Get to Know Dr. Fredric Brandt

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words:

Red ROSACEA, BROKEN BLOOD VESSELS
Cheeks SCULPTED
Luscious LIP
Aroma THERAPY
Summer WINTER
Ingredient BOTANICALS
Fresh DEWY
Flattering APPROPRIATE
Innovative DR. BRANDT



What is your current state of mind?
Innovative. In my work, I'm constantly developing new techniques to deliver the most natural-looking results for my patients, and looking for new ingredients to incorporate into my skincare line.
What is your favorite beauty word?
Natural and radiant
What smell do you love?
I love the smell of flowers (jasmine and lavender). And freshly brewed coffee.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Acting and architecture
What is your favorite color?
Purple
What products, other than your own, do you love the most?
Oribe Hair Care, Tazorac, Ahava bath salts, Frette sheets, Keratin hair straightening treatments, vitamins, fish oil, and sunscreen.
What is your greatest beauty extravagance?
Keratin hair straightening treatment and hair color every six weeks.
When and where are you happiest?
At work, and at home with my dogs.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“Do you love the way you look?” and “There go ten years!”
What is your least favorite beauty task?
Flossing my teeth twice a day. I do it, but I don't love to do it.

Tell us your favorite Sephora story:
My favorite memory of Sephora is going to the store, trying to be incognito, and asking the beauty experts about my products. To hear them be so passionate about them without knowing it was me was very rewarding.

Images courtesy of Dr. Brandt

Pangea Founder Joshua Onysko's Food for Thought

It’s been my belief that evolution is the longest clinical trial around, and everything our skin needs can be found in nature. Natural skincare has its roots in the 4th millennium BC; the Chinese and the Egyptians developed complex preparations, many using eggs as emulsifier, and wild-crafted herbs and roots.

What separates Pangea from the industry is our deep understanding of how to extract and recombine ingredients to allow them to become bioavailable to the human skin - so that every drop is utilized by your body.

It’s important we all know that skin is our largest organ and it deserves to be given the same nutrient-rich food as our bodies. At Pangea Organics, we are devoted to creating deeply nourishing and chemical-free products with award-winning efficacy.

My current ingredient obsession: tamanu oil

Cherished as a sacred gift by the Tahitian natives, Tamanu is a unique restorative oil with a multitude of beneficial applications. Tamanu assists with overall skin vitality, moisture retention and wrinkle reduction due to its high content of Omega 6 and 9 essential fatty acids. The oil is best known for its wide-spectrum first-aid benefits and is commonly used for burns, sunburn, cuts, rashes, chapped and dry skin, acne, eczema, and to reduce the appearance of scar tissue.

Your daily skin care routine should be thought of more as a ritual; it is a practice of giving yourself something that is truly beneficial, nurturing and healthy, while celebrating your natural beauty. There really is nothing better than starting and end your day with pure natural essential oils and products that allow your true beauty to shine.--Joshua Onysko, Pangea Organics

Lev & Alina of Fresh Tell Their Stories

At the heart of every Fresh experience is an intimate moment from our own lives. Whether it’s a childhood memory, a faraway destination, or a natural ingredient, we are infinitely inspired by our surroundings. In this way, each product is more than just a part of the Fresh Collection; it is a chapter of the story of our lives. Thank you for allowing us to share them with you.

THE STORY OF SUGAR
“I was an overly energetic little boy—no surprise there—and everyday I’d come home with a nick here and a scrape there. I couldn’t take the sting of common antiseptic iodine or alcohol, so, instead, my grandmother treated my wounds with sugar, a known natural antiseptic. Years later, Alina and I shared a good laugh when we discovered we had this remedy in common, as Alina’s grandmother also used sugar to heal her cuts and scrapes. Wanting to pass this highly effective ritual on to the world, we bottled our shared tradition, pioneering the use of sugar’s healing and humectant properties in the beauty industry.”—Lev (pictured top left)

THE STORY OF SOY
“In the early 90s, there was a great deal of buzz about the health benefits of soy. We were seeing it in the aisles of health food stores and reading about in medical journals and nutritional literature, but no one was exploring its effects on the skin. We spent a few years researching the natural ingredient and introduced soy to the beauty market in 1999. As our first venture into skincare, the Soy Collection continues to hold a special place in our hearts.” —Lev & Alina

