When Melisse Gelula of Well & Good says you need to connect with an amazing woman, you do. Hence Jillian Wright, Owner of her eponymous skin care line and Co-Founder of Indie Beauty Expo (IBE) connected recently, in fact right after the August IBE. I was in NYC that day specifically to experience this show, which I had heard great things about from many indie beauty brands (which is rare, tradeshows these days don’t get the best rap). A NYC-based aesthetician and spa owner at heart, Jillian shared her 18-year journey in the beauty industry with me. Successes, pitfalls, relaunches, opening her spa, closing her spa, and her frustration with the tradeshow marketplace, which she deemed “unfair.” I couldn’t agree more – the universal truth of tradeshows is that the big companies with big budgets get good booths, and the bootstrapped indie brands get stuck in the corner. Hence her vision for the Indie Beauty Expo, which only caters to indie brands. Her vision beyond leveling the playing field was to create an event that brought together the three lifelines of any brand: press, buyers, and consumers. So far, she has succeeded beyond her expectations.

 
AP: What city were you born in? JW: New Haven.

AP: What city to do you live in? JW: Brooklyn.

AP: What is your astrological sign? JW: Sagittarius.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? JW: I play Candy Crush to decompress at night.  It’s my cup of tea.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? JW: Sunscreen and sleep.

AP: What are your special diet tips, if any? JW: Everything in moderation. Minimal sugar and carbs. Lot’s of plants, whole foods and proteins, barely any cheese. And don’t deny yourself a sweet or savory treat every once in a while.

AP: What do you do for exercise? JW: Core strengthening exercises, jumping jacks and lots of planks at home in between phone meetings and emails.

(Ada’s note to self: start doing planks between conference calls!)

AP: What is your favorite thing to eat and drink? JW: Any vegetables and wine!

AP: Botox or not? JW: Sometimes, but not necessary.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? JW: Discipline, sacrifice that leads to reward.

AP: How many miles do you fly per year on average? JW: I just started flying more with IBE, stay tuned…

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? JW: iPhone charger cord in your purse, hyaluronic acid based serum that lasts all day for moisture binding, and a lip balm that can double as an eye hydrator for the plane.

AP: What is your worst pet peeve? JW: Strands of hair blowing in my face and spread sheets.

AP: What professional beauty/fitness/wellness experts do you have on your speed dial.JW: Melisse Gelula from Well & Good and Jeannie Jarnot from Beauty Heroes

AP: What time do you usually wake up in the morning, and how many hours of sleep do you usually get? JW: It depends. 6am for the kids and 8am when we can sleep in. Sometimes I wake up brush my teeth, then go back to bed for hours. That happens 2 times year!  It’s heaven.

AP: Who is your mentor? JW: I had one when I was growing named Joy Wulke. She was a very successful visual artist in Connecticut but she passed away recently from a brain tumor. I was devastated, heartbroken. She was so young at 67. Luckily, I am still connected to her family. I was her apprentice growing up. She was everything to me. I could write a book about my experience as an adolescent growing up in her world in Stony Creek CT. Without ever telling me about life, she taught me about life and how to be a strong independent woman. I love Joy. I love and appreciate life because of her.

AP: What is your skincare routine (products, facialists, etc)? JW: I am an Aesthetician and give myself facials all the time. I don’t have time to go to anyone else, but if I did, in New York, I would go to Samantha Roberts. In the UK, I would go to Antonia Burrell and in California, I would go to Marie Veronique. But there are so many talented therapists, like restaurants, in New York, I could go to a new one each month and be very satisfied. I follow a strict day and night regimen and I never touch my face. I cleanse, exfoliate, use a serum, eye cream, night cream and SPF. Every day, not matter what.

AP: What do you do to relax? JW: I go to the beach in the summertime, I get massages and pedicures frequently. I love the human touch. It heals me. I also love going to concerts with my husband. Music is our bond. And I love to feed my friends!

