Meet the Startup Creating a 'Beauty Bestie’ in your Back Pocket

It started as a fun job to do before entering “corporate America.” Now, Shay Bailey is taking years of her beauty industry experience and turning it into a tech startup, community project, and so much more. 

Throughout her long career in the cosmetic industry, working in leadership roles at MAC Cosmetics, Shay noticed that most people don’t know where to start  when it comes to makeup and beauty. People needed access to knowledge, she discovered. And they wanted it in the palm of their hands. 

That’s exactly why she created My Beauty Kit, a mobile app and platform that helps people access beauty resources, lessons, and tips. 

Through a combination of live lessons, brand exclusives, data analytics, and virtual communities, My Beauty Kit helps people learn more about cosmetics and how to use them. The app, which is currently free for users, leverages affiliate marketing to partner with beauty brands and create exclusive deals.

“The goal is to be the number one digital beauty resource for people,” Shay says.

Pretty Great Partners

While Shay, a native Detroiter, has years of experience in the beauty industry, she’s had to quickly learn the technology side of running a digital platform.

“That’s been the hardest part of all of this,” she says. “By all means, I’m a beauty expert. However  I’ve never had any formal or informal training in technology. Luckily for me, many  organizations in Detroit have been very helpful.”

In addition to seeking help from Detroit Means Business and Michigan Founders Fund, My Beauty Kit was also a first-place winner in the Tech Town Detroit Fall 2022 Start Studio Discovery Showcase. 

But business and technology partners aren’t the only ones Shay teamed up with. 

“I am really passionate about beauty equity,” says Shay. “Many people don’t have access to the products or modes of transportation to get to the stores. Especially younger consumers.”

To help make the beauty industry more equitable, Shay established the Be Beautiful Project. Partnering with schools and other community organizations, Shay brings beauty and self-care education to young people through in-person programs and youth lessons on the app. 

Around 74% of Gen Zers are driven by influencers when buying beauty products, which means that they rely on the advice and recommendations of others. Except those recommendations don’t always come from an authentic place if influencers are paid to promote products, and it’s not targeted. What works for someone won’t always work for someone else. But these nuances are often lost on TikTok, and this is how we ended up with so many tweens storming Sephora looking for products they don’t need. 

“Thirteen year olds don’t need retinol,” she says. “I really want to create an inclusive space that educates everyone based on their diverse needs.”

Another partnership that helped My Beauty Kit take off came from a surprising place: the NFL. Not expecting a response, she sent off a cold email to the Women of the NFL, an organization for the wives and significant others of NFL players. After receiving a reply, Shay was invited to attend their conference. She packed up her car and made her way to Chicago. 

“It was an amazing opportunity to introduce My Beauty Kit to more women, gain additional users, and also partner with other beauty founders within the Women of the NFL,” says Shay. “Sometimes you just have to go for it.”

As Shay looks ahead to what’s next, she says it’s important to bring on more brand partners and continue to grow the community. In addition to color cosmetics, she’d like to create more content on the platform for nails, lashes, and more to create a well-rounded experience for users. 

“We really want to amplify the brands that already exist and bridge the gap between the products they create and potential consumers,” Shay says. “We want to be a trusted connector  and an educational resource. Everyone needs a beauty bestie.”

To learn more about My Beauty Kit and to download the app, visit www.mybeautykitmobile.com. If you’re interested in partnering with My Beauty Kit, see details here.