THE STORY OF CITRON DE VIGNE
“I was invited by Veuve Clicquot to visit the company’s historic vineyard in Reims, France’s Champagne region. To see the gently rolling hills, rows and rows of vines ripe with grapes, and rustic, generations-old cellars where hundreds of bottles are carefully stored is just magnificent. The whole experience of being there—the scent of the earth, the cobblestone streets, the boxes full of sweet-smelling grapes—is truly magical. When I got back, I shared every moment of my travels with Lev, and he was instantly inspired. He began experimenting with champagne and Pinot Noir accords that eventually evolved into the effervescent scent of Citron de Vigne. It’s the closest I’ve come to having ‘Lev Glazman’ create a bespoke fragrance for me (You know the old saying about the shoemaker’s children running barefoot?), and I’ve worn it everyday since.” —Alina

Tarte Founder Maureen Kelly: Welcome to the Jungle

This summer, Maureen Kelly and the tarte team traveled to Brazil to explore the Amazon jungle in search of nature’s most perfect ingredient: Amazonian clay. The result: 2 cutting-edge products, a finishing powder and concealer featuring clay's amazing properties of reducing dryness and flakiness, removing surface oil and dead skin, and improving clarity and elasticity.

Not only is clay highly effective at balancing skin, tarte made sure with a personal visit that the ingredients are sustainably harvested. The sun naturally bakes the clay, locking in the plant & fruit nutrients. Then, clay is shaved down to a finely milled powder, and infused with tarte's high-performance natural formulas.

Here are postcard-perfect snapshots from Maureen's eco-adventure.

View from above: I had to take a picture from the plane—the view was just so breathtaking!

We got straight to business and started digging for clay.

I love being in nature and being away from the office—it gives you such a different perspective on everything. It’s really inspiring and helps us create new and innovative natural products.

Here’s me taking some clay to go!

That’s Heather our Executive Director of Product Development trekking through the jungle.

Seriously, how picturesque is this scenery! It was so surreal. The Amazon River flows for 4,000 miles and as it flows it collects highly nutritious plant and fruit matter. The clay gathers in the River’s basin where it is at its highest nutrient concentration.

We couldn’t go without leaving our name in the clay!

Skincare Buff Peter Thomas Roth Takes the Sephora Questionnaire

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words or questions:

RED - Sunburn

SKIN - Flawless complexion

SUMMER - Sunny days on the beach and constantly applying SPF

INGREDIENT - Always on the quest to find the latest ingredient at the most effective level for astonishing results

FRESH - Clean, radiant looking skin

FLATTERING - Longer, thicker, fuller lashes

INNOVATIVE - The latest ingredients I can get my hands on

What is your current state of mind? Busy. The kids are home for the summer.

What is your favorite beauty word? Breakthrough

What smell do you love? My fragrance 460 Park

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Jewelry and clothes

What is your favorite color? Black

What products, other than your own, do you love the most? Swim shirts are a summer staple. They block out the rays from the sun.

What is your greatest beauty extravagance? Facials at 5 star hotels

When and where are you happiest? On a beautiful beach with my family anywhere in the world

What is your least favorite beauty task? If I fall asleep with the TV on and I forget to wash my face and brush my teeth

Can we peek inside your offices? Check out our office terrace. It is such a great place to have a meeting or eat lunch. We really try to enjoy it as much as possible.

Benefit's Sister Act--Born to Beautify!

As former actresses, commercial models, and makeup artists, Sephora is a natural extension of our glamorous world. One of our greatest requests is when we’re asked to make special appearances at the flagship stores nationwide. We love taking our sister act on the road, shaking hands with frenzied crowds and hamming it up while we’re glamming it up!

Fans always want to know how we come up with our quick-fix product ideas and quirky names like stay don’t stray, the porefessional, and dr. feelgood. Since creating Benefit Cosmetics 35 years ago, we’ve found inspiration in wildly unexpected places, from pop songs to our own jokes. We follow one simple rule: If a word or phrase makes us laugh out loud at the same time, it becomes one of our iconic names.

