By Tanisha Bhat (‘20)
Karsmetics is a cosmetics company created by senior Karina Rajput. It sells handmade lip glosses and repackaged fake eyelashes that range from $5 to $25.
A variety of lip glosses are sold such as natural shades like pink and red to bolder hues like blue and purple. Her best selling items happen to be the lip gloss shades “Clueless” and “Pink Bliss”.
“[Karina] is a great person and her products are exactly that. Her company offers a variety of colors and styles for lip glosses and fake eyelashes for everyone to choose from,” said Karsmetics customer and senior Ericka Castro.
While her fake eyelash products are repackaged, Rajput buys the ingredients for her lip glosses online and makes them at home.
“My house had an empty room which I took over for my business. I make all my products there and it helps keep me organized if everything related to my business is in one room,” she said.
She first thought of starting a cosmetic company in January of 2019 and was able to launch her brand in late March of 2019. In order to buy the necessary equipment and ingredients to make her products, Rajput got a part-time job to save money for it.
Rajput said, “My passion and interest for makeup started at a very young age. When I was small, I used to wear my mother’s makeup around the house all the time and that’s when I first fell in love with it.”
Starting a company is no easy task, especially for a dedicated high school student involved in extracurricular activities.
When Rajput first brought up the idea to start a cosmetic business to her parents, she said they were quite skeptical about whether or not she would be able to make money and how she would be able to manufacture her products.
Just like any other small business, Karsmetics faces a few challenges when going against big name brand makeup companies.
“Exposure and getting my products out there has been my number one goal. Karsmetics has a lot of competition in the makeup industry against popular companies. I try my best to advertise my products and get them out for the public to see,” she said.
Rajput’s products are exclusively sold on her website karsmetics.com. She uses Instagram to promote her business and has ambassadors to advertise her products on social media. A majority of them are makeup artists that have a massive social media following. Rajput often sends her products to them and they post images of themselves wearing it.
She said, “In 10 years, I see Karsmetics expanding and becoming bigger than what it is today. I hope to one day employ people for customer service, public relations, and other positions. While I do not see myself having a physical store, I envision my products being sold at Sephora or Ulta Beauty.”