Melissa Butler, is a Detroit native who has skillfully and strategically launched a start-up beauty brand, The Lip Bar, into a nationwide phenomenon. Melissa obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Finance from Florida A & M University before going on to work on Wall Street as a licensed stock broker. Her journey from stocks and bonds to beauty is one that she describes as natural, not because she loved makeup, but because she was frustrated with the industry and therefore created a solution. She wanted to create a brand that would be inclusive, non-toxic and easy to use so that everyone could see themselves as beautiful. “Everyone deserves to have representation. Without it, we are left seeking validation” she says. It was her belief in health and inclusion that lead her to make lipstick in her kitchen and develop the vegan line, The Lip Bar.
Since launch, Melissa and The Lip Bar have been seen on Shark Tank, and she has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Inc, Allure, Cosmopolitan and Essence Magazines. The Lip Bar is headquartered in Detroit and is proud to have a team of 100% women. Today The Lip Bar is sold in is flagship store located in Downtown Detroit, Target, Walmart and TheLipBar.com
While Melissa has already accomplished so much, she continues to take the beauty world by storm through innovation, integrity and passion. Her goal is to empower women everywhere of all ages, races and body types to be confident in their own skin by challenging traditional beauty standards through imagery, ingredients and affordable pricing.
