Tag: Beauty Industry

BeautyView: Katherine Goldman, Founder, Stript Wax Bar

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After spending two days with Katherine Goldman, the founder of Stript Wax Bar, I have a new-found admiration for womankind. We can do anything we set our mind to, and Katherine is the prefect example. She does it all: she still does treatments (there is a waitlist), she runs her 7-location California-based salon business (opened in 2009, not exactly in the most booming economic times!) with passion and a firm hand, has developed her own waxes (which vary based on the area that is to be waxed), is launching Flash Facials, and looking to expand on the East coast. And, she does it all while taking the time to enjoy some rosé champagne and raising two beautiful children and reading Fifty Shades of Grey…

AP: What city were you born in? KG: Oakland, CA. I’M Oaktown, baby!

AP: What city to do you live in? KG: San Carlos, CA.

AP: What is your middle name? KG: Victoria. As in The Great!

AP: What is your astrological sign? KG: Cancer.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? KG: I was a once competitive gymnast.

AP: What is your most prized possession? KG: My children; can you say that? If not, a friendship ring from my grandmother that looks like a belt buckle.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? KG: Marilyn Monroe.

AP: Describe your fashion style in three words maximum. KG: Classic, elegant, and black.

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? I do. KG: Chopard Happy Sport. It is Swiss and perfect… and was my first push present.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? KG: Diamonds.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? KG: There are so many, but I think happiness is ultimately true beauty.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? KG: I have so many… I am loving Chanel Chance right now.

AP: Botox or not? KG: Botox all the way.

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

AP: What are your special diet tips, if any? KG: Eating clean and low carb, and lots of walking.

AP: What do you do for exercise? KG: Chase my two children around. And lots of walking.

AP: What are three things that you always have in your fridge? KG: 2% milk (I am a tea drinker, and I have kids), yogurt, fruit.

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? KG: Rosé champagne.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? KG: The lines blur… but if you love what you do, then work and life merge and become fully integrated.

AP: How many miles do you fly per year on average? KG: 25,000. I commute between San Francisco and LA twice monthly at least… and then there are the scouting trips for new locations…

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? KG: 1. Stay hydrated. 2. Get lots of rest beforehand. 3. Plan your trip well.

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. KG: I don’t listen to anything but kid music at this point in my life…

AP: What book are you reading right now? KG: Fifty Shades of Grey. My husband bought me the trilogy right after we had baby #2. I guess he wanted to give me inspiration.

AP: Quote to live by. KG: “Do onto others as you want done unto you.”

AP: What is your worst pet peeve? KG: Dirtiness. (Another quote to live by is “cleanliness is next to godliness” – which is how I run my salons.)

AP: What time do you usually wake up in the morning, and how many hours of sleep do you usually get? KG: 7 am and I shoot for 8 hours.

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? KG: All of the amazing products.

AP: Least favorite thing. KG: What’s not to love about the beauty industry?!

AP: Who is your mentor? KG: Honestly, my older sister. She has always been a guide. I look up to her.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. KG: Have a long-term plan; have patience; be willing to work for your goals and wait it out. Delay instant gratification for long-term success.

Lindsay Crames, President, Beauty Fashion Sales Group

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Twice a year, I visit with the fabulous Jeffre Scott in Charlotte, NC. There are many reasons why I love this bi-annual trip: the successful skin care events, the dinners,  the laughs, and the other industry leaders I meet there. Meet, and re-meet. A couple of weeks ago, thanks to another fabulous dinner on the eve of a fabulous event, I reconnected with Lindsay Crames. We first met in 2011, but it took this dinner (at favorite French restaurant Terra) and a great glass of wine for us to truly connect and embrace the fact that we are both women entrepreneurs in family beauty businesses. We both love our companies. We both forego work life balance. We both consider our fathers our mentors. And we both read James Patterson…

AP: What city were you born in? LC: Miami.

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

AP: What is your middle name? LC: Brooke.

AP: What is your astrological sign? LC: Cancer.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? LC: Sometimes I still think about my first love…

AP: What is your most prized possession? LC: My company.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? LC: Steve Jobs.

AP: Describe your fashion style in three words maximum. LC: Trendy, easy, comfortable.

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? LC: I do not wear one.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? LC: I do not wear jewelry.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? LC: I like making my makeup look like my actual skin. I like to use liquids and creams. I used RMS coconut oil as a base to mix with any liquids, creams or powders to help give the appearance of younger, glowing looking skin. I also love Kevyn Aucoin sculpting powder for helping to define my face.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? LC: Jivago.

AP: Botox or not? LC: Not.

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

AP: What are your special diet tips, if any? LC: None.

