Rose Siard of Rose and Ben Beauty: A Good Makeup Brush Is the Foundational Engine of Creative Empowerment

Some people were born with the proverbial silver spoon in their mouth. Even then, becoming a millionaire is still quite an accomplishment. But people who start from nothing, and especially women who start from nothing, who make it to the top to become millionaires, despite the pay inequalities based on gender, the confidence gap, with nothing but grit, hustle, resilience, and “stick-to-itness”, are on a whole new level. We want to share those stories and inspire other women. In this interview series, we’re talking to “Self-Made” women leaders who started with nothing (i.e. started without investors or trust fund or capital or even people believing in them) and went on to create a highly lucrative business

As a part of our series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Rose Siard.

With a passion for empowering others through beauty and creativity, Rose Siard is a renowned beauty educator who brings years of expertise to her craft. Seen as a true creative and makeup mastermind, Rose has a discerning eye and knows how to grab your attention through her gifted creative talents that showcase the power of makeup, transformations and how powerful, unique, and unmatched her artistic vision is.

In 2021, Rose co-founded Rose and Ben Beauty with Ben, transforming their shared passion into a thriving product line of effective, quality-crafted beauty brushes and tools. Their brand stands as a testament to quality, environmental responsibility, and the belief that everyone has the potential to express their artistry. Through Rose and Ben Beauty, Rose empowers individuals to embrace their creativity and celebrate their own beauty, one brushstroke at a time.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory” and how you grew up?

I grew up in a small Texas town roughly 30 minutes South of Houston, TX called Alvin. With a population just under 20K at the time, its claim to fame was that it was the hometown of Nolan Ryan, a well known baseball player. I was the only child of older parents. My father, a mechanic, was 42 and my mother, a seamstress, was 36 when I came into the picture. We lived in a small 2-bedroom house in the country with my father’s auto repair shop in the back of the property. We were also surrounded by our immediate relatives and my childhood was filled with lots of love and constant family gatherings. These memories were the bulk of my childhood until I was in high school. This is the timeframe where I met my husband to be, Ben. We had such a natural bond that it didn’t take us long to realize that we were going to partner for the rest of our lives. It was within two years of meeting him that my father became terminally ill which forever changed the trajectory of both Ben and I’s life. My father became unable to work and even before Ben and I were married, we became the primary source of income for a family of four. We had both just graduated high school and it forced us to grow up incredibly quickly. We did as many odd jobs as we could to supplement the income but we both had an affinity for music and would play shows as an additional source. This is really where my makeup journey began, having to self-apply for all my shows. I like to say I am the product of a million makeup mistakes! However, in doing this, I developed a passion for cosmetics and makeup application that, unbeknownst to me at the time, would be the beginning of a beautiful journey.

Growing up, what were your early experiences and perspectives about money? Or we could say, what was the “money consciousness” in which you were raised? Can you please give an example of what you mean?

Perspective is such an interesting thing. We were not affluent by any means, we lived in a 1200 square foot house that my parents purchased for under $40K, but we had a home and what we needed. Living out in the country, we were plenty aware that some people had a much harder time than we did to make ends meet. Looking back now, I know we were on the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder, but I couldn’t say I was negatively impacted by that at the time.

Awesome! Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Let’s talk about what you are doing now, and how you achieved the success that you currently enjoy. Can you tell our readers about the business you’ve created?

Jumping right into my career as content creator/ makeup educator, that adventure began right around 2013–2014. Social media was just making its first appearance, and I started posting simple content either to showcase my animals or promote where we would be playing music. This is, ironically, what led to the growth of my community, but not for my music but rather what and how I was applying makeup for my shows. I started engaging with all the comments and DM’s sharing techniques or favorite products and I started to see my community rapidly expand. It wasn’t till social media turned from a static curated moment, to a semi-live conversational platform that I began to see real substantial growth. Fast forward to 2020, after I had established a community of close to 1 million, I had developed a wonderful relationship with my now co-founder, Anisa Telwar Kaicker, that we began to have a conversation about my perspective on what type of cosmetics products I felt passionate about and from these conversations, Rose and Ben Beauty was born.

