Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shawn Davis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Shawn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Take the risk to become greater. My journey started back in 2018 where I left my dream job, Mac Cosmetics. As a single mother and big dreamer my dreams came to a screeching holt when I realized I was missing out on important moments with my daughters. Grueling demands of retail left me with no time, no weekends off and no elevation. At this moment I realized I want to become my own boss, my own freelance makeup artist. I wanted to create. I returned to the healthcare field, making significantly less, to push forward my dreams and make quality time with my daughters. Here is where my life transition. In 2019 I was nominated for Black Women Handling Business, Women in Beauty Award. I won and currently hold title again for 2022. I then took another leap of faith and got my own makeup suite, at the Beauty and Barber Lounge, curating more opportunities in the beauty field. October 2021, I introduced i- Essentials Cosmetics. A cosmetic line geared towards everyday glam and daily affirmations. Each product begins with “i” for example i-Attract Eye Primer. This road hasn’t been easy. I’m still learning and perfecting my craft. Many nights of tears and loneliness, but I’m so glad I decided to take the risk. “If it scares you and excites you at the same time you probably should do it.”

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 background and context?

Who is Shawn Davis? Well, Shawn Davis is a self-taught makeup artist. I love saying this, because I came from an era where there was no YouTube or Instagram etc. My developments as an artist solely came from looking at CD covers and magazines and duplicating what I saw. I grab friends and family practiced on them. Eyes and colors were always my favorite which lead to my company name Dotcha (pronounce Dot-Cha) i Artistry. I love the representation of beauty, love and style. My style of makeup is natural everyday glam, think red carpet. My biggest joy is taken a woman who doesn’t wear makeup or familiar with making them absolutely fall in love with glam. Hearing them complementing their inner beauty that could have been forgotten by a busy lifestyle or life lets me know I’m called to do this, Affirmations through beauty. My goal as an artist is to have a beauty with a purpose. Each experience will leave you full of self-love, inner -joy and a glammed face fit for your own personal red carpet!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

What help me build my reputation within the market is being true to my niche of natural glam makeup artist. I developed a brand and experience that is tailored to a certain group of women. My advice is never to compete with anyone. Stay true to you and become as knowledgeable as you can in your product, brand and gift.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Starting a business, you will be immediately successful. Building your brand /business you naturally think you have all the answers and as soon as you introduce your product you will be sold out! No, not so. I gain the first shock of life when I had 2 cases of lipsticks sitting in my back corner of my room. I thought to myself, this is not real. I have the best red lipstick in the world! I had to unlearn the mindset of having a great product, brand, and business will not separate you from others. I had to switch strategies and curate the need and want of the product. Rule of thumb get out and make it happen.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.iessentials.co
• Instagram: DotchaiArtistry_
• Facebook: I-Essentials Cosmetics

Image Credits
JohnJackson, Media MrPorter Photography, Wj Image, Nativ.Lens