The OYT Cosmetics founder talks about her favorite foundation, using lipstick as a blush, and so much more.
Courtnei Lee is the founder of OYT Cosmetics, an all-inclusive beauty brand that is shaking up the makeup industry as we know it. As seen in Success Magazine, The Vancouver, BC-based company is BIPOC and LGBTQ+ owned and operated, offering up a fierce and sassy line of products that reflect the company’s values of diversity, inclusivity, and social responsibility. Lee’s must-have cosmetics are made with all-natural ingredients and with all people in mind.
“When I first started using cosmetics, well before I started OYT, I would buy products and think to myself of ways they could be better,” she says. “I had an idea in mind of what I wanted our products to be like just from using so many different brands. I knew what I liked, what I loved, as well as what wasn’t really working and what was lacking within those products,” she continues. Because of that, Lee has been able to create products that truly elevate the world of cosmetics to a whole new level, such as OYT Cosmetics’ Cover Your Sins foundation.
“One product that I use every single day, day in and day out, is our Cover Your Sins foundation,” Lee shares. “It's our full coverage foundation, it’s my staple, and I can't leave the house without it,” she adds. The Cover Your Sins foundation comes in an incredible 20 different shades such as Light Custard, and Chocolate Mousse. It’s a full-coverage yet lightweight formula with a sleek matte finish, that is buildable, blendable, and a perfect option for all skin types. Each of OYT Cosmetics' products, including the Cover Your Sins foundation, undergoes several stages of development to ensure that it is absolutely perfect.
“I tell the manufacturing team about an idea that I'm working with and they'll present the first testing formula, and then from that point forward, we just really go back and forth,” she shares. “Me and my staff all use the product. We write pros and cons of things we want to keep and things we want to tweak, to create a more improved version. Normally it takes about five or six rounds of going back and forth, and then we come up with something where we just fall in love, and we're like okay, this is it,” she says. “Our manufacturing partners are really invested in our company’s message and what we bring to the table.”
But even with the best makeup products at hand, unless you know how to use them properly, you won’t be able to achieve the look you want. When Lee first transitioned to womanhood, there were no resources or tools available on how to get started with makeup. Having been in that position before, she knows how daunting the world of makeup can be for people who don’t have much experience and are looking for support.
Thankfully, OYT Cosmetics is changing that by creating a world where all individuals are represented in the beauty industry. Makeup is for everyone, and OYT has become more than a brand, but also a movement that is amplifying underrepresented voices and bringing communities together.
Lee is passionate and dedicated to her goal of showing the world that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, shades, and identities. With hopes of inspiring and empowering others, she shares helpful makeup tips and tricks on her website and social media which are great places to look if you’re searching for somewhere to start.
“One makeup hack that I love is to take my lipstick and use it as blush,” she says. “I just smudge a bit of it onto my palm and then place it exactly where I want it on my cheeks and blend it down. When you're doing a natural look, I find that it just gives you the most pleasant, beautiful glow,” she shares. “Another great hack you can use lipstick for is color correcting. Just be careful around the eyes with any reds as they can be harmful and don’t use a matte formula on areas with facial hair.”
OYT Cosmetics just launched their very own tinted moisturizer and have some more launches very soon. “We finalized our custom formula for the tinted moisturizer and it's so smooth,” she says. “Depending on how full glam you’re going, it is perfect for everyday wear.”
OYT Cosmetics is a brand that delivers ethical, cruelty-free beauty products that inspire inclusion around the globe. “People living authentic lives being happy and loving themselves shouldn't be something that is up for debate or discrimination, and I think our products really represent that,” Lee says. “We stand by our products to differentiate us in the industry, not only because of our formulation but also because of who we are as a corporation,” she concludes.
To learn more about Courtnei Lee and her inspiring story in creating OYT Cosmetics, check her out on Instagram.
Written in partnership with Mindful Agency
