The Lip Bar proves that when a mission-driven brand deploys sophisticated AI technology to scale its authentic voice, it can buck industry standards and drive massive growth simultaneously.

The Lip Bar is a masterclass in modern brand building. Founded by Melissa Butler in her Brooklyn kitchen, the company has grown from a bold idea into a beauty powerhouse based in Detroit and home to widely acclaimed red lipsticks for all shades.

While their mission to challenge the industry’s narrow standards is the heart of the brand, their business strategy is the muscle. Thirteen years in, The Lip Bar is proving that authentic representation and aggressive growth go hand in hand. By partnering with Attentive to build a sophisticated SMS program and leveraging our full AI suite, including AI Pro and AI Grow, they have turned their community-first approach into a high-performance revenue engine, driving nearly double the SMS revenue year-over-year while keeping their messaging as personal as a text from a friend.

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A Mission Born from Exclusion

The Lip Bar was founded because CEO Melissa Butler was fed up with the beauty industry’s narrow standards. The pervasive myth that Black women can’t wear red lipstick was the spark that started it all.

“Being founded and owned by Black women isn’t just a detail,” Clarissa Wright, Founder of CNW Digital, The Lip Bar’s marketing partner agency, “it’s the DNA of the brand. The Lip Bar exists because the beauty industry ignored and undermined Black beauty for decades.”

That lived experience shapes everything, Clarissa adds, “from shade ranges to messaging to how the team shows up every day.”

“Representation matters because when you’ve been told what you ‘can’t’ wear or ‘can’t’ do in beauty, building a brand that says ‘yes you can—and here’s the product to prove it’ hits differently,” she says. “It shows up in the day-to-day through inclusive shade development, authentic community-first messaging, and a team culture rooted in celebrating every shade, every texture, and every expression of beauty.”

Today, The Lip Bar isn't just filling a niche; it is setting the standard. Their mission is to uplift women everywhere and celebrate beauty in all its forms, challenging the idea that everyone should look the same.

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Building an SMS Engine from Scratch

Before partnering with Attentive, The Lip Bar didn’t have a dedicated SMS platform. They knew their mobile-first community was waiting for them, but without the right infrastructure, they were leaving revenue and relationships on the table.

They needed more than just a tool to send texts. They needed a strategic partner to help them build a compliant, scalable program from day one.

Attentive stood out because it wasn’t just a send tool. It was a full strategic partner. The platform made it easy to stay compliant, and the strategic support helped us hit the ground running. It felt less like adopting a tool and more like gaining a partner who was invested in our growth.
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-  Clarissa Wright, Founder of CNW Digital, Marketing Partner Agency to The Lip Bar

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Authenticity at Scale: The AI Advantage

For a brand rooted in genuine representation, automation might seem counterintuitive. But The Lip Bar has proven that the right technology actually enhances authenticity.

They have adopted a full-funnel AI strategy to ensure every subscriber feels seen:

• Smart Acquisition with AI Grow: To fill the top of the funnel, The Lip Bar uses AI Grow during testing and rollout, driving a 28% lift in SMS sign-ups and a 20% lift in email sign-ups.
• Precision Timing with Send Time AI: The Lip Bar uses Send Time AI for 80% of their campaigns, ensuring messages hit subscribers at the exact moment they are most likely to convert, rather than blasting everyone at once.
• Revenue Optimization with AI Pro: By implementing AI Pro, the brand is improving campaign performance and triggering more relevant journeys. This has delivered a +13% lift in incremental revenue, proving that smarter sends lead to better results.

Attentive allows us to connect with our community in real time, meeting our customers where they are with messaging that feels like a friend texting, not a brand selling.
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-  Clarissa Wright, Founder of CNW Digital, Marketing Partner Agency to The Lip Bar

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The Results: Representation Driving Revenue

The combination of a strong brand mission and sophisticated AI tools has delivered undeniable results. Since partnering with Attentive, The Lip Bar has seen:

• 116% lift in flow revenue
• 94% SMS revenue growth (year-over-year)
• 45% increase in SMS subscribers
• 41% increase in overall email revenue

By segmenting their audience and treating first-time buyers differently than loyal VIPs or lapsed customers, they balance promotional goals with relationship building.

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Advice for Future-Forward Brands

For other brands looking to replicate this success, The Lip Bar’s advice is simple: don’t be afraid to be human.

Lean into your brand voice and don’t be afraid to sound like a real person. SMS is the most intimate marketing channel you have. Treat that access with respect, be authentic, and segment your audience so you’re sending the right message to the right person. And don’t sleep on the strategic partnership. Attentive’s team brings real value beyond the platform itself.
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-  Clarissa Wright, Founder of CNW Digital, Marketing Partner Agency to The Lip Bar

Looking ahead, The Lip Bar plans to double down on personalization, testing new AI-powered insights to make every subscriber feel like the brand is speaking directly to them. It’s proof that when you combine a powerful mission with the right technology, you don’t just build a customer base. You build a family.