Drag artist and entrepreneur Kim Chi has just launched her cosmetics line, “KimChi Chic Beauty,” in CVS stores. The inclusion of a drag queen-owned makeup brand by a mainstream cosmetics retailer is history in the making.
The RPDR Season 8 runner-up shared the news on Twitter: “Crying tears of joy because KimChi Chic Beauty is now in select CVS stores and I couldn’t possibly imagine we’d grow this big. Thank you so much to everyone who believes in and loves our brand!!! It truly means a lot! Didn’t ever think you’d see a POC queer brand at CVS did ya!”
Crying tears of joy because @KimchiChic beauty is now in select CVS stores and I couldn’t possibly imagine we’d grow this big 😭 Thank you so much to everyone who believes in and loves our brand!!! It truly means a lot! Didn’t think you’d ever see a poc queer brand at CVS did ya!
— Kim Chi (@KimChi_Chic) March 9, 2022
Kim Chi first launched her cruelty-free beauty line in 2019, working with Toni Ko, founder of LA-based NYX Cosmetics. The brand has since grown to foster collaborations with other drag queen makeup owners like Trixie Mattel. Kim Chi has also partnered with The Trevor Project, donating 2% of sales with a $25,000 minimum.
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When describing what inspired her to start her own beauty line, Kim Chi recalls her first time doing drag on Halloween. “I was 25 years old and did my first beat with drugstore makeup (the horror),” she writes on the brand’s website. Kim Chi went on to earn a booking for her first ever drag show that same night. Now years later, she is doing her part to make drugstore cosmetics less horrific.
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The beauty line is currently available in CVS locations in California, Texas, and along the east coast, with photos of the in-store display already popping up online.
So excited to see @KimChi_Chic makeup at my local CVS. It’s safe to say I got myself a nice little selection of items I’ve wanted to try for a while💓 pic.twitter.com/DKLrYBsWf3
— Rosangela Farrell (@Rosaforthekids) March 8, 2022
“I believe your face is a canvas to create art,” Kim Chi writes. “Whether it’s subtle or out of this world, makeup can elevate the way you feel about yourself. With the right mug, I feel invincible and confident!” With the makeup line now available in mainstream drugstores across the country, more people than ever before will get to feel invincible and confident.
