OAKLAND, Calif., USA – Sister and brother, Lake Louise and Keba Konte, celebrate Juneteenth with their collaboration on the Charcoal Vanilla Latte Face Mask. The idea of combining skincare and coffee may seem unusual but not for these two business savvy entrepreneurs.
“We are our ancestors wildest dreams” is how Lake and Keba view the success of their respective companies, Lotus Moon Skin Care and Red Bay Coffee Company.
Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed.
The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Juneteenth recognizes the end of slavery in the United States.
The formation of their new product, Charcoal Vanilla Latte Face Mask, is a peek into Black history. It blends clays, activated charcoal, vanilla, and other plant-based, skin-loving powders with Red Bay’s Carver’s Dream coffee — named after George Washington Carver who was born enslaved, and became one of the most prominent scientists and inventors of his time, as well as a teacher at the Tuskegee Institute.
This new creation, the Charcoal Vanilla Latte Face Mask, is the culmination of their individual specialties to create a product that all skin types will love.
Former educator, Lake Louise has her M.Ed from Stanford University and is founder of her innovative skincare brand, Lotus Moon. Ms. Louise made her pioneering mark in this competitive arena 20 years ago.
After tedious research centering on plant-based ingredients, she launched Lotus Moon Skin Care in 2002. Lake’s vision was to blend nature and science to enhance the skin’s life cycle. It would also heal and activate the skin and support the natural aging process beautifully.
Keba is the founder of Red Bay Coffee Company that was launched in 2014. He is a renowned artist and successful food entrepreneur, with deep roots in the San Francisco Bay Area specialty coffee and hospitality industry. Keba touts, “This award-winning coffee is roasted with love. Our artisanal coffee beans produce morning brews guaranteed to brighten your day.”
His faithful customers agree. Mr. Konte also gives back to the community by hiring and serving the marginalized, which are so often overlooked and underrepresented, including people of color, the formerly incarcerated, women, and people with disabilities.
