Time was that African-American women had to turn to ethnic beauty brands to meet their needs. Even as recently as the 1990s, Revlon and Maybelline has created lines especially for African-American women. Here are other blasts from the past:
Flori Roberts Cosmetics makeup artist demonstrating products to women, Los Angeles, 1970.
Do you know that Flori Roberts is a white woman? She later developed Dermablend corrective concealer.
Today, Flori Roberts cosmetics are sold through Color Me Beautiful’s direct selling and mall kiosks.
Posner ad from Ebony Magazine, October 1965
Posner Cosmetics was introduced in the 1940’s. I’ll occasionally find Posner cosmetics at drugstores, but not a comprehensive selection. Posner’s web site features online shopping.
Zuri ad in Ebony, 1980
I haven’t been able to find out much about Zuri. I found miscellaneous products at Dollar General years ago. You may shop Zuri at Texas Beauty Supply and House of Beauty (note: not an endorsement, I’ve never shopped these places).
Aretha Franklin for Fashion Fair
Here a svelte Aretha Franklin serves as a spokeswoman for Fashion Fair.
Dorothea Towles Church for Maybelline
Dorothea Towles Church was the first Black Maybelline model to appear in Ebony Magazine in 1959.
The Swedish cosmetics brand IsaDora pulled out of the U.S. market, and Walgreens quit carrying it a number of years ago. While initially I wasn’t enthused about IsaDora, I gave it a second look after Paula Begoun raved about its eye shadows. I still have Isadora’s eye shadow quartet in Bronzing Plums and its eye shadow palette in Matte Chocolates.
Anyhow, I wrote to IsaDora, asking where I could its products in the U.S. Here is its response, which is probably the most tortuous reply that I’ve received from an inquiry:
Hello
Thank you for your email and your interest in IsaDora.
We have many different clients in different countries that sell our exclusive products and this is all around the world, but sometimes it can be hard to find what you are looking for if you want a specific product for different reasons.
If you don’t find the products you are looking for in your country and unfortunately we dont have a distributor in the USA the only thing we can help you with is following..and this is Only to help you as a private customer contacting us.
Please Notice that unfortunately you cant order from us directly because we don’t operate in that way and we don’t compete with our distributors around the world .
You can order from different swedish websites (located in sweden) and they ship Internationally and hopefully to your country.
If they don’t have the product you are looking for maybe you can ask them to order it from us the next time if they are able to do that for you.
Notice that this is on Swedish and you can change the language and price on the website and maybe you can send them an email regarding your questions.
It is up to YOU to choose what you want to do and it is up to You to choose below wich site you will order from and this is ONLY examples that we can give to you at the moment..
You can also visit our website www.isadora.com and take a look at all of our latest products and collections and there you can find out where you can buy our products and you can choose your country.
Here you can also get information about our products.
We wish you all the best and hope you will find what you are looking for.
Dont worry about ordering from abroad from these websites. They are very trustworthy Companys in sweden.
Nonie Creme is the Founder & Creative Director, Nonie Creme Colour Prevails. Nonie Creme Colour Prevails was launched only last week and has been rolled out in Walgreens stores nationwide. Nonie was Former Founding Creative Director of butterLONDON.
In this interview, Nonie discusses the challenges she faced in starting a new cosmetics line and her partnership with Walgreens.
Nonie Creme
1. You said that you felt like you were able to identify a blank space in masstige. What was that blank space, and how does Colour Prevails fill it?
Think about your local drugstore. You are in there 3-5 times a week, even if you don’t want to be! Now think about what’s on offer in the beauty dept. All the big mass brands are there, but what if there was this beautiful, exciting, luxurious brand that looked like it walked out of a dept store, sitting there too? What if the formulations rivaled brands that cost 5080% more? What if the packaging were worldclass, and patented to guarantee a better result? Well, it’s real!
2. I’m always interested in the challenges that entrepreneurs face. When I’ve asked other movers and shakers in the beauty industry about challenges they faced when starting out, I’ve received several different answers: financing, finding suppliers, production schedules, and even eagerness and impatience to get the products to market. What challenges did you face in starting Colour Prevails?