AP: What do you do for exercise? LC: I run, sometimes…

AP: What are three things that you always have in your fridge? LC: Wine, diet coke, mozzarella cheese.

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? LC: Prosecco.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? LC: I do not have a work life balance. I work a lot!

AP: How many miles do you fly per year on average? LC: 50,000

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? LC: 1. Pack items that are light enough that you do not have check your bag. 2. Make sure all items are interchangeable and can make several outfits. 3. Do not travel with full size beauty products.

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. LC: Roar by Katy Perry, Amongster by Polica, The scientist by Coldplay.

AP: What book are you reading right now? LC: Along came a spider, by James Patterson.

AP: Quote to live by. LC: You are never done learning.

AP: What is your worst pet peeve? LC: Garbage that smells in my apartment.

AP: What time do you usually wake up in the morning, and how many hours of sleep do you usually get? LC: I wake up around 7:30 am and try to get 6 1/2 hours every night.

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? LC: The people and the products!

AP: Least favorite thing. LC: A lot of people to please. Just as many opinions…

AP: Who is your mentor? LC: My father.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. LC: Do something that you love and then it will not feel like work.

BeautyView: Katina Turner, Founder & CEO, Turner & Scott

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Last week, I took one of my bi-annual trips to North Carolina. I love all of my North Carolina clients, and have a girl crush on one… Katina Turner, founder and CEO of the beautiful Asheville-based boutique Turner & Scott. She is as much tough New Yorker (and still often wears all black) as she is laid back Ashevillian (is that a word?). She is part Greek (as you can tell by her maiden name, Masouras), which is enough for me to be fascinated. She worked at MTV. She loves Eminem. She is passionate about beauty. Enough said…

AP: What city were you born in? KT: Brooklyn, NY. Yes, it’s a city.

AP: What city to do you live in? KT: Asheville, NC.

AP: What is your middle name? KT: I don’t have one because my name was so long when I was born (Katina Masouras) my parents didn’t feel like they needed more.

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

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? KT: If you don’t know then I don’t want you to know.

AP: What is your most prized possession? KT: I would say my children and husband, except they are not a possession.  My pictures. They are everything.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? KT: I would love to have a sit down with my father (now deceased) So many questions…..

AP: Describe your fashion style in three words maximum. KT: Casual, easy, black.

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? KT: Yes, usually a Rolex Datejust.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? KT: Diamonds.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? KT: Always wash your face before you go to bed.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? KT: I just found a great new fragrance, Gorse by Laboratory Perfumes.

AP: Botox or not? KT: Yes. No question.

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

AP: What are your special diet tips, if any? KT: Own a Hurom super juicer and use it every day.

AP: What do you do for exercise? KT: I run after my daughter. I flirt with Pure Barre and Pilates but can never commit.

AP: What are three things that you always have in your fridge? KT: Beer, wine, milk. Don’t ask.

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? KT: White wine, preferably pinot grigio.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? KT: I am still trying to figure that out… Family and life first.

AP: How many miles do you fly per year on average? KT: I don’t travel that much.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? KT: Noise canceling headphones, a full ipad of movies and books, and Yosi Samra flats to run around in the airports without falling.

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. KT: Justin Timberlake “Take back the Night” and “Murder,” and Eminem “Berzerk.”

AP: What book are you reading right now? KT: In in a middle of many, which makes it hard to read and finish just one. I start many and rarely finish. On the half read list a book about elections Winning Your Election the Wellstone Way. My husband is considering a run for state office. Also, Parenting with Love & Logic because I have the love part down the the logic escapes me. And Take the Lead, I’m trying to be a better boss…it’s not working.

AP: Quote to live by. KT: I don’t have one.

AP: What is your worst pet peeve? KT: People who chew with their mouth open. Yuck.

AP: What time do you usually wake up in the morning, and how many hours of sleep do you usually get? KT: I wake up at 6:30 and try to get 7.5 hours.

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? KT: All the committed, excited people trying to improve other people’s lives through beauty.

AP: Least favorite thing. KT: I can’t say yes to everyone. I hate having to say no to beautiful lines I can’t carry in my boutique. There are so many good lines out there, I just can’t carry them all.

AP: Who is your mentor? KT: My former boss, Elisa Bellatini. She was my boss at MTV and she taught me how to be tough and how to work harder than anybody else.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. KT: You have to work hard. You have to work harder than anybody else. And you have to be working hard at something that interests you and makes you happy, otherwise you will be miserable.  

