While studying at UNC Charlotte, Kaylan Joseph was busier than most students. That’s because she’s also an actress and singer, IAMEGYPT, who has around 83,000 listeners on Spotify.
Joseph also likes trying out different hairstyles. However, I was very busy during my student days, so I didn’t always have time to go to the store and buy hair care essentials.
“I literally didn’t have time to go to the store to buy what I needed,” she said. “Or if you actually went to the store and it was sold out, you didn’t drag yourself to another store to get it.”
Aside from her own time and fluctuating product availability, cost was another issue. Most black women spend more than $1,000 on hair care and styling.
“I just want to close my eyes and pay. [for a product] “It’s like, ‘Oh, this is really a lot of money,'” she said.
The singer delved further into the issue in conversations with other women (including the fact that many people feel “stuck” when visiting popular stores like Sephora and Ulta Beauty), and eventually realized she wasn’t alone in her struggles.
Inspiration struck on Easter Sunday 2023. Joseph was determined to create something that would revolutionize the beauty industry. She threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the 2023 UNC Charlotte Venture Challenge. She took a break from music and began talking to stylists and researching how potential online beauty services could help them.
revolutionize beauty
In 2025, Joseph officially founded GlamourBae, an AI-powered on-demand beauty subscription app for people like her who need help finding makeup, hair, and skin care products that help them look their best. The platform is currently in beta testing and is expected to be officially released this spring (an early access waiting list is currently available).
First, users register their phone number and email address.. Then, you take a beauty quiz that asks about your hair type, skin tone, skin concerns, makeup preferences, and how often you use products.
After entering their survey and location, users can browse curated categories and brands, as well as GlamourBae’s own top picks. Users select what they like, add those products to their shopping cart, and add coupons if available. At checkout, users will be able to track the delivery of their selected boxes in real-time.
The founder described her platform’s delivery service as “a beautiful fusion of Amazon and DoorDash.” The delivery service itself is partnered with Charlotte-based Just Her Rideshare, but prospective drivers can also apply through GlamorBae’s driver app, which is still in development.
GlamourBae has monthly and annual membership options for both basic and VIP memberships. The basic monthly fee will likely be around $5.99 to $7.99 per month. If you are a LuxeBae member, you can receive free delivery for $7.99 per month or $75 per year.
stand out from competition
Joseph believes that when it comes to competition, GlamorBae stands out due to its personalization, convenience, and dedication to serving the needs of its users. She points out that other beauty subscription services aren’t adequately addressing the needs of Black and brown women.
“Regardless of whether you wear product-recommended makeup or not, you may have rosacea or [other skin conditions]you know that what you see is good for you.
From a customer perspective, many are actively concerned about cost, poor quality, and poor service. That’s why the GlamorBae team is creating a database to help stylists know exactly what they need to do to best serve their clients.
Perhaps most interesting is GlamourBae’s AI, which is designed to allow users to “try on” different looks. AI also includes shade matching functionality to develop various makeup applications. This will allow you to imagine the desired look in detail.
progress so far
The team opened a waiting list for the Glamorbae app in January 2025. 275,000 people are currently participating. The startup also has beta testers, primarily based in the Raleigh-Durham area, who have given the app great feedback, especially regarding ease of use and brand selection. (Brands that GlamorBae works with include Maybelline, Got2Be, Scala, REM Beauty, and Charlotte Tilbury.)
Last April, GlamorBae officially partnered with Fenty Beauty to put some of their best hair products in pre-sale boxes.
Since its inception, Joseph has been assisted by a six-member advisory team.
“I love that they match my passions with GlamourBae and make me think about the business, the path, all the aspects, because…I like to think strategically about everything.”
Joseph primarily built the startup himself, but received about $10,000 to $12,000 in grants and angel investments.
quick bit
Startup: GlamorBae
Founder: Keilan Joseph
Established: 2023
Team size: 5
Location: Raleigh
Website: glamabe.com
Funding: Bootstrap, some angel investment
In the past year, GlamorBae has had many successes, including writing her first article, hosting a pop-up at UNC Charlotte, and participating in the Google Startup Program. The platform also earns around 200% profit margins on beauty products.
But Joseph’s most memorable accomplishment last year was making 115 bags for the Route 100 Gala and hand-delivering them by car from North Carolina to New York.
“I put my heart and soul into this company,” she said. “And that is [all] It’s really amazing. ”
In the coming months, Joseph hopes to expand GlamorBae across the country to cities like Atlanta, Detroit, and Houston. Her outlook for the next few years is for GlamorBae to expand internationally.
“Get ready for GlamorBae,” Joseph said. “We’re coming.”
The app is expected to be publicly available in April 2026. If you’re interested in joining the waitlist, check out GlamorBae’s webpage.
#Raleighs #GlamorBae #offers #users #beauty #easy