(1) When did you know you wanted to be in the beauty business?
I’ve always been fascinated by the world of beauty. I remember being a young child and literally stopping in my tracks seeing Diana Ross on my TV screen. I had no idea who she was as I was so young, but the sequins, feathers, hair, flawless makeup, and bone structure forever changed my life.
(2) Did you try other avenues in the business before you discovered your talent with eyebrows?
I started off as a makeup artist after studying art in college. Painting a face is so similar to painting a canvas. Before doing anyone’s makeup I always cleaned up the brows. Eventually I learned that even without makeup, the face can be transformed through eyebrows. 10 years, or even 10 lbs can be erased with the correct frame.
(3) How did you get started in the business?
I was doing some of the girls from “Beverly Hills 90210” and in between seasons they would have me over to the house to shape their brows and every time I went back the group of girls was bigger.
(4) Who was your first celebrity client?
The first I applied makeup on was Heather Locklear. Jamie Pressly was also instrumental as she agreed to do a photo shoot with me for Entertainment Weekly. The first C.D cover was the legendary Chaka Khan. My client base has been quite diverse.
(5) When did you realize you were a master in the field and that you were changing the game on how people thought about their eyebrows?
Being a question in the board game Trivial Pursuit regarding my client Madonna, Myself & Eyebrows was the first time I realized that this was considered a part of Pop Culture, but the ultimate moment was hearing Alex Trebek on Jeopardy say “Damone Roberts has become the king of shaping this facial feature”… what is eyebrows!
(6) You’re a self-made successful, LGBTQ, African American man in the beauty field. What if any obstacles did you have to overcome to get where you are today?
I never been one to labor on all the reasons things “didn’t happen”, but I would be absolutely untruthful if I did not acknowledge the obstacles of owning a salon on 5th Ave in New York, and Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills. I remember the city of BH didn’t want me to have my image in color on my signage (only black and white… while others were in color), or the people that would walk in to speak to the owner and literally pushing me to the side, or the tv show “2 Broke Girls” casting a character named “Damone”, who is a master of eyebrows, but the character was blonde, with blue eyes. I have too many examples to write!
(7) What made you segue into beauty products and how difficult was that expansion of the business?
Products for brows were not looking like eyebrows after they were applied. It was almost like people using eyeliner to fill in their brows. Much too severe and harsh looking. My products came from a need to ENHANCE one’s brows, and also the big companies were not making them with people of color in mind. My colors don’t turn ashy, or fade on deep skin. They work on the whitest white and the blackest black.
(8) Tell us about Damone Robert’s Brow Gain.
Created after years of hearing clients frustrated because their brows didn’t grow back after over tweezing, aging, or in some cases chemotherapy. I personally developed it with a scientist, and we got it 100% Vegan, it works for lashes too, and clients are in love because they see real results.
(9) Tell Us About Damone Robert’s Tinted Brow Gel.
They are made in 5 natural tones to cover the spectrum. They also have fibers which adhere to your brow hairs to make them appear fuller. Women love the fact that they can swipe this tiny brush across their brows and get a complete look in a matter of seconds.
(10) You are an Icon in the beauty field, what advice do you give people starting out?
You have to study your craft and realize that you never will know it all. It’s a constant hamster wheel of growth. You also can’t be afraid of change and reinventing your brand. Lastly you can’t give up. We all fall, but we all don’t get back up. Any successful person got back up. Fall down 7 times… get up 8!
(11) With the level of success you have achieved, what keeps you grounded in such a crazy business?
I realize that clients and customers have choices. They don’t owe you anything. You are providing a service and so many forget that. I’ve seen my beauty peers on sets, and you would think they were the “client.” I’m clear on what I’m there to do.
Damone Robert’s Brow GainDamone Robert’s Tinted Brow GelDamone Robertseyebrows
what do you think?