We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristin McIntyre and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristin, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
How Rufescent came to be is a two-part story. Rufescent was created after years of perusing through several major cosmetic stores, intentionally searching for the perfect shade of red, only to be faced with very limited and matchless options for women of color. This ultimately ignited a movement toward self-empowerment. Rufescent’s personal journey is, however, much deeper than the surface. My vision for Rufescent happened years ago after witnessing a young, passionate, and carefree black girl create a #darkskinredlip challenge back in 2013. She started the movement in response to rapper ASAP Rocky’s infamous 2013 quote that suggests only fair skinned women can get away with wearing red lipstick. Needless to say, she shut down his colorist remark by challenging women of color to submit selfies wearing their favorite shade of red. Sadly, after all of her tremendous work, Karyn lost her battle with mental illness and committed suicide in 2014. I was absolutely crushed and left with so many whys. Her advocacy for us made such a huge impact in such a short time span. Creating Rufescent, for me, was our way of honoring and carrying on her legacy. Rufescent is more than makeup, it’s a movement.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
People often ask why I chose to solely focus on creating a variety of red lipstick. The color red for me is very powerful. It signifies an array of different emotions; passion, love, anger, rage, strength, and energy, all of which reflect the emotions that black women carry on a daily basis. I made it a point to select reds from a color wheel that appeared to have deeper undertones, including blue and purple and a few with orange undertones. I then tested them on four different skin tones prior to finalization. My mother, sister, aunt, and Grammy were the test subjects and each color looked stunning on all of them. Now, I’m not claiming to have reinvented the wheel in terms of color matching. My main goal was to prove that women of color can wear multiple shades of red and don’t have to conform to the traditional beauty rule “one perfect red”. We’re breaking the rules over here.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is easy because I am such a planner and love to prepare itineraries. So off the top of my head a weekend would consist of trips to the Dallas Museum of Art or the Dallas Aquarium, brunch in the Bishop Arts District, dinner at Ocean Prime or Nick & Sam’s, drinks in Deep Ellum, shopping at Northpark or Shops of Legacy and party at the Statler.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
If anyone deserves some credit, it’s the two people that have immeasurably contributed to my success as a small business owner. Kauwuane and London Burton of Kauwuane Burton Studios have not only been a significantly positive influence from a mentor perspective, they also had a hand in helping mold the Rufescent brand through Photography and Creative Direction. These two are a powerhouse couple that have created a safe space for black creatives and business owners..

Website: https://www.rufescentlips.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rufescentlips/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/RufescentL/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rufescentlips/

Image Credits
Kauwuane Burton

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