OUR STORY
KCD Cosmetics is a socially-driven cosmetic company that creates makeup for women of color where we believe that our beauty is our business. Women of color deserve to be catered to in an industry in which they hold a lot of spending power. We also believe that businesses should positively impact the communities that their consumers inhabit. We want to make sure that we add value to communities of color in multiple ways.
Our ultimate goal is for KCD Cosmetics to grow to be a full-service cosmetic line for women of color, providing all products, especially those that women of color have trouble consistently finding. We started KCD Cosmetics for the young woman of color who is trying to figure out who she is, what she likes, and what image she wants to portray to the world. She is having a hard time finding products to use that she can afford. She inspires me. It is hard being a young woman and it is even harder being a young woman of color, trying to figure out what you like, clothes you want to wear, how to style your hair. And what you see in movies, on TV, in stores, rarely reflect you and what you look like. I want to make this journey easier for her, for all of us. We, the owners, have been through this and we are still going through this right now. We are able to take the pain points we have experienced and the ones our friends, cousins, mothers, and aunts have experienced and try to relieve them with this company. We are a part of our target market so we can easily talk to and listen to what our consumers want and we identify with their problems and needs deeply.
"KCD Cosmetics is for the young woman of color who is trying to figure out who she is, what she likes, and what image she wants to portray to the world. She is having a hard time finding products to use that she can afford... I want to make this journey easier for her, for all of us."
KAMILAH DOTSON, FOUNDER
MEET THE FOUNDER
Kamilah Dotson
My name is Kamilah Dotson and I am the CEO of KCD Cosmetics. I was born and raised in the gritty city of Cleveland, Ohio. Inspired by my surroundings, I discovered my love for entrepreneurship. As a recent graduate of Miami University with a degree in Social Justice and Entrepreneurship, I have made it my personal mission to elevate my community through beauty with the introduction of KCD Cosmetics. I fell in love with makeup when I was 15 years old. My favorite makeup product is foundation because I love a flawless finish. I believe that makeup is supposed to enhance the beautiful features that we already have. I also believe that businesses have a responsibility to uplift the communities that its consumers inhabit and we promise to do that here at KCD Cosmetics.
OUR IMPACT
We work to uplift communities of color in three ways...
01
Giving back through sales
We donate 10% of every sale to organizations doing work to uplift black communities in the cities of Atlanta, GA and Cleveland, OH, the cities where our founders reside
02
Giving back through volunteering
Through partnering with small and/or local organizations such as #HashtagLunchbag and New Village Girls Academy
03
Giving back through educating
We strive to educate young black women on makeup and beauty and how KCD Cosmetics can help them feel bold and beautiful in their natural skin tone