Tag: beautyview

BeautyView: Yael Alkalay, Founder & CEO, Red Flower

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My very first BeautyView was with Sarah Kugelman, of SkynIceland, a woman I admire and who over the years has become a friend. Is she competition? Yes, but really, there is enough skin in the world for all of us to play our part, and for us to be friends and learn from each other. Another “competitor” I admire is Yael Alkalay, Founder & CEO of Red Flower. Her father was the first dermatologist in Bulgaria! She believes in quiet rituals, in daily sensual moments. She inspires me to seek pleasure in the small daily things and to take more time for myself.

AP: What city were you born in? YA: Philadelphia, PA.

AP: What city to do you live in? YA: New York City.

AP: What is your middle name? YA: Nina,

AP: What is your astrological sign? YA: Virgo.

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? YA: Creativity.

AP: Least favorite thing? YA: False promises to the consumer.

AP: What is your most prized possession? YA: My family.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? YA: Whatever it is, I am going to keep it that way…

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? YA: I don’t wear a watch but I need one! I would love something classic.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? YA: Gold.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? YA: Tina Fey, because I love to laugh.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? YA: Prioritize and feel good about your choices.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel?  YA: 1. Hydrate. 2. Stretch. 3. Moisturize. I travel with red flower nature travel kit everywhere I go. With that and a bottle of water, I am ready for anything.

AP: What is your favorite book? YA: I read constantly and enjoy a great range of subjects but love history and non-fiction best. Right now I am reading Postwar by Tony Judt, it is incredible. In a pinch I would have to say Annie Lamont and Oliver Sacks.

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? YA: A chilled sauterne at the end of a great meal.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? YA: Red Flower nature omega berry serum.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? YA: Red flower certified organic quaiac perfume.

AP: Botox or not? YA: NOT!

AP: Hair color: natural or not? YA: NATURAL!

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. YA: Chichornia by Chet Atkins, Yoshimi by the Flaming Lips, and Carmen by Bizet.

AP: Quote to live by.  YA: Even the most subtle details matter.

AP: Who is your mentor? YA: My peers, my friends and my family.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. YA: Take risks, don’t wait, you really can do it all, believe.

BeautyView: Jani Friedman, Managing Director, Demeter Group

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I am a firm believer in networking, although I am not a fan of the word. I think of it more as building and fostering relationships, connecting people, and expanding my circle of friends. Jani is a perfect example of that. I introduced myself to her after seeing her present at a WWD retail conference a number of years ago. Since then, we meet whenever our hectic schedules allow, usually in San Francisco and always with her dog Chloé. Beyond being industry peers, beyond being Harvard alumni (did you see The Crimson Guard article in the recent issue of WWD Beauty Inc?), we are now friends; and that is the true purpose of networking.

AP: What city were you born in? JF: Neillsville, WI.

AP: What city to do you live in? JF: San Francisco, CA.

AP: What is your middle name? JF: Marie.

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

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? JF: Brainstorming about new products and then watching them come to life.

AP: Least favorite thing? JF: Telemarketers (if you mean in life) or, What’s not to love? (if you mean ‘about the beauty industry”).

AP: What is your most prized possession? JF: Chloé Lucia, my Miki pup.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? JF: I was on Family Feud when I was about 17 years old. Embarrassing!

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model?  JF: A watch is not necessary since I’m staring at my computer or phone all day which conveniently reminds me that time is ticking by.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? JF: Pearls.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? JF: The Pope.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? JF: Having Chloé in the office everyday – she’s the glue that holds us all together.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? JF: 1. Get a Global Entry card to speed through Immigration and Customs. 2. Bring someone you love on all trips. 3. Wear flats and cashmere.

AP: What is your favorite book? JF: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? JF: Malbec.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? JF: Smile, even when it’s hard.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? JF: Fresh, Memoire Liquide, and Diptyque’s Philosykos.

AP: Botox or not? JF: Not yet, but I am strongly considering a few needed shots.

AP: Hair color: natural or not? JF: I couldn’t live without my colorist John Yaskevich.

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. JF: Set Fire to the Rain by Adele, Beast of Burden by Rolling Stones, Say it Right by Nelly Furtado.

AP: Quote to live by. JF: “Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door” by Coco Chanel.

