First trans woman of color in the U.S. to launch beauty brand has local ties

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – She could be defined as a “do-it-all” woman.

Jayla Roxx, a 26-year-old television personality and trailblazer in the LGBTQIA+ community, who once called Jacksonville home, spoke to News4Jax about becoming the first trans woman of color in the country to launch a beauty brand.

Roxx started BatMe! Cosmetics in 2017 after struggling to afford high-quality eyelashes. As a drag performer, Roxx would go through eyelashes weekly and decided to produce her own solution.

BatMe! Cosmetics not only sells eyelashes but has expanded to eyeshadow pallets, contour kits, lip gloss, merch and more. The products are all cruelty free and vegan.

Roxx told us that when she started her business, she had no idea what it would truly mean.

“I didn’t even know that I was stepping forward and becoming the first Black trans woman to create such a wonderful brand,” Roxx said. “I set myself up for a stepping stone without even knowing it.”

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During the pandemic in 2020, Roxx released her second eyeshadow pallet The Box O’Donuts “Too!” Eyeshadow Palette.

“It’s 30 colors of beautiful fun,” Roxx said. “The reason I created this product is because it tells a story about my life. I have had to pull myself out of a dark place in the past, figuring out who I am as a person… it’s my whole ‘coming of age’ story. Now I am more bright, bubbly and fun! I want all of my products to be fun.”

As the pandemic hindered many businesses, Roxx said she had the opposite experience.

“I think the pandemic helped me with my business. I’ve been stuck at home, and I can actually sit down and focus on elevating my business and catering to the people that cater to me,” Roxx said.

When asked what’s next for BatMe! Cosmetics, Roxx said she wants to touch more on characteristics of the brand itself and feature queer individuals across the nation who love the product.

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Roxx moved from Jacksonville to live in Los Angeles after being awarded $10,000 on an episode of CBS’ Undercover Boss highlighting Hamburger Mary’s that was filmed in Duval County in 2016. She credits the TV show for propelling her forward in her career.

“I have been doing a lot of TV stuff here and there, but I guess my big break was when I did Undercover Boss. I was able to create a platform for Black trans individuals like myself, and I ended up getting the main prize of $10,000,” Roxx said.

After she moved from Jacksonville, Roxx flourished. She not only has her own popular beauty brand but is a host on AfterBuzz TV and was an actress in “Gayish 2,″ a full web series with Impulse Los Angeles on YouTube, which has been nominated for a “Best Digital Series” Queerties award. The series is a coming of age story about a Black trans woman named Monica.

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Roxx said she is excited to be nominated and has her fingers crossed that she can add “award-winning actress” to her resume. She also mentioned how important representation is for the transgender community and especially the Black transgender community.

“Representation means a lot,” Roxx said. “So seeing yourself up there, seeing somebody like you up there definitely brings forth everything we have going on.”

The Queerties 2021 Awards Show will air on Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. on Facebook, YouTube, and Revry TV.

Roxx has worked with big names such as Robin Antin and The Pussycat Dolls, Fantasia Barrino and various drag performers from VH1′s RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Roxx doesn’t plan to slow down, and we are excited to see what the future holds for this young innovator.

BatMe! Instagram | Jayla Roxx Instagram | BatMe! Facebook | BatMe! Website

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