A Sneak Peak at Colour Luxe lip gloss...

Are you ready to experience the most beautiful, most luxurious lip gloss EVER! I really hope so...because Colour Luxe lip gloss is debuting in a few days nationwide:). Oh my gosh, this project has been a labor of love for over two years!!! Big sigh.

I remember being in a meeting over two years ago with my packaging vendor and telling them that it was time that they AMAZE me with a beautiful lip gloss package. So many lip gloss tubes look the same. Lip gloss is a tricky product because there are so many great options at the drugstore ranging between $5-10. So, how do you go about selling a lip gloss for $36 retail when your packaging options look just the same as mass market brands? In my mind, it just doesn't work. So I had to have the hard conversation with John Maly (owner at Mirabella) explaining just that. On a side note...do you know how uncomfortable it is to ask for a lot of money:)? Especially to a man who is a man through and through...who only thinks in $$$! It was super tough...I had to demonstrate walking past our display and stopping in my tracks to gasp over the lovely new lip gloss...and then I had to get down on my knees and beg! I swear...the things I do for you guys! You all really need to thank me:). Hahaa!!! Totally kidding!

Back to being serious...custom packaging is really not for the faint of heart. Surprisingly, John reached deep into his pockets to make it possible when I showed him in $$ how much you were all going to LOVE it! So the customization process began. Now two years later, Colour Luxe is sporting a custom matte silver cap and shiny silver collar designed to reflect light when opening. The two-tone silver really helps to convey a luxury feeling. We tooled an ALL NEW applicator that is a mix between a brush and doe foot (flocked sponge). It takes the best from both worlds...it is flexible and paints on like a brush, but it is also a flocked paddle that helps control how much lip gloss is actually deposited on the lips. And now the important part...the colors!

Colour Luxe lip gloss is all about maximum shine with three-dimensional, light-reflecting shimmer. I know I say it every blog, but I LOVE shiny things:). The combination of iridescent and pearlescent pearls create a star-like effect on the lips. It seriously sparkles in the sunlight! Big sigh and smile:). This gloss really reaches a new level of color purity, brightness and dimensionality.

I have a complete arsenal of Chanel lip gloss which has been my go to for awhile. But now, I can honestly say that I like Colour Luxe better. I mean, of course I designed it to actually like it. But I didn't know if it would really appeal to me more than Chanel. It does! The reason is that it gives the high shine sparkle like Chanel, but it isn't as thick on my lips. Sometimes I feel like I need to scrub my lips after a couple of applications of Chanel. Colour Luxe wears off nicely and is so comfortable. Yay! I exceeded my own expectations...which is pretty hard to do:). I am my worst critic! My personal favorite is Wink Colour Luxe. It has a blue pearl in it that lasts for hours. Totally LOVE! A couple of ingredient highlights...

* Contains a custom vitamin complex of A, C and E that provides the ultimate in antioxidant properties

* Patented antiaging peptide restores lip tissue, boosts collagen, keeps lips moisturized and increases volume

* Pomegranate Extract contains antioxidants that protect from free radical damage

* Jojoba Oil leaves lips smooth and conditioned

* Monoi de Tahiti is a rich and emollient oil that penetrates skin quickly and acts as a natural barrier against dehydration

* Paraben-free, Propylene Glycol-free, Gluten-free

Check out our fabulous model, Nina, sporting Blaze Colour Luxe lip gloss!

Nina is wearing Gilded, Bitter Honey and Decor Eye Colour, Twig Eye Definer, Merry Blush Colour Duo and Blaze Colour Luxe lip gloss.

So now that you suffered through this mile long blog...go try Colour Luxe! You will love it:).

Bright Eyeshadow

This week I have been all wrapped up in color..color and more COLOR! It is so vibrant...a great pick me up on what started to be a cloudy gloomy day. The color blocking trend is all over the fashion world...but it has also been showing up in makeup and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. I have been working on a new cosmetic line idea that is focused completely on color, so I have been evaluating powder formulas galore for eyeshadows and blushes. Today I finally tried a formula that is super fun and cool! Wahoo:). There are so many eyeshadow/blush formulas that are really just so so. I LOVE the feeling of trying a new formula that actually makes me pause and get super excited. Today I wanted to be bold and daring, so I picked a super intense red/orange shade to try out new a look.