Well, all of those are true, but before you even get to the broke, stressed, impatient phase, there is a whole other mountain to climb. To be truly successful as an entrepreneur, you have to be willing to take enormous risks. I have had to take risks and make decisions that have put my entire way of life into uncertainty. I’ve moved across the globe, I’ve starved, I’ve walked away from huge job offers, and all of those things had to happen in order for me to get where I am. I’d say the biggest challenge I faced in the beginning was fear. These days I take what’s coming – and it’s NOT always good. I move forward with purpose and utter belief in myself and my business, and if it all goes to s@#t, then I will dust myself off and try again. You have to fail to succeed, and if you are not willing to fail as completely as you succeed, then you won’t make it.
3. Why did you choose the butterfly wing as the symbol for Colour Prevails?
Conceiving and founding Colour Prevails has been a hugely transformative experience for me. I wanted to use brand iconography that appealed to me aesthetically, but also has some significance for me and my customers on a personal level. The wing is beautiful and mysterious in its own right, but it also points to metamorphosis and the idea that we are always growing, always changing, and always discovering ourselves.
4. You said that Walgreens was your first and only choice as a retailer. Why did you choose Walgreens? How did you partner with Walgreens?
I thought a LOT about who the right retail partner would be. I knew I wanted to work with a mass retailer, and I knew I wanted the broadest reach I could possibly get. Walgreens are 8,500 stores strong in the USA, and have recently acquired Boots Alliance in the UK. They are without question, the most important player in mass. They bring more depth of knowledge to my business than I could ever hope to have. Apart from that, Walgreens is just a fantastic fit for me. I’m about as far-out as you can get in the beauty biz, and that fact that they weren’t startled or put off by me, and were ready to celebrate me as I was, and for my expertise over my notoriety, meant that I had found the perfect home. Walgreens has treated me like family, I’m very lucky.
5. Your products may be purchased through walgreens.com, but I see that many are web exclusives. Could you tell us anything about the rollout of Colour Prevails in Walgreens stores? How many Walgreens stores will carry Colour Prevails?
Actually, the entire range is available in all 3,000 stores where you can find us. There are no web exclusives. (Probably just says that while we roll out the stores)
6. When you’re not working on Colour Prevails, what you enjoy doing?
I have a very rich social life. My friends are my family, and we gather at least 3 times a week with our kids and just hang out, drink (we are all drinkers!), and play music by the fire pit. I’m a workaholic, it’s just hard wired, but my little girl and my friends give me a sense of calm and support that keeps me grounded.
7. Any parting thoughts on beauty?
YES! Don’t ever listen to someone else’s opinion on how you should look. We all have our gripes about ourselves (my fat belly…), but try to focus on something that YOU like about yourself and make that your jumping off point. If you feel beautiful with green hair and winged liner, then you need to wear that! Truly beautiful women are the ones who are confident in their own skin. Be fearless in trying different looks until one resonates for you. Oh, and remember not to judge other people for their beauty experiments. Everyone is beautiful, and variety is the spice of life.
Jessica Liebeskind loved shopping for cosmetics at her local drug store as a pre-teen. In college, she founded her first make-up line, which was sold exclusively by college students on campuses across the country. On a visit to Bergdorf Goodman, she saw Bobbi Brown and knew she had to introduce herself to Bobbi Brown. After 3 interviews, she was hired for global product development. She created Bobbi Brown’s Shimmer Brick Compact and Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner. More recently, she consulted on Estée Lauder’s re-launch of the Pure Color line.
Inspired by Jessica’s philosophy that women just want to look pretty – VINTAGE products create an updated classic beauty look gorgeously enhancing eyes, lips and cheeks. The highly curated collection is comprised of NEW neutrals that complement a woman’s skin tone – not just match it; NEW pigments that pop her features and catch the light as she moves; and NEW textures that deliver luxurious comfort and long-wear benefits.
It’s apparent that Jessica has inherited her mentor Bobbi Brown’s aesthetic.
The Style Page discussed beauty with Jessica Liebeskind:
TSP: Tell us about your debut on HSN on New Year’s Day.
JL: The debut was amazing! It was so full of energy and excitement. I really couldn’t have thought of a better day or a better way to kick off the new year.
TSP: What was the most challenging aspect of launching a new cosmetics line? One beauty entrepreneur told me that it was financing; another told me it was production schedules.
JL: Being a consumer products company and manufacturing custom designed and developed goods can take a while, so for me I had to get comfortable with being patient. I was so excited by what I was creating; the packaging, the textures, the magnificent colors – I couldn’t wait to get women wearing and enjoying the make-up – so waiting for me was definitely a hard part.
TSP: Your beauty philosophy is “women just want to look pretty.” What does pretty mean to you?
