A Day In The Beauty Life

A color from the past...

2012-02-29T11:07:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh! I just received the funniest phone call EVER! I just have to share...

A couple of days ago, I had a voicemail from a loyal customer in Illinois asking if I could locate any pieces of Vinetto Lip Colour. Let's backup...for those of you that were introduced to Mirabella within the last 2-1/2 years, you will not remember Vinetto Lip Colour as we finally updated our Lip Colour shade range in 2009. Vinetto was a shade of the 90's, light super frosty pink that was usually worn with a dark plum liner. Take a look at a few pics I quickly snapped of the shade.

Suffice it to say that Vinetto was one of the first shades that was targeted to be discontinued when we reworked the Lip Colour shade range!

Now back to the present...when I received her phone call, I checked our warehouse for any remaining pieces of Vinetto but did not have any luck. I left her a quick voicemail explaining that we could not locate any for her. Today when she called, she was begging to call the manufacturer directly to order 20 pieces. Never have I encountered so much dedication to a shade from a customer:). I had to explain that Vinetto was a custom shade to the Mirabella brand and could not be reordered for under 3-5,000 pieces. She just could not fathom why we have discontinued such a great shade! Hahaaa! She was so distraught that I offered to rummage through my retain drawer to see if there were any production samples that I could send to her.

Luckily, I was able to find 3 production samples made back in 2008. When I called her back, I could feel her energy through the phone...I swear. She thanked me profusely, offering to pay. I laughed because the samples may be so dry that they cannot be used. Somehow I think she will make them work:).

The rule at Mirabella is that customers date their lipsticks but marry their foundations and mascaras. Trudy from Illinois shattered this rule of thumb today! I LOVE IT!!!

The 3 Vinetto samples are en route to Illinois:)...

My Beauty Must-Haves for 2011

2011-12-23T12:07:00.000-08:00

Wow! The last month has flown by so quickly. Christmas is my favorite time of year, but this month was packed with some major events that made everything rush by so quickly. Yesterday was a whirlwind! By the time I sat down on the plane to fly home to Utah, I felt so bleh...and irritated. The morning started out with a conference call with an Italian vendor. For anyone who knows me, I am NOT a morning person. So...even though they spoke English, their accent was extremely hard to follow. And from there I was running trying as always to fit too much into one day. I got caught in a lengthy training on our new office printer (production quality graphics that will totally make my life easier) but I definitely didn't have time for that on my last day in the office for two weeks. From there it was rush of designing last minute flyers and requests until I was packing, delivering Christmas gifts and then rushing to the airport. My shoulder bag was like 30 lbs...I swear! My scarf was totally choking me and my hair was stuck in my lip gloss to make matters worse. I could only sit back on the plane and think that this is just an example of what a day in the beauty life really is:). But now, I am home with my parents and so excited to be here. I can finally take a deep breath and reflect on the year.

I was thinking about the products that I love and would recommend to you all. Since I have been designing products for 10 years now (eek!), I use most of these makeup creations everyday...but what about all of the other beauty products that set the stage for fabulous makeup? I thought I would take a moment to share my favorites of 2011.

#1. One of the biggest issues I faced with beauty over the past years is acne. I went through several dermatologists before I found someone who could help me. So, he gave me different ingestibles and creams for my face which have almost totally cleared it up. However, there was an OTC product that truly made a recognizable difference. Neutrogena Oil-free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser is a very refreshing wake-me-up in the morning. I use it twice-a-day which really made the difference. It refines my skin and totally limits any blackheads or extra oil. The great thing is that this cleanser is super inexpensive. You can find it at any drugstore or online for around $4-6.

#2. Another skin product that makes my skin look amazing is Image Skincare Ageless Total Skin Lightening Serum. Whenever I use this product consecutively, I get so many compliments on how smooth my skin looks. I feel like it minimizes pores and overall provides a brightening effect to the skin. This is a very gentle product and so I use it twice-a-day to really make an impact. It can be combined with most moisturizers or used alone. Image Skincare is a professional line, so it can be found in spas or online for various pricing.

#3. Since I think everyone should wear color on their lips and am a big advocate for lipstick, it is important to not have dry, chapped lips. I recommend Image Skincare Balancing Lip Enhancement Complex. I truly cannot live without this product!!! Whenever I am desperate for something on my lips and I use another chapstick, I instantly regret it as it totally dries my lips out. This lip treatment fixes all chapping and really makes my lips look great!

#4. I don't know about you, but my eyes are very sensitive to many eye creams and eye makeup removers. I have to be very careful. For years I have been using Clinique Anti-gravity Firming Eye Lift Cream. It always make my eyes feel so good and really assists in makeup application.

#5. Over the years, I have come to realize that I am a bar soap girl. Body washes are really just annoying to me no matter how much I try to like them. My absolute favorite soap is Dove Gentle Exfoliating Bar. I love this bar soap because it smells great (not like my Grandma's flowery scented soap) and it doesn't leave residue on my body or in the bathtub. I also use this soap to shave. It protects my skin but still allows a close shave.

#6. Along with Dove Exfoliating Bar, I choose Venus Breeze Razor for my shaving needs. I don't like the disposable razors, instead I like these refillable cartridges. The Venus Breeze has shave gel bars making it great for travel when you don't want to be carrying shave gel or soap. The 3-blade system really provides a close shave. Love it! It is available at any grocery store for around $10 for the razor and then $15-30 for the refill cartridges.

#7. My favorite new brand that I have tried this year is Mama Mio body care. Mama Mio offers products that have special ingredients aimed at addressing different areas of the body. Each area of the body is unique and should be addressed as such. I have received two different products in the swag bags from CEW (Cosmetic Executive Women) events. LOVE both of them! Total winners. First is called Boob Tube Bust and Neck Firmer. I have to say, ladies, that my decolletage has never looked more moisturized and pretty. The next is Get Waisted Body Shaper. This is a 30-day treatment that is said to make your stomach feel firmer. And it does! I definitely felt better when I would use this product over regular body lotion. Plus..both products smell so good. You should definitely try them...but be ready for a hefty price point. Boob Tube is $45 and Get Waisted is $54. Mama Mio offers many other products, but you might break the bank to outfit your entire body.

#8. And finally, my favorite seasonal body butter is from the Body Shop called Candied Ginger. I LOVE anything with ginger in it. It is a scent that truly calls to me. And it feels great on the skin too!

So, that wraps it up! What have been your favorite products this year?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T15:23:00.000-08:00

I just arrived at Los Angeles International Airport to fly home to Utah for Thanksgiving. In LA, you never know what the traffic will be like on the 405, so my policy has always been to arrive super early rather than take the chance of missing my flight. Much to my dismay, there were probably 10 people in the baggage line. I made it through security in less than 15 minutes! Normally, I would be so happy, but now I have 3 HOURS to kill! So, I figure it would be appropriate to spend some time thinking about the people who have helped me succeed at Mirabella. I wouldn't be who I am today without the influence of several key people.

