did I get emotional? Yes. Did it bend me a little? Yes. Did it break me? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Because I won the award, I knew they were not going to let me go. It was more of a scare tactic. So, I prayed to God to give me the clarity and HE DID! I marched into the office, and expressed to them, “I will shut down my social media.” They never said I had to shut down my business (wink wink).
I had to quickly find another job so that I could continue to learn about the manufacturing business. I became a Process Engineer in January 2020 at a manufacturing company in Hunt Valley, Maryland. I stayed on the job for eight months before I decided to take Cindy J full-time. This journey has been a humbling experience and I would not have changed any parts of the chapters in my book.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cindyjlabs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindyjlabs/
- Facebook: Cindy J Cosmetic Labs
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiajohnson0512/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecosmeticconcept