We were lucky to catch up with Jaslyn Anderson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jaslyn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

So, my passion for the beauty industry was first recognized during my junior year homecoming. I was excited to professionally get my makeup done at Sephora for the first time. A Caucasian lady who was super nice was my makeup artist for the evening. I sat in her chair, excited and nervously anticipating my results. As she spun me around in the chair and handed me a mirror, I tried my hardest not to break down and cry. I looked like a clown! She could tell I was unhappy and embarrassed she did not know how to do makeup on a person of color.

I rushed to my car, cried, and said, “Jaslyn, get on YouTube and do it yourself. You got this!” I followed a step-by-step tutorial and slayed my makeup for homecoming. That boost of confidence, I felt I was addicted to that feeling! How could I sell this feeling? That was the day I finally knew what my purpose was to be a part of the beauty industry. A fire was sparked in me! To finally know what I was destined to do felt exhilarating. The next step was to come up with a name. Tupac song “Keep Your Head Up,” came on and he said “the blacker the Berry the sweeter the juice. The darker the flesh the deeper the roots,” and BOOM it hit me! The name of my company will speak to my target audience which is men & women of color that is how “Dark Bare-E Beauty Bar & Cosmetics” was born.

Quickly, from high school to college, I became a self-taught makeup artist and did everything from grooming eyebrows to doing a full face of makeup for students on and off campus as my side hustle. I became obsessed with the art of makeup! However, I was unaware of all the potential money that could be made in the beauty industry and thought, at best, it could be a side hustle, nothing more. My mom suggested I become a teacher. I was always great with kids and loved writing poetry and short stories, so I attended college at Anderson University in Anderson, IN, and got my Bachelor’s in English. Although my first position at Thornton High School as a Teacher’s Assistant, I built deep and meaningful relationships with my students (some I still have connections with today.) I knew in my heart this was not for me.

So, the goal was to go to aesthetics school and get my license, and I wanted my target audience to be women and men of color to help elevate their confidence through skincare and makeup! I knew this would be a GOLDEN idea simply because in order to run a successful and profitable business you have to provide a service or product that people need. I knew that we needed more black professionals in the skincare and beauty world because our skin reacts differently to things. You have to be progressive rather than be AGGRESSIVE with our skin. Also, you have learn undertones and color matching for our skin tones if you even are going to consider being a makeup artist you need to know to work your magic on all skin types and skin tones. I realized that, unfortunately on my homecoming day.

I also, did not realize how essential a part of my purpose was to also create a safe space for the LGBT+ community until I met one my great friends Cisco at Imaj Institute where we were both studying to be an esthetician. He expressed because he enjoyed doing his makeup and embracing his feminine side that any time he went to his wax appointment at any major chain he felt uncomfortable mainly by straight women because they did not understand him and often was trying to inquire if he was boy or a girl. It bothered me that as such a genuine person inside and out he was people were so focused on his gendered and not the quality of service they were providing him. He does not realize this but he inspired me to expand my target audience and recognize how important of a need it was to create a safe and relaxing space for the LGBT+ community as well as people of color. I tailored my website and brand to make that known. I wanted my target audience to be LGBT+ community & men and women of color to help provide a safe space for them to feel confidence and comfortable in their own skin through skincare and makeup! At that time since I was fully out as a bisexual woman married to my beautiful wife Charlisa I had dreams of empowering others in our community to truly live their most authentic selves through my beauty brand. To have a place where you can be COMPLETELY yourself and when you hop off my table AND LOOK BOMB lol honey who would not want to pay for an authentic experience like that?

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hey beautiful people! My name is Jaslyn Anderson. I am 33 years old. I am a cancer. My birthday is July 7th team cancer gang lol. I was born and raised in Chicago, Il and moved to Queen Creek, Arizona three years ago with my beautiful wife of 3 years Charlisa Edwards once she graduated from UMKC in graduate school getting her pharmacy license.

I am a licensed esthetician, professional makeup artist, certified lash artist, and entrepreneur with my own cosmetics brand.

I specialize in offering a range of skincare, yoni, body spa kits, lashes, and makeup products for clients. I graduated with a dual license as an esthetician & laser safety officer (so I can provide tattoo removal and laser hair removal services those services coming soon!) I graduated from Imaj Institute in June of 2021. I fully launched my home based beauty bar and cosmetic line “Dark Bare-E Beauty Bar & Cosmetics” October 27,2023.

I provide all types of services from lash extensions, luxury facials, makeup application, bridal services, waxing and spa parties! While my business is open to anyone of all ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation and different religious backgrounds, I specialize in creating a safe and relaxing environment for the LGBT+ community and women and men of color. I wanted my target audience to be LGBT+ community & men and women of color to help provide a safe space for them to feel confident and comfortable in their own skin through my skincare and makeup services!

What sets me apart from any other beauty brand outside of experience is authenticity and providing a luxury experience on any budget. I want anyone and EVERYONE who either buys my products online or steps foot into my beauty bar to feel my genuine spirit and passion behind making you feel confident, comfortable and relaxed in my presence. My beauty brand is where luxury meets relaxation, confidence, beauty and authenticity. When you leave me or purchase one or more of my products if you do not feel at least one of those things if not ALL of these things then I did not service you the way that I intended. THAT is what sets me apart!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My first major hurdle was when I was living in Chicago. I was excited to apply to Paul Mitchell, only to find out that I did not qualify for any financial aid since I already had my degree. If I wanted to go to school, I had to pay for it out of pocket. At the time, I was working three jobs and caring for my sick mother, who was undergoing physical therapy. It was a major setback. My girlfriend at the time, who is now my beautiful wife of 3 years, Charlisa, was currently in pharmacy school at UMKC in Kansas City, and together, we came up with a financial plan to push each other to success. I would move down to Kansas City with her and work on getting out of debt (10k worth of debt, to be exact) and start saving for aesthetic school. We got a cheap apartment. The rent was $600 monthly with radiator heat and an old building, but we saved so much money. I got out of debt, and she helped me save for school, and I helped her study for grad school. Once she graduated, we knew we wanted to move out of the Midwest. So, our top picks were Florida, Vegas, and Arizona. Florida was too expensive, and we did not connect with the state as we thought we would. Vegas was our number one choice, so we prayed and asked God to guide us for our next transition in life. We applied to so many jobs, and we are still waiting for responses. Then we got the first job we both applied for in Arizona, and boom, Covid hit. When we saw how Vegas was poorly affected by COVID-19, we knew it was God and Arizona was our new home.

I started my journey becoming an esthetician at Imaj Institute, or as I like to say, “skin healer,” in June 2020, and in June 2021, I was a dual licensed esthetician and laser safety officer where I could practice laser hair removal and tattoo removal. Charlisa and I got engaged shortly after my 30th birthday (July 7th), and by September 2021, we had our house built and turned our game room into my beauty bar space. Having difficulty finding a job, I saw an Indeed posting from Amazing Lash Studio. They were looking for a lash artist, and you did not have to have lash training. They loved my personality, and I was hired on the spot. Lashing was very intimidating, tedious, and overwhelming when I first started. All the other girls in my class had some basic foundation. However, I had no training. Our training was two weeks, but they wanted you to finish a full set in 2 hours; as a beginner, that is impossible. I know lash artists who have been doing lashes for years, and it still takes them 3 hours, depending on the amount of lashes a client has. They tried to work with me to provide extra training; I practiced on every break and came in on my off days, and as much as I wanted to quit, I could not! My parents did not raise a quitter! Each time I did lashes, I got better and better, but I still could not do a full set in 2 hours, so Amazing Lash Studio had to let me go. Once again, another hurdle I had to jump over. We now had a newly built home, and although my wife was working, I had to come home and tell her I lost the job. I cried. I felt embarrassed. I felt lost.

