Maskee Is Now Officially Patented: A Seven Year Journey of Vision, Faith, and Relentless Innovation

JoAnn “JoJo” Emale spent seven years fighting for something the beauty industry didn’t even know it needed yet. Maskee began as a simple solution to a universal problem — protecting clothes from makeup transfer during outfit changes — but the process of bringing that idea to life required patience, resilience, and an unwavering belief in her vision.

Every year of the journey brought a new reason to keep going. Sometimes it came from a family member encouraging her not to quit. Sometimes it came from a message from someone saying Maskee helped them get dressed for an important moment without ruining their makeup or outfit. And often it came from the online community she didn’t even realize she was building. They would tag her under posts where influencers struggled with makeup transfer, speak up for Maskee in the comments, and remind her why her invention mattered. Their advocacy became the quiet engine that pushed her through the setbacks.

When the patent approval finally arrived, JoAnn felt a deep release — a weight she didn’t even realize she had been carrying. Patents can’t be rushed. There are no shortcuts. The process forces you to trust timing, trust the work you’ve put in, and trust God. For seven years, she held on to that belief. Receiving the approval felt like confirmation that every sacrifice and every uncertain moment had a purpose. For the first time, she felt like her idea was truly seen and protected.

There’s also a part of JoAnn’s story the beauty industry hasn’t fully heard. Innovation often comes from places that are overlooked. It doesn’t always emerge from major labs or big beauty houses. It comes from creators who dream quietly, build passionately, and keep pushing even when no one is paying attention. Throughout history, so many innovators never received recognition for what they brought into the world. JoAnn sees Maskee as part of a new era where everyday inventors finally get acknowledged. What the world sees now is only the beginning. She is still building this story brick by brick.

Inventing something completely new meant navigating a learning curve that went far beyond product development. She had to teach people why Maskee needed to exist, while simultaneously figuring out how to protect it, brand it, package it, and position it in a category with no roadmap. Creating something that has never existed before forces you to build the identity, the audience, and the messaging from scratch. JoAnn learned to answer those questions repeatedly until Maskee carved out its own place.

As a Black woman innovator, securing a design patent carries powerful meaning. Black creators have a long history of watching their ideas taken, repackaged, or dismissed without credit. For JoAnn, this patent represents protection, ownership, and purpose. It shows that she followed the process, did the work, and ensured her idea was safeguarded. Joining the small percentage of Black women patent holders is both a personal victory and a reminder of the resilience that brought her here.

Now that Maskee is protected, the future feels wide open. JoAnn can approach partnerships with confidence, step into rooms knowing her idea is secure, and build the brand with the same vision she started with — only now with greater clarity and a stronger foundation. What comes next is expansion, increased visibility, and the opportunity to introduce Maskee to the world at the scale she always imagined.

Maskee is officially protected. And JoAnn Emale is just getting started.

Explore more at themaskeeshop.com and follow @themaskeeshop for what’s coming next.