ABOUT | Thisisclutchco

Natasha Jenkins

Founder & CEO

With 20+ years in the beauty industry, Natasha Jenkins is redefining what makeup means for the modern woman in her carefully-curated line of cosmetic and skin care products, Clutch Co.

Born and raised in New York, beauty and fashion were always Natasha’s first love. She was inspired as a young girl attentively observing her mother, a professional makeup artist. “I watched my mother dress in the latest fashion and stay up to date on all the beauty trends. She never had a day off! She was always on! And always very well put together.”

As a teen, Natasha worked as a part-time makeup artist at the local Christian Dior counter and quickly began to receive requests from women wanting her to do their makeup outside of the store. “I enjoyed pushing limits with my artistry - playing in different colors, tones and textures. I realized how much of an impact I was making by simply doing what I enjoyed. I wanted to touch as many lives as I could with my gift.

She went on to work with companies such as MAC, YSL, Giorgio Armani, and Bobbi Brown, collecting a wealth of knowledge about the ins and outs of beauty retail and gaining an appreciation for the business side of what was becoming an exploding industry in the early 2000s. She quickly captured the attention of New York’s creative community and worked with celebrities such as 50 Cent, Chris Brown, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Three 6 Mafia as well as high-profile brands such as MTV, BET, VH1,PUMA, The Jimmy Fallon Show, New York Fashion Week and BeautyCon. And in her two decades of work, she’s contributed her artistry to countless editorial projects with sought after photographers and models.

In 2016, Natasha lost her beautiful mother at the tender age of 52 to Adult T-Cell Lymphoma - the same are condition that had also claimed her grandmother the year before. The intensity of grief had a surprising effect, pushing her to harness her dream of starting her own beauty brand. She launched with a line of vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free liquid matte lipsticks, and with that, Clutch Co. was born. She named her signature red lip color “Shasha,” after her beloved mom,Sharon.

In addition to running Clutch Co., Natasha continues her passion for beauty education and empowerment - through posh, comprehensive 1:1 makeup lessons with clients, online tutorials, and many fun group events throughout the year. She is available for photo shoots, events, weddings, and other commissioned projects.

Clutch Co. reflects Natasha’s own approach as a makeup artist: “I’m known for my natural makeup looks. I believe less is more and I don’t believe in oversaturating a woman’s face with tons of products. Makeup is made to enhance your natural features, not hide them. Today’s woman is busy and doesn’t want to spend lots of time applying makeup everyday. I found a way to teach others how to apply their own makeup in a few simple steps.”

Indeed, in an industry that often pushes novelty and gimmicks, Clutch Co.'s distinctive approach to beauty - skin first, followed by minimal but high-impact cosmetics - stands out among its competitors. “I don’t believe in promoting extra steps and tools just designed to make you buy more stuff,” Natasha explains. Additionally, Clutch Co.’s emphasis on functional, therapeutic ingredients to support skin care are her primary focus as the line grows and expands.