AP: Quote to live by. JW: This was my high school yearbook quote. I as 17: “For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun? And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.” ― Kahlil Gibran

This is my quote today from the same author: “Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.” ― Kahlil Gibran

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. JW: Don’t be afraid of hard work. Push yourself. Think outside the box. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Ask for help and advice. Find the Yin to your Yang. Know that your first business partner is the IRS. Be strategic in who you bring in to your business. Always be professional but have an edge. Don’t be afraid to try, but always do your research. Ask the “whys”, the “hows”, and the “who”. Trouble-shoot and don’t be afraid to meet an unmet need. Don’t let anyone get you down but protect yourself. Use common sense and think about the end user, and not yourself. And please, do not say “I created it, because it didn’t exist”. You are not reinventing the wheel. You are just spinning it in a different way. Be frugal, because you either have the money or you don’t. Try not to get yourself into debt unless you have a pay off strategy. Protect yourself with a good lawyer and accountant. Don’t quit your day job for at least 2 years in a start up. You will need the steady income until your start up takes off. This will not happen overnight. You will be working overtime and double shifts for a while. It’s ok. We are right there with you. Don’t put ice in a fresh blended juice, it doesn’t belong there. And take a class to learn how to do a spread sheet and photoshop. You are super woman if you do!

AP: Describe your dream day. JW: My dream day is to sleep in. Exercise. Get a massage. Make a yummy dinner for my family or just my husband and relax. I’m simple. I have simple pleasures, but if you offered me tickets to a Morrissey concert, I’m there!!

AP: What makes you feel beautiful? JW: Anytime of the month I’m not PMSing!!!

 

 

When I first started reading about Lisa Goldfaden, Vice President of Marketing for her eponymous line Goldfaden MD, I thought I was reading about myself. She has a BA in History of Art. She works in a beauty family business. Her father is a dermatologist and created a skin care line based on medical research and botanical ingredients. She works with her siblings. We even share accounts. It was uncanny, I had to learn more. I reached out to her and many emails and phone conversations later, I am using two Goldfaden products (the Brightening Elixir and the Fleuressence Native Botanical Cell Oil), she is using two Alchimie Forever products, and we have traded many industry stories. Next step, a sushi lunch date when I visit NYC later this fall…

 

AP: What city were you born in? LG: Hollywood, Florida.

AP: What city to do you live in? LG: Manhattan.

AP: What is your astrological sign? LG: Aquarius.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? LG: I’m an artist.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? LG: Regular exfoliation.

AP: What are your special diet tips, if any? LG: No dairy, easy on the sugar and I drink a cup of bone broth everyday.

AP: What do you do for exercise? LG: Barry’s Bootcamp, run, yoga and Flywheel.

AP: What is your favorite thing to eat and drink? LG: Sushi or anything Japanese and Vodka martini with green olives.

AP: Botox or not? LG: I believe in doing what makes you feel confident and beautiful.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? LG: When I’m not working, I try to REALLY not work, so I won’t look at emails. Life is short and should be enjoyed too! This has become easier for me to understand with age.

AP: How many miles do you fly per year on average? LG: 80,000.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? LG: Hydrate (face + internally), compression socks and never drink alcohol.

AP: What is your worst pet peeve? LG: Meanness.

AP: What professional beauty/fitness/wellness experts do you have on your speed dial. LG: My acupuncturist/chiropractor Herbie and my hair stylist Christopher.

AP: What time do you usually wake up in the morning, and how many hours of sleep do you usually get? LG: I usually wake up early around 6am but read emails in bed until 7am. I can survive on 4-5 hours of sleep but I’m much happier after 8 hours.

AP: Who is your mentor? LG: In life, my father is my mentor. In work, Nicky Kinnaird is my mentor.

AP: What is your skincare routine (products, facialists, etc)? LG: I exfoliate (with our Doctors Scrub Advanced Doctor Scrub Advanced), Vitamin C serum (our Brightening Elixir) and try to only use plant-based products. I stay out of sun and always wear an SPF and swear by our Fleuressence Native Botanical Oil for brightness, over all tone and my lack of wrinkles.

AP: What do you do to relax? LG: Play word chums on my Ipad or go on a bike ride.

AP: Quote to live by. LG: “If you’re not failing every now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything very innovative.” Woody Allen

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. LG: Be assertive and never apologize for being a woman.

AP: Describe your dream day. LG: The coast of Italy: bike riding and swimming in the ocean during the day and then a sunset dinner with my family that is full of laughter, wine and pasta. I’ll be wearing sandals a sundress and salty hair!

AP: What makes you feel beautiful? LG: Making someone else happy.

I believe in Karma, and in the truth behind “what goes around comes around.” Apparently so does Erin Williams, founder of Erin’s Faces Cruelty-Free Beauty Line. What seems like eons ago (it was actually 2008), she was running an email list-serv in Manhattan to put niche beauty brands in touch with amazing freelancers for in-store support. It was a fabulous idea, and thanks to her I met many amazing freelancers that worked with Alchimie, some of whom have since become celebrity makeup artists! I never actually had the change to meet her – but knew that our paths would cross and that one day I would be able to thank her, and do something to show my gratitude.

