Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Victoria Bolorunduro. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Victoria , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
At Dat B cosmetics our mission is to bring the magic of K-pop, anime and K culture to life through vibrant, high quality, affordable make up. As a black owned brand we are committed to inclusivity, creativity and self expression for everyone. Whether you are a casual fan or dedicated Stan, our products are designed to empower you with confidence and Bold trendsetting aesthetics. Beauty is limitless. Let’s celebrate it together!
As a woman of color I think it’s really important to cater to all different types of skin tones. something I’ve notice in the beauty community is that it’s not as common to cater to black and brown skin tones by having better pigmentation in makeup products. Sometimes products can come off as ashy, they won’t show up on the skin, having to do extra steps just for it to look good and more things that just make it difficult when finding the right products.
When starting this brand, I wanted to create products that I would use, products that fit the aspect of working for me and my skin tone. While also adding the fun touch of my interests in K-pop, anime and K culture and affordable high-quality products for everyone. There’s a lot of products out there that are expensive, but don’t deliver the best quality. We want anyone to be able to purchase from us and get their moneys worth while also, not breaking the bank.
Our products can be used as a form of expression in your own individual identity. I’ve been doing make up since grade 5 and I’ve always loved doing artistic make up looks. Now that I‘m 18 I’ve gotten so much better at make up and use it to represent myself and make myself feel confident. This is something that I want every single person who uses my products to feel. When they open the packaging, I want them to feel a sense of excitement and enjoyment when using my products, I want everyone to feel included, confident and creative when using Dat B cosmetics, and it doesn’t matter if you’re familiar or a fan of K-pop, anime or K-culture, we want everyone to feel satisfied and empowered using Dat B cosmetics, beauty is limitless. There’s no limit to what you can, or cannot do, make up is a creative art form that should be celebrated together!
Victoria , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m an 18 year old business entrepreneurial business owner with a Nigerian background. I got into this industry for my love of make up and beauty ever since I was a young girl. growing up a lot of make up brands didn’t cater as much to my skin tone as a dark skin. And that’s when I thought. Why don’t I create what I’m looking for. Starting this brand back when I was in grade 7, it started off as a lash business called Breeezy Lashes. I would sell strip lashes to friends and family, and later on, went into cosmetics to what is now called Dat B Cosmetics. A brand that promotes creativity and inclusivity. Here at Dat B co. we provide high-quality K-culture, and Anime inspired make up products for our customers. What sets us apart? It’s how every product has some type of backstory or inspiration behind it. While also providing amazing make up products that can be used on any skin tone without having to worry about working for you. I’m so proud on how far I’ve become as a person and as a brand. When people shop at Dat B Cosmetics I want them to know that we are not just a makeup brand, but we are a makeup brand that cares about it’s customers and their needs and we want to create the best make up experience in your make up routine while sharing the love that we have for K-pop, anime, and K-culture.
Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?
I am so thankful for my parents, especially my mom because when I first started breezy lashes, my mom helped me buy my first set of goods. This is the woman who motivated me and inspired me to start this whole thing in the first place. And she supported me throughout the whole process, and still supports me to this day. If it wasn’t for her investment and her push Dat B Cosmetics would not be where it is today.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
There has been 2 methods that I feel like work best for my brand. #1 Social Media: Social Media is a great way to build a platform and clientele. It’s a way to reach people who don’t follow you or know about your brand. Posting high-quality videos and photos showcasing what you sell is going to attract people to your page and from there, encouraging them to click the link to shop. I cannot stress this enough but re-posting! This is also a very important step in social media. Re-posting on your personal account can let your followers acknowledge that you have a business. But also when others repost, it allows you to reach more people that you weren’t able to reach on your own. And this is why posting appealing eye-catching high-quality content is important. People will re-post what they think looks good. Applying these tips. Will definitely help you get higher engagement on your social media.
#2 markets and vendor events: I’ve been doing events like these for a long time, and trust me before I started attending bigger events like being a vendor for Black History Month at the Enbridge center, I was selling my products at my high schools local student markets. With these events, it’s good to play around and attend different ones. Because even if you were to attend a market that is for beauty, you might not actually find your target audience at these events. My favourite market to attend to is Mochi market brought to you by Colin Ross from Only Together Events. Not only is this my target audience but the professionalism and atmosphere is 5 stars. It’s a great way to connect with different business owners and potential customers. But also attending markets that aren’t centred around your aesthetic can help you put your brand out there and reach more people believe it or not. Market and vendor events are a great way to put you and your brand out there while also making a profit.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.datbcosmetics.com/
- Instagram: @Datbcosmetics
- Other: TikTok: @Datbcosmetics
Image Credits
Esrom Yemane