Growing up, all Nicole Marett wanted to do was work in the beauty industry as a writer. She pursued this dream, landing an internship in New York City. Selling everything she had, she moved across the country, thinking her dreams were becoming a reality.
"I absolutely hated it," she remembers. The whole time she was in New York, she felt God calling her to something else.
It wasn't long until she discovered the World Race, a mission trip in which participants travel to 11 different countries in 11 months. She knew God was leading her to apply, but she resisted.
"Finally I told God I'd try, thinking that since the launch date was two days away they'd never let me apply. But they did," Nicole says.
It was five months into the trip that God gave her a vision for Radiant Cosmetics and suddenly, she had a new dream: to begin a makeup company that partnered with organizations fighting human trafficking. She wanted to get people involved in their own communities, especially in the US, where trafficking happens every day. "I could see everything so clearly. I've never had such a Jesus vision before. He gave me the name, the purpose, everything."
Soon after Nicole arrived back in Austin, it became very apparent that God didn't want her to delay in starting Radiant. "He was wanting me to start Radiant now. I fought Him for a while and finally relented, telling Him that if He really wanted me to do this, He'd have to provide the money in order for me to start a business."
So she began praying for God to provide a very specific amount of money. After her grandmother's death, Nicole's grandfather called to let her know that she'd left Nicole a check. "I shouldn't have been surprised, but it was the exact amount I needed to start Radiant."
So, she did. In 2011, Radiant Cosmetics launched and a percentage of the profits began going to Free the Captives, an anti-human trafficking nonprofit organization based in Houston.
"I wanted a local organization, one relatively small and without the resources some of the larger organizations already have in place. When I heard of Free the Captives, I knew it was the way to go."
Since then, she's faced some opposition. "A lot of people think it's just a marketing ploy and sometimes I can get caught up in all these numbers. But God continually checks my heart and asks me, 'Is it about makeup or about these girls?' and every time, I'm reminded of his own heart for redemption and justice."
"From the beginning I've wanted something more than just buying makeup. Recently, I met someone who is opening up a safe house in Austin through Redeemed Ministries. We're working on a partnership with Radiant right now and in the future, there will be opportunities available like mentoring the girls, praying for them, and just volunteering at the safe house. I'm really excited about this. There's so many things that could happen from this partnership and I love dreaming of different ways to get others involved."
As for right now, Nicole encourages those who feel called to fight for justice.
"You don't have to go anywhere to find injustice. I've walked into brothels in Houston. If you feel God telling you to do something, walk in that direction. My dream? To set the captives free – one lipstick at a time."