First and foremost, thank you to Christy Thurston, Founder of Mirabella, who started me out on the path of makeup. Christy is such a beautiful, inspiring woman, and I wish you all had the opportunity to meet her. I adopted many elements of Christy's personal style that still influence me today. Christy taught me about work ethic...that great things can happen if you believe and work hard enough to make them happen. She taught me never to settle for less than perfection. I can't say that my standard will ever be as high as Christy's...but it is pretty high:). This reminds me of our very first holiday collection that we launched after partnering with Maly's West. It was called Merry Mirabella and was packaged in a monochromatic purple striped box with orange ribbon. Christy's philosophy was that everything looks better with ribbon...which I totally agree...most of the time. However, I can positively say that the Mirabella employees that tied hundreds of ribbons for Merry Mirabella would never do it again! There were a few seconds of mutiny when she wanted to flame the ends of the ribbons. That did NOT happen:).

When I first moved to LA...it was a VERY difficult transition for me. It was the first time I lived away from home and I had no family or friends. I think back to that time, and I still feel anxiety when I think of how difficult it really was. I had never even seen a real warehouse, so let's just say that my eyes were opened real fast! I floundered for the first six months or so until Mike Seiser, COO of Maly's West at the time, took me under his wing. Mike Seiser was an interesting guy...super tough to people on the outside, but very helpful to those few that made it to his inner circle. I was lucky enough to be one of those people for a year or so. I am thankful to Mike because he taught me about streamlining operations in a warehouse. He gave me my first lessons on inventory levels and purchasing. He taught me to be a stronger person...that I wasn't in this business to have everyone like me. A lesson that has been super beneficial over the years. Since I didn't have many friends, I would bake on the weekends. Mike ate hundreds of chocolate chip cookies over that year just to make me happy! But most of all, he taught me how to maintain a balance in my life between work and home. That is the lesson that I value the most. He encouraged me to get interests outside of Mirabella which totally helped me create a life in California.

The next person who really influenced me was Adrienne Kramer. She came to Mirabella after Christy left and she really taught me to dream and think big. At the time, I would want to create something but would immediately think of all of the limitations and reasons that it wouldn't work. Adrienne changed that. She told me to decide on what I wanted and then map out the steps that would help me accomplish my dream. Adrienne was instrumental in helping me be a better negotiator and really helped me to understand how product development really works. I wouldn't be the Creative Director at Mirabella had I not listened and learned from Adrienne.

Now I have the opportunity to work daily with John Maly. He consistently amazes me how calm he stays in all aspects of business. His philosophy is that he will give you a long rope and you can either run with it or hang yourself. So far...I am running with it! This allows for so much creativity. John allows us to try new ideas. Not only allows it, but expects it...which always keeps me on my toes. But most of all, John has created a nice environment to work in. I enjoy going to work each day and he always treats me with respect. Thank you, John.

And finally, I have to throw in a quick note for my BFF, Lyndie. Lyndie is such an amazing friend. It is such a great opportunity to work with your best friend. She knows me inside and out and always builds up my confidence. She is a truly loyal friend and I love her for it.

These 10 years at Mirabella have been a great growth experience. I am truly grateful for my job and love cosmetics. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Style

2011-11-16T17:29:00.000-08:00

For the past week, I have spent a lot of time looking at beautiful images trying to create inspiration boards for next year. Thank you Pinterest for making it easy to categorize beautiful images. It makes large projects like this SO much easier. No more tearing out magazine shots and putting them in folders. No more glue sticks. No more hanging file folders with images you never really look at again after you cut them out. Seriously, so much easier. If you haven't dived in, it can be super fun!

Since I have planned so many different promotional themes and classes over the years for Mirabella, I never really stop to think about what my own personal style really is. I know that I always lean toward more classic styles, but after this past week, I KNOW that my style is pretty one dimensional. We were creating bridal boards and looking at thousands of bridal images attempting to categorize them. It was really difficult for me to look past my own personal style and taste to get images that were inspirational across all different brides. Interesting! I have never really understood just how much my personal taste really affects Mirabella in general until now. I am sure that this helps keep things consistent since I do not jump all over the board, but it is very important to have people you can trust with different view points to help put some perspective on everything. You just cannot do it alone. Thank you, Jamie Richards, for always being a willing partner in crime. I have to say that our bridal inspiration boards really turned out stunning. I can't wait for next year! So many fabulous ideas on the table:).

So, the day after I spent hours with Pinterest, I came to the office to find the Nordstrom holiday catalog on my desk. Can I just say that I LOVE Nordstrom catalogs! I immediately starting flipping through and realized again that my style is very classic. Take a look at the images I found inspiring.

Oh my gosh! LOVE this bag. So pretty. LOVE the snowflake Chanel branded zipper pull. LOVE the shape, LOVE the glosses. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

These shoes are AMAZING! Why can I not afford them? Rgh!

I totally want a statement ring. Either of these would be lovely!

I think this Nars gift set is super creative. LOVE the pots and brush. Not sure how functional...but very cool.

Both these pics were an actual spread in the catalog, and it really took my breath away when I flipped the page. LOVE the monochromatic feeling.

Now I just need a boyfriend who will buy me these things...ha, ha! I can only dream:). What is on your holiday wish list?

My most exciting custom project...

2011-09-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

It is finally here!!! My very own custom hand mirror:). This is a dream come true since the moment I received control of product development for Mirabella. I wrote a post awhile back the day I received the first sample of the mirror. I am so excited to say that it finally debuted at the fall trade shows and received amazing feedback. Here are a few pics...

This is my first and most exciting completely custom idea come to life! Almost 1-1/2 years ago, I challenged my new rep at HCT Packaging to present me with some custom ideas rather than stock (which is available to all companies). HCT Packaging is the leader in cosmetic packaging for innovation and is credited with fantastic designs such as the Urban Decay pop up eyeshadow palettes and all of MAC's custom packaging, plus many more.

From this challenge, HCT really went above and beyond to push the limits with their factories. This gorgeous mirror really shows fantastic metal work...something that HCT is very excited to promote. I can't wait to have an HCT press release featuring this mirror sent to all cosmetic companies that they work with. I feel like I have finally made it:).

Why everyone MUST have this mirror? My favorite design elements are:

1. I insisted that there be two-tones of silver...brushed and shiny, to really create dimension on the back of the mirror.
2. The logo is debossed (etched in) to the back of the mirror which ensures that it will not rub off. This was very difficult since our logo type is so skinny and precise. HCT did an amazing job making this happen. It was a deal breaker for me.
3. The ribbon handle gives a romantic twist to an otherwise modern design. The design really captures the Mirabella brand. Thank you, Chris Tarling!
4. The weight of the mirror makes it feel super exclusive when you hold it. You wouldn't think that weight is that important...but it really adds to the overall prestige design.

