In 2021, I Design Beauty, LLC will be 10 years young! What a milestone! For the first couple of years, IDB was just a brand floating through the streets of NYC via word of mouth. Family, friends and random people have benefitted from the great smelling, moisturizing benefits of my products. I started this business before social media was a thing, and didn’t have a website for the first eight years. There were moments in my entrepreneurial career where I got distracted and sidetracked, but I always found my way back to my first love. Now, nine years later, after no social media (in the beginning), no website, a brief hiatus and rebranding, we’re still here and ready to expand and grow!
I started our expansion process back in 2017, when I decided to rebrand and change the name to Indulge by I Design Beauty. Indulge means to allow yourself to enjoy the pleasure of something, or to treat yourself. This word encompassed what my product line represents. Indulge by IDB is more than just hair, bath and body products: it’s a way of life. It’s about taking care of the most important person in the world- YOU! All too many times, we neglect ourselves for the sake of others. When you use Indulge by I Design Beauty, you are not just applying lotion onto your body or hair oil into your scalp… you are making a commitment to make AND take time for yourself.
Retail has always been one of the goals for Indulge. We got our first taste of retail back in 2017 with a beauty supply store in Harlem, NYC. In 2018, we landed a spot in a fashion boutique in White Plains, NY. With the loss of so many brick and mortar locations due to COVID-19, we had to shift our focus and grow our online presence. This year, we were able to create custom gift boxes for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and even ran a contest to bless 3 essential workers with “A Little Box of Indulgence,” which included 3 of our top selling products along with spa essentials that would help them relax and regroup- a reward for all of their hard work at the expense of keeping us safe.
I am the proof that a small business can thrive and prosper even in the midst of a pandemic. This month, indulge by I Design Beauty will be going into a third retail store, but this one is quite special, because it is a Black owned beauty supply store. This is only the beginning for us. We plan to grow our brand and expand our product line to more retail businesses as the world cautiously opens back up. Being a minority owned business has put I Design Beauty in a great place, but it’s not just about being a Black woman in business: it’s about creating a movement. Our time is now!