AP: Who is your mentor? JF: My Dad.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. JF: Don’t act, feel, or think you’re entitled. Take on any project where you have to think or work hard; it will get noticed. An analogy that I like is operating a submarine (not that I’ve had the pleasure yet). Go 44 knots (really fast) through the sea in the direction of your target, but make sure to utilize your periscope often to ensure you are aware of your environment, people, and any oncoming hazards. Destroy anything negative in your way. Reach your target and celebrate!

BeautyView: Mara Segal, Founder & CEO, Utique Inc.

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Mara Segal is changing the face of beauty distribution. I like to think that her idea for vending machines that sell beauty and care products (displayed behind her in her head-shot), in both travel and full retail size, came from an altercation with an FAA agent who forced her to throw away a bottle of shampoo. I know I have been in that situation before… but it took Mara to come up with the concept of Utique. I admire Mara – I admire her work ethic, her resilience, her determination, and her art collection! Next time you forget your moisturizer, or your body lotion gets taken from you, remember to look for a Utique!

AP: What city were you born in? MS: Rochester, MN.

AP: What city to do you live in? MS: San Francisco, CA.

AP: What is your middle name? MS: Clair.

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

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? MS: I love packaging design and the spectrum of colors that changes each season.

AP: Least favorite thing? MS: It is overcrowded and complex, making it difficult for consumers to navigate. It also often takes itself too seriously in advertising tonality and can feel intimidating for consumers.

AP: What is your most prized possession? MS: Assuming we are limited to material goods: music and my random art collection. My latest acquisition is a neon orange Qi Guangci bunny sculpture that I picked up in Beijing – I love looking at it every day.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? MS: I was pre-med in school before I fell in love with architecture and design and switched my major.

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? MS: ToyWatch; it was a gift from a dear friend.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? MS: Depends on the presentation!  Check out Solange Azagury Partridge: she can make anything beautiful and provocative!

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? MS: Diane Von Furstenberg; she is a brilliant, progressive woman and pioneer in so many ways.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? MS: I think this is the hardest part and something I am still working on it. Balance likely rests in a strong team that has your same standards of execution so that you can truly get away with peace of mind.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? MS: 1. Pack light/have travel-sized versions of the regulars to reduce packing/unpacking time. 2. Be in the moment. 3. Find a local or someone who knows a local via your network – always invaluable for insights.

AP: What is your favorite book? MS: I cannot commit to one!

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? MS: Gin with different fresh accents like cucumber, mint, or basil.  I have also seen more hot chili infused drinks recently and love these – I am slightly addicted to spicy food and drinks!

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? MS: Sleep.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? MS: Malin and Goetz, Lotus Root.

AP: Botox or not? MS: Not.

AP: Hair color: natural or not? MS: I go back and forth, mostly to mix it up.  Right now I am experimenting with balayage, which is supposed to be less harsh on the hair.

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. MS: Video Games by Lana del Rey. Clair de Lune by Alexis Weissenberg and Something Good Can Work by Gotye.

AP: Quote to live by. MS: Eleanor Roosevelt is my favorite source of quotes and inspiration:

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

“What you don’t do can be a destructive force.”

“You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.”

AP: Who is your mentor? MS: I cannot cite one…  I have learned from all of the entrepreneurs and risk takers I read about and those I am lucky enough to come into contact with.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. MS: I see a lot of young adults place pressure on themselves to have the final career solution with a first or second job… I encourage open mindedness and the strength to make a change when something feels stagnant or you lack passion for it.  You learn just as much about yourself and your career desires by doing a job that doesn’t suit you!  Also, always rationalize your fear and define the downside of taking a risk with something unknown…  It is always better to have tried!

BeautyView: Kelly Kovack, Co-Founder, Brand Growth Management

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Last fall, with the help of my Board, I decided that it would be helpful to have some marketing and branding professionals look at my brand. After all, I turn to experts to help me formulate my products, why should I not turn to experts to help me brand my products? While this seems very rational, if you know me, you know how much of a control freak I am, which made entrusting a branding firm with Alchimie a personal challenge (I have had a few extremely strange dreams about this project… the kind of dreams that remind me of those I had when I started school, in which I would show up to class realizing I had forgotten to prepare for a test, or forgotten to put on my clothes). After 9 meetings, 8 RFPs, and much thinking, I put my brand in the hands of Kelly Kovack, of Brand Growth Management. I have not regretted my decision for a single minute. We are in the midst of our brand renovation project (you may see some fine-tuning of our website and copywriting in the next few weeks), and given how much Kelly and I interact these days, it seemed fun to have a call with her where for once I was doing the asking, and she had to do the thinking and the answering…

AP: What city were you born in? KK: Montreal, Canada, but I grew up in Palm Harbor, Florida (it sounds more beautiful than it is).