BeautyView: Sherrod Hood, Executive Assistant to the CEO, Alchimie Forever

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Sherrod Hood, my life enabler, as I like to think of him, came into my life in April of this year. Used to working with young women that I come to consider as my sisters, having Sherrod join the Alchimie Forever team has brought a different energy and vibe to my work life, which I am thoroughly enjoying. He came to Alchimie Forever with experience in beauty retail, aesthetics, and office management. He has a calm aura about him, knows how to take my stress level down (not that I am ever stressed…), helps me be less of a control freak and delegate more. And now I know he can sing…

AP: What city were you born in? SH: Norfolk, Virginia.

AP: What city to do you live in? SH: Fairfax, Virginia.

AP: What is your middle name? SH: Dale.

AP: What is your astrological sign? SH: Leo.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? SH: That I can sing. I never really talk about it. I sing currently at church and background for local artist in the city

AP: What is your most prized possession? SH: My Jewelry, and all of my skincare products. I have so many…

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? SH: Whitney Houston. I miss her!

AP: Describe your fashion style in three words maximum. SH: Clean. Casual. Dapper.

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? SH: Of Course, Michael Kors.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? SH: Diamonds are FOREVER!

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? SH: Argan oil, I can’t live without it!!

AP: What fragrance do you wear? SH: Chanel Bleu.

AP: Botox or not? SH: Not, well at least not now!

AP: Hair color: natural or not? SH: Black, natural.

AP: What are your special diet tips, if any? SH: I wish I could honestly share some. I would say that lately I have been watching what I eat. Five Guys Vs. Subway…That type of thing.

AP: What do you do for exercise? SH: I typically TRY to run a mile at least 3 times a week. That’s about it. Horrible, I know..

AP: What are three things that you always have in your fridge? SH: Wine, red Pepper hummus. Did I mention wine already?

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? SH: Patron margarita. Absolutely Amazing!!

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance?  SH: I am still trying to master this guy right here. I take work home with me all the time…

AP: How many miles do you fly per year on average? SH: Honestly, as much as I love to travel, I haven’t traveled much these last 2 years. I am getting older, perhaps I should start planning more travel.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? SH: Comfortable clothing. Music. Don’t forget your travel beauty products like I always do!!

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. SH: Firework by Katy Perry, Suit and Tie by Justin Timberlake, How Many Drinks by Miguel.

AP: What book are you reading right now? SH: The Laws of Money by Suze Orman.

AP: Quote to live by. SH: “Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop” by H. L. Mencken.

AP: What is your worst pet peeve? SH: Friends of mine who don’t use skincare. I am for certain that I get on their nerves concerning this topic.

AP: What time do you usually wake up in the morning, and how many hours of sleep do you usually get? SH: I wake up around 7:30ish, and typically speaking I get about 7-8 hrs of sleep. I love sleep. It’s amazing!

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? SH: Meeting new people. Having those connections when you need them most.

AP: Least favorite thing. SH: Really, nothing!

AP: Who is your mentor? SH: Angela Easterwood, My former supervisor, and colleague at Arlington County Government. She is like a mother, and a big sister with tons of good advice!

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. SH: Do what makes you happy! Stay determined. Write out an action plan. NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK!

BeautyView: Kara Manos, Beauty Blogger

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Beauty bloggers based in DC are about as common as skin care companies based in DC. That may be why I always gravitated towards Kara, feeling like we are part of a special club (even if we are the only two members in our club). She has impressive press credentials, is beautiful on the inside and out, and is the brain behind Politics of Pretty. And she has some Greek in her… I am obsessed!

AP: What city were you born in? KM: Rockville, MD.

AP: What city to do you live in? KM: Chevy Chase, MD.

AP: What is your middle name? KM: Vasiliki (it’s Greek for Victoria).

AP: What is your astrological sign? KM: Cancer.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? KM: There is a full-size cardboard cutout of me at my alma mater’s campus library. I was chosen for a campaign and they put my face on water bottles, brochures and a cardboard cutout.

AP: What is your most prized possession? KM: My beauty products, of course.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? KM: Lauren Conrad… so I could pick her brain about her favorite beauty products and have her teach me how to do a cat eye.

AP: Describe your fashion style in three words maximum. KM: Bohemian chic.

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? KM: Yes! I can’t live without my gold Fossil watch.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? KM: Diamonds!

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? KM: Buy your favorite products in bulk. That way you won’t have to worry about transferring products from home to purse to work, etc. Plus you never know when they will be discontinued.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? KM: I’m a seasonal scent type of girl so lately I’ve been getting the last spritzes out of Bobbi Brown “Beach” and transitioning in to Estee Lauder Modern Muse. Jo Malone and Chanel are year-round favorites too.

AP: Botox or not? KM: Not. I’m 25 so hopefully I won’t have to take the Botox route… not sure I can handle the needles either.

AP: Hair color: natural or not? KM: Somewhere in between. A natural look is always preferred but lately I’ve been having fun with highlights and color.

