We were lucky to catch up with Deja Wharton recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Deja , thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
Since I started Dewybydej in 2016, my goal and mission has always been the same, and that has been to make women feel like themselves but polished. My mom and aunties were always very vocal on how they viewed my makeup and what I needed to work on, it boiled down to feeling glowy, natural and radiant. Before opening my own business in 2023, I was advised to go darker on brows, heavier on contour, lighter on concealer, and honestly it wasn’t my thing. I had to find a way where my makeup appeared great in pictures but great from every angle in person. Soft glam became trendy in 2023 but it was something I always did and I think that’s why I became so successful with it. I’ve always stuck to my mission and my goal, to make women feel glowy, natural, and radiant. There’s a saying, “trends may change but a classic remains the same.” The girls have went back to French tips, mininimalistic looks, natural looking hairstyles, and simplicity. Along the way will come a bold trend, but it will eventually fade. You can go buy a bag from the seasonal collection of Louis Vuitton, but eventually it will be known as the “old seasonal collection” but a classic Louis Vuitton Pochette will forever be a classic. So I try to grow and evolve but my makeup will always remain classic and for the everyday woman!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
For the people whose never been introduce to me or my brand, I am very much like my brand. I am a classic woman that’s innovative, detail oriented. And very down to earth. When you see me, I’ll probably have on sweats, some gym shoes and my locs all over my head (the more comfortable I am, the more I can get into my mode lol). Once upon a time, I was a very girly type of girl. In highschool and college, I kept up a lot of my own maintenance. My mom did nails so I knew how to do my own full sets and pedicures, my aunt did hair, so I knew how to do my hair (perms, layer my quick weaves, curls), and I loved making my own outfits. The only thing that was missing was makeup. I would add this shimmery forest green shadow, mascara- I didn’t know go anywhere without my brows, and I had too many lips sticks and glosses to count. But once I seen the viral Kim K and Mario makeup video on youtube back in like 2015 I believe, I went to work. For months I looked a messed lol but it got better with time. Before I knew it, I was completely booked for homecoming and graduations. Fast forward from 2017 to 2019, I start taking my artistry seriously. I got a mentorship working with Moriah Mierre (BeatByMo) and never looked back. I would work my 9-5, 5 days a week and work with Mo Friday through Sunday. I was tired but I understood that I needed to be polished before I ever took makeup to another level. I worked with Mo for 4 years before I opened my own business. Taking all that I’ve learned from Mo and my own creative ability and brand, I succeeded at soft and bridal glam! My clients tend to have different skin tones and skin types and trust in me to still make them look glowy, natural and radiant. No matter how textured your skin may be or how dark or light you are, they trust that I will deliver ! I ultimately think that’ sets me apart. My color matching skins while making makeup soft is a compliment I hear very often. Lastly, I would say that I am most proud of opening my own business. Never did I rush my process. I truly believe that it takes time to become. I stayed humble and paid my dues before I felt like I deserved to in this industry. So to open my own business and for God to allow it to do what it has been doing has shown me how obedient I was and how important it is to serve others. I want people to know that the journey is not always fun, but if you want to be successful, you have to know where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. Being successful (whatever some may consider that as) isn’t about instant gratification. Social media is a lie and it takes discipline, self- control, hard work, talent, and being you that gets you far. There’s no other you in the world, so make it count!
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
I had a friend tell me about Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance. They have a 8-week program called Capital Connect. In this program, they help your dissect your business and rebuild it. You construct a business plan, create a pitch and pitch in front of lenders. I took this intensive 8 week course and MDBBA funded my initial capital to start my own business!
Any fun sales or marketing stories?
My favorite marketing story would be the promotion video called the ‘Golden Hour’ I did for DewyByDej. I was so excited but so nervous. I just opened my business and the promo video was over budget. But God put it on my heart to do this. It was different and I had never seen a makeup artist do it before. Leaving one brand and going into my own, I wanted my audience to know what I stood for and who I was aside from videos of my work. This video was golden, bronzy, warm, elegant, and classy, just like my makeup! I didn’t want my audience to be confused, like “why is a makeup artist creating a music video?!” So I was very detailed oriented. I stretched everyone that night we started at 8 pm And left at 2pm with 4 scenes. Remind you, this wasn’t a model, this is me getting water and honey poured all over them. I’m not a model, never wanted to be but I knew it has to be me first. That video dropped and I cried. It was everything I wanted and more. Every penny, every idea, every task it took! I loved every moment. I had did something that no makeup artist in the city had done yet and I was proud.
Contact Info:
- Website: Dewybydej.com
- Instagram: Dewybydej
Image Credits
No credit needed