This week’s #BeautyBoss is DJ Victory, Founder of Macy & Mia Cosmetics—a line of affordable yet quality makeup and tools that encourage one’s inner creativity and is cruelty-free. The makeup artist and hairstylist is an avid dog lover and named the line after her two dogs, Macy and Mia (adorbs!) We also love that 10% of all the brand’s retail sales are donated to local charities such as Pay It Forward for Pets, a non-profit that focuses on animal rescue.

From best-selling highlighter palettes to lip liner and makeup brushes, there’s something for everyone at Macy & Mia. We recently sat down with DJ Victory to chat about what inspired the creation of her line, wellness tips, best advice, and more:

What inspired the creation of Macy & Mia?

I was inspired to create my own line because I wanted to do something different than hair, but still work in the beauty business. The cosmetic industry is extremely competitive so I’m still very much trying to figure things out.

How long have you been in business?

I have been doing hair for about 15 years, but literally have known since I was six that this is where I was supposed to be.

Tell us more about your line. Do you have a hero product?

Macy & Mia is a cruelty-free line. We are still developing and trying to figure out what our niche is. We have eight different liquid lipsticks that come with matching lipliners. These are all intermixable so you can create an endless palette. We have lipgloss, a highlighter palette, brushes, mascara, sponges, etc. Our hero product would probably be our best-selling lipgloss "Ava." It was featured in Ipsy's August Glam Bag and they have over three million subscribers!!

What’s your favorite product from your line?

That's a tough one. I love our lip sets because they stay put without drying out your lips. "The SpotLight,” our highlighter palette, is stellar too. It's so versatile.

Where are your products sold?

We sell the products on our website, macyandmia.com, as well as out of my salon.

Who inspires you?

There are a lot of people and things that inspire me. My son and husband inspire me immensely. I want to be the best that I can be for them.

Secret to success?

I have no secrets to success. I try my best, and at the end of the day, I just try to do the right thing.

Beauty secrets?

Botox! I love it and I don't care who knows that I get it. ;-)

Wellness tip?

Eat what you want in moderation. I suffered an eating disorder for years when I was younger and deprived my self of everything. Not anymore! If I want to eat pizza, I do.

Best advice?

My best advice to others is to just try to be a decent human being. Most of us are just trying our best to not lose our minds in this world of high expectations and social media. It's so hard to balance everyday life situations. My mantra for Macy & Mia Cosmetics is: Show Compassion, Teach Gratitude, Remain Humble. That's what it boils down to.

For more information and to purchase Macy & Mia Cosmetics, visit their website and follow them on Instagram: @macyandmiacosmetics

[Images courtesy of Macy & Mia Cosmetics]