Jentry Kelley

Jentry Kelley Cosmetics started in August 2011 as a makeup brand founded by Jentry Kelley, who has worked as a makeup artist for more than 30 years. The first brick-and-mortar store opened in Houston in 2017, near Rice University and the Texas Medical Center. A second location, JKC Memorial West, opened in November 2020 as a 2,500 square-foot makeup application studio and full-service hair salon.

Houston Central is at 1907 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77098, and Memorial West is at 13300 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77079. Both Houston locations are open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and closed Sunday. The phone number for both is 832-831-3456.

Makeup services include applications and lessons, some free with a purchase of four or more JKC items and others booked with Jentry Kelley herself. Hair services are offered only as add-ons to a makeup appointment at both locations, including a 30-minute dry style, a 45-minute blowout, a 60-minute blowout with hot tools, updos and a hair lesson. Hair-only visits are booked with booth rental stylists who offer cuts, color, extensions and straightening. Bridal and event hair and makeup is handled by a separate business that requires a three to six person minimum for work outside the salon.

The brand's philosophy is that less is more, with products meant to enhance rather than overwhelm. It launched a skincare line in 2015 that is paraben-free, plant-based and free of artificial fragrances, formulated for sensitive skin. Its cosmetics are cruelty-free and not tested on animals. The company says it was named to Houston Business Journal's Fast 100 Companies in 2018. Its products are sold in more than eight salons and spas across Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Iowa, and through partner retailers including Dillard's and Adore Makeup Boutique and Salon in Austin. Makeup tutorials are published on its YouTube channel.

Products are built around the idea that less is more, so the goal is to enhance a client's features rather than overwhelm them.