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

AP: What is your middle name?  KK: Ann, which was also my mother’s middle name.

AP: What is your astrological sign? KK: Taurus, which most people do not find surprising…

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? KK: I love that our industry offers a great balance between creativity and business. This suits my personality and skill set.

AP: Least favorite thing? KK: I don’t like the perception of the beauty industry from the outside. Outsiders seem to feel that it is a superficial industry. Being in the industry, you realize that there is nothing superficial about helping someone clear their skin. The beauty industry is really about giving confidence to people.

AP: What is your most prized possession? KK: I have a lot of things I truly love, like books and art. But things can always be replaced. Experiences and memories are my most prized possessions. They mean much more to me than things.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? KK: I am a very good cook. But I don’t cook very often and my fridge really only contains champagne, water, and vitamins. I live in NYC, I eat most of my meals out… but when I do cook, my dinners become type A extravaganzas…

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? KK: I do. A vintage Rolex. It was a gift to myself after I went through the sale of Bliss to LVMH. It was the first time I had money and felt comfortable making such a significant purchase. Since then, I have been a consultant and I have had my own business. Throughout that time, I always thought “if all else goes bad, this is another month’s worth of expenses.” That I still have the watch and never had to sell it to make my rent is worth a lot to me.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? KK: Both.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? KK: It depends on my mood. At this very moment, dead would be Katherine Graham, and alive would be Christine Lagarde. I find her completely fascinating and so chic. The way she has been able to navigate a truly masculine industry in a truly feminine way is amazing.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? KK: I’m not sure I have found it, but as I have gotten older, I have realized that setting up standing appointments is key (acupuncture, gyrotonics, core fusion). They are non-negotiable, my team knows it, I know it, and I have learned to work around them.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? KK: 1. If traveling in a group, always rent a house or apartment rather than staying in a hotel. 2. I like to pick a regular spot to go to every day when traveling, like a coffee shop, where I can be recognized, and ask people for tips. (This includes when I travel for business, I like to always stay at the same hotel). It brings familiarity to the traveling process. 3. Always have loads of reading material.

AP: What is your favorite book? KK: It’s impossible for me to pick one, so here are my most recent reads: Just Kids by Patti Smith and A Beautiful Fall by Alicia Drake.

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? KK: Vodka martini. A little dirty, and very dry.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? KK: Mixing super aggressive products with super gentle ones. At night right now I use Renova with Rodin face oil over it. Also, hydration: I would love to bathe in hyaluronic acid.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? KK: Odin Fragrances… of course. Right now I am wearing a fragrance we are launching next year. Usually however, I constantly rotate between the 6.

AP: Botox or not? KK: It took me a long time to do it, but now I’m hooked.

AP: Hair color: natural or not? KK: Unfortunately and only out of necessity, not. I would really rather do anything than sit in a salon for two hours. I wish I could rock my gray hair… but not yet.

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. KK: Just a growin by Young man. It’s around you by ANR. Bald by The Darkness.

AP: Quote to live by. KK: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever.” by Gandhi.

AP: Who is your mentor? KK: I don’t really have a mentor, but there have been a lot of people who have taken a chance on me during my career.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. KK: Don’t be afraid to take risks. Never stop learning. Work hard and own successes and failures. You can learn more from failures than successes, but don’t make the same mistakes twice. And most importantly, if you hate getting up in the morning and going to work, find another job.

BeautyView: Sharilyn Abbajay, VP Global Spa, Retail and Fitness, Marriott International

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Yesterday I spent a good part of the day with the board of the Washington Spa Alliance (WSPA), a DC-based association I am a founding member of whose mission is to “act as a knowledge center, connecting spa professionals in the nation’s greater capital region. WSPA works to promote the exchange and innovation in the field, and to ensure that the highest ideals of spa are met through policy and action.” I loved our meeting, our 2012 planning ideas, our brainstorming. And I particularly loved to be able to spend some time with Sharilyn Abbajay, WSPA’s co-chair, a dear friend of mine, and an industry veteran. During the breaks in our WSPA retreat day, I learned some new things about her…

AP: What city were you born in? SA: Toledo, OH.

AP: What city to do you live in? SA: Lanham, MD, although I feel like I live on an airplane.

AP: What is your middle name?  SA: Sue.

AP: What is your astrological sign? SA: Libra.

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? SA: Touching people and making them feel special.

