Exploring Life & Business with Arielle Ross of Relevation Beauty

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arielle Ross

Hi Arielle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I fell in love with makeup in elementary school. I would sit at my grandmother’s vanity for hours twisting up all of her lipstick tubes to see the mesmerizing colors. I dreamt of one day having a collection that mirrored my grandmother’s. I would watch in awe as my mom applied makeup for date nights with my dad or for dinners with her girlfriends. The art of makeup always fascinated me.

As time went on, I discovered the world of beauty through YouTube videos. These videos were made in the very beginning of Youtube, long before it became the multi-billion dollar machine it is today. These videos were mostly women, sitting at their desks, filming themselves putting on makeup via their computer camera. I would watch the videos for hours as I slowly learned about different techniques and products.

My passion grew as people began to notice my makeup talent. Friends and family would ask me to do their makeup for prom, date nights and weddings. When I finished applying the makeup, I watched their reactions as they looked in the mirror. I saw the transformation in how they carried themselves. They felt powerful. The makeup wasn’t a mask, it was a cape. It brought out a sense of power and confidence.

I continued to pursue a career in the beauty industry working with world renowned makeup artists, models, celebrities, influencers, photographers, hair stylists and publications. Today, I have had the honor of speaking at distinguished universities, collaborating with art institutions and attending global conferences to advance gender equality internationally.

For me, makeup has never been surface-level. It’s deeper than that. The strength and power that makeup has given me has allowed me to create Relevation, a modern cosmetics company dedicated to uplifting and empowering women.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not! I think entrepreneurship is one of the toughest paths one can take. Relevation is the first company I have ever started. Needless to say, I make mistakes and learn from them every single day.

Some of the challenges are standard for starting and growing a company and some of the challenges are more unique to my own journey. The majority of people who start a company generally don’t have a ton of excess capital laying around. The process of starting a business is always more expensive and more time consuming than you think it will be. That in and of itself is a huge roadblock. I’ve dealt with dishonest lawyers over-billing, supply chain hiccups, vendors/contractors who did not deliver – the list goes on. While these experiences are frustrating, I learn something new each time. These challenges allow me to sharpen my people skills, critical thinking and problem solving abilities.

Other challenges are more personal to me and my journey. I’ve struggled with severe depression and anxiety my whole life. While depression effects millions of people throughout the world, it poses unique challenges when you have a business to grow. How do you show up as a leader when you aren’t able to perform at your highest levels? Or be the best version of yourself? It’s a question I’m figuring out the answer to….slowly but surely! I’m learning how to navigate owning and growing a business when depressive episodes arise. One day at a time!

As you know, we’re big fans of Relevation Beauty. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Relevation Beauty is a modern cosmetics company built on a women empowerment platform. At Relevation, makeup isn’t a mask, it’s a cape! Makeup is our superpower and we are using that superpower to uplift and empower women all over the world.

Our flagship product, The Dream Palette, is a 10 shade multipurpose palette that can be used on the eyes and the face. The product itself is completely clean, vegan and cruelty-free. The Dream Palette is the epitome of high-performance clean beauty.

With that said, the product sales are just the catalyst to be able to do meaningful work to uplift and empower women worldwide. 10% of every single palette purchase is donated to our nonprofit partner who works tirelessly to keep young women and girls in school and out of child marriage. When you purchase the product, not only do you invest In yourself, you invest in the education of women. To me, one of the most powerful things you can do.

In addition to our work in the women empowerment space, we are well aware that business activities are one of the driving forces of global warming. We make a concerted effort to limit our environmental footprint. For every palette sold, we plant a tree in a part of the world that needs it most. We utilize a shipping company that completely offsets their carbon footprint. Every shipment that goes out has a net carbon footprint of zero. Our packaging and shipping materials are recyclable and/or biodegradable. Lastly, our ingredients are ethically sourced and our product is made in California.

Every detail about Relevation Beauty is carefully crafted and intentional. We offer an amazing product while using the makeup sales to make a meaningful difference.

What matters most to you?
Uplifting and empowering women. Simply put, women lead differently. They lead by extending a hand and lifting up communities. They help people around them rise with them. They lead with intelligence, compassion, strength and power.

Sadly, in many parts of the world, women aren’t even given a fighting chance to show up as the change makers they are, on a grand scale. Societal norms, outdated traditions and misogyny run rampant. Advocating for women is near and dear to my heart. I feel so grateful to work with our nonprofit partner, Speak Up. Speak Up defends, educates and empowers vulnerable young girls and women who are at risk of child marriage. Their vital work in Bangladesh gives these incredible young women the opportunity to stay in school chasing their dreams rather than be forced into situations that are potentially dangerous, violent and abusive.

Pricing:

• The Dream Palette retails for $40.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://relevationbeauty.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/relevationbeauty
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RelevationBeauty
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@relevation8015
• Other: Tik Tok @relevationbeauty