Year: 2011

Girlfriends

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This past Sunday, I celebrated the end of my birthday week. My friend Trisala cooked a home-made dinner for me, in her apartment in Tribeca. And then let me stay with her for three nights (I am here until tomorrow Wednesday) during my New York City business trip. You may know this about me: I have a love-hate relationship with NYC. I love it in terms of productive work – days here are packed with meetings with beauty editors, beauty buyers, branding experts. A 12 hour day in NYC also feels like a 20 hour day in DC; this city drains me. The speed of everything, the sensorial overload, the people, the driving (in a cab or otherwise)… Yet after a long day I come “home” to Trisala’s and I feel, well, a bit at home. Actually, so much so that I want to have her home-cooked meals every night. She laughs and says I am her only out of town friend who doesn’t want to go out to the newest, greatest, bestest restaurant in The City for dinner. Go figure. Of course, she has Swiss gruyere and Swiss “mayonnaise” in her fridge at all times. And a pile of French literature and philosophy books on her kitchen counter, some of which she lets me borrow. And the best playlist on her Ipod. And an apartment without a TV. And fabulous bath oils in her bathroom (an inspiration should we at Alchimie ever decide to make bath oils).

On Sunday night, we reminisced about when we met – middle school. Scary. I just turned 34, she is turning 35 in a couple of weeks, which means we have known each other for 20 years. Our friendship has survived the test of time, and of absence. She is the kind of friend I can see after 3 years of absence and feel like the last time I saw her was just a couple of days ago. Actually, when I come to think of it, I think of her every day; at least every day that I am in my house in Georgetown. She has given me three of the things I use most often in my life. My wine opener – the best one in the world. My pillows – the most comfortable ones in the world. And my cashmere blanket – a pure luxury that I live with from October through March.

There is nothing like a friend like her to make me feel at home even when I am in the Big Apple. Merci Trisala. And on that note, thank you to all of my dearest girlfriends. You know who you are.

BeautyView: Christina Han, Associate Beauty Editor, W Magazine

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In building a consumer brand, in particular a beauty brand, press is absolutely key. Indeed, I think our time is about the power of press. Not the power of money. Not the power of fame, but the power of writers, journalists, bloggers, editors. Given this context, it has been a true pleasure getting to know Christina Han, associate beauty editor for W Magazine. From a first deskside meeting, we have had the opportunity to meet a couple more times. I am in awe of her: she is smart, gorgeous, stylish, powerful, and somehow manages to stay super thin despite her Chipotle addiction…

AP: What city were you born in? CH: Baltimore, MD.

AP: What city do you live in? CH: New York, NY.

AP: What is your middle name? CH: Eun-Kyung, which is my Korean name. Directly translated it means, silver mirror. Perhaps foreshadowing my career in the beauty industry…or extreme vanity.

AP: What is your astrological sign? CH: Capricorn.

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? CH: The effect beauty has on people. Whether it’s advice on a new product or a salon recommendation, beauty makes people happy.

AP: Least favorite thing? CH: From spilt nail polish and glitter shadows to exploding bottles of shampoo, my dry clean-only clothes have seen it all.

AP: What is your most prized possession? CH: All of the vintage (and even some newer) bags I have slyly borrowed from my mom’s closet, but have yet to return.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? CH: I eat Chipotle on a weekly basis.

AP: Do you wear a watch? CH: Yes, always. AP: If yes, what model? CH: Cartier Roadster.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? CH: Diamonds.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? CH: Ryan Reynolds.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? CH: SoulCycle and a good bottle of wine. However, not at the same time.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? CH: 1 Cashmere socks to slip into on the plane. 2 SK-II Treatment Masks to rehydrate skin post-flight. 3 Never accessing the free WiFi on the plane to check email.

AP: What is your favorite book? CH: Life of Pi by Yann Martel

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? CH: Ketel and soda with a lemon wedge, only. Absolutely no limes allowed.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? CH: Joanna Vargas, my facialist. She keeps my complexion glowing with her treatments and products. I live for her Daily Serum and never skip a day.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? CH: I have two favorites, Versace Versense and a more recent discovery, Tom Ford’s Jasmine Rouge.

AP: Botox or not? CH: Whichever makes you happy.

AP: Hair color: natural or not? CH: Natural.

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. CH: It’s broken!

