How Natel Allen made her beauty dreams a reality
Written by Marianne Olaleye, JAIKU
The entrepreneur and 2024 Black Beauty Grant Programme winner started her nail polish brand Télle Moi in 2019 and has since appeared on Top Boy and Dragon’s Den, and built a cult following on social media.
Photographed by Krystal Nuevill
Natel Allen is a go-getter. In 2019, she spotted a gap in the beauty market while searching for the perfect nude nail polish.
“I just couldn’t find a nice nude that suited darker skin tones,” she explains. A lightbulb went off. Instead of settling for what was on the shelf, the East Londoner decided to make her own. “I think I’m just that kind of person,” she says.
“If I can’t find it, I’ll figure out how to make it.”
What began as a DIY project soon turned into a side hustle. Friends and family loved her custom polishes, and they started requesting their own.
“I started selling on Etsy,” Allen says. “The platform had a good customer base, but the fees were ridiculous, so I moved to my own website.” And just like that, Télle Moi was born.
Natel appears on Dragons Den in 2023
Her frustration with the beauty industry quickly resonated with other Black and Brown women who had struggled to find the right shades for their skin tones. Allen’s line of air-dry polish soon grew to include gel polishes and nail lamps, - just as salons became off limits during the pandemic. “Everything skyrocketed during lockdown because no one could go out and get their nails done,” she adds.
With demand soaring, Allen took the leap and left her full-time job. But the journey wasn’t without its challenges. Completely self-funded, her business needed investment. Then, in 2023, Dragon’s Den came knocking. “I got an email, and I thought, why not apply? They take you through several rounds, and there’s no guarantee you’ll make it on the show,” she says.
Due to small margins, the business didn’t receive funding, and the judges’ harsh feedback hit hard. “I definitely cried,” she admits. “But I was proud of myself for even trying.”
Despite the setback, Allen’s followers on social media rallied around her, encouraging her to keep going. And they weren’t the only ones. After applying for BGF x Glossier’s Black Beauty Grant Programme and Sky’s Black Equity Organisation grant in 2024, Allen won both. “The grant changed everything,” she says. “I wasn’t up until midnight labeling bottles anymore.”
With the funding, Télle Moi could now afford professional manufacturing and fulfillment, ensuring HEMA-free, vegan, and cruelty-free products. And through Glossier’s network, Allen also met influential industry peers who’ve helped her navigate the beauty world.
Télle Moi has since collaborated with brands like Wowcher, stocked its products in independent salons nationwide, and even appeared on two seasons of Top Boy.
To foster community, Allen launched Sip & Mix events in London, where guests can sip on drinks while creating their own polishes. And with plans to expand into major retailers like Superdrug, she is ready for even bigger things.
Her journey shows that with determination, resilience, and the right support, anything is possible. As Allen puts it: “If I apply myself, I’ll learn it. And I’ll do it well.” Wise words indeed.
