‘It’s never too late to start over’: NYC grandmother launches vegan cosmetic line
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Immediately after rising up in a strict religious family in which E. Aponte wasn’t authorized to use makeup, there was no other profession route that piqued her interest additional than the elegance business.
“My passion for magnificence commenced as a teenager. Developing up in a strict Pentecostal household unable to use makeup as a teenager or go out with girlfriends, I needed a thing to do. So I marketed Avon with a loved ones close friend and made a enthusiasm for splendor items. I realized one particular working day I was heading to develop goods of my have,” claimed the 59-year-aged Prince’s Bay resident.
“When I was more youthful, I just fell in like with and designed a passion for cosmetics. I needed to know how they were produced. I seemed at all the brochures, and preferred to find out as much as I could about the merchandise,” Aponte included.
Right after attending Wilfred Academy of Hair & Magnificence Lifestyle in 1983 to develop into a makeup artist, she reported she dreamed of a job that has ultimately occur to fruition: the start of Aponte’s very own cosmetic line, OAK Beauty.
“It’s never also late to begin about and go for your dreams,” she said enthusiastically.
She added she has prolonged “mapped out” this desire, and at the very same time, has managed to also fulfill various roles: spouse mom of 3 now-grown kids grandmother.

The initial products for OAK Magnificence are distinctive hues of vegan nail polish. (Courtesy of E. Aponte)
“I’ve often had a checklist of all my aims and goals, and began to slice out photographs representing just about every target, and produced a vision board at a time when I was unaware there was this kind of a thing,” she recalled.
But it took a good deal of really hard perform and past disappointments before she successfully introduced the cosmetic line past 12 months as a result of her corporation, Casa de la Moza LLC.

OAK Beauty, named for Aponte’s a few granddaughters — Olivia, Ameena and Khaleesi — is aimed at giving vegan, cruelty-totally free solutions to the community. (Courtesy of E. Aponte)
Unsuccessful Attempts
Aponte to start with started a line of lipsticks in the 1990s although raising her spouse and children and operating entire-time.
“At the time, I didn’t know everything about anything. … And I acquired my brand name name was previously in use and registered. Devastated, I took a split from splendor, but I knew it would not be for lengthy,” said Aponte.
Just after her divorce 4 years in the past, she restarted her mission to make her personal splendor brand.
She launched Casa de la Moza LLC , the corporation at the rear of OAK natural beauty, a minimal much more than two a long time in the past — proper right before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shuttered the world. Even nevertheless the wellbeing crisis even further delayed her dream, she employed this time to acquire a trademark.

“I’ve generally experienced a checklist of all my aims and desires, and began to slice out photographs representing just about every goal, and designed a vision board at a time when I was unaware there was such a issue,” recalled Aponte.(Courtesy of E. Aponte)
“I could not do everything till I had a trademark,” explained Aponte. “It took above eight months to have my trademark registration accredited for OAK Attractiveness. …It’s a dream occur real for me.”
VEGAN Products
The company, named for her three granddaughters — Olivia, Ameena and Khaleesi — is aimed at giving vegan, cruelty-cost-free beauty solutions to the public.
“I was vegan, and so I actually like vegan solutions and all th
at is cruelty-totally free and breathable,” stated Aponte, who has produced a line of nail polish less than her brand.

Aponte released OAK Natural beauty as a result of her company, Casa de la Moza LLC. (Courtesy of E. Aponte)
“There are significantly less substances, and nail enamel lets the nail mattress to breathe, unlike traditional nail enamels on the industry. It is healthier for the nail,” she mentioned.
Aponte mentioned the merchandise have also turn out to be halal-certified, which implies the nail polish is suitable according to Islamic regulation.
“Muslim women of all ages around the globe expend billions on beauty products and solutions. Huge cosmetic giants are establishing halal- qualified attractiveness solutions, and that gave me the strategy to develop a nail enamel line that is breathable,” stated Aponte.
“When Address Woman named its very first Muslim spokesperson, Nura Afia, a beauty blogger for the brand name, and Playboy highlighted a Muslim woman in a hijab, I knew I preferred my solutions to be inclusive,” she included.
In progress are OAK Beauty lipsticks, she mentioned.
In addition, Aponte stated she at the moment is performing on an OAK natural beauty weblog and a actuality sequence depicting her journey to launch and mature the corporation.
OAK Natural beauty AT A Look
Web page: oakbeautycosmetics.com
Instagram: casadelamoza
Facebook: facebook.com
New Corporations in Aim is a weekly column that relates the tales of new Staten Island business enterprise homeowners. If you have a new enterprise on Staten Island, e-mail [email protected].
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