 

The Universe complied. In late August, at the Independent Beauty Expo (created by another amazing woman, Jillian Wright, who you will be reading about on this blog soon), our paths finally crossed. Her fiery red hair and amazing smile are even better in person than in the photos I had seen of her. We met like two long-lost friends, shared industry stories, and I was able to thank her for her help, all these years ago.

 

And today it is my turn to do something nice for Erin. So please read below, get to know her, and her beauty brand.

 

AP: What city were you born in? EW: Houston, Texas

AP: What city to do you live in? EW: I just moved from Queens to Maplewood, NJ a couple of weeks ago.

AP: What is your middle name? EW: Elizabeth

AP: What is your astrological sign? EW: Aquarius with Cancer Moon and Cancer Rising (an old roommate was into astrology charts).

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? EW: I was on a synchronized swimming team in high school.

AP: What is your most prized possession? EW: I guess I technically own our dog, Jasper, so I would say him. 

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? EW: There are so many people! But in this moment I’ll pick Leonard Bernstein. I would love to listen to him talk about how he wrote what he wrote and then I’d like to lie under the piano while he played it. 

AP: Describe your fashion style in three words maximum. EW: Curvy bohemian

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? EW: Nope.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? EW: My diamond engagement/wedding ring.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? EW: SPF Daily – I use my Peptide SPF 30 but any physical SPF will do.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? EW: I’ve gotten out of wearing fragrances that aren’t natural, so this summer I wore my Monoi Tiare Oil as a fragrance daily – it smells so yummy!

AP: Botox or not? EW: I’m 38 so at this point, not for me, but I think if you want to do it, do it.

AP: Hair color: natural or not? EW: Totally not natural at all!

AP: What are your special diet tips, if any? EW: Put down the chips. I need to take my own advice.

AP: What do you do for exercise? EW: I love swimming and dancing – when I’m doing those I feel my best.

AP: What are three things that you always have in your fridge? EW: Eggs, goat cheese, and fig jam.

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? EW: I don’t drink so a boring glass of water sounds lovely.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? EW: I would love to figure that out!  I work all the time – it’s non-stop. I had wanted more purpose in my life before I started my line and now I have purpose coming out of my ears!

AP: How many miles do you fly per year on average? EW: I’ve never counted but I teach Green Beauty Workshops around the country about 4 times a year plus visiting family – so a bit – nothing nuts.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? EW: Download free movies from Amazon Prime onto your IPad/computer, drink tons of water and bring healthy snacks so you don’t fall into the $6 bags of Dorito’s. Again, I need to take my own advice!

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. EW: Anything Adele, Sarah Vaughan, and Kelli O’Hara – any song they sing is on my iPhone.

AP: What book are you reading right now? EW: My books are still to be unpacked (given the recent move) but I’d really love to read the new Ann Patchett book, Commonwealth.

AP: Quote to live by. EW: It’s from my dad, “Your job is to love people – that’s it.”

AP: What is your worst pet peeve? EW: Toothpaste in the sink. I hate it.

AP: What time do you usually wake up in the morning, and how many hours of sleep do you usually get? EW: I stay up late working so I get up around 9am if I don’t have to get up for anything. I love a solid 8 hours of sleep :).

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? EW: I love that it’s always evolving, that there is always something new ingredient-wise or color- wise – it isn’t stagnant.

AP: Least favorite thing. EW: That people feel like they have to fit into a box to be “pretty” – or that there’s a preconception that that’s true. I love taking that concept, smashing it, and determining what makes each individual woman feel confident, and thus, beautiful. For some women that’s mascara and lip balm and for some it’s a full face with lashes. I think both are valid. 

AP: Who is your mentor? EW: I don’t really have one. I definitely have learned from makeup artists along the way – Elisa Flowers and Mally Roncal are people who I assisted and learned a lot from on the artistry front, but on the business front for my product line I’ve been figuring things out – some to success and some not – on my own.  That’s one thing I’d love to start is a beauty entrepreneur master mind situation – I think that would be awesome.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. EW: Choose to contribute to the world and be useful in whatever way makes the most sense to you.  Even if it makes no sense to someone else – listen to what your heart is whispering, or yelling, and work like heck to make it happen.