I absolutely LOVE holding this mirror when I am getting ready...and I know you will too! Check out the Mirabella website. Next week, you will be able to get a discount on the hand mirror when you purchase fabulous Mirabella products. Stock up on your favorites and don't forget to grab this mirror while supplies last. Enjoy!

Graphic Liner - Spring 2012 Trend from Fashion Week

2011-09-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

This week I have been immersed in planning for our first big media launch to the National Beauty Editors that is scheduled on Oct. 17th at the prestigious Antonio Prieto salon in NYC.

PHOTO CREDIT: www.antonioprietosalon.com

So much planning to be done...the point of this launch is to introduce the Editors to the Mirabella brand and take them through our next product launches. I literally have to get up and talk about the history and highlights of Mirabella. I'm totally nervous...eek! Seriously. I feel like I have to pump myself up to actually get through all of these nerve racking yet thrilling opportunities. So, I will be making 5 presentations to groups of Beauty Editors throughout the day...and then, that night we will be hosting an event for the top beauty bloggers.

And this is where my creative juices start flowing. We will be traveling with four of our top makeup artists (Natalie Sparrow, Brian C. Hawkins, Lisa Hickerson, and April Genshaw) who will be on site to create fabulous custom looks for both events. For the bloggers, we decided to create mood banners showing three hot runway trends. One of the trends that I totally love is graphic liner. This is going to be so hot for spring 2012!! We found this awesome picture from The Blonds runway show. LOVE it!

PHOTO CREDIT: www.google.com

I immediately wondered how easy this would be to recreate the look. Would it actually be totally scary or really fun? So this morning I took my time getting ready and tried it out. Here are a couple of pics...

Thank you to Mirabella's Magic Marker Eyeliner, I was able to get this graphic look. Marker pens are the latest cosmetic technology for liquid liner. I tried this technology for the first time over 6 years ago. At first, the marker pens dried out too quickly. But, I can now confidently say that all issues have been worked out development wise...AND I cannot believe it took so long to reinvent the difficult liquid liner. Now everyone can get the precise lines that liquid liner is known for...and you can avoid flaking, skipping, and shaky lines by using these new pens. It is a new staple in my cosmetic bag!!

For this particular look, I started with Smoke Eye Definer pencil to lightly mark the areas that I wanted to have the graphic liner. The pencil was much more forgiving and provided a great guideline when I actually worked with the marker.

Would I do this look everyday??? Probably not. But it sure was fun to experiment and would be great for a special night out with the girls. Not sure that you can pull it off? Check out InStyle's spotlight on graphic liner that features much more wearable looks.

Meet Josephine...

2011-09-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh!! I just arrived at work to the most fun surprise I've had since Christy decorated our offices as Jabot Cosmetics from Young and the Restless over six years ago. Tiffany Coffey (Accts. Payable at Mirabella) totally decorated my dress form for Halloween:). I LOVE IT!! Thank you, Tiffany. I needed a pick me up:). Can't stop smiling...

Meet Josephine..

Ginnifer Goodwin

2011-09-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

So, I came across this cool pic of Ginnifer Goodwin and I am totally digging her use of bold color on the eyes! Such a great combination with her green shirt (which I probably never would have put together BTW). It totally fits her spunky hair style and color.

I immediately wanted to try the look on myself. So an hour and 20 pictures later, I finally took a photo that I could post and not cringe:). This is a such a new departure for me to be on videos and posting my photo everywhere...it is taking me a bit to adjust. Plus, it is difficult to take photos of yourself. Thank you to the iPhone 4 that has the dual camera...love that phone:). Anyway...this is how it turned out.

Get the look with Mirabella's Haute and Kristique Eye Colours, Pure Finish Illuminate, Glowing Blush Colour Duo, Shy Lip Lustre Liner, and Allure Colour Shine lip gloss.

It was totally fun to try something new...but I am wishing I had brown eyes and cute spiky hair to complete the look (at least for today that is).

Be brave...be bold...try something new! I want to see your pic!!!

Amber

2011-09-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

Hey, there! The past week I have been working on a huge project for our fall classes that are being taught by our lovely educators at trade shows and in stores nationwide. Suffice it to say that I thoroughly combed through the September issue of every fashion/beauty magazine on the rack! HUGE magazines...so much advertising money...it is totally crazy!!! Throughout my search, two different ad campaigns really caught my eye. And I wanted to share them with you:). First, St. John created a FANTASTIC ad campaign with Kate Winslet. It totally speaks to me...

I love the extra touch at the bottom "Starring Kate Winslet". Perfect. And finally...this Chanel bag is a total LUST for me! I want it!! Ha..ha!

Needless to say...I totally stopped in my hunt when I saw both ads! So classy! What say you? Do you agree with me?

NYFW - Spring 2012 Ivana Helsinki

2011-09-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

Ivana Helsinki was definitely a different experience than Anne Bowen. It was higher stress with more action backstage...which is always exciting!! The makeup look was definitely not for every day...an intense tribal theme with black paint on the brows and under the eyes. The designer really wanted to dip the models hands in black paint for the show...and you could tell Brian C. Hawkins had some misgivings about how this would actually work and play out. In the end, you have to conform to the designer...so each model dipped their hands in the paint right before they came out on the runway. What a mess!! I can see that it added dramatic effect to the show. The entire venue was white floors and the black paint dripped all over the floor as the models came down the runway. Watch your shoes! Kandee Johnson's boots got a couple of splatters during the show. The black paint drops would then smear across the floor as the other models walked through the paint. The poor cleaning crew:(. Not to mention that several models smeared that awful black paint all over the beautiful clothes. Brian knew this could be a problem, but the designer totally insisted. Wow! It was crazy. Catch the recap video below...

When I first arrived backstage, Brian Hawkins was working on the one and only Jessica White (a Maybelline spokesperson and revered supermodel)!! She was STUNNING! And, it was so fun to hear her tell us about her career. She closed the show and you could tell that she was a higher caliber of model all of the way. Her walk was hands down the best...just the right amount of attitude!

Day 2 - New York Fashion Week

2011-09-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

We started day 2 of our NYC Fashion Week trip pounding the pavement!! Kandee Johnson, Jamie Richards and I headed out to enjoy the city. My favorite part was standing in Times Square...there is a certain trash can that you can stand by and be seen on the screen up above you. It was funny because you feel like a total idiot at first, but then it becomes so much fun. A guy will wave back at you and the screen will totally zoom in on you if you stay there long enough! We stopped and bought t-shirts for Kandee to sign as giveaway prizes...I swear, she is like a magnet for people. Everyone gravitates toward her. It is a true gift and I loved seeing it in action. Of course, you cannot be in NYC without visiting Magnolia Bakery. We took a break to discuss our thoughts on the Anne Bowen show and stuff our faces with delicious red velvet cupcakes. SO MUCH FUN!!...You can catch some footage of our city tour below:).