We adore Sephora Beauty Insiders and V.I.B.s…they fuel new creations, like our so new, so now Maggie and Annie Exclusive Color Collection designed by Maggie and Annie Ford Danielson…my daughters, Jane’s nieces, and Benefit’s new Makeup Trend Artists.

If one of these glorious days we bump into you at Sephora’s Benefit gondola (We’ll be the 6’ tall gals with our sleeves rolled up and the powder flyin’.), count on us to shower you with questions about the person who matters most to us: you, gorgeous you!

--Jean Ford, Benefit

Urban Decay Founder Wende Zomnir's Office Tribute

There are so many amazing-looking women where I live in Newport Beach: at the gym, by the pool, on the beach. But it takes more than amazing looks to be beautiful.

The small army of beautiful women (and men) at Urban Decay inspires me daily. They are creative and positive. They are opinionated and strong. They have great individual style...and bring it every day. They are fearless and will try the craziest makeup concoctions. They work hard and are passionate about Urban Decay.

Many of them have been here for at least 5 years. Several for 10. They have persevered through ups and downs. They are fun and have a sense of humor. They indulge me, and are nice to my children. Some have been with me through two babies, and even been there for the birth. Yes, it's work, but sometimes it's like my family too. I don't like to disappoint them.

I am so lucky to walk into our violet-hued, converted warehouse every day surrounded by a hum of positive energy. Since it's summer, my two boys are spending more time that usual with me at the office. This afternoon, my 7-year old decided that he would like to design a t-shirt that says: "Urban Child #1." Even he wants in on the UD energy. Then, he started counting up all the Urban children so we could make them shirts too. We recently had a baby boom with seven of our employees all pregnant at once! And they were the most beautiful of them all. --Founder, Wende Zomnir, Urban Decay

HerCut Founder Bob Salem's Sephora Story

Whether you are in a Sephora board room, a meeting with cast members in the field or simply standing in a store, there is one piercing reality that is always present. The experience, conversation and environment are all focused on beauty. Sephora loves beauty. Its management, the Sephora Cast and the client. They love the brands they work with, they support innovation in beauty on every level. It is a consistent dedication to beauty and making it a unique experience for the client that dominates every aspect of the Sephora culture. My Sephora experience is about a company that sees the innovation to come, and knows and nurtures it in the new brands they introduce, like my own, HerCut. --Bob Salem, HerCut

Skyn ICELAND's Sarah Kugelman Takes the Sephora Questionnaire

What is your current state of mind? Stressed. Even though I’m an expert on stress, I still haven’t figured out the ultimate solution for getting rid of it permanently! I still fight to manage it each and every day.

What is your favorite beauty word? Pure

What smells do you love? The smell of Spring Jasmine blooming in Sausalito, newborn babies, La Maison du Chocolat shop in NYC.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Acting. I studied to be an actress for years and never really went for it.

What is your favorite color? Pink. (Everyone who knows me knows that. My nickname was “Pinky” in college. Embarrassing!)

What is your greatest beauty extravagance? Getting regular massages to keep the stress levels down and regular blow-outs (I have very wavy, frizzy hair…which really stresses me out!)

When and where are you happiest? When I’m with my husband and 3yr old daughter. When I’m alone, it’s when I’m in Iceland–it’s like escaping from the world–all my responsibilities, pollution, stress and unpleasantness. It’s the one place where I’m totally relaxed, healthy, balanced and can get back in touch with myself.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? “Super” (as in ‘super hot’ ‘super fun’ ‘super delicious’), “don’t stress!" and “you must be joking.”

What is your least favorite beauty task? Getting my bikini waxed!

