Blended Girl Cosmetics New Product Launch; “Good Medicine”

Come check out the story behind Shi-Fawn Chee’s makeup being used in a Quannah Chasinghorse photoshoot, along with all the info you need about their new palette!
Shi-Fawn Chee; photo: courtesy

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We’ve already covered Quannah Chasinghorse’s recent appearance in Allure magazine, all of which you can read here, so you can imagine how excited we were to see that the makeup in the shoot came from Blended Girl Cosmetics’ Shi-Fawn Chee (Diné)! Blended Girl Cosmetics is an Indigenous and woman-owned makeup brand that is shaking up the industry with powerful representation and dazzling palettes. Initially founded in 2019 by Shi-Fawn, she later attended the TINT School of Makeup and Cosmetology in 2021 and has since put those skills to work to further her brand’s success and her career as a makeup artist. We sat down with Shi-Fawn to talk about her makeup being used in such a publicized appearance, as well as a new product on the horizon!

When did you first become involved with cosmetics, and what was the process of starting BGC like?

I first became involved in cosmetics back in 2015 when I was featured in the Women of the Navajo calendar, which is a bit of a sensation back home. That led me to the Native Fashion scene, which included walking the runway for designers such as JG Indie. I noticed that there was always a shortage of makeup artists, and I learned to do my own makeup. Years later, I got inspired to create my own products that showcased imagery of our humor and culture. Hence using names such as Native Glare, Skoden, Points w/ Lips, Masaní Vibes, etc. All of those are either inside jokes or sayings we use day to day.

Shi-Fawn Chee; photo: courtesy

The process of starting BGC was making a business plan, saving up, and looking for manufacturers & Indigenous artists to make my vision come to life. I have worked with Salty Black Sheep Creations, Peshlove Creations, and Eloy Bida for my palette art. For my next launch, I will be making my own art, and I am pretty excited about that. Once all of that came together, Blended Girl was up and running and slowly built up a following. I did makeup applications on models for fashion shows and also sponsored a few events with my products. COVID slowed down my physical vending, but I plan to pick it up this coming 2023 fair season.

What were the products used in Quannah’s recent photo shoot?

The products used in Quannah’s recent photo shoot with Allure were the Native Glare eyeshadow palette and Crisco lip gloss. I currently have the lip gloss back in stock which was a part of my Frybread Glow collection. This was such a pleasant surprise that I came across, and I am so thankful for the doors it has opened recently.

How did it feel to see your makeup showcased in such a way?

I felt so proud. It has been a lot of hard work over the years, and to see someone like Quannah (who I highly admire) wearing Blended Girl Cosmetics was just a delight. I felt the images were very fierce, and she looked absolutely divine. I am a woman ran business, so when something like this happens, it really motivates me to continue going and to create more products.

Shi-Fawn Chee; photo: courtesy

What’s your process like for developing a new palette?

My process is to go over palette names and branch off from there. Get inspired and create a collection that I think people would love. I pick the shades and decide if I want shade names or not. One of my favorite launches (that didn’t include an eyeshadow palette) was the Lady in Red Collection. I was able to work with a photographer and amazing models. I did the makeup myself, and I felt the photos came out how I envisioned them.

You have some new products on the horizon. Can you tell us anything about them?

Yes, I am coming out with a small collection called “Good Medicine” This year, I put my business on the back burner to focus on self-healing. This journey is ongoing, but it definitely challenged me in ways that I never thought possible. Going to therapy and confronting my traumas is the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. One thing I realized is that the things I experienced stemmed from generational trauma brought on by colonialism. I had to grieve not only for myself but my ancestors, who had to go through genocide and injustice.

Now that I am in a better place emotionally and physically, I wanted to create products that promoted self-love, healing, and connecting with yourself. Good Medicine is going to consist of an eyeshadow palette, collagen eye masks, sage, and sweet grass body spray. I think it’s important to embrace natural medicines and to sit and pray/meditate on good things. I hope that this collection can inspire people to sit back, rebalance and de-stress. I also wanted to have branding with a purpose, so instead of postcards, I decided to do bookmarks with orders that feature the Good Medicine logo that was created by artist Eloy Bida.

Do you have any tips or advice for those new to makeup who are buying your new palette?

My advice to anyone who decides to purchase from Blended Girl is that you should not be afraid of color. I know a lot of people say they wish they could purchase a palette, but the colors are too vibrant. Honestly, I think using color really helps with self-expression and adds to any outfit. All palettes are great for entry-level makeup artistry.

How are you hoping to see BGC evolve in the next five years?

In the next five years, I hope Blended Girl Cosmetics can make it into a big box store like Ulta or Sephora. I would love to get more creative with packaging that gives an even greater experience and becomes a household name for Indigenous makeup lovers.

Where can our readers learn more about your brand?

You can learn more and read all of our features on our website at www.blendedgirl.com; there is a tab that says article links/features. There you can see all of the amazing articles & publications that BGC has been a part of.

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