AP: What are your special diet tips, if any? KM: What’s a diet? haha kidding… but really, if you know of any good tips, I’m all ears!

AP: What do you do for exercise? KM: I recently started doing yoga and I love it. I definitely took the flexibility I had in high school for granted though, that’s for sure.

AP: What are three things that you always have in your fridge? KM: Feta cheese (typical Greek, I know), craisins and almond milk.

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? KM: I have a thing for sweet drinks so my go-to is amaretto sour.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? KM: I am still working on that… get back to me in like, 10 years.

AP: How many miles do you fly per year on average? KM: Sadly, I haven’t traveled much lately and funny enough, I love airports. I’m hoping I get to go somewhere soon because I’m dying to check out those beauty boxes in the airports selling everything you can carry on the plane.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? KM: 1. Pack a carry-on with all your essentials in case the airline loses your luggage. 2. Opt for travel size versions of your favorite beauty products to save suitcase space. 3. It’s better to have too much than too little so don’t listen to your significant other if they say to “pack light.”

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. KM: Katy Perry “Roar,” Lana Del Rey “Summertime Sadness,” and Imagine Dragons “Radioactive.”

AP: What book are you reading right now? KM: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain.

AP: Quote to live by. KM: “I like my money right where I can see it… hanging in my closet.” by Carrie Bradshaw.

AP: What is your worst pet peeve? KM:  Twisting earring backs. I try to refrain from wearing studs now because of that.

AP: What time do you usually wake up in the morning, and how many hours of sleep do you usually get? KM: During the week, 7 a.m. (and I usually hit my snooze button once or twice). On the weekends 9 or 10 a.m. I try to get 8 hours of sleep. Every girl needs her beauty rest!

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? KM: With my blog, I’m able to test new products before they hit stores so I feel very VIP. I also love learning a wealth of beauty knowledge from beauty gurus, makeup artists and entrepreneurs.

AP: Least favorite thing. KM: Chipped nail polish.

AP: Who is your mentor? KM:  Kate Bennett. She’s my former boss but I still keep in touch with her frequently and she’s always had sound career advice. Minus her obsession with fanny packs, she has a great sense of style too.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. KM:  It’s better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.

Lessons in Slow Beauty… happy birthday Shel Pink!

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Today was a great day. There are many reasons for this, despite the fact that it was a Monday… one of those reasons is that it is the birthday of someone whom I very much respect and admire. Today is Shel Pink’s birthday. If you don’t know her, or don’t know of her, yet, I would encourage you to learn more. She is a fellow beauty entrepreneur, works in a family business, and will change the way you look at nails, and nail polish – perhaps at beauty overall. She is the founder of SpaRitual, vegan nail lacquer and of the Slow Beauty movement.

I had the luck of meeting Shel at an industry dinner not even a year ago. I had one of those “Brad Pitt” moments, which in my life means I get giddy and speechless because I just met someone so gorgeous inside and out, someone who has made such a difference, that I forget I can speak. Luckily for me, Shel thought that despite my excitement I remained quite coherent, and agreed to do a Beautyview. That was the start to a friendship that is still blossoming, the start of a relationship that I hope will shape our lives and respective brands for years to come.

Here are a few more specific reasons I am grateful to have met Shel…

  1. She reminds us that we need to slow down. She pioneered the Slow Beauty movement, reminding us that we can get off the fast track and take the time to enjoy the simpler pleasures in life.
  2. She believes everyone’s first and foremost relationship is the one we have with ourselves. One of my mother’s founding concepts behind Alchimie Forever is that we all need to take care of ourselves, much better that we do – hence our tag line “self care through skin care.” And sometimes, it is good to (re-)hear truths from people other than parents. Shel reminds me that indeed, if I don’t take care of myself, I won’t be able to take care of anyone else.
  3. She dislikes routine, and loves rituals. What makes these two words, which both start with the letter “r,” so different from each other? I abhor routine, perhaps above all else. Yet I love rituals, which are simple, uncomplicated, peaceful, and peace-inducing. Thank you Shel for highlighting this distinction.
  4. Without knowing it, she influences my reading list. The most recent book I added to my list is Small Graces by Kent Nerburn. It should arrive in my mailbox next week, I cannot wait!
  5. Also without knowing it, she helps me reflect, and enhances my thinking. Most recently, my thinking about why I love book club so much.
  6. Perhaps most importantly, Shel helps me live by one of my core values, which is beauty and aesthetics. I value beauty in every aspect of my life – my surroundings (art on the walls is a must), my behavior (arguments are ugly, love is beautiful), and my appearance (looking good makes me feel better and act nicer).

Happy birthday Shel. Thank you for making the world a more groomed, more beautiful place, one nail, one soul, at a time.