Then my best friend Toya gave me the pep talk I needed and told me, “ She is not letting me give up on myself. I need to practice in a stress-free environment, find a regular job to help pay the bills, and watch how I will kill lash extensions!” She then proceeded to say, “Go check outside.” There was a whole lash practice kit. She hates being the center of attention, as does my wife, but I could brag on them all day. When I doubted myself, they saw all my potential and never gave up on me. If not for Toya, my lash journey could have ended there. If it was not for my wife who pays attention to detail and who pushes me outside my comfort zone to not be just okay at what I do but be GREAT I would not be half the businesswoman I am with her challenging me and pushing me to go to the next level.. She use to work my nerves back in day lol but I value and appreciate her existence in my life now more than ever!

After I started practicing on the mannequin heads, Charlisa let me practice on her off days. Meanwhile, I was working a work-from-home job and trying to build my luxury beauty bar space exactly how I wanted it. My wife held us down financially and invested in me to build my dream, and as ugly as I made her, she kept letting me practice on her. Then, the light bulb came on when I had my first client, my cousin Rashanda Maxwell. It took me 4 hours, but her lashes were bomb. They did not last long, but I finally got the hang of isolation and placement. This boosted my confidence to keep going! My cousin is picky, and I was so nervous, but she could not stay out of the mirror afterward. Then I started watching TikTok and YouTube videos and took lash training in Scottsdale with Imperfection Is Beauty (hands down one of the best trainings I have had.) I got certified, and learned the business and chemistry aspect of lashing that I did not get at Amazing Lash Studio, and then it got fun! I started mixing different styles, lengths, and curl patterns, and my creative side was in love with the art I could create.

I never thought I would find something else I was just as passionate about as makeup and skincare but here I was bursting with excitement. Through all my struggles I was transparent about my journey on social media in hopes to inspire someone else to keep going! I started taking some facial and lash clients to build my portfolio. I got my booking site with Gloss Genius up and running. I got help from my amazing friend Cherie Dale who brought my vision to life with my website. I got into drop shipping for major skincare brands like Skin Script and Image Skincare. Then I created my own cosmetic line and I had my launch party October 27th which outside of my wedding was the best night of my life! To finally see all my hard work, blood, sweat, prayer and tears bring my vision to life FINALLY it felt amazing and I am just getting started!

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

So I met my wife Charlisa on ghetto POF lol. Yes, I found the love on my life on a dating app. Essentially we emotionally connected after she slid in my DMs and sent me a long paragraph showing me not only did she read my profile but she REALLY saw me even though she never physically met me. I read it about 10xs because words of affirmation is my love language and just that quick she got my attention. The emotional connected was formed because we both experienced toxic relationships with exs prior to meeting one another. However, I had no interest in being more than friends because she was in St. Louis and I was in Chicago. I still to this day do not know how she found me because my settings were set to not allow anyone over 50 miles from me. She said “let’s just be friends and see how things go.” Three months later I was falling in love, almost a year later I moved to Kansas City, Missouri to move in with her so we could build our dreams together. I helped her study and stay focus while in her rigorous graduate school program. She helped me get out of debt and save for esthetics school. We always wanted to build an empire together so I saved up for us to move to Arizona while she was in school and once we moved to Arizona she wanted me to solely focus on achieving my aesthetics license so she held us down financially. 4 years into us dating she proposed to me on my 30th birthday and by then relocated to Arizona. She helped invest into making my beauty bar the luxury and relaxing atmosphere it is today. She proved to me that she would make an AMAZING business partner when she treated my dreams like they were her own although she could careless about the beauty industry lol. We did not always see eye to eye on my vision or how I did things. She is very logical and realistic and if you are an entrepreneur it requires a lot of blind faith in you and your brand sometimes and we definitely had disagreements. However, she never stopped believing in me and I never stopped believing in her and her dreams although both of our dreams are completely different.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.darkbare-ebeautyandcosmetics.com
• Instagram: darkbare_e
• Facebook: Dark Bare-E Cosmetics
• Twitter: darkbare_e

Image Credits
@Snapping Tvrtle Photography & Design