AP: Quote to live by. CH: “Be sharp.” – my mom

AP: Who is your mentor? CH: The amazing Sarah Brown.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. CH: Never turn down an assignment. Show up early and leave late. Learn how to replace toner in a copy machine.

BeautyView: Lizzie Francis, Chief Marketing Officer, Intelligent Beauty

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I have had the good fortune of working with Dermstore for a couple of years now. Until recently, however, they were one of my clients whom I had never actually met. Over the summer, I met their business development and marketing teams at a conference in New York. And somehow, at a random Georgetown ladies’ lunch, I met Lizzie. This lunch, held at the Georgetown Club, brought together the women of the Georgetown community. Somehow, I had the good fortune of being invited. Somehow, I had the even better fortune of randomly sitting down next to a gorgeous brunette who seemed to be about my age. We started chatting, the subject got to relationships came up, and I told her about my husband who lives in New Orleans while I live in DC – unconventional, requiring much travel, but truly amazingly romantic. She laughed, and told me about her unconventional travel schedule: her husband, with whom she until recently lived in Georgetown works in politics, and she commutes back and forth to LA for work. Of course, the next question was to ask about the job that involved so many hours on the plane. “I am the CMO for Intelligent Beauty,” she says. Now I am really laughing… we are possibly the only two Georgetown residents involved in the beauty industry, and moreover she is a client! Indeed, Intelligent Beauty is the company behind Dermstore. Needless to say, we have been fast friends ever since. For this week’s BeautyView, please meet Lizzie Francis, Chief Marketing Officer for Intelligent Beauty, frequent traveler, DC native, and former (maybe soon to return?) Georgetown resident.

AR: What city were you born in? LF: Washington, DC.

AP: What city do you live in? LF: I currently live in multiple cities… including DC and LA among others…

AP: What is your middle name? LF: Hanako, for my Japanese Grandmother.

AP: What is your astrological sign? LF: Gemini.

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? LF: Innovation.

AP: Least favorite thing? LF: Competition…

AP: What is your most prized possession? LF: My family, if I may call them a possession.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? LF: I absolutely love to cook.

AP: Do you wear a watch? LF: Yes. AP: If yes, what model? LF: Chanel J12 Classic in White.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? LF: Pearls. I particularly love my Grandmother’s pearls. There’s something wonderful about wearing a piece of jewelry with history.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? LF: My husband. He’s the best!

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? LF: I am still searching for it. A good laugh with friends does wonders for the soul, though.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? LF: 1. Carry-on only. 2. Bring a big, warm scarf no matter what the climate. 3. Don’t over plan…you never know where the day will take you.

AP: What is your favorite book? LF: Too many wonderful books to choose from… but Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice is always a winner on re-read.

AR: What is your cocktail of choice? LF: Champagne.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? LF: Sleep. And a good moisturizer.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? LF: Jo Malone French Lime Blossom.

AP: Botox or not? LF: Not.

AP: Hair color: natural or not? LF: Not.

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. LF: Arcade Fire’s “Une annee sans lumiere,” Mumford and Sons “Little lion man,” Keane “Stop for a minute.”

AP: Quote to live by. LF: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”  Maya Angelou

AP: Who is your mentor? LF: My sister Margaret.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. LF: Be passionate, don’t fear failure and believe in yourself!

10 beauty must-haves every woman needs at all times…

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I was catching up on my reading last night and read the October issue of Allure cover to cover. They call themselves “The Beauty Expert,” I think of them as “The Beauty Bible.” One of my top 10 “BHAGs” (big hairy audacious goals, to borrow a term from Jim Collins” is to have Alchimie Forever featured in Allure.

One of my favorite features is their “Fashion Expert: 10 Things Every Woman Should Have.” This month’s column is by Michael Kors. His #4 is white roses, he calls them “the LBD of flowers.” I couldn’t agree more… Reading this feature reminded me that my girlfriend Severine asked me last week when I was in Geneva what beauty items I always had with me (aka in my purse). So here is a modified version of the “10 Things Every Woman Should Have.” My personal version, 10 beauty must-haves every woman needs at all times.”

1. Chapstick. Not having chapstick when my lips are chapped is like not having a bathroom when… well.. you get the point.

2. Lipstick. At least two shades, one that can take you through the day, and one for that unexpected date before which you don’t have time to stop by the house.

