Yemi Alade launched her beauty brand, YEM Beauty, with a high-profile pop-up event at Laura Beauty Store in Lekki Phase 1, marking the brand's official entry into the cosmetics market. The event, attended by Don Jazzy, Mo Abudu, Kate Henshaw, Nancy Isime, Osas Ighodaro, Tolu "Toolz" Oniru, Waje, Bolanle Olukanni, and other celebrities, centered on the debut of the brand's matte liquid lipsticks and nourishing lip glosses. French sparkling wine brand Luc Belaire partnered with the event, offering guests signature and 1.5L Magnum bottles in an exclusive preview of its large-format launch in Nigeria. Attendees engaged in an immersive experience reflecting YEM Beauty's vibrant, expressive identity, testing products in a curated space designed to highlight the brand's bold aesthetic.
Alade, dressed in a custom M.S.O Lagos outfit, described the brand as an extension of her journey as a performer and makeup user who struggled to find products matching her skin tone and lifestyle. She stated, "YEM Beauty was born from my personal journey as a performer and everyday makeup wearer. I wanted products that truly matched my skin tone, enhanced my natural beauty, and could keep up with my lifestyle. When I couldn't find that consistently, I decided to create it. This brand is for everyone, regardless of skin tone or type — to feel seen, confident, and empowered." The line emphasizes inclusivity, premium ingredients, and self-expression, with the slogan "color the world" framing its mission.
YEM Beauty is now available online at yembeauty.com and at Laura Beauty Store in Lekki.
When Yemi Alade says she created YEM Beauty because she couldn't find makeup that worked for her skin tone and life on stage, she's not just launching a product — she's challenging an industry that has long overlooked African women's needs. That a Nigerian artist with global reach is filling this gap with a brand rooted in authenticity and visibility shifts the power in beauty from foreign labs to local lived experience. This isn't celebrity branding — it's reclamation.