–Sarah Kugelman, skyn ICELAND

Both photos were taken in Iceland

Curl Expert Ouidad Takes the Sephora Questionnaire

What is your current state of mind?
Content, happy, and free-spirited!
What is your favorite beauty word?
Classic—both for the look it evokes and the period of time.
What smell do you love?
Gardenia and Jasmine. I also love the smell of the ocean air.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Nurturing and helping young adults in need of guidance and direction.
What is your favorite color?
A non-color – Black!
What is your greatest beauty extravagance?
A 90-minute aroma therapy massage by the ocean, with deep treatment in my hair.
When and where are you happiest?
When I’m at the beach relaxing and having fun with my friends.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“What are you thinking? You’re scaring me.” My team put it on my office wall!
What is your least favorite beauty task?
WAXING!
What’s your daily beauty routine?
A light facial scrub, vitamin C-based serum, and face moisturizer. Rake and shake my curls, then let them air dry. And neutral lipstick, of course.
What do you love about curly hair?
It’s beautiful, sexy, and alive. It has a fun language of its own.
What was your earliest memory of dealing with your curls/hair?
I love my hair—it’s so me! When I was little, my mom used to tie my curls in a bow for school, and then in class I would take it down and pick at it. You could tell how I felt about the class by how out of control my hair was when it was over—the whole school knew it. All of my memories of my hair are fun, but boy did it need managing!
Who/what inspires you?
My core is from my Mom and Dad—what a combo! My Dad was a very powerful, strong business man. My Mom was extremely smart, quiet, classy, and accomplished.
I also get inspired every day from my surroundings—my family, my working family, and my clients. I’m very lucky!
What is your favorite thing about being a stylist?
Meeting people and making them feel great, and then hearing them say ”You’ve changed my life!”
Where is your favorite vacation spot?
Capri, Italia and Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. I've been to both spots several times. I love to travel.

Wellness Expert Ole Henriksen on Happiness

Ole (center) with childhood friends

Sephora wanted to know when and where I am most happy. I can genuinely say that I feel happy everyday of my life simply because I’m excited to be a part of this world.

Ole on Pain
Happiness and sadness, laughter and pain, you can’t know one without the other. It may be a long period to process sad news, but it is possible to maintain a feeling of overall well-being and happiness by simply focusing on the positive in each individual situation.

Ole on Knowing Yourself

What’s so fascinating about happiness to me is that it reflects how connected you are to yourself and your feelings. I feel that it is because I am a positive individual in my overall life that I am better prepared to work through sadness quickly and greatly enjoy the smallest pleasures.

Ole on Childhood

I grew up in a typical blue collar family in a tiny community called Nibe in Denmark. So many of my experiences as a young child have shaped me today and have helped me become one of the most positive and happy people. We really didn’t have much, but life was celebratory and there was never a lack of laughter and fun. Our life was focused on core values, not the material.

Ole on Endorphins

As a young boy, I would get excited to do my milk route early in the morning. I would get up at 5 a.m. to meet the milk man in my village by 5:30 a.m. I didn’t know what endorphins were at that age, but I would run and feel like a firecracker! This is very much the same way I am today. I feel the most euphoric when I finish my exercise routine.

Ole on Adventure
When you feel authentically happy, you just accomplish so much more and leave yourself open to adventure. Recently, while traveling in China visiting Sephora, I had the joy of connecting with so many beautiful people. A smile transcends language barriers, transcends cultures and really connects human beings. Honestly, some of the girls just wouldn’t let me go – they hung onto me – they all wanted photos. I got so much from them and so admired them. It is the give and take in life that is so beautiful. --Ole Henriksen

An Office Tour and Vocab Lesson with Anastasia

When B&TB asked brow guru to the stars Anastasia Soare to guest blog, she majorly delivered. She created this postcard of her Beverly Hills office (see above), took the time from her summer travels for a game of wordplay, and taught us a new word, "schmazillion." Don't you love how that just rolls off your tongue?

Red - Cherries
Cheeks - Pink
Luscious - Lip gloss
Aroma - Pomegranate from Santa Maria Novella
Skin - Healthy and glowing
Summer - Family vacations on the beach
Ingredient - Youth-enhancing
Fresh - Lemongrass
Flattering -Minimalist beauty
Innovative - Makeup that acts like skincare

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? "Fabulous" and "schmazillion," which isn’t a word but I feel like it places special emphasis on the large number I am trying to explain.
What is your current state of mind?
Excited. It was ten years ago when I launched my brow line. 2011 is a new chapter for me with makeup that acts like skincare.
What is your favorite beauty word? Bold
What smells do you love? Amber and pomegranate
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Sculpting
What is your favorite color? Burgundy
What products, other than your own, do you love the most? Cle de Peau
What is your greatest beauty extravagance? A full set of Tom Ford deluxe perfumes which come in a wooden box.
When and where are you happiest? Lately, when I am around friends and family having dinner. It brings me back to being a kid and not having a care in the world.
What is your most favorite beauty task? Shaping eyebrows, of course.--Anastasia

What You Didn't Know about Oscar Blandi!

