As part of the Morning Lazziness series highlighting empowering women who are making a remarkable impact with their ideas, I had the pleasure of interviewing Aimée Carr.
Aimée Carr is the creator and founder of all-natural VOODOO MAKEUP, the industry’s first paleo cosmetic collection featuring award-winning, high-performing products that are vegan, cruelty-free, and formulated without mycotoxins or major allergens. Carr is an expert Medical Esthetician and Celebrity Make Up Artist whose holistic approach to beauty has earned her a stalwart reputation among fashion designers, models, national beauty pageants, and more. After ongoing skin and health problems prompted her to craft the initial VOODOO products at home in her own New Orleans kitchen, a fiercely loyal fan base has developed around an expanding line of top-quality beauty essentials that take “clean” to a whole new level.
In this interview, she delves into the challenges, successes, and wisdom she has gained from over a decade of transforming online businesses.
What inspired you to start your business, and what problem were you passionate about solving?
Voodoo Makeup was born from a desire to create truly clean beauty without compromising performance. After years in the beauty industry, I saw how “clean” often meant sacrificing pigment, wear, or quality — and how so many products still contained allergens or harmful ingredients. Out of not a need but necessity, after living in a house with Black Mold for three years, my health depleted, and I needed to solve that by creating cosmetics that are high-performing, rich in color, safe for sensitive skin, and free of toxins and allergens.
How has your business evolved since its launch, and what key decisions helped drive that growth?
We started with a custom blend bar in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter and a small collection of clean makeup products. Since then, we’ve expanded to a full line of lip, face, and eye products with buildable pigments, skincare benefits, and transparent ingredient lists. A key growth driver was committing to ingredient transparency and leaning into our New Orleans roots to build a strong, authentic brand story.
What makes your brand or offering stand out in a crowded market?
There’s clean beauty — and then there’s Voodoo Clean. Our products are free of mycotoxins, allergens, and harmful chemicals, all while delivering bold pigments and luxurious textures. We merge beauty with skincare, making each product as nourishing as it is beautiful, and infuse our brand with the vibrant, soulful energy of New Orleans.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to date, and why do you think it worked so well?
Storytelling. Sharing the “why” behind Voodoo Makeup — from the founder’s personal journey to the inspiration behind each shade name — has created deep connections with our customers. People aren’t just buying makeup; they’re buying into a story and a set of values they believe in.
How do you stay connected to your ideal audience and understand their needs or behaviors?
We listen online and in person. Social media engagement, customer reviews, and conversations at events help us understand what our customers love, what they need, and where we can improve. We also test new ideas directly with our community before launching them widely.
What’s one branding move or campaign that helped elevate your business to the next level?
Reframing our messaging to highlight the Voodoo Makeup Clean Promise — emphasizing safety, performance, and transparency — shifted the way people saw us. It turned “clean beauty” from a nice-to-have into a must-have for our audience.
What does success look like for you, not just in numbers, but in purpose or impact?
Success is knowing we’ve created products people trust on their skin every day. It’s hearing from customers who say they can finally wear makeup without irritation, or who feel confident knowing exactly what’s in their products.
Can you share a challenge or setback that ultimately became a turning point for your brand?
In our early days, we faced skepticism that truly clean makeup could perform like traditional cosmetics. Instead of lowering our standards, we doubled down on product innovation — refining formulas until they delivered the rich pigment and long wear our customers expect. That commitment turned critics into loyal fans.
What daily habits or rituals keep you focused, creative, and grounded as a leader?
I start each day reviewing our customer feedback and creative projects. Staying close to the customer experience and allowing time for creative exploration — whether testing shades or brainstorming campaigns — keeps me inspired and focused on our mission.
How do you approach innovation and risk in your business strategy?
We take calculated risks that align with our values. Every new product or campaign is tested to ensure it meets our clean standards and resonates with our community. We see innovation as essential, but never at the cost of our integrity.
What advice would you give to someone starting a business in today’s fast-changing digital world?
Be authentic and consistent. Trends will come and go, but if your brand story, values, and quality remain strong, you’ll build loyalty that lasts. Also, invest in digital storytelling — it’s your bridge to the world.
Where can our audience connect with you and learn more about your work or offerings?
Visit us at Voodoo Makeup and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for product launches, behind-the-scenes content, and tips on clean, high-performance beauty
