When people ask how Cheekbone Beauty began, they're often surprised by the answer.
It didn't start in a cosmetics lab.
It started in the seafood industry.
For years, that was my career. Beauty wasn't part of the plan, and I certainly never imagined I'd one day create a cosmetics company.
Then I had a dream.
In it, I saw three little Anishinaabe girls laughing together, their faces covered in lip gloss. They weren't worried about fitting in or wondering whether they belonged. They were simply joyful, confident, and completely themselves.
When I woke up, I couldn't stop thinking about those girls.
That dream became a question that changed my life:
What if Indigenous youth could grow up seeing themselves reflected in beauty?
Soon after, I began building what would become Cheekbone Beauty.
I had no background in cosmetics. Everything had to be learned from the ground up—from product formulation and ingredient sourcing to packaging and sustainability. Along the way, one thing became clear: if I was going to create beauty products, they had to reflect my values.
Today, every product we create begins with purpose.
Our Sustain Lipsticks are designed to become part of your routine—not the landfill—with refillable packaging that reduces waste while delivering beautiful, wearable colour.
Our bestselling Unify Complexion Multi-Pencils simplify makeup by replacing multiple complexion products with one versatile pencil that helps real skin look like real skin.
Our Uprise Mascara was created for sensitive eyes after hearing from so many people who thought comfortable mascara simply didn't exist.
And products like our Courage Creams, Harmony Lip Glosses, and Mattifying Moon Dust are all designed with the same philosophy: thoughtful formulas that perform beautifully while respecting both people and the planet.
But makeup has never been the end goal.
Cheekbone Beauty exists to create representation, celebrate Indigenous knowledge, and invest in future generations. Through initiatives like our For Future Generations Indigenous Youth Scholarship Fund, collaborations with Indigenous artists, and our commitment to sustainable innovation, we're building something much bigger than a beauty brand.
Every lipstick, complexion pencil, mascara, and gloss tells part of that story.
If you're new here, I hope you'll explore the products that started it all, discover the stories behind our collections, and find something that helps you feel like the best version of yourself.
Because at Cheekbone Beauty, beauty isn't about changing who you are.
It's about seeing your value—and helping create a future where everyone has the opportunity to see theirs.
Miigwetch,
Jenn Harper
Founder & CEO, Cheekbone Beauty