I’m Paige, the founder, CEO and inventor of the Dissolving Mascara Tablet.
Tell your story
Imagine this:
A world where cosmetics not only make you look and feel incredible but also has a positive impact on the environment. A world where each stroke of your favorite mascara brings a smile not only to your face but also to Mother Nature's. This is the vision that led me on a remarkable path to create Aer Cosmetics. The story of how I created Aer starts in the competitive dance scene. This sport gave me experience with cosmetics at just 8 years old. Because of my early start in dance, I learned how to put on fake eyelashes before I got to middle school! I began teaching dance part-time at age 14, and over the pandemic, I was recognized for my teaching online, accumulating over 300,000 followers within just a few months. I was always following the latest makeup trends by watching my favorite makeup influencers on YouTube, such as Tati Westbrook and Nikki Tutorials.
After starting my studies in meteorology, as well as reporting on sustainability for Drexel’s TV show “Inside Ambition,” I became hyper-aware of the everyday waste I was polluting. Specifically, I noticed a large portion of the waste came from my makeup. In 2020, I concluded that every year, I wouldgo through three to five mascara units. Considering how long I had been wearing mascara, I estimated that I had thrown out at least 40-65 in my lifetime. As a sustainability activist, I knew I could not morally pursue makeup if there was no alternative, so I created my own.
I took my last $22, walked over to CVS, and our first prototype was born.
Throughout the next three years of undergrad, I utilized resources from my Alma mater Drexel University, and worked with a team of cosmetic chemists at Freelance Formulations to perfect our formula. What we created is more than just sustainable; it’s tubing, smudge-proof, nourishing, conditioning, vegan, cruelty-free, Non GMO and gluten-free. The list goes on! We worked hard to make a mascara that eliminates waste, without eliminating quality.
My entrepreneurial skills did not come without help; they were instilled by my grandfather, whom I referred to as "Popou.” My Popou was an inventor and entrepreneur his entire life. Coming from a family of Italian immigrants, he used these skills to survive.
I founded Aer Cosmetics with my Popou in the Summer of 2021. Popou instilled the meaning of peace and entrepreneurship in my life, and the original logo, an olive branch, was created by him. Aer was founded with the goal of bringing peace to this world. The company was born out of my love and knowledge of innovation, entrepreneurship, cosmetics, and sustainability.
Aer is dedicated in loving memory to my grandfather, a World War II veteran who passed away on Veterans Day of 2022, leaving me with fuel to bring peace to this world in his honor. This is why I am dedicating myself to cleaning the air, with Aer Cosmetics