What comes to mind when you hear the word:

SUMMER: The fresh smell of jasmine reminds me of growing up in Italy. It is such a nostalgic fragrance and gives me a sense of peace and serenity.

LOYALTY: I truly appreciate the loyalty of my salon staff and clients. I consider them my family here in the States. It is such a warm feeling when I see my salon bustling with all of the people who are so important to me.

AROMA: My mom's cooking. There is nothing like the smell of the house after she has been cooking her traditional Napolitan food all day. It really smells like home when she comes to visit me from Italy.



FUN: Dinner with my closest friends. Many of my friends own restaurants here in NYC and I love visiting them because I get a great meal as well as quality time with them.

ADVENTURE: I think of extreme sports like sky diving, skiing and motorcycle racing. Not many people know that I like to live on the edge.

CREATIVITY: The collage of polaroids that is posted in my office. I have great memories of working with all my celebrity clients. I get to work with such talented people from the celebrity or model, to the photographer and makeup artist. It is a collaboration of talent, and together we create these amazing photographs.

LUXURY: Watches—I love to collect them because I admire how well they are made. That is my way of rewarding myself.

NATURAL: My lake house upstate NY is my escape. When I am there I can truly relax. Getting out of the city and being closer to nature is my instant stress reliever.

Marcel Nars's Office Tour of ... NARS

Okay kids, you've been dying to know what the headquarters at NARS looks like so I'm taking you for the grand tour of everything we love about our environment.


My morning starts off with a delicious iced espresso from Pret-a-Manger (French name, naturally). If I've done a lap or two at the dog run, I'll allow myself a croissant. If and only if. What I love about coming up to our office is the bevy of quotes from François Nars (founder and creative director of NARS—in case you didn't know, but you do, because you should).

Models always greeting me ... Let's face it: I'm an attention addict and I'm used to having famous, beautiful people filling my life so it's no surprise that we've got the NARS campaigns hanging everywhere. This (at left) is the beautiful Louise Peterson for the Fall 2003 Collection.

My desk is filled with tons of things to make the day go by: pictures of yours truly from my heyday, other VIPs (very important pups), flowers from Belle Fleur (weekly expectance), and a NARS mirror (the only type allowed here in the office). I check a few e-mails and of course go straight to facebook.com/narscosmetics to see how many fans I've attained within the past 24 hours. My mouse pad is an Italian Vogue magazine, and my clipboards are black lacquer. (Oh, hey, there's Daphne Guinness, the face of the NARS Fall 2010 Campaign - Bisous mon amour! Let's do lunch.)

Speaking of lunch, Brasserie is a must with the @NARSissist (my twitter bestie, my shopping partner and, of course, my interpreter). We live for the Chicken Chop Chop Salad. Before lunch, I have to figure out which shade of lipstick I'll wear so I always head to our trust tester unit. (I have one in my home too. It's good to be "in" with François.)

After lunch, the schedule is jam-packed with meetings to discuss new launches or new campaigns in which I may star. Oh—there's moi in the new PRO-PRIME campaign!

After a few meetings, it's time to go home, light a NARS candle, and relax before my live-in masseuse arrives ...

And then it's business as usual. Another day, another flower delivery. Another fabulous experience at NARS.

Buxom's Dolly Gives Us the Dish

Hello Sexy,

Dolly here—fashion blogger by day, Vegas card dealer by night—Buxom 24/7. What’s Buxom? I thought you’d never ask, darling. Buxom is an irresistible lust for life, the idea that aspirations become reality and imagination has no boundaries. Brought to you by your friends at Bare Escentuals, Buxom is show-stopping makeup for eyes, lips, and lashes—with the alluring magnetism to match.

If you’re gonna run with Buxom, you gotta check your inhibitions at the door. Sure it may seem like we spend a lot of time in our lingerie and let me tell you—we do. But I’m more than just a pretty face. On that note, I always kiss on the first date. I’m up for any adventure; my only routine involves tingling, tinting, plumping and shining. And of course I always leave room for dessert. Sass on stilettos, lashes for miles, lips plumped to the max. When you’re Buxom, you know how to make an entrance and you always leave them wanting more.