Fashion's Night Out

2011-09-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

Oh WOW! Fashion's Night Out was so so so much fun!!! Jamie Richards and I hit 5th Avenue in NYC on September 8th to take in the sights and sounds of Fashion's Night Out. Such energy!! It seemed every store had something going on...most especially loud music. We first headed to Saks 5th Avenue and the cosmetic department on the 1st floor was hopping! It was so fun to see everyone getting makeup touch-ups. Such a crowd...Jamie even spotted Naomi Campbell. She was gorgeous!!! I swear she was like a foot taller than everyone there.

We headed to the women's section and there were several activities going on there. We chose to park ourselves in line at the Rebecca Minkoff braid bar. They were weaving leather into fantabulous braids. We waited what seemed like FOREVER (my feet were so hurt after such a long day)!!! In the end, we decided we were much more inclined to spend time on 5th Ave than stuck in line. Lesson #1: Go early to Fashion's Night Out!!! Especially if you actually want to get a service that is being offered.

So we gave up our spot and headed back out on the streets. My sore feet became my sole focus and I had to find comfortable shoes and FAST! Lesson #2: Do not wear any sort of heel to Fashion's Night Out and then stand in a line forever! I finally found some flip flops at GAP. Thank goodness. My mood improved immediately once those flip flops were on my feet. From there we took in several cool sights. Drake, the rapper, was out in front of Versace. As we were trying to get closer to see him in the crowd, we ended up by the store windows. All of sudden we realized there were live models in the window!! It was so cool!

Loved every minute of it! I really hope I get another chance to go again sometime:).

Day 1 - NYC Fashion Week

2011-09-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh! What a whirlwind today has been. So much fun here in NYC at Fashion Week. We started the day meeting Kandee Johnson over a lovely breakfast at Norma's, a fantastic restaurant in the Parker Meridian Hotel. Her crispy french toast was as big as her head!...I swear. Not to mention fresh squeezed orange juice and shots of smoothie. Norma's is a MUST if you happen go there the next time you are in NYC!!

Photo credit: tummydiary.wordpress.com

Next, we hit the streets to film the following video intro before the Anne Bowen show. I felt so funny being all dressed up with a camera guy following me. Videos always stress me out!!! I do not like to be in the spotlight...but somehow I keep getting roped into these video clips. I swear I have to do 1,000 takes just to get something usable.

Next was the Anne Bowen show. I finally got to meet Brian C. Hawkins, an amazingly talented Mirabella Makeup Artist. We have had so many phone conversations, so it was a pleasure to finally meet him face-to-face. The makeup team he put together was fantastic!! I loved talking with them to get their input into how our cosmetics were performing backstage. Big sigh...when the feedback came back positive:). I put so much time and energy into each product that a positive review always feels really nice!

And I specifically LOVED the makeup look Brian created for Anne Bowen. They used such an unusual combination...and I am someone that loves unusual combinations:-). The team smoked out the eye starting with Bark Eye Colour which is a great deep brown. The interesting part was that they used Ultraviolet Eye Colour to create dimension. In a million years, I would have never thought to use those two shades together!! Ultraviolet is my FAVORITE shade, so now that I can use it to create a smoky eye...just makes it even better! A little blending with Sienna and then Gilded was applied under the brow. SO BEAUTIFUL. And the great thing is that everyone can really actually wear this look.

Anne Bowen's show was so much fun! BEAUTIFUL dresses. It is amazing that so much work goes into something that really only lasts 6-10 minutes! Wow. It all happens so quickly. Check out the video with a recap of our experience at the show.

I'm here! NYC Fashion Week...

2011-09-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

I am minutes away from meeting with Kandee Johnson, one of my favorite beauty bloggers, and we are going backstage at the Anne Bowen show at NY Fashion Week!!! I have been waiting for the opportunity to be at NY Fashion Week and it is finally here:). Mirabella is the official makeup sponsor for Anne Bowen and the wonderful Brian C. Hawkins will be leading the makeup artists to create fabulous makeup. Stay tuned on Facebook and Twitter for behind-the-scenes footage at the show!

Blush! Giveaway Winners

2011-08-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of the fabulous followers that participated in our Blush! Giveaway.

AND THE WINNERS ARE...

Vintageheart
Jeanne Wagner Duren
SheilaW9
mom4everandever

Contact us at smm@mirabellabeauty.com to claim your FREE Blush! Colour Duo.

I'm so excited for you to try them:)

Happy Blushing!!!

Rose Gold Educator Offer Details

2011-07-29T10:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Educators,

Thanks for participating in the call yesterday. If you are now following both John's and my blog, email smm@mirabellabeauty.com. We will respond with instructions on how to order your limited edition Rose Gold Eye Colour Collection. I can't wait for you to get it! You will LOVE it!

Blush! Giveaway

2011-06-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

Now that I have sufficiently talked up our Blush Colour Duos...we are giving some away!! 4 lucky winners will get their choice of one of Mirabella's NEW Blush Colour Duos. Choose from Blissful, Glowing, Merry or Radiant. Psst...Radiant is my favorite!!

THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO WIN!!

1. Follow my blog and post a comment in response to this post. It could be about anything! What is your favorite Mirabella product? What makes you blush? Etc...

2. Follow us on Twitter @MirabellaBeauty and retweet (RT) the following message:
"Follow @MirabellaBeatuy and RT Win one of the NEW Blush Colour Duos by Mirabella http://bit.ly/isQS45"

TERMS:

The deadline to enter is Sunday, July 31, 2011 at 11:59PM (PDT)
Participants must use valid email address and/or twitter account to win
A maximum of 2 entries per person

One comment on my blog
One retweet on Twitter

Contest is open to individuals of any country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21)
We will select 4 winners at random from all eligible entries
The winners will be announced on my blog, via Twitter, and on Mirabella's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mirabella-Beauty/154901032649) within 48 hours of the dealine
Void where prohibited by law

Blush!...Communicating the Message

2011-06-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

Just because I finished a fabulous product did not mean that my work was finished. The hardest part was ahead...how to communicate that the average woman needed more than one blush. My first thought was that we needed to show consumers how to apply blush in just one shade before we could jump into two. And for that, clients needed to understand their face shape. I enlisted the talent of Lynda Modaff who illustrates all of our face charts to create a profile face illustration where we could show the application of blush. Next, Ashlee Erickson, Regional Manager for RDA/State and a fabulous makeup artist, walked through the steps of application for the Classic, Angular, and Full face shapes.

