I got my start in the wonderful world of cosmetics when I was a sophomore in college and needed a part-time job. I had always been a girl that loved makeup so I figured…why not. I got hired by a brand new small company….which is now not-so small and known as Benefit Cosmetics. I worked part-time for the, all through college and to my surprise, really enjoyed it. I then got the opportunity to work for Benefit while studying abroad in London as they were launching. After college I moved home to Orange County and got a job working for MAC Cosmetics. Looking back, that was truly my training ground as an artist, I learned and honed my skill and really fell in love with cosmetics. I still however felt like I had a Communications degree and that I needed to get a “real job” so I moved up to Los Angeles, armed with stars in my eyes. While I looked for jobs and interned at a talent publicity firm, I accepted a position with Nordstrom, managing a MAC counter. With a few breaks between to do try out the whole “real job” thing, I gained some great experience in PR, marketing and event planning but always knew that my heart was in the cosmetic industry. I went back to MAC and Nordstrom and spent the next few years managing a MAC counter. I had a thriving freelance career doing weddings, photo shoots, makeup parties, seminars and some commercial work when Nordstrom asked me to pilot a brand new program for the company. I became a Personal Shopper for cosmetics! I had a private makeup studio and trained with every cosmetic line. Once I was an expert on everything out there, I began doing private consulting for customers.
Then I decided it was time for a new adventure and made plans to head down under to live in Australia for a year! I had my plane ticket, a job lined up and my plans were made….then fate stepped in. I was approached about an opportunity to launch a brand new cosmetic line, develop the education program and be the face for the brand in North America! The rest, as they say, is history! Who knows what the future holds my friends!
