Meet Tina Moon of Black Moon Cosmetics

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tina Moon.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always been infatuated with all things dark, macabre, and gothic. From music to fashion to entertainment, my world has always felt like “one big dark room”. Creating art has always been my outlet, whether through painting, sculpting, or eventually building products and brands of my own.
My journey started over 17 years ago making handmade costume jewelry and accessories. Even early on, I knew I never wanted to work for anyone other than myself. As my business evolved, I went from creating jewelry to organizing vendor markets and events for small spooky businesses and artists. I’ve always felt at home in the alternative and spooky community, so it felt natural to contribute to it by creating fun experiences and unique products.
As much as I loved doing that, I eventually realized my true passion had always been makeup. After long nights spent making and packing jewelry orders, I would stay up for hours experimenting with makeup looks. I had nowhere to go and no one to impress, I was simply obsessed with the artistry of it. I became fascinated with techniques, formulas, textures, brands, and the transformative power of makeup itself.
At one point, I moved into freelance makeup artistry, but I quickly realized I didn’t enjoy doing makeup on other people nearly as much as I loved the products themselves. Around that time, I also noticed a major gap in the market for high-quality lip products. Believe it or not, back then, liquid lipsticks were still incredibly hard to come by. I could count on one hand the brands making them at the time.
That’s when Black Moon was born. I had this vision of creating an indie cosmetics brand that combined gothic aesthetics with luxury-quality formulations at a reasonable price. I never imagined that small idea would grow into what it is today.
Before fully working for myself, I interned for a beauty packaging company, which gave me extensive knowledge in sourcing packaging, materials, and manufacturers. That experience ended up becoming incredibly valuable when it came time to build the brand from the ground up. Looking back, every creative path I explored, from jewelry making to event organizing to makeup artistry, ultimately led me exactly where I was supposed to be.
My ultimate dream was always to open a brick-and-mortar store where people could truly experience the magic of Black Moon in person. Even though we’ve had the honor of being carried in major retailers like ULTA and through international stockists, the idea of having my own physical storefront once felt completely out of reach.
After years of hard work and building my brand alongside my incredible family and team, I can proudly say that dream became a reality. We opened our very first brick-and-mortar location on Horror Row in Burbank this past December, and it has been such an incredible experience serving luxury gothic beauty to our spooky community. In a true full-circle moment, we were also recently recognized as Burbank’s Best Beauty Supply Store. Seeing people walk into our world and experience the brand in person has been one of the most rewarding parts of this entire journey.
More than anything, I just feel deep gratitude for the community that made all of this possible. Without our customers, supporters, and fans, Black Moon wouldn’t be what it is today. It’s still hard for me to fully process that something so personal, something I’ve poured so much time, creativity, and heart into, has resonated so deeply with others. I can’t thank this community enough for embracing it, growing with it, and making it feel alive in a way I never could have achieved alone.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. We’ve been in business for over 11 years now, and it has truly been a challenging, but formative, journey.
Being one of the first wave of indie brands to launch during the Instagram makeup era came with its own set of advantages and drawbacks. I’ve always taken pride in creating highly original concepts and have done my due diligence when it comes to intellectual property and protecting our work. Unfortunately, not everyone in the industry operates with the same level of care, so we’ve had to be very intentional about defending our brand identity and preserving what makes Black Moon unique.
On top of that, the beauty industry has become incredibly saturated over the years. You constantly have to stay ahead in terms of product development, formulation, branding, and packaging. While that pressure can be exhausting at times, it has also pushed me to grow creatively and stay deeply engaged in the process. It forces you to evolve, refine your vision, and never become complacent.
In a strange way, those challenges have kept things exciting. They’ve shaped my brand into what it is today and they continue to push me forward. At this point, I don’t think of Black Moon as something predictable.. and I kind of like it that way.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Black Moon is an independent, gothic luxury cosmetics brand specializing in high-quality makeup with a dark, gothic aesthetic at its core. We’re best known for our lip products but have expanded across all categories bringing you the best formulas at reasonable prices. From the beginning, our focus has been thoughtfully developed formulations combined with aesthetically pleasing packaging that tells a story.
What sets Black Moon apart is that it was never built to follow trends. It was created from a very specific visual world rooted in gothic imagery, surrealism, and alternative culture. Every product is intentionally designed, from formula to packaging, so that it feels like part of a cohesive universe rather than just individual cosmetics.
Over the years, Black Moon has grown from an indie online brand into something much larger, including being carried in major retailers like ULTA and international stockists, as well as opening our own brick-and-mortar location in Burbank on Magnolia Blvd. (Horror Row). Our new physical space has become an extension of Black Moon itself, where customers can fully step into the world we’ve built.
What I’m most proud of, beyond any single product or milestone, is the fact that Black Moon has built a deeply loyal community. Our customers have grown with us, supported us through every evolution, and helped turn a very niche creative vision into something real and lasting. At its core, Black Moon has always been about creating beauty products that feel like an experience, not just makeup, and building a world people can escape into.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think the most important quality behind my success has been staying focused on my own path and continuing to do what I love without comparing myself to others.
It’s easy in any creative industry to get distracted by what everyone else is doing, but I’ve learned that comparison doesn’t really serve you. Everyone moves at their own pace, and I’ve found it’s better to trust your own timing and instincts.
For me, the key has been consistency and staying true to my creative vision. That mindset has carried me through every stage of building Black Moon.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blackmooncosmetics.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackmooncosmetics
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackmooncosmetics
• Twitter: https://x.com/BM_Cosmetics
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blackmooncosmetics
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/black-moon-cosmetics-burbank-7?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
• Other: https://share.google/ZuDlnFdOoh0AMQC23

Image Credits
Black Moon Cosmetics