Whether I’m pleasure-tripping in exotic cities or running with my little Shih Tzu on the beach, I try not to take myself too seriously because serious isn’t sexy. Healthy, vivid, sensual...Buxom is makeup you feel. Want more? Pay Buxom a visit and remember to LIVE LIFE VIVIDLY.

Kat Von D Gets Real

I'm not sure what's happened to me, but I've realized I'm no longer good at having my photo taken. I'm not sure if this is something that comes with age or not, but I remember it never used to be hard for me—sometimes it was actually fun. I mean, I was never a "ham" or anything, but I definitely didn't struggle with the process as much as I do now.

A few months ago, Sephora hit me up to arrange a photoshoot for the Adora campaign. As excited as I was to start the buzz about the Adora line and fragrance, I secretly got a feeling of nervousness about the whole thing. I hadn't had my photo taken in so long.

Regardless, everything was set into place—the flight to the Big Apple was booked, and the inevitable photoshoot was well underway. My goal was to just do my best and ignore whatever self-consciousness loomed over me.

First things first: I met up with the stylist to go over outfit options. I bet most fashion savvy gals would have had a ball sifting through the racks of impressive couture pieces—and I may have been just as excited at the thought, but to be honest, every outfit she presented scared the hell out of me. Sure, the pieces look great on the hangers and would look beautiful on a model—but on me? I tried my best to hide these insecure feelings and mask them with a smile. Finally, the outfits were agreed upon. Up next, hair...

Sephora had one of the raddest hair stylists for this shoot—a metal fanatic with tattoos and a great attitude. With so much finesse, he brushed, curled, sprayed, and set while listening to Metallica. (As I write this blog, I'm hear how self conscious I sound. Please, bear with me here!) As my hair is being styled, I realize my recent red-velvet-cake dye job is probably freaking out the Sephora guys. I mean, they obviously invested a whole lotta time, energy, and money on this, and my hair color could easily be considered "a bit much." I assure them that I'm not planning on dying my hair back to black for awhile. So, they set the curlers. Next, makeup.

As much as I love being without makeup, I always feel a little funny walking around without eyebrows on in front of others, especially well renowned makeup artists. But hey, this is part of the job, right? About thirty minutes into makeup, we realize the photographer has been waiting. Time is ticking, so we finalize the first look. It's officially "go time."

At that point, I came to the conclusion that if I wanted these pictures to convey a certain realness I had to let go of a lot of my self criticism, relax, and enjoy the process. This is much harder for me than it sounds. Instead of trying to project an attitude or an image that I thought others would want to see, I just had to be myself. I'm a firm believer in the idea that you look how you feel. There's no amount of makeup, fancy hairstyle, or expensive clothing that will make you love yourself and accept your inner beauty. And when its all said and done, loving yourself first is the most important step.

I really hope everyone loves the new shots we did for Adora.

xo,
KvD

Behind the Scenes at the KORRES Headquarters

Welcome to KORRES!

The reception area has been set up as a typical KORRES store environment. The wall surfaces are printed with the KORRES story.


Next stop--my desk, looking surprisingly tidy. In the spirit of being green, my office is constructed with recyclable cork.



Our office is open plan to encourage collaboration and communication. Each KORRES team member gets to personalize his/her space with their choice of desk wallpaper chosen from a huge selection of textile swatches.


On to the Lab! This is our own production and packaging facilities where we make and package KORRES products. The look is modern with a touch of whimsy thanks to wall murals depicting silhouettes of industrial machinery.



A closer look at the KORRES Lab….Working in partnership with the Pharmacognosy School of the University of Athens, we have created an environment-friendly herb extractions unit. This unique unit enables us to extract and isolate active ingredients in order to produce premium quality, clinical effective organic natural extracts.



--Lena Koress, KORRES

Cover FX's Lee Graff: "Sephora is Makeup Heaven"

The first impression I had of Sephora was about 7 years ago and it was like entering makeup heaven. I had never seen such a large store that carried makeup, brushes, fragrances, and hair products.

