
The buzz around back-to-school beautyโfrom 5 a.m. skincare routines and professional first day makeup to controversial 30-inch wigsโhas hit an all-time high.
And this energy continuesโespecially now that Homecoming season is in full swing. Specifically, The Lip Bar is partnering with the HBCU Culture Shop to launch a limited-edition HBCU-inspired lip gloss collection.

As a FAMU alumni, The Lip Bar founder Melissa Butler says college was the foundation of her success. โMy first customers and employees went to HBCUs,โ she tells ESSENCE. โI wanted to show some love in honor of how much love HBCUs have given men and women for centuries, especially FAMU,โ Butler adds. โI owe so much to my HBCU and the richness of the culture is unsurpassed.โ







Her favorite shade in the 7-look collection? Red โRattlersโ, of course. โBeyond that, I really love the shades โHBCU girly,โ โHampton U,โ and โJaguars,โโ she says, calling out the neutral brown, taupe, and deep brown shades she wore during her college days. โWe were deeply into smoky nude glosses, ice blue shadow, and eye liner,โ says. โWe wore business casual to the club and our hair was fried. Flat irons hated to see us coming.โ

However, the latest collection to join The Lip Barโs current offeringsโincluding lipstick, lip liner, and lip oilโis not like the other products. โThe sheer wash of color in the HBCU Collection is an innovation we have not done before,โ Butler says, with the intention to develop a universal lip. And, safe to say, they succeeded.
The limited-edition collection is available on thelipbar.com while supplies last.