Javon Ford, TikTok’s beloved beauty myth-buster and cosmetic chemist, is shaking things up with the release of his own cheek stains, adding a touch of “skinification” to the blush game. This may be a new development to those unfamiliar with his career path, this isn’t just a regular product release, but rather an extension of his beauty journey.
The Memphis native and Howard University grad knew early on that he was destined for a creative journey. “I didn’t want to be a Med school student. I didn’t want to be a doctor or get a PhD, so I had to really research what other options were available to me,” Ford tells ESSENCE. While exploring the American Chemistry website, he discovered the personal care category, and it instantly sparked his interest. “I thought this was cool because you could immediately get into the action and not have to wait eight years to see the fruits of your labor,” the chemist remarks. “This path was a two-year turnaround and you can see the impact that it has on everyday people, so I went for this route.”
Even though his initial attempts to land an internship at big-name brands like L’Oréal and Estée Lauder didn’t pan out, he remained focused on his bigger ambitions and goals.
After years of working as a chemist, Ford decided to dive back into the lab just over a year ago. His mission? To create an orange blush that would eventually become a hit. “As a chemist, I wanted to prove that I could walk the walk and talk the talk,” he shares. When his first attempt at a complexion product was met with rave reviews and quickly sold out, Ford knew it was time to fully embrace the beauty industry and launch his own line, JavonFordBeauty.
For the first installment of the brand, Ford released three cheek stains in playful, fruit-inspired colors. There’s Georgia Peach, a nod to the summer fruit, Cherry Pie, a rich red and Blackberry, a luxurious purple. Thanks to the innovative bromo technology, these cheek stains adjust to your unique skin tone and undertone, creating a blush that universally fits any hue.
What makes these cheek stains unique is that its a gel-to-cream formula instead of the traditional powder offering and this was simply because Ford, keeping skin first, kept in mind that skin has texture. “I didn’t want to do something everyone was doing, but as a chemist first, I created this because I have textured skin and makeup really doesn’t account for that,” Ford explains. “Mine is oil because I wanted it to melt into the skin because of it’s lipid state. Skin likes oil.”
We’re calling it now, these blushes are a must-have. Priced at $32, the cheek stains are now up for grabs at javonfordbeauty.com.