I will admit that I panicked slightly when I actually put in on my eye. One swipe was like paint, so I had to take a deep breath. Once I covered my lid with the crazy intense color, I begin selecting shades that would bring it back to reality:). I chose a mix of Woodstock and Cultured Eye Colour in the crease with Sorbet as a highlight under the brow. I lined underneath my eye with Seduce Eye Colour and then drew a thin line of Magic Marker Eye liner on top from the middle to the outer edge. Then I covered it with Fortune Eye Colour. I actually think that a shade that is more emerald green than Fortune would be even prettier.

It is difficult to know which type of blush you should wear when trying such powerful eyes, but I ended up mixing the highlight shades of Merry and Radiant Blush Colour Duos. I blended that really well and then added the contour shade of Merry as a pop of color on the apples of my cheeks. I used Pure Finish Illuminate to blend and perfect my skin.

And finally, the lips...I was so excited to use one of our brand new Colour Luxe lip glosses called Flare that will launch in stores in April. So pretty!

Here are the mug shots from the look.

Don't be afraid. Strong color can be so much fun and really helps to make your day brighter and definitely more interesting.

Hunger Games - Girl on Fire

Ok, I am a HUGE fan of The Hunger Games and cannot WAIT for the movie to debut on March 23rd!!! I am a big sucker for fiction, and I picked up on this book a couple of years ago...meaning that I had to wait FOREVER for the release of the sequels Catching Fire and Mockingjay. I remember being on a family vacation with my nose in a book...which totally annoyed my sister. She was like "quit reading, we never get to see you", which is totally true. BUT, I just couldn't put it down...

And now I have to say that the producers of the film better get it right! Hahaa:). They better read my imagination and make everything absolutely perfect!

We all can hope, right?

A few weeks back, John and I were having a conversation about PR and advertising and both of us really felt like social media is just the way to go. The conversation came up because we were contemplating placing a standing ad in a beauty magazine. Someone had called me to offer discounted rates on magazines such as Allure, Instyle, Redbook, etc. For 1/3 page ad in a single issue, it cost over $10,000! And that is a discounted rate. As much as I love beauty magazines and have dreamed of seeing a Mirabella ad in one, I almost choked thinking about spending that kind of money to advertise when our ad would be so small it was almost non-existent. So the conversation turned to social media and how it is a much more effective way to spend money. John asked me what the next big thing was coming up and I immediately thought of The Hunger Games. And that is where my job gets interesting...John challenged our team to come up with something fun surrounding The Hunger Games. And my imagination started churning...I remembered being totally enthralled with the descriptions of how Cinna makes over Katniss Everdeen at The Capitol. I grabbed my book to refresh the details and then had a week to recreate those details on film. ONE WEEK to pull everything together! So fast...

I immediately started making a list...hairstylist, tattoo artist, makeup artist, an awesome fire looking dress, nail polish...all the little details that really put a complete look together. The filming was scheduled on my birthday, and I was running around like a crazy woman that week:)! The extra year on my age really just faded into the craziness of my life working for Mirabella. And then...to add to my stress, the dress we ordered online didn't show up until we were ready to film! The night before I found myself at my local mall looking for anything that might save me. Thank you BCBG Max Azria! They came through with several fabulous red dresses. Big sigh:)! So with that being said, check out the video that we came up with.





To go along with this video, we are running an amazing contest. Simply click here to enter to win a trip to Hollywood to see The Hunger Games on opening night. 2 nights stay for two in LA. Includes airfare, hotel and transportation.

So my job didn't end with the filming. As Jasmine Dashtizad, Mirabella National Trainer, designed the Girl on Fire look on our lovely model Zafir...I was on the sidelines coloring face charts that will help our fans recreate the look at home. Creating face charts is one of my favorite things and can be really relaxing...if I am not on set in a complete rush:). I think it turned out pretty fantastic.

And just for fun...I had to try Jasmine's fabulous look on myself. I really loved it! Take a look...

So, now I want to see your inner Girl on Fire:). Submit a photo of your look inspired by The Capitol to our contest tab on Facebook and you could win a Mirabella Pro Box!

Amber

A color from the past...

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

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!

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

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?