In 2008, I embarked on a journey that I never imagined would take me this far. This venture, which was entirely self-funded, was something I thought I’d enjoy once I retired—my own clean beauty line. At the time, I was still a makeup artist working on TV shows, and I wanted a product line that I could offer to my actors without the nagging fear of contributing to their potential health risks, like cancer. Back then, the concept of clean beauty was practically unheard of. In fact, there was only one other brand I knew that was offering liquid foundations at the time—a small company based out of Portland. I started working with their lab, but there wasn’t much else out there in terms of competition. RMS launched the following year, in 2009, and maybe Vapour was around, but in 2008, it felt like I was pioneering something new.

While I was learning the ropes, I was also the Head Makeup Designer on The L Word, a show that was breaking barriers and changing the landscape of television. One fall week in 2008, I got a strange message from a company in New York City. They were asking about the products I was using on the actresses and, more shockingly, requesting the formulas for my foundation colors. It was baffling. Why would I hand over my hard-earned knowledge to complete strangers? I was hand-mixing those foundations daily; sharing that secret wasn’t even a consideration.

Soon, I learned what was really going on. Initially, I had been given permission by the network to name my products after the show’s characters—a huge honour that made me ecstatic. But on the very day the labels were set to be printed, I received a crushing letter from the network’s legal department. Permission rescinded. It turned out that someone with influence was planning their own L Word makeup line for a website, and that New York company had been contacting me on their behalf. To add insult to injury, it wasn’t even a clean makeup line—just a generic, private-label knockoff. The project didn’t go anywhere in the end, but that didn’t soften the blow.

 

I was devastated, sitting in my trailer in tears. Everything felt like it was crumbling, and I didn’t know what to do next. At that moment, Pam Grier walked in and asked what was wrong. When I explained, she responded with words I’ll never forget: “Girl—use our names, they’ll be around a lot longer than those characters.”

Her kindness left me humbled and grateful. It hadn’t even occurred to me to ask the actresses if I could name the products after them. When I did, I was blown away that they all agreed. Those moments, and Pam’s support, gave me the strength to keep going. Since then, I’ve found that many people feel honoured when asked to be part of something bigger than themselves, and that’s something that still touches me deeply. Pam’s encouragement and the unwavering support from those around me saved my spirit and helped me move forward. The only reason there was not a Laurel was that she was not in town that day and I did not have time before the printing to get her permission - some day we will have a Laurel.. Have you seen her art!   https://www.instagram.com/laurelholloman/?hl=en

Of course, that wasn’t the last time I encountered unexpected challenges in this business. It was merely a preview of what was to come. There are still days I miss the stability I once had—my loft, my home, the security of the known—but this path is the one I’ve chosen. And here we are, years later, still standing.

This company is more than just a brand to me; it’s my way of apologizing to the next generation. My generation has caused so much harm to this planet, whether knowingly or unknowingly, all in the name of “just business.” But now, it’s time for a new paradigm. It’s time to do things differently and with intention. Every product, every choice we make, is guided by the belief that we can do better—for the earth, for each other, and for those who come after us.