The Lip Bar
Budget“Vegan, inclusive beauty that started with a no.”
The Lip Bar was founded in 2012 by Detroit's Melissa Butler, who kept building after a now-famous rejection on Shark Tank and grew a line of vegan lipsticks into a full inclusive makeup brand. Along the way it became the largest Black-owned makeup brand sold at Target, built on affordable, cruelty-free formulas and shade ranges designed to flatter everyone — the kind of full-face routine you can put together at drugstore prices.
The brand's Black Magic lipstick went viral as a universally flattering shade, and its liquid lipsticks, Just A Tint tinted moisturizer and Caffeine Concealer anchor the range across roughly 750 Target and 500 Walmart doors plus CVS and Amazon. Even through the 2025 Target boycott, The Lip Bar's sales were projected up about 40% with earnings doubling. Butler later added a Gen-Z sister brand, Thread Beauty, and together the two made her the first Black-owned makeup company to hold six shelves of Target space in select stores.
Known For
Flagship Products
- Matte Liquid Lipstick (Bawse Lady, Black Magic)
- Just A Tint Tinted Moisturizer
- Caffeine Concealer
- Glossy Lip Gloss
Brand Philosophy
Vegan, inclusive beauty at an accessible price — proving a Black-owned brand can build a full-face routine for everyone and win mass retail on its own terms.
FAQ
For Brands & Creators
UnverifiedPublic collaboration and press contact channels for The Lip Bar. Researched from official brand sources — always confirm before sending.