3. A tiny mirror. My mom knows how to apply lipstick without one. I don’t, and have stopped trying.

4. A small brush. I have a black small Mason Pearson that I love dearly. (I have had it for years, but wash it regularly with baby shampoo).

5. Small tweezers. Mine are purple (of course), by Tweezerman (of course).

6. Small samples of sunscreen. Who knows when you will find yourself for a long lunch on a sunny terrace. I cherish samples of LaRoche Posay Anthelios 50+.

7. A nail file. Never file your nails in public… but nail emergencies (to be dealt with in private) do arise.

8. Alchimie Forever samples. I carry Kantic calming evening cream samples everywhere. No matter what is going on with my skin, Kantic fixes it.

9. A travel toothbrush and toothpaste set. Enough said.

10. Herban Essentials Lavender Towelettes. For any of life’s small messes.

BeautyViews: Kate Richard, COO, Beauty & Main

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Last week I spent three days in Boston. There are so many things I love about this city, where I spent my first few years in the US… Fall foliage, the CITGO sign, Dunkin Donuts coffee shops on every corner, Patriots stickers on so many car bumpers, Harvard square, my friend Aileen who has known me since I was 6 years old and lets me stay with her anytime I am in the area, and one of my favorite clients, Beauty & Main, to name just a few. Indeed, last week I was in town for a two-day event with Beauty & Main, to help promote Alchimie and train the team. I took advantage of lunch with Kate Richard, their chief operating officer, to learn more about her. She fascinates me! Not only because she was the decision-maker in terms of adding Alchimie Forever to the Beauty & Main skin care assortment; also because she is gorgeous (she looks like Ava Gardner), has a bar-tending and bar-owning husband, and loves New Orleans almost as much as I do. Here are her answers to my second Beauty-View. Funnily enough, there are some similarities with some of Sarah Kugelman’s answers from last week…

AR: What city were you born in? KR: Burlington, VT.

AP: What city do you live in? KR: Providence, RI. I’m a true New Englander…

AP: What is your middle name? KR: Elizabeth. My mom wanted it to sound royal.

AP: What is your astrological sign? KR: Aries.

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? KR: My favorite thing is that I get to meet a lot of powerful, smart, driven women.

AP: Least favorite thing? KR: My least favorite thing also centers around working primarily with women. Sometimes we can be a bit catty…

AP: What is your most prized possession? KR: My child, although I am not sure I can call her a possession. Her name is Ava, she just turned 3.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? KR: I overanalyze everything and I fret in private.

AP: Do you wear a watch? KR: Yes, always. AP: If yes, what model? KR: Giorgio Armani.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? KR: Pearls.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? KR: Either Eleanor Roosevelt, who is my personal hero (for guidance), or Elvis Presley (for eye candy).

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? KR: I fully embrace the reality that most things can be finished tomorrow. I don’t do it all – I delegate as much as humanly possible and I force myself to put work away and finish tomorrow. The world won’t stop turning because of it.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? KR: 1. Spend a little more to be comfortable. 2. Do your research and immerse yourself in the local scene. 3. Leave your kids at home.

AP: What is your favorite book? KR: Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris.

AR: What is your cocktail of choice? KR: Old fashioned. My husband JR makes the best one.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? KR: Blush. Don’t skip it. Right now, I love the RMS Beauty cream blush.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? KR: I wear Odin #1. It is a unisex fragrance, and I like masculine scents in general.

AP: Botox or not? KR: Botox.

AP: Hair color: natural or not? KR: Not! Not since I was 14… I just went back to red a month ago, I like the Framesi colors.

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. KR: Asteroids Galaxy Tour. They are Swedish; their whole album is on my ipod. Johnny Cash is my favorite. And Yo Gabba Gabba… for Ava.

AP: Quote to live by. KR: Whatever will be, will be.

AP: Who is your mentor? KR: My husband. He has been there, done that, and knows me well enough to advise me properly. He also has a cooler head than I do, which is helpful.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. KR: Be really smart about the way you spend your time and money. Create a path and stay on it, but do allow for deviations along the way. What has been successful for someone else is not necessarily what will work for you. Be open to compromise but keep your eye on the prize.