AP: Least favorite thing? SA: Too many choices.

AP: What is your most prized possession? SA: My family.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? SA: I’m a Nana… I have two grandsons, 4 and 1.

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? SA: Yes, A Toy black watch. It’s all plastic, so I never have to take it off, and don’t have to worry about it when I travel.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? SA: Pearls.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? SA: Coco Chanel.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? SA: Hot bath with essential oils. Small indulgences…

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? SA: 1. Drink plenty of water. 2. The night before, use the Alchimie Forever blueberry Kantic Mask, religiously. 3. Pack light. If you forget it, you can always buy it there.

AP: What is your favorite book? SA: The Incredible Journey by British author Sheila Burnford. It teaches your survival, the importance of hope, perseverance, and protecting one another.

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? SA: Fiji water. Per Dr. Pamela Peeke, I swore off alcohol two years ago.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? SA: Sleep. 7 to 8 hours every night.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? SA: I blend the Aveda Shakras with Chanel Number 5. Depending on the day, a bit more of one or a bit more of the other.

AP: Botox or not? SA: Not. Not to say I don’t need it…

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

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. SA: I don’t have an ipod.

AP: Quote to live by. SA: Never take your eye off the ball.

AP: Who is your mentor? SA: I have a lot of mentors… Margory Abbajay, my aunt. She was the first female Vice President of Revlon.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. SA: Stay true to who you are.

BeautyView: Katia Beauchamp, Founder and Co-CEO, Birchbox

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I love women entrepreneurs. I particularly love beautiful women entrepreneurs who have chosen the beauty industry as their playground. And above all, I love beautiful women entrepreneurs who have chosen the beauty industry as their playground and have gone to my Alma Mater, Harvard. I know two such women (I hope there are more…): Marla Malcolm Beck, of bluemercury fame, and Katia Beauchamp, of Birchbox fame. Last week, I had the pleasure of catching up with Katia, and learning a bit more about her.

AP: What city were you born in? KB: I was born in Austin, TX and grew up in El Paso, TX.

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

AP: What is your middle name?  KB: Winter. My Mom’s maiden name; she had only sisters and wanted her name to be carried on.

AP: What is your astrological sign? KB: Scorpio.

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? KB: I love how smart and imaginative it is. To me, the beauty industry is the perfect mix of creativity and business.

AP: Least favorite thing? KB: Working in the beauty industry, I feel like I have to look perfect and polished and beautiful every day. I hate having to blow dry my hair every day.

AP: What is your most prized possession? KB: My husband, if I can call him a possession.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? KB: Most people don’t know a lot about me… In high school I was captain of my cheerleading squad and president of my school. More recently, most people wouldn’t know that that my favorite workout is dance class, from hip hop to ballet and everything in between – and my favorite food is dumplings. (I dance so I can eat more dumplings!)

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? KB: Yes, a gold Michael Kors.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? KB: Diamonds.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? KB: Dead: There are so many… Cleopatra. Alive: John Stewart; I love his point of view and intellect.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? KB: The secret is forgiving yourself. And forgetting about the concept of work/life balance. There is no such thing. That balance is overall life, not this week or this month; you don’t have to be balanced, just prioritize different things at different points in your life.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? KB: 1. Avoid any restaurants that have pictures on the menu. 2. Try to befriend locals. 3. Book only one night at a hotel and find where you want to stay once you get there.

AP: What is your favorite book? KB: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? KB: A dark and stormy.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? KB: Face oil, any kind. I really believe in oil as a makeup remover and moisturizer. I have really dry skin, so I layer a mist, then the oil, then a moisturizer.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? KB: I wear Sugar Litchee by Fresh. I also love Serge Lutens fragrances for when I need to feel more grownup.

AP: Botox or not? KB: Whatever makes you feel beautiful; no judgment. Personally, I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.

AP: Hair color: natural or not? KB: Not. I love coloring my hair color, I switch colors a lot, it’s one of the most fun things about being a girl.

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. KB: Pumped up Kicks by Foster People; Suicidal by Adele; the entire She and He Christmas album.

AP: Quote to live by. KB: I’m not the type of person that likes quotes.

AP: Who is your mentor? KB: A friend and entrepreneur that is the founder of a few different companies. He is one of the smartest people I have ever met, a great sounding board, always makes time for me when I need advice.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. KB: Work hard and own it. You make your own success and your own luck. Ask for what you deserve. Don’t feel you have to abandon your femininity in the process…