I really LOVE how these illustrations turned out!! The final step was to show models that had these face shapes so that the average women could identify which category she fell into. Again, Ashlee was a great resource in finding the appropriate models.

Finally we created a fun YouTube Blush! tutorial series that show application techniques. It was such a fun project:).

What is your face shape?

Blush!

2011-06-27T11:50:00.000-07:00

Calling all girls that want to have a fresh pop of color on their cheeks...you MUST try our amazing new Blush Colour Duos!! They launched over a month ago, and I could not be more happy with how the product turned out. This was a daunting task. When we expanded our shade range for women of all color, we knew that our Cheek Colour was just not cutting it. The four shades varied minimally and were flattering on only a few skin tones. My goals in reformulating were to expand the shade range and clean up the ingredient deck...easier said than done.

I started by shopping other brands to see what they offered in terms of blush. It was so surprising to see that most companies offer between 10-20 shades, but none of the lines had any color. A ton of sku's but limited shade ranges. I immediately realized that I had my work cut out for me because there wasn't a company out there that I felt was doing a fabulous job. The most difficult part was that I was working with a small space on our display unit. How could I add more shades when there wasn't any room on the display? That is when the idea came to launch a blush duo. This way I could cover all skin tones in a limited amount of space. When I originally suggested this idea to our sales team, they were very hesitant. The main feedback was that it was difficult enough to sell a customer one blush, let alone two. However, the more conversations I had, the more I felt that this was the correct direction. I always use more than one color or product to finish my cheeks whether it be a bronzer or several shades of blush. Mix and matching on cheeks is key for me.

Jeremy Matthews, Regional Manager in the Midwest, had previously shown me a palette by Scott Barnes that really inspired him. It had three chunky square powders in one palette. I have ALWAYS loved the square pan and was eager to jump on the idea.

I enlisted the help of Jasmine Dashtizad to pick the appropriate shades. Jasmine is a fabulous makeup artist that has helped us at our last photo shoot as well as in our YouTube videos. She is a great asset to Mirabella and is always willing to help out. It was hours of shopping to put together the four duos. Next came the task of the formula. This particular mineral formula has been on my radar for years, and I was so excited to finally have a use for it. It truly is AMAZING!! Check out the fabulous duo shades below.

And finally, I cannot forget about the shade names. Whenever I am naming shades, I really try to go by how the products make me feel when I wear them. So far, Blush Colour Duos has been the most personal product for me. As I tested the colors, I was so amazed by the bright payoff, that I truly looked a certain emotion whether I felt that way or not. If I was wearing the pink duo, I looked Merry whether I wanted to or not. Once I realized this, the shade names were easy. How do you feel when you wear Blush Colour Duos???

NYC...Day 3

2011-06-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

Our final day in NYC began with visit with our friends at The Royal Promotion Group. RPG has been working with us to design our open sell concept...think Sephora and Ulta...for our distributor stores. They design fixtures for some of the top retailers including Tiffany and Co., Target, Walmart, Loreal, P&G, etc. We took Ursula's feedback to the RPG team lead by Ellen Friedman who promised to help us create a design that was a little more user friendly. For those of you that had a chance to view our open sell display prototypes at the spring trade shows (pictured above), you may remember that you almost had to lay on the floor to actually grab a Pure Press to buy :). Oops! Definitely, something that needs to be fixed. Thank goodness for prototypes before you spend thousands of $$$. BTW...Ellen was wearing the most fabulous agate ring...the shopaholic in me was having a hard time concentrating! Both Jamie and I left the meeting and immediately commented on the ring..ha..ha!!

Next, we were off to meet with our reps at HCT Packaging. This is my favorite meeting of the trip because I get the opportunity to meet with the designer directly, Chris Tarling, who really has amazing taste. I think I like everything he suggests for our brand. He recently designed our custom hand mirror that will debut at our fall trade shows. Chris showed us the new innovation from Cosmoprof and from that we were able to come up with two new great packaging concepts. Our clients have been asking for a smaller reusable eyeshadow palette, so I went to the meeting with that request in mind. I am so excited about the design we came up with for a Pick 2 Colour Palette!!! It is going to be AMAZING! If all works out well, I may consider switching up the Pick 4 and 10 design to match. We'll see. It will take at least six months in development...I cannot wait.

One of the things I love about the team at HCT is that they are such fun people! I swear I laugh constantly from the time I sit down until I head out the door. We all went to lunch out on the patio of Rockefeller Center at Brasserie Ruhlmann which had AMAZING food.

Just as we were finishing up, the waiter dumped out some water on the ground which started trickling toward one of the girls Louis Vuitton bags. Ally Deblasio was mid sentence when she noticed the foul liquid getting closer. She proceeds to reprimand the waiter saying "HEY...Watch it! That is a Louis!" I burst out laughing. Only in Manhattan, right?

Why M.A.C Cosmetics is a leader...

2011-06-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit: www.mindfeed.com

As I mentioned in my previous post, Jamie and I had the AMAZING opportunity to listen to Nick Gavrelis, VP Global Product Development for M.A.C Cosmetics, review their past collections and give insight as to why M.A.C Cosmetics is such a leader in the cosmetic industry. The entire M.A.C Product Development Team was there to show support. It was so incredible to be in the same room with them as an amazing example of creating beautiful and exciting products.

In the past year, M.A.C. has launched a total of 52 collections!!!!!!! I cannot even fathom that number...52. OMG! That is all I can say. ONE PER FREAKING WEEK! Astounding, unimaginable, completely crazy...

Personally I feel like the quality is hit and miss, but their marketing is fantastic! They will launch something completely fabulous and follow it with something mediocre. BUT...I guess they can do that when they have a cult following. However, Nick went through many collections that have been truly amazing. Let me just say that I still use my Hello Kitty Too Dolly eyeshadow palette. It was the inspiration behind the creation of Pretty Edgy and Haute Eye Colour that just launched recently. The shades made it to my top ten, so Mirabella had to have them. I decided to make them in a mineral formula which increases the payoff for even more stellar application. What do you think of these great shades?

And I cannot forget to mention the M.A.C Liberty of London Collection. This one completely speaks to me. I love how they partnered with the fashion house to reinvigorate an iconic print. Check out this interview found on the Makeup Stash! blog with James Gager on Liberty of London. I love the attention to detail that is so M.A.C.

And last but not least...Wonder Women! While I was not a fan of the formulas used for Wonder Women, the concept was fantastic. Jamie and I were at the Luxe Pack show over two years ago when we saw the jumbo lip gloss applicator presented by HCP Packaging. We both loved it! Usually I get disappointed when I see something that I liked be used by another brand. This time, I just thought that M.A.C couldn't have found a more perfect theme to use such a fun item. The jumbo bronzers were awesome too!...although I cannot imagine ever running out of that product:). Seriously...huge!