JL: Pretty is a feeling. It’s a confidence, a knowing. I love it when a woman tries a new technique and her eyes stand out or puts on a beautiful blush and she’s brightened up – there’s a happiness that comes over her in an instant. That’s pretty.
TSP: What is PrettyU?
JL: PrettyU! is a really fun project I’m working that I hold very close to my heart. That’s all I can leak out for now.
TSP: What’s next for Vintage Cosmetics? How do you plan to expand your line and its distribution?
JL: When [you’re] new it can be very exciting because there are so many options and opportunities. But the secret is to hold tight to the vision and stay focused on who you are. For VINTAGE you’ll likely see a slightly broader (but still edited) shade offering, new product categories and growth in digital.
TSP: What do you enjoy doing when you are not working on your cosmetics line?
JL: I love spending time in flower shops and farmers markets. It’s my second passion. I also really enjoy a great spin class, visiting my family & friends back in California and laughing with my nephew.
TSP: Are there any beauty tips that you would like to share with our readers?
JL: I always say it isn’t about a lot of make-up, it’s about the right make-up.
TSP: Are there any parting remarks you would like to make about beauty?
JL: Beauty is fun. It should make you feel good — and wear blush!
When I go to the salon to get my hair colored, I ask my hairdresser to tint my eyebrows; however, a couple of weeks before I go to the salon (I go every 5 weeks), the grey hairs begin appearing on my brows.
Both 1 Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eyebrow and TouchBack Brow Marker are good for covering individual hairs.
Paula’s Choice Brow Tint – paulaschoice.com
However, my favorite brow product is Paula’s Choice Hair/Brow Tint. It comes in a tube, much like a mascara, and has a brush that it is flat on one side, enabling it to act like a comb. I like it because I can groom and tint my eyebrows in one step.
From Korea, where trends (BB cream, face masks) in skin care begin, comes the latest innovation: BB cushion!
What is BB cushion? BB Cushion is a sponge that is soaked in foundation. To apply, you press a flat pad (included) in the sponge to pick up the foundation and then press or pat onto your face.
I understand that IOPE, one of Amore Pacific’s brands, was the first to bring out BB air cushion. When I was at the Amore store within Super H mart (see Asian beauty stores in the DC Metro Area), one of the saleswomen patted a bit of IOPE Air Cushion on my hand. She said it replaced primer, foundation, sunscreen, and powder. The finish of IOPE Air Cushion suggested the presence of silicones. It also had a white-ish cast, but then, whitening products are popular in Asia.
As I mentioned, Target has entered the premium skin care market. One of the brands that it is now carrying is Laneige, yet another Amore Pacific brand. Not surprisingly, Laneige has a BB Cushion product.
Laneige BB Cushion – target.com
So why do I say that Laneige BB Air Cushion is not worth the hype or hassle? It is difficult to apply, and it’s hard to know how much foundation to pick up. For the first couple of times that I used, I applied too much: it was obvious to my husband, who joked about it. Also, the pad doesn’t provide precision in covering spots and other detailed work. I’ll stick with my IT Cosmetics YSBB™ Your Skin But Better™ CC Cream with SPF 50+ and Beautyblender.
You may purchase Laneige BB Cushion for $34 (taxes & shipping not included) from target.com and Target stores (check online for availability in store – that’s how I found mine)
Let’s face it: lip liner is usually obvious, even if you match your lip liner to your lipstick.
That’s where It Cosmetics Reverse Lip Liner comes in. A reverse lip liner, occasionally called a barrier lip liner, is a waxy crayon or pencil that goes on clear.
It Cosmetics Reverse Lip Liner
I line my lips with It Cosmetics Reverse Lip Liner just outside the lip line. It provides definition to the shape of the lips and prevents seepage of lip color in fine line.
My only quibble is that it requires sharpening. I would have preferred a twist-up mechanism.
The Style Page is excited to host a giveaway of two Rouge Bunny Rouge cosmetics assortments.
Rouge Bunny Rouge logo
What is Rouge Bunny Rouge? Simply put, it is a high end cosmetics and fragrance brand, but there’s more to it than that. Alexandra de Montfort founded Rouge Bunny Rouge in Moscow (yes, Russia) in 2006 and subsequently moved her base of operations to the UK. It has a romantic back story, featuring Princess Rouge, a rabbit (of course!), and the Enchanted Garden – something that you’d associate with a fragrance rather than a cosmetics line. This is the first time that I’ve tried Rouge Bunny Rouge, but beauty bloggers in the know, know. 🙂
Each Rouge Bunny Rouge assortment comprises 8 pieces and may include:
eye liner
lip pencil
lip gloss
eye shadow
eye liner
mascara
Enter the giveaway to win an assortment of luxe products from this cult brand. I’m hosting the giveaway via Facebook: to enter, go to http://tinyurl.com/nftdzez.
