Popular terminology around covetable beauty products ranges far and wide: holy grail, must-have, essential item, can’t live without it. But something about Desert Island Beauty Status hits differently—just ask the brand’s co-founder Jeff Lee. Together with Austin-based beauty influencer Courtney Shields—who amassed a 945K-strong following on Instagram thanks to her relatable content for the everyday working mother who still wanted to be glamorous on the go—the former COO of A-Rod Corp (working in strategy across Alex Rodriguez’s health and wellness business ventures) started DIBS (short for Desert Island Beauty Status) Beauty in September 2021.Thanks to backing from co-founders of Tula Skincare Ken Landis and Dan Reich, Lee and Shields were able to launch the DTC presence of the brand. Products are built on the premise of easy-to-use, multitasking products. Think Desert Island Duos, which contain a blendable bronzer stick on one side and dewy blush on the other, infused with mango seed butter and an antioxidant blend, which can also be used on eyes and lips, available in nine shades to suit all skin tones; and Status Stick highlighters that add a wearable sheen to the face and body while moisturizing skin with ingredients like shea butter, avocado oil, and niacinamide. Products built for the modern cosmetics shopper who needs effective products that work, no matter how busy their lifestyle.It’s not just the formulas and sentiments that elevate DIBS Beauty above the influencer brand competition. A look inside the brand’s daily operations reveals a business built on authenticity and heart, on relatability and true customer engagement.