What was your vision when you started this business? What’s the WHY behind the work that you do?

When I first started, information on makeup application was not as readily available as it is today, and I found myself becoming frustrated in the process rather than enjoying it. My goal has always been to relieve people’s frustration and embolden their creativity. I have attempted to curate all my platforms towards education in hopes that the knowledge I share will help people through their makeup journey and avoid the challenges I faced when I started. As an extension of this, I naturally gravitated towards the development and design of makeup brushes. I had always loved brushes and genuinely feel that they are absolutely foundational to the makeup process. A good makeup brush can not only make your application process easier and more effective, but I believe it can empower the artist to express themselves creatively.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

Less so a specific event and more so what I would consider a revelation. Moving from the perspective of a consumer to being involved in the industry all the way from product development to supply chain to marketing was incredibly eye opening. Learning how products were developed and what it took to bring them to market gave me a whole new respect for the industry and beauty brands.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

This question makes me chuckle just thinking about all the mistakes I have made in both my career as a creator and a brand owner! From the brand perspective, I was fortunate to have a phenomenal partner/co-founder in Anisa, who guided me and helped us avoid any catastrophic mistakes that would have long term effects on the business. The biggest mistake I made, however, was trying to launch the brand during the 2021 port delays which caused enormous inventory issues. Thankfully, the community that we had invested in for the past 10 years was so gracious and understanding. The biggest learning from that experience is to always prioritize the customer. When the unexpected happens, and it will, your consumer will be much more understanding and forgiving if you have prioritized their experience from the beginning.

We’d love to explore the traits that help you achieve your success. What were the mindset obstacles that you had to overcome in order to reach the place of earning a six or seven-figure income? Can you tell us what you did to overcome them?

Imposter syndrome would be the hurdle I, and would assume many, deal with on an everyday basis. I continually question my capability and capacity. My solution to this challenge is to follow your “why”. I would say that passion leads to persistence which leads to a better chance of success. Having the “why” set as a foundational pillar in your life is a fundamental on the road to achieving your goals.

What were the external obstacles that you had to overcome in reaching these milestones? And how specifically did you overcome them? (Please share a story or example.)

Understanding consumer trends and behavior, especially when it involves seasonal changes, has been an interesting challenge to address. Trying to identify and plan for hot and cold moments regarding inventory as well marketing strategy and expenditure has been a real learning. We are however a relatively new company, only 3 years old, and are doing a better job at forecasting and projecting demand. I wouldn’t say we have overcome this challenge, but we are moving in the right direction.

Was there ever a point where you wanted to give up on your journey to creating a highly lucrative business? How did you work through that panic point? Please share a story.

Piggy backing of the last answer, the 2nd — 3rd quarter of our first full year, was exceptionally challenging. We had seen amazing conversion and consumer engagement following the launch in the 4th quarter of 2021 and I was mentally unprepared for the upcoming Summer Slump. This had me asking myself all sorts of questions regarding the future of the business. Having a dedicated experienced team and strong community of mentors really helped me through this season and has helped me look past the current situation and plan accordingly.

None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

This is obviously such a difficult question since there are so many wonderful people who have supported, guided, mentored, and encouraged me in my journey. I still am going to have to highlight two people. Firstly, my husband and life partner Ben, we have always moved in the same direction and shared the same goals, and he has supported me every step of the way. He is an integral part of both my career as a content creator and manages all operations at Rose and Ben Beauty. The second would be Anisa Telwar Kaicker of Anisa International, our co-founder and managing partner. Without her support and involvement, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. She has been an exemplary role model for me and other women entrepreneurs. Showcasing what dedication and perseverance looks like but also through Anisa’s advocacy, has demonstrated her philanthropy by reinvesting in underserved communities striving to make those communities a better place for pets, people and our planet.

What were the most important resources, tools, affirmations, mindset strategies or practices that you used to build your business to where it is today?

Passion and consistency are the two life tools that I attribute for my current success. If you aren’t truly passionate about what you’re doing, I believe, there will eventually be an obstacle that just “isn’t worth it”. If you allow your passion to guide you, even in the face of those obstacles, you can utilize it to see past challenges and even guide you through them.

