Building the presence of a niche brand in the unending maze that is the internet requires strong partnerships with the right companies. For Alchimie Forever, Dermstore is one such company, and Ashley Van Dyke, my buyer there, is one such partner. I love working with her: she is smart, kind, efficient, and amazing with follow-up. And now I also love her because she hates excessive paper printing (totally up my alley given my 2014 goal of going paperless), wants to have dinner with Kobe Bryant, and believes that a positive attitude is the best anti-aging medicine…
AP: What city were you born in? ALV: San Pedro, CA.
AP: What city to do you live in? ALV: I recently moved from Long Beach to Redondo Beach, CA.
AP: What is your middle name? ALV: Louise.
AP: What is your astrological sign? ALV: Leo through and through.
AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? ALV: I made the decision to become a pescetarian seven years ago to promote a cruelty free lifestyle.
AP: What is your most prized possession? ALV: She is not a possession, but she is my most treasured companion, Zola Marie. She has completely changed my perception on tiny dogs (she is a 2lb Chihuahua) and I’m blessed to be able to provide her a home.
AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? ALV: Too many people to count. Off the top of my head Jane Goodall, Rosa Parks, Steve Irwin, Kobe Bryant.
AP: Describe your fashion style in three words maximum. ALV: Colorful.
AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? ALV: Yes, a Nixon.
AP: Diamonds or pearls? ALV: I have always loved pearls.
AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? ALV: Try to be genuinely nice all the time. Positivity is contagious and reduces signs of aging.
AP: What fragrance do you wear? ALV: In a buyer’s world this changes daily, but currently I love Gucci Guilty and Bianca by Tocca.
AP: Botox or not? ALV: Not, but who knows how I will feel in the future.
AP: Hair color: natural or not? ALV: Mine is currently a mixture of both.
AP: What are your special diet tips, if any? ALV: Never use the word diet.
AP: What do you do for exercise? ALV: I try and stick to a routine for four weeks to build muscle before changing it up. Right now this includes circuit training with weights three times per week, yoga one day a week and cardio one day.
AP: What are three things that you always have in your fridge? ALV: Green vegetables, salmon burgers and almond milk
AP: What is your cocktail of choice? ALV: I am trying to avoid the empty calories for the time being, but Greyhounds are delicious.
AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? ALV: Stay positive, love what you do and leave on time.
AP: How many miles do you fly per year on average? ALV: No more than 1,000.
AP: What are your three top tips for travel? ALV: More is better.
AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. ALV: Big Jet Plane by Angus and Julia Stone, The Way You Make Me Feel by Michael Jackson and Mambo Italiano by Dean Martin.
AP: What book are you reading right now? ALV: Love. Life. And Elephants by Daphne Sheldrick.
AP: Quote to live by. ALV: “Integrity is not only doing the right thing when no one is watching, it’s doing the right thing when everyone is watching. It’s being willing to do the right thing even when it costs more than you want to pay.”
AP: What is your worst pet peeve? ALV: Unnecessary printing of paper. I cringe at the site of it in our office.
AP: What time do you usually wake up in the morning, and how many hours of sleep do you usually get? ALV: 7:30AM and 8 hours of sleep.
AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? ALV: Working with people every day to achieve the same goal.
AP: Least favorite thing. ALV: Seeing how much waste we generate.
AP: Who is your mentor? ALV: Family, friends, colleagues and God.
AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. ALV: Be fearless.