Terms & conditions:
Giveaway ends Saturday, May 9, 2014 11:59 PM Eastern (UTC – 4h). Open to US residents only. You should be 18 or older to enter. Winner will be selected at random and will be notified by email. Winners have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. The companies responsible for media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, WordPress, etc.) are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.
PR for Rouge Bunny Rouge sent me a huge assortment of RBR products, and I’m sharing the wealth with you!
Makeup Artist Margina Dennis shares her picks for a Radiant Orchid look:
Radiant orchid is a great color for the season because it is a universally flattering color like coral. What makes it work for everyone is the hint of red that is in it. The key to keeping this color looking fresh is to use it as an accent color or soft muted. If the lips are the focal point I like to use it as gloss, lip stain, or hydrating lip color.
OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE COSMETICS Lip Tar – Matte in Hoochie is a soft matte look.
Pur Minerals Chateau De Vine Lipstick – Show Off is a great option for deeper skin tones.
Then keep the rest of the face simple. A nude eye or just a bit of black or grey liner as a simple wing eye or lots of mascara. For a muted look use Benefit Lolli Tint- a cheek and lip stain that is a universally flattering sheer wash of color. Pairing with soft pink in a sheer wash can be an instant fresh look.
Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colors in Soft Iris and Violet Orchid, work for most skin tones. Again, keep the rest of the face muted. If you want to go a bit bolder with the trend and wear a radiant orchid inspired eyeliner, like STILA Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner Royal, this can look great as a winged or dramatic cat eye, just keep the rest of the face simple and let the liner be the focus.
For eye shadow you can use MARC JACOBS BEAUTY Style Eye-Con No.7- Plush Shadow as a great palette for a radiant orchid smoky eye. Keep cheek and lips in a pinked nude tone to keep the focus on the eyes.
While I was disappointed with IT Cosmetics Hello Lashes mascara, I was delighted with IT Cosmetics YSBB™ Your Skin But Better™ CC Cream with SPF 50+. I received a sample of the CC Cream in the package containing Hello Lashes and the reversible lip liner and liked it so much that I took advantage of the recent F&F event to buy the full size.
It Cosmetics YSBB™ Your Skin But Better™ CC Cream with SPF 50+
When I first applied IT Cosmetics IT Cosmetics YSBB™ Your Skin But Better™ CC Cream with SPF 50+, it felt very soothing. Redness is my main skin complaint, and IT Cosmetics CC Cream covers the redness beautifully. It makes skin look radiant, but not shimmery, as many luminizing foundations do. The CC Cream also blends seamlessly with my skin: too often, when I use liquid foundation, I get edges that don’t blend, no matter how much I tap-tap-tap with a dampened Beautyblender.
In addition, IT Cosmetics YSBB™ Your Skin But Better™ CC Cream with SPF 50+ s a UVA/UVB broad spectrum physical barrier sunscreen, with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, but it doesn’t have a whitish cast. While it’s rated SPF 50+ , you probably won’t apply enough to get those benefits. I recommend wearing a colorless sunscreen under the CC Cream: I use LaRoche-Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid, which is a chemical sunscreen.
In short, IT Cosmetics YSBB™ Your Skin But Better™ CC Cream with SPF 50+ delivers on what a BB/CC/DD cream (these sound like cup sizes! 🙂 should be: sunscreen, makeup, and skin care in one multitasking product.
While I’m often typed as “light,” I actually went against the received wisdom and chose Medium. MUA Robert Jones actually recommends slightly deeper makeup for older (cough, cough) women.
IT Cosmetics YSBB™ Your Skin But Better™ CC Cream with SPF 50+ comes in 5 shades (Fair, Light, Medium, Tan and Rich) and costs US $38.00 for 1.08 fl.oz. It is available online from itcosmetics.com, qvc.com, beauty.com, and ulta.com. IT Cosmetics has recently announced that it is now in all Ulta stores.
Have you tried IT Cosmetics YSBB™ Your Skin But Better™ CC Cream with SPF 50+? How did you like it? Do you have a favorite BB/CC/DD cream?
Cold Cream 'n' Roses 
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