What do you think is the greatest challenge for women and creating wealth/abundance? What advice would you have for someone that is feeling blocked by that obstacle?

The combination of systemic barriers and social expectations, in my opinion, is still the most significant obstacle we face. I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by a community of people that encouraged me on my journey and didn’t set any expectations for what I was obligated or mandated to do as a woman. Unfortunately, this still isn’t the case for a large majority of us. I think that community is incredibly helpful. Finding or building a community whether that be online or in person, can provide a resource for encouragement, support, and motivation.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1 . Passion is key! You don’t have to love every single aspect, but you need to know what you’re doing it for. It’s what gets you out of bed and keeps you going. For me, it’s creativity, education, and helping people express themselves through makeup. That passion has been my guide through my entire career. It’s what pushed me to keep learning, to try new things, and to connect with others. I never imagined that following my passion would lead me to where I am today — with a community of 3 million people and my own beauty company. Every late-night practicing techniques, every conversation with a community member about how makeup makes them feel, every tutorial I created — it was all fueled by that love for what I do.

2 . Adhere to your values. It’s crucial to really understand what you stand for and be able to communicate it clearly. There’ll be times when you need to say no, even when it’s difficult. I’ve turned down opportunities because they didn’t align with my principles and looking back, it’s been the right decision. Those decisions saved me from some potentially career ending situations. It may take longer to achieve your goals but it’s always worth it. Your values are your compass. Take the time to figure out what really matters to you, and don’t be afraid to stand your ground when it counts.

3 . Networking and collaboration are key. It’s not just about swapping business cards, it’s about building real connections that can transform your career and inspire you. I’ve learned this firsthand being based out of Houston. Our beauty scene isn’t as developed as LA or New York, but that’s exactly why building a strong network has been so crucial. I’ve been tempted to just keep my head down and focus on my own work. But I quickly realized that reaching out to other artists, founders, and beauty enthusiasts was the key to not just surviving but thriving. There’s something incredibly powerful about having a group of people who can genuinely relate to your journey.

4 . Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; it’s all part of the journey. Nobody starts out as an expert, and it’s completely normal to stumble along the way. What sets successful people apart is their commitment to continuous learning. I really connect with the saying, “I’m a product of a million mistakes.” It perfectly captures how growth happens through experience. Each misstep teaches us something valuable, and with a bit of humility, we can gradually refine our skills and deepen our understanding. Every mistake is just a stepping stone on the path to becoming better at what you do.

5 . Don’t shy away from new challenges. In any business, there will be moments when you feel unprepared or out of your comfort zone. Instead of viewing these situations as obstacles, try to see them as opportunities for growth. Over time, as you tackle various experiences, you’ll find that you become more at ease with the unknown. Each challenge you face builds your confidence and skill set, preparing you for even greater adventures ahead. Embracing discomfort is a vital part of your journey, leading to personal and professional development that will serve you well in the long run.

We are sure that you are not done. What comes next? What’s your next big goal and why? What plan have you put in place to achieve it? Why is it a stretch for you? What will achieving it represent for you and for others?

What comes next is more of the same! My goal is to keep growing a welcoming, judgment-free community that loves makeup and feels empowered to express themselves through it. One of my main focuses for the upcoming year is to integrate education into my brand in a more meaningful way. I want to create a space where community members can engage and discuss brush techniques and makeup application. Looking at long-term goals, I aim to expand our brush line, continually innovate our brush head shapes and fiber blends, and make our brand more accessible. Right now, my biggest challenge is bandwidth. It can be tough to prioritize my energy and time without feeling overwhelmed. At the same time, I’m reflecting on how privileged I am to be in this position. The message I hope resonates with others is that everyone has a unique voice. If you follow your passion and stay true to your values, you can achieve incredible things!

How can our readers further follow your work online?

That is the one special thing about being a content creator on a social platform, I’m always just a DM away! Everyone is welcome to enjoy this wonderful community! All my handles are @roseandben and if you ever wanted to learn more about makeup application, product, or how the right brush can transform your routine, this is the place for you!

Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us and our readers. We know that it will make a tremendous difference and impact thousands of lives. We are excited to connect further and we wish you so much joy in your next success.