BeautyViews: Sarah Kugelman, President & Founder, skynICELAND

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One of my favorite aspects of the beauty industry is that I am surrounded by amazing women entrepreneurs, women CEOs, women leaders, all of them absolutely beautiful – inside and out. From this realization a few months ago came the idea of interviewing some of my favorite female beauty executives, to learn more about them, to learn from them, and to be inspired by them.

To start this series, below is my interview with Sarah Kugelman, President & Founder of the niche skin care brand skynICELAND. I have known Sarah for a number of years; I have mentioned her in my blog in the past; I consider her a friend. Over the years, we have become close enough to share the highs of beauty entrepreneurship, as well as the challenges that us “small, niche” brands face. I have learned from her, yet in the below interview were a number of new things I discovered about her. Enjoy!

AP: What city were you born in? SK: Manhattan.

AP: What city to do you live in? SK: Manhattan!

AP: What is your middle name? SK: Dean. I was named after my uncle who was Daniel. My sister is named Dana. So we have inverted names. I’m Sarah Dean and she’s Dana Sayre (a family name)

AP: What is your astrological sign? SK: Sagittarius (fire!!).

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? SK: The product. It’s what always keeps me going at the end of the day. I’m a product junkie at heart!!

AP: What is your least favorite thing? SK: Products that are not genuine and have marketing stories that feed mistruths to the consumer. It really hurts all of us.

AP: What is your most prized possession? SK: I don’t know if you’d call her a possession exactly but my daughter is my most prized treasure. I live for her! There is no material thing that matters once you have a child!

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? SK: I studied to be an actress for many years.

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? SK: Yes, and I’m still always late! I am not really into watches, so I don’t know the exact name, but it’s a beautiful gold Cartier with diamonds that my husband gave me when I gave birth to our daughter. Every time I look at it, it reminds of the day she was born.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? SK: Definitely diamonds!

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? SK: There are so many! Probably Oprah Winfrey, President Clinton, or Richard Gere!!

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? SK: I’m still trying to find the right balance but here are some important things I try to make a priority:  taking my daughter to school every morning. I try not to go out at night during the week and spend very focused/concentrated time with her when I get home in the evening. I work out at least once a week (I’m trying to get that to 3x a week!). I don’t get to work before 8:30am and I don’t stay past 7pm. I do sometimes work at home at night and on the weekends, but try NOT TO! And, I have certain activities that I do when I feel really stressed:  I get massages (so important!), take yoga, go to acupuncture, focus on my diet (cutting out sugar, white flour, alcohol and butter, eating more EFA’s and antioxidants, taking vitamins), take warm baths, light a candle, watch ‘silly’ TV. This helps me to calm down, refocus and remember my priorities.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? SK: I always bring a yummy, cozy wrap. It is always cold and uncomfortable on planes and this helps me feel like I’m creating my own environment. I always bring my skyn ICELAND Arctic Face Mist, which refreshes and hydrates my skin. And it smells heavenly! And, my Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels, because I get puffy under-eyes when I travel. I always carry my ipod, you never know when you are going to need some calming or energizing music!

AP: What is your favorite book? SK: The Namesake. Hands down.

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? SK: Champagne.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? SK: Never go to bed without washing your face!

AP: What fragrance do you wear? SK: I wear a Jasmine fragrance created by the perfumer Sarah Horowitz.

AP: Who is your mentor? SK: I am really fortunate to say that I’ve had some wonderful women mentor me throughout my career. My boss at Bath and Body Works, Sandy Cookerly Jones, my boss at Estee Lauder, Sandy Cataldo, Jennifer Balbier, the product guru (who heads up creative product development for MAC), whom I’ve worked with on and off for over 17 years , and Susan Rafaj, a beauty industry veteran and marketing expert (she is in her 80’s and still going strong, she is my hero!).

AP: Botox or not? SK: As I say to my husband all the time “I’m not going to grow old gracefully!” so why not?

AP: Hair color: natural or not? SK: I’ll never tell!

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. SK: Seal’s ‘Whirlpool’, Sheryl Crow’s ‘Are you strong enough to be my man’, Duncan Sheik ‘Barely Breathing’, Lisa Loeb ‘Stay.’ Oldish songs that always make me feel good.

AP: Quote to live by. SK: Live every day like it’s your last!

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. SK: Do something you love and feel really passionate about. The rest will follow.