Science Inspired Entrepreneur
Science Inspired Entrepreneur
As a high school student, Alyssa Space told friends she would someday create her own cosmetics line.
January 15, 2021Today, bolstered by a mix of entrepreneurial energy, a long-held interest in beauty products and an MSU chemistry degree, Space has accomplished just that as the founder and CEO of ForHerCosmetics, a line of vegan, cruelty-free makeup designed for women of color.
Space launched ForHer in May 2018 after a year of experimenting with different natural ingredients that moisturized and preserved the skin. Eight months later, the Detroit-bred entrepreneur who began formulating sunscreens, perfumes and other products as an elementary school student, went all in. She quit her job as a quality control analyst at a specialty chemicals company to focus exclusively on ForHer.
The platform I stand on today to attract customers and teach chemistry to students is entirely because of the base I built at Michigan State.
“I was scared, doubtful, motivated, unsure and everything else in between,” Space said.
As Space sharpened her business fundamentals in Detroit’s TechTown incubator program, ForHer began generating sales momentum. Her five-employee company now inhabits lab space in the Core City neighborhood and recently earned 8(a) certification from the U.S. Small Business Administration, a business-boosting program for minority-owned operations.
“We’re ready to take off in 2021,” she said.
Space has used her ForHer experience and passion for science to inspire others as well. Under a second entity, MySpace Laboratories, Space visits schools to promote entrepreneurship and science, specifically highlighting different chemical experiments and processes that infiltrate everyday life. It’s a life Space could not lead without her MSU experience.
“The platform I stand on today to attract customers and teach chemistry to students is entirely because of the base I built at Michigan State,” Space said.
Contributing Writer(s): Daniel Smith