Photo Credit: www.temptalia.com

While Nick's speech ran a little long...how could it not with 52 launches:)...I came away inspired to continue to make sure that Mirabella's products are top notch! No detail is too small to be obsessed about...

NYC...Day 2

2011-06-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit - citymap.com

Following our long day of PR interviews...our schedule became a little brighter! Off we went to visit with our packaging designer, Ursula Flurer. I LOVE visiting the offices of Flurer Design just off Broadway near Union Square!

Big sigh...Ursula is such a lovely lady:). Her style is impeccable and we are so lucky to have her stamp of approval. She keeps us in line and our designs on brand. You would never believe the time and thought that goes into every little aspect of a product that is being created. The package, carton and label all need to flow together to create a complete story. It is amazing how small adjustments can make such a difference in the overall look and feel of a product.

Recently, I have been working on the design of our open sell display. This is such an important investment for Mirabella and our distributor stores. It has been extremely difficult to translate the prestige look and feel of shopping Mirabella into the limited marketable space that the open sell display offers. Within minutes of taking what we currently have and presenting it to Ursula, she could pinpoint exactly what we were missing. Such little tweaks that are totally going to make a world of difference. Ursula tells it like it is. She isn't afraid to say that something is not working. I ALWAYS feel so inspired after a productive visit with Ursula.

Photo Credit: www.luxepacknyc.com

Following our time in Union Square, we headed to the Luxe Pack show at the Metropolitan Pavilion and Altman Building. I always choose this show over HBA because everyone that is in the luxury business attends. I do not have to weed through 100 vendors to find one with prestige capabilities. However, this year I realized that I have made a big jump in terms of what excites me anymore. In the past, I was fine with using stock packaging available and customizing silkscreens and sprays to make it unique. Now I find that my taste is gravitating into custom designs...which means $$$ much to John's chagrin:). I realized that upcoming innovation isn't showcased at the show for fear of companies stealing ideas. The real innovation is discussed in private. This year, however, they ramped up their company presentations. One in particular, "The New Packaging Paradigm", seemed very interesting. We were fortunate enough to hear Nick Gavrelis, VP Global Product Development for M.A.C. Cosmetics, speak about why M.A.C is such a leader in the cosmetic industry. Stay tuned for details!!!

Chanel Eyewear - So inspiring!!!

2011-06-01T20:42:00.000-07:00

Check out these amazing videos that were posted to the Chanel Facebook page. Episode 2 is my favorite. So inspiring!!! The attention to detail shows why Chanel is always on top.

http://chanel-news.chanel.com/en/category/savoir-faire/

Can't wait to see the next episodes!!!!!!

A Week in NYC...

2011-05-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

My spring trip to New York City is always a very important and inspiring week for me. I am finally back in the office and ready to tell you all about it!

THE BEGINNING...
The start was a little rough...I have to admit. I was not able to get the 8:30 AM flight out of LAX, so I had to settle for 11:30 AM. For any of you that have lived in So Cal, you will understand when I say that morning traffic on the 405 is to be avoided at all costs. With that in mind, I thought it may be less work for me to take the Super Shuttle rather than driving myself. WHAT A BAD IDEA!!!! The driver called just as I was zipping up my suitcase. I was so proud of myself because I was actually ready on time (for those of you that do not know me, I am always 10-15 mins late:). I had everything packed perfectly and rolled my suitcase out the door. As I was locking the door, my suitcase fell over with the extra weight of my carry on. Mild irritation went to pure PANIC when I realized that the top of the handle had completely snapped off!!! SURPRISE!!! Knowing the driver would be waiting any minute, I ran back into my apartment and had to dump all of my stuff into a body bag size of suitcase...rgh!

I finally get in the shuttle and we head out of the valley. I swear the driver was falling asleep, either that or he had a nervous tick or something. He was driving so fast and his head kept nodding. Then he would stretch his back, take a drink, sometimes yawn. I was stressed to the max! Seriously. I wanted to tell him that I didn't want to die driving to LAX...more like yell at him...but then I started worrying that it was a nervous tick and it would be rude to point it out. Suffice it to say that I was in that awful van with him for over 2 hours!!! Totally frazzled by the time I arrived at LAX.

THE PR INTERVIEWS...

The first day in NYC began with Jamie Richards arriving to our hotel early in the morning. For those of you who do not know Jamie, she is my right hand creatively speaking. All of the cute copy and beautiful graphics would not happen without Jamie. She coordinates everything and seriously sends me a schedule every morning of what we need to accomplish. I love going to NYC with Jamie! She is a serious shopper...and just slightly OBSESSED with Zara:). Jamie just had a baby (Ruby) 3 months ago. She was such a trooper to come this year. After her arrival, we headed off to innovation presentations for cosmetics fills. There are some great new lip formulations that were so fun! I cannot wait to start brainstorming to use these awesome formulas.

Following that, we rushed to meet up with John Maly (Owner of Mirabella) to head to the first of four PR interviews. The first PR firm was Pierce Mattie. I really enjoyed their presentation and appreciated how they listened to a few of the ideas floating around in my mind and immediately started telling me how it could be better. This is what we are looking for! I also really liked their ideas on how to continue branding Mirabella to the savvy cosmetic consumer out there. To date, we have only really targeted salon professionals, and I have been stressing over how our message would evolve to include everyone. The second firm was Bratskier. I really liked that they seemed to be very team-oriented. Everyone's opinion mattered. The third firm was CMM. They had impressive results on paper, but they didn't take much time to explore what they could do for Mirabella. Lastly, we met with Shop PR. Jamie and I both really liked Vanessa and Adrienne from Shop, but unfortunately they are a little out of price range. Shoot! Anyway, the PR hunt continues...we just do not want to make a mistake. We were so exhausted when we finished the last interview at 7:30 PM. We had been running around for over 12 hrs. If I had to do it again, I think I would have scheduled it a little differently. We headed back to the Hilton New York and crashed..

Happy Friday!

2011-05-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

I just had to write a quick post to tell you about the AMAZING package I received in the mail today!! For the past year, I have been working on designing a custom hand mirror for Mirabella to be used at the trade shows and in our fabulous salons. Today I got to see the final production sample and it is BEAUTIFUL! I seriously cannot wait for you to see it. You will all want one:).

This idea has always been in the back of my mind as a fun project for Mirabella. Back in my MAC Cosmetics worship phase...they had the coolest hand mirror at all of their retail locations. It was a heavy black metal mirror with a handle the looked like a spring. Maybe some of you remember it. I COVETED that mirror!! For real. Unfortunately it was not for sale...and I will admit that there were many times when I actually thought about accidentally slipping it into my purse:).

Well, I am so excited to say that my Mirabella mirror turned out just like I imagined it. Totally on brand! SCORE:). Many thanks to the talented designer, Chris, and the production team. Watch for it at the fall trade shows...

