Alyssa Space, CEO and Founder
As the founder and CEO of ForHerCosmetics, Alyssa Space is building a cosmetics empire that not only diversifies the beauty industry, but inspires the next generation of chemists and entrepreneurs. What started in the kitchen of her mother's home has blossomed into a 350 square foot lab in the heart of Detroit, also known as MySpaceLaboratories. This is where the beauty trailblazer formulates each all-natural lip gloss, lipstick, body shimmer, eyeshadow, and highlighter with vegan and cruelty-free ingredients.
"I believe that beauty has more than one standard and that we as women all embody this vast meaning of what beauty is," Space says. "My company's mission is to promote positive affirmations amongst women while empowering all. I think beauty products that allow for expression, bring women together in a unique way. Whether a beginner or expert, we all want to feel and look beautiful."
At a young age––Space realized she wanted to build a beauty business but didn't know where to start. It wasn't until she graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry that she found her true calling was to disrupt the beauty industry in more ways than one. This is where she unearthed the mission of ForHerCosmetics which not only empowers women of all shades and backgrounds, but offers cleaner and safer beauty products that don't compromise your health. She reminds the world that beauty is not only skin deep but is within. Beauty is universal, beauty is for her.
Alongside the for-profit corporation, Space has also managed to break boundaries in the non-profit sector by developing a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) program teaching the chemistry behind cosmetics with the goal of retaining more young girls in STEM related fields. At MySpaceLaboratories, youth get hands-on experience working in the lab making their own vegan and cruelty-free glosses. So far, ForHer has partnered with the YMCA, the Rhonda Walker Foundation, Michigan Science Center, MSU College of Natural Science, several DPS schools and more to expand these efforts.
“Chemistry in Cosmetics was created to increase the retention of children, especially girls, in STEM related fields through alternative exploration,” says Space. “When you create an environment for girls to explore and see a woman of color who looks like them, it makes the impossible possible. Our community needs representation, and I’m here for that exact reason.”
While teaching the next generation of chemists, Space also created ForHer Academy to blur the lines of building a beauty brand in the 21st century for entrepreneurs of all ages. Through ebooks and programming, she uncovers how to set up every aspect of your cosmetics empire from marketing to distribution to vetting vendors. Topping it all off––she established ForHer Lashes–– an extension of ForHer Cosmetics that provides cruelty-free lash strips, lash services, and a lash growth serum.
"I want to become a global brand over the next 5 years. My plan is to disrupt the beauty and science industry with my unique approach, " Space says. "I want to impact over 20,000 children in the three year with my STEM enrichment program while gaining over 1 million customers all over the globe. And this is only scratching the surface.
Beauty is Universal.
Beauty is HER."
- Yo Fav Beauty Chemist
