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The Beauty Connoisseurs
Showing posts with label beauty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beauty. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

In the Lab: Product Inspiration



I gather a lot of product inspiration from fashion and home design. It may sound strange, but somehow I can translate the colors and designs of clothes and home accessories into cosmetics and fragrance. There was a spread in the July 2011 issue of Vogue that immediately drew me in. "Spellbound", as it was appropriately named, was inspired by "1940's film noir chic". Anything old hollywood screams richness and luxury to me. That can be creatively translated into lip and eye color, nail lacquer and even high end fragrance.

The basis of my product idea stemmed from the fact that film and tv in the 1940's was completely black and white. What a perfect canvas for bold colors, textures and prints! The most striking page in the spread featured Lara Stone in a beautifully tailored Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquiere shirtwaist dress (2011RTW). With bold colors of fuschia, shades of orange, royal blue/purple, red and mustard yellow set on a white background, I was staring at a palette of inspiration. I think this dress spoke to me so deeply because I've always been attracted to that kind of paisley-esque floral. In fact, I've been stalking this dinnerware set in a similar print at Target for months. I just can't muster a good excuse to purchase it.



So imagine my joy when I met with my latest joint venture partner and she unveiled swatches of colors that had been dancing around in my head for the last two weeks. Talk about thrilled! Glam girls think alike :-)

We'll revisit this post when it's time to reveal the new project. Until then, take note: Beauty and fashion walk hand in hand. If you want to succeed in the beauty industry (especially color cosmetics) you must keep a close eye what the fashion industry is doing.

Here's to the Glam Life!
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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Talk to Me!

I realized today that I don't know much about my readers, and my readers may not know much about me. Even on Twitter it surprises me how many people have no idea what I do. I clearly need to toot my own horn a bit more. Nevertheless, this post is dedicated to giving you a closer look at my life... as it relates to beauty... and you doing the same.

So a little about me... You already know I'm a cosmetic chemist. I do contract work and consulting for small businesses, spas/salons and independent beauty professionals who want to market a line of beauty products. Manicurists and Makeup Artists have been my best clients so far. I also do private labeling and wholesaling. The product offerings for those services is growing gradually.

I am vain in the sense that I take pride in the way I look. I'm not the "I know I'm prettier than you" type. I just like to look pretty and I easily recognize and appreciate beauty in other women too. I am the QUEEN of complimenting a stranger :-) I'm obsessive about taking care of my hair and my skin. I spare no expense for hair care and skin care... especially when a product no longer works for me. I don't think I'm a true product junkie, but that's probably only because I can read an ingredients list and instantly know if a product will live up to it's claims. My fave beauty products to buy are lip gloss and nail polish. I keep approximately 5 lip glosses in my purse not including the lip balm and carmex that I tote around. I buy nail polish compulsively, yet I rarely have my nails polished because of the work that I do. I also enjoy perfume... I wear it more for the status. It makes me feel all glamorous and grown up. I create perfume because I enjoy the process and because I can be inspired by so many different things that lead to creating a beautiful perfume.

So that's enough about me. I want to know about you! Tell me, what's your favorite nail polish brand? What nail color is an absolute classic in your eyes? What's the best top coat and base coat? What beauty product or types of products excite you? How often do you wear perfume? What's your signature fragrance? Are you obsessed with lip gloss like me? How long do you wish your lip gloss would last? Do you wear bronzer, foundation or tinted moisturizer? What's your fave makeup brand? Are you into color or are you a neutral gal? When you pamper yourself, what does that include?

I want to hear it all, ladies! So, please leave a comment telling me all about your Glam Life :-)
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Sunday, February 1, 2009

The Unfading Beauty

In the spirit of promoting female self esteem, I thought it would be appropriate to debut The Glam Laboratory with a poem that captures the very essence of beauty.

THE UNFADING BEAUTY
by Thomas Carew

He that loves a rosy cheek,
Or a coral lip admires,
Or from star-like eyes doth seek
Fuel to maintain his fires:
As Old Time makes these decay,
So his flames must fade away.

But a smooth and steadfast mind,
Gentle thoughts and calm desires,
Hearts with equal love combined,
Kindle never-dying fires,
Where these are not, I despise
Lovely cheeks or lips or eyes.

There is more to beauty than meets the eye Sure we love getting all dolled up with our skin care rituals, perfect hair products and the most feminine nail color we can find; but whats underneath all that? Its important that we glam up the inside as well as the outside. So... pick up a book, take a class, champion a cause-- all while being the most glamorous you can be. For physical beauty inevitably fades, but authentic beauty is forever.
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