Flashback to Cosmoprof 2005...

2011-05-16T21:11:00.000-07:00

All of this writing about Cosmoprof brought back memories of my first trip to this show in 2005. I attended with Christy and Lyndie Bullock (West Coast Regional Manager). Lyndie and I were only 22, and this was our first trip out of the country. We were to meet Christy and her husband in Italy. Let me just preface with the fact that I did not plan well for this trip. I didn’t quite understand what it would be like to not be able to speak to anyone or even read signs at the train station. I did not even take an Italian translation book! How stupid, right? Well, anyway we ended getting completely lost riding trains back and forth across Italy trying to find the small town of Reggio Emilia where we were staying. Talk about unprepared! I had printed the address for our hotel and accidentally left it in a cab. That was the last straw, and I totally began to panic. I frantically started trying to call my mom in the US to get the address from her. I swear I will never forget the moment when I finally got her on the phone at her work. When I told her that I had lost the address and needed a copy, her response was “Well, what do you want me to do? I am at work.” I remember saying, “Mom! Your daughter is lost in Italy riding trains in the middle of the night!!! I need you to get that address.” Luckily my dad came through and had my itinerary with him at work. I now tease my mom saying that she just left me high and dry in the middle of Italy when I needed her mostJ. And since she may read this post, let me say in her defense that she rides the bus to work every day and really didn’t have transportation to go home for the address. But I still rub it in…

We didn’t arrive until 2:00 AM and had to be up and ready for the show by 6:00 AM. We had been traveling for over 24 hours and were completely exhausted, not to mention jet lag. We literally cried when we woke up to start another day. When we finished getting ready, we called Christy’s room. She then told us that she lost her luggage and wouldn’t be going to the show that day. I could have cheerfully murdered her at that point!!! So we went by ourselves...

My first experience at Cosmoprof really opened my eyes to cosmetic manufacturing and how amazing it is. The manufacturer booths are outstanding!!! Really. There was a particular manufacturer that was basically having a party in their gigantic booth. We all stopped in our tracks wondering who it was and how we could go about working with them. I will always remember that they had a tree in the middle of their booth with hundreds of clear eyeshadow compacts hanging from the branches. In each compact were really bright pressed eyeshadows in all sorts of textures and designs. It was AMAZING!! I promised myself that we would eventually be able to work with them. I still have the eyeshadow compacts on display in my office because it was so inspiring. They remain the most innovative cosmetic manufacturer globally, and I am happy to say that they create some really fabulous products for us.

The actual Cosmoprof show...

2011-05-16T21:04:00.000-07:00

So my job during the Cosmoprof show was to man the booth whenever John and Stephanie were in appointments outside of the booth. I’m not sure how effective I really was at this job. My usefulness was probably used up during setup. I do not speak a lick of Italian or any other language than English for that matter. The first time they left me alone, I was super nervous. I was watching the workers hanging up our signs when the representative from Bodyography stopped by and startled me. In my mind, I was ready to tell the guys hanging up the signs “thank you” or “gratzi” in Italian. When the guy from Bodyography tapped my shoulder, I turned right around and said “GRATZI” to him!! Totally the wrong greeting. How embarrassing. I seriously thought about it for days after. Duh.

Our booth was located on the very edge of the US Pavilion and the Greek pavilion was directly in front of us. In the pathway directly in front of us, they had really thick cords hidden underneath the carpet. Definitely not safe in US standards. It became quite interesting to watch everyone deep in conversation trip over those cords. Seriously. But, I digress…

The show was really great thanks to Stephanie. She worked so hard planning and marketing our brand. We had so many great appointments, and it has been really great to see how the relationships we made there are developing. On the second to last day, I was able to head over to the manufacturing pavilion. I had an appointment with Faber Castell to view their pencil collections and planned to be gone from the booth for an hour or so. But, once I got there, it was a different story. I got lost in all of the booths viewing the latest and greatest in cosmetics. Product development is so much fun!!! I really felt my blood move quicker the second I stepped foot where I was comfortable. I was able to meet several new manufacturers and hope that we can create some great things together in the near future.

On the last day of the show, we got to sell the leftover product in our booths to cosmetology students and the open public. Just as we got setup, Stephanie and John had to leave to an appointment. As soon as they left, a swarm of Italians came to buy and I literally just stared at them. I could not communicate at all. I felt so inadequate. It had been about 20 mins of torture when one of my Italian manufacturer reps stopped by our booth. He immediately took in the situation and translated for me. Thank you, Marco! I owe youJ.

The show setup...

2011-05-16T21:00:00.000-07:00

Stephanie and I arrived in Bologna and headed straight to the show for setup. Cosmoprof Bologna is a GIGANTIC show!!! Imagine the largest trade show you have participated in and multiply it by 20. 20 large pavilions to be navigated all full of beauty products. Heaven!! Once we finally found our booth space in the US Pavilion, we set to work. One of the first problems we encountered was that I immediately noted that there was not tester unit in the shipment!! We could not believe that we were half way around the world and we didn’t have a tester unit. An OMG! moment.

It had been awhile since I had setup a trade show, especially without any knowledge of what our booth would look like, what size it would be, etc. Basically we had a pallet of random cosmetic products…and I had to create something out of nothing! Thank goodness for the extensive training I received from the master herself, Christy Thurston, at displaying cosmetics to create interest. I did not make it happen as quickly as Christy would have, but I eventually succeeded…in 4-5 hoursJ. I sent Stephanie to get some fresh flowers to liven up the booth a bit. She was seriously gone for two hours!! Apparently they charge exorbitant prices to rent potted flowers that they pick up at the end of the show and reuse for the next show. Genius, right?

Lastly, we were in need of some major branded images. We have such beautiful model photos that show our cosmetics and we did not have one photo to display. All of a sudden I remembered that I had randomly set up my idisk on my iPhone a few weeks back where I had stored all of our model photos. Thank you, Apple!! We went to the service desk and ordered prints. I was able to email the links to the photos through Mobile Me to the service desk for printing. Technology is AMAZING!!! We were not sure what would arrive exactly because we were not familiar with the materials that were available. The next day, the guy showed up with our images on sticker-like material. It was so cool. He mounted it right to the wall as if it had been painted on. We were watching in amazement. Next year our booth will look so much better because we can use our images on all of the white walls and really create something spectacular. I can’t wait!!

The journey to Cosmprof Bologna...

2011-05-16T20:52:00.000-07:00

Preparing to leave for several weeks to Cosmoprof is an overwhelming task in itself. I felt like a bag of nerves filled with excitement but major stress as well. It is very difficult to work normally on the road. A consistent internet connection is not guaranteed, so I had to plan as if my daily work would be non-existent for two full weeks. The packing process was intense!! In my mind I had convinced myself that everyone at the show would be dressed magnificently, and that I would look like a country cousin in comparison. I know John thought I was crazy to worry so much…but it is easy for him to pack a few nice suits. Ladies have much more to worry about, right?

