We had the good fortune of connecting with Marvin & Kristen Speller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marvin & Kristen, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My husband and I wanted to create a unique brand, that represented all melanated skin tones as there was and still is a gap in the Clean & Conscious Beauty Sector for representation. We also wanted to provide great products with a mission led component to our brand. We started the Domestic Violence Glam UP Program in 2012 and now that we have our own brand, we are able to partners with various organizations in our community to provide makeovers and resources to survivors in Los Angeles.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
what you are most proud of or excited about. We are most proud of where we started and where we are going. We became a retail partner of Walmart this year and as the smallest Indie brand for a big box retailer, we are immensely proud of our partnership.

How did you get to where you are today business-wise. We set our intentions and forged a path that was right and fitting to us. You have to listen to your own voice. Through many challenges, we have learned & continue to do so.

Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?
It was not easy. We had many hurdles as beauty retailers were less receptive when we started to add black clean beauty brands to their stores. As a mission led brand, many people do not want to take on Domestic Violence as it is still a social stigma. We are staying the course and continue to do so.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Oh so many. We learned that no matter who supports you and who doesn’t, that we believe in ourselves at the end of the day. We’ve learned that our vision is the ONLY vision. Our mentors have been quite generous to us, often with suggestions. Some we took and some we didn’t. It’s about listening to your own voice while learning to incorporate what might possibly be missing.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

We want to the world to know that we started this brand from our hearts & souls. That we believe in wellness & sustainability & organic ingredients while delivering quality products. Our community is at the forefront of our brand and that will never change. We have the best conscious products on the market and we believe in our brand like no other.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh we are foodies. So we would take them to The Window in Venice, Les Sisters in Chatsworth & to Mexacali in Studio City. For a night out, there is no place like Water Grill in downtown LA.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We want to shoutout our community and to all of the makeup artists, influencers & customers who love & support our brand. Both of our mothers have been instrumental as well. We named our best selling eyeshadow, The BabsGlo, after both of them.

Website: www.Doubledowncosmetics.com

Instagram: @doubledowncosmetics

Facebook: Dóubledown Cosmetics

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.