Desiree Rogers and Cheryl Mayberry McKissack on building a beauty empire: ‘A lot of people are rooting for us’

www.chicago.suntimes.com

Their makeup is picture perfect. And they’re both wearing Black Opal. Of course.

Desiree Rogers and Cheryl Mayberry McKissack are the new proud owners of two cosmetics companies — the global Black Opal line purchased in June, and Johnson Publishing Co.’s iconic Fashion Fair Cosmetics line, a surprise purchase at its bankruptcy sale Nov. 7.

“We just could not let this incredible iconic brand get away from us, so we went in there, and we were so lucky, blessed, to be the winners,” said Rogers, 60, as the two sat down with the Chicago Sun-Times for an exclusive interview on their journey to a budding beauty empire.

It all started with Rogers, who, as CEO of Johnson Publishing Co. from 2010 to 2017, led JPC’s struggle to maintain publication of the legendary Ebony and Jet magazines and reignite its one-time celebrated but dimming cosmetics line.