I was traveling with Stephanie Johnson, our International Sales Manager. Phew! A seasoned international traveler that I could just follow around. We arrived in Milan safe and sound only to realize that our luggage did not arrive with us!!! After all of my wardrobe planning, I was left with nothing. I tried not to freak out, telling myself that they would deliver our luggage before we left to Bologna for the show. And they did…but those hours of not having luggage felt like forever.

I do not know why they insist on scheduling Cosmoprof in March/April. It is cold and rainy in Italy during that time. Not great for sightseeing and most importantly shoppingL. Stephanie and I had two days to shuffle around Milan and acclimate to the new time zone. Jet lag was seriously INTENSE for me this trip. I swear I wanted to sleep every four hours. Beyond sleeping, we spent our time in Milan shopping in the pouring rain. Milan has amazing expensive shopping…there was actually a street that sported TWO Prada stores!! And people were actually in them. There are several streets dedicated to shopping and they all lead right up to the Duomo cathedral in the center of town. Here you will see the only picture we took of our adventures in the rain. Gothic looking, right? It really is beautiful though, and you never find anything remotely similar in the United States. Here is another picture of the Duomo in better weather from one of my trips two years ago.

Soon enough, our time in Milan was up. We scrambled to catch the train to Bologna. Stephanie was stuck lugging two ridiculously heavy suitcases into the train area. For those of you that have never traveled on European trains, heavy luggage is not something you want to be stuck with. And people are always annoyed with you as they watch you struggle to get the suitcases on the train. But, it couldn’t be helped and Stephanie was such a trooper managing it allJ. We finally settled in our seats and I was just about to drift off to sleep when I start thinking about my bags and if there is anything people could steal while I was snoozing. The train started moving just as I realized that we both left our passports in the hotel safe!!! OMG….seriously? The one rule while traveling abroad is not to lose your passport. I jump out of my seat to find Stephanie to deliver the news. She was much calmer than I expected telling me that it was okay and we would figure something out. The passports seriously did not arrive in Bologna until the night before we were supposed to fly to Spain. Once we got them, Stephanie told me that she was seriously a nervous wreck over the situation but that she was trying to stay calm for my benefit. Bravo! I swear I couldn’t even tell that she was nervous. She told me that the second I walked back to my seat on the train, she was on the phone in a major panic…ha..ha!!

About Me...

2011-05-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

I grew up in Woods Cross, Utah, as the youngest of 5. Lucky meJ . I have three brothers and one sister who would tell you that I had it easy growing up...minimal rules, a credit card in high school, an awesome red Dodge Raider to drive, etc. What I remember most, though, is that I had fabulous friends as a support network and parents who instilled in me a drive to give 110% in everything that I do.

I would have never thought that I would end up working in the beauty industry while I was growing up...I always thought I would be a school teacher or librarian, seriously. BUT, I look back now and realize that there were many things that shaped me into a person that would love luxury goods, beauty, and spending money...the perfect mix for a Creative Director in cosmeticsJ.

I come from a family that boasts many beautiful women, truly. And they all get ready...EVERY DAY. In fact, to this day my parents expect that I get ready, even if I am not leaving the house. And by getting ready...I mean a full face of makeup, hair styled, and flattering clothes. Sarah Terpstra (Buyer at Mirabella) will tell you that I dress up even more when I am sick! In fact, my dad irons his golf shirts to go the gym. My aunts and mom have worn false eyelashes every day my entire life. So, when I talk about wearing lipstick daily...this is not a stretch for some people, or shouldn't be (in my opinion)J.

My mom will tell you that I love anything that shimmers. She swears that my taste runs after my beautiful Grandma Ruth, who at 86 years old goes to the salon weekly and would not have a wrinkle in her fabulous button-up shirts. And I have to agree. My grandma's Christmas trees always inspired me. Now that I have my own place, Christmas is a BIG DEAL! So the day I met Christy Thurston, my life headed toward all things beautiful. She introduced me to wire-edge ribbon whose cut edges must be flamed, pewter dish sets, dinner party etiquette, etc. Small eccentric things, I know. But the attention to detail that it fostered makes me good at creating for Mirabella.

The day before I started at Salt Lake Community College, I changed my schedule and enrolled in cosmetology school...much to my mom's chagrin. During this time, Christy taught me to do makeup artistry in her salon. It was a busy two years, and as I reflect on the experiences, I realize that this gave me a great understanding of color, which has only expanded over time. In fact, I pride myself that I can see undertones of colors very easily. It definitely helps with the endless shade matching that I face day-to-day at my job.

But the real learning curve began five years ago when John Maly partnered with Mirabella. I moved to Valencia to work under super smart businessmen such as John Maly, Mike Seiser, and Ron Hock (the Maly's A-team). I was 23 years old and I remember my first visit to Valencia, CA. I went to lunch with these men, and I have never been as nervous since, really. I did not really understand what I was getting into when I moved from Utah. I went from working under Christy who breathed Mirabella to Mike Seiser who did not want to have anything to do with it. I probably cried more in the next 1-1/2 years than I had my entire life, BUT I learned. And my hard work has paid off. I come to work every day at a job that inspires me. And for that, I am truly blessed.

So now I live in a beautiful apartment complex a few streets away from work in Valencia. My best friend is my roommate, and I take classes at the local community college. Sometimes I wonder why I didn't choose to go to college and just get it over with. At the rate I am going, I will not have a degree until I am 50!!! Rgh!! But then I step foot at Mirabella, and everything becomes clear.

Welcome!

2011-05-10T17:45:00.000-07:00

To all those cosmetic junkies out there...how would it feel to eat, sleep and drink cosmetics? I am here to tell you that as Creative Director and principal trend forecaster at Mirabella Beauty Products, my life is cosmetics! I was Christy Thurston's (Founder of Mirabella) dedicated cheerleader working at her salon in 2002 when the opportunity arose to create a cosmetic company. In the past 10 years, I have learned so much about the cosmetic industry and the beautiful products that we all lust after.

I have seen so many products over these years that I have developed a very discerning eye when it comes to products that are done well versus products that could have been a little better. Today, if a product stops me in my tracks, I know it is a WINNER... and I just have to give a big sigh of adoration. If I could personally speak to the creative minds behind the winners...I would just give them a big kiss! Well maybe notJ . Anyway...

The reason that I am starting this blog is to give all you makeup girls details about what it is like to have such an AWESOME job. There are so many stressful, rough moments, but then a new product will arrive in our warehouse and the thrill of seeing my vision in reality makes it all worth it! I find so much inspiration in beauty. There are only so many open slots for fabulous items to take shape within Mirabella, so I will send my overloaded thoughts your way!