Among the thousands of lipsticks featured on social media, one mystic spiral-shaped object can’t help but stand out. Queen Musia originally launched the lipstick in its DTC program supported by the brand’s namesake social media darling (a cat who gained social media fame with several viral videos on TikTok and Instagram). Although Queen Musia never actually wore makeup, she became known on the Internet as “the cat that wears makeup,” inspiring a line of clean beauty.
Unsurprisingly, given the brand’s intriguing aesthetic, the co-founders of Queen Musia, Valentin and Thomas Roxwicke, share a background in fine art and a deep understanding of color and shape, which they credit to the success of their currently sold out Matte Crème Lipstick. The brand has been featured by celebrity makeup artists, including Ash K Holm and Paris-based Andreea Ali. The brand’s camera friendly lipstick is also loved by in-house makeup artists of various daytime talk shows and news networks.
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“I was classically trained in portraiture before going to get a degree in Fine Art in London and wanted to create something that is both artful and scalable and could resonate with many people of different backgrounds,” said Valentin. “We think that our visual aesthetics uniquely evoke nostalgia and an optimistic outlook toward the future. We have a clear vision for our brand and release products when we are absolutely sure that they are of the highest level of quality.”
It is clear that the brand aspires to create unique, high-quality products that are safe to use and fun to look at. The brand’s one-of-a-kind design is seen across Queen Musia’s offerings, which currently include a matte crème lipstick in six colors (each uniquely named after great literature or art) and a mascara with lash growth extract.
A “must” for the brand, said Thomas, is to stand out. “Social media has made us hyperaware of the sheer amount of beauty brands that exist today. We strived to create products that would be visually inimitable and recognizable.”
Though beyond the brand’s avant-garde look, setting itself apart as a beauty brand means creating everything from scratch and taking the time needed to develop each formula and color story. Creating products that were cruelty-free was a given for the brand, but the company also works to ensure that the products are consciously crafted, fragrance-free and use the safest ingredients. Valentin shared that “development for the Matte Crème Lipstick alone took two years.”
Queen Musia’s founders also told Fairchild Studio that the brand currently has several products in development and is planning to tap into skin care in the nearest future. “We believe that our vision allows us to expand into a broader range of products, including skin care and makeup hybrids that continue to gain in popularity,” said Valentin.
Developing an attentive audience before even considering a beauty brand allowed the company to deliver DTC sales right away and ultimately be more thoughtful about seeking true partners in retail. “We would like to partner with retailers that believe in our vision and understand the value of our creative approach. For this reason, we have declined offers from retailers here in the U.S. and abroad,” said Thomas.
“It’s been almost a year since we launched, and we are grateful for the love, support and positive feedback that we received from our community and are even more excited for 2024 to bring more products to the market,” said the co-founders.