Sephora is like a beauty supermarket that invites you to play/test as many products as you want without a sales person breathing down your neck. I love that there are new, unique, and specialized brands that are different from those sold in department stores or drug stores. The freedom and the product variety are still what I love most about Sephora! --Lee Graff, President and Co-Creator of Cover FX

Fun and Games With LORAC's Carol Shaw

We asked LORAC founder Carol Shaw to play a little game of word association with us. Here are the first things that come to mind when she hears the words...

Red: Carpet
Cheeks: Pink
Luscious: Lips
Aroma: Therapy
Skin: Sensitive
Summer: Tan
Ingredient: High Quality
Fresh: Face
Flattering: A Little Black Dress w/ LORAC’S Little Black Palette
Innovative: LORAC

Wanting more, we then we gave her the Sephora Questionnaire.

What is your current state of mind?
Open / Conscious.
What is your favorite beauty word?
Silky-smooth.
What smell do you love?
LORAC’S TANtalizer, it’s a yummy Vanilla feel-good scent.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Holistic medicine.
What is your favorite color?
All except mustard yellow.
What is your greatest beauty extravagance?
Facials with Cristina Radu.
When and where are you happiest?
Doing charity work and helping someone look and feel good.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Dude.
What is your least favorite beauty task?
Shaving.

theBalm's Marissa Shipman Takes the Sephora Questionnaire

What is your current state of mind? Sleepy—my baby’s teething. I used to be able to pull all-nighters. It’s different now...

What is your favorite beauty word? Fabulous
What smell do you love? I love the fresh scent of our Ruby My Grapefruit Plump Your Pucker gloss.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Becoming a chef—but just for a day.

What is your favorite color?
It depends on my mood. If I’m happy, pink. If I’m sleepy, blue. If I’m outdoors, green. If I feel like making trouble, red.

What products, other than your own, do you love the most?
La Mer face cream and OPI nail polish.

What is your greatest beauty extravagance?
Mani/pedis

When and where are you happiest?
I’m happiest when I’m around my family, or on vacation. I’m also happiest coming away from a brainstorm session with a light bulb idea.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I say “like” way too much.

What is your least favorite beauty task?
Waxing, by far!

Bryan Meehan from NUDE Answers Sephora's Questions

Why did you choose to get into such a girly industry? My life is surrounded by women. My wife Tara and I have three beautiful daughters, Oliva 11, Eve 8 and Orla 5, so I guess I'm destined to work for women for the rest of my life (a high class problem).

Ali Hewson and Bryan Meehan, the creators of NUDE.

On a serious note, I started my career in a girly industry when I created Fresh & Wild in London in 1998. Fresh & Wild was the largest chain of organic food stores and is now part of Whole Foods. That's where the idea for NUDE came from. I spent a lot of time there looking into what women wanted. I realized women were making a compromise with their beauty by going natural. NUDE was created so that going natural would not be a compromise.

I love working with women. I remember a professor at Harvard telling me to hire more women. They are loyal, better at multitasking (we all know men only can do one thing at a time), they have higher standards and they don't spend their lives looking to move to the next job for a 10% pay raise. Women work on things they enjoy doing that make a difference... Anyhow, she gave me good advice, and I acted on it.

I've also been incredibly fortunate to have a business partner like Ali Hewson. She's an amazing role model, mother, business woman and loyal friend, and not at all affected by her rock-star husband's lifestyle. She's the most down-to-earth person I know.

What's the hardest thing about creating a brand like NUDE?
Working with women! No, seriously, we set the bar high with NUDE on our ingredients, our packaging and our ethos. We were determined to avoid the ingredients we believe are harmful, yet deliver clinically proven visible results in products that look, feel and smell sexy and luxurious. It wasn't easy!

It's great to know you're having a real impact on women's beauty regimes. We've created a brand which has genuinely changed the industry as the first luxury, natural skincare brand that works. No more compromise on beauty or wellbeing.

If NUDE was just going to be 'another skincare line' I wouldn't have done it. The world didn't need 'just another skincare line'. NUDE is special and worth all the crazy hours and fluctuating time zones. It's changed people's skin, their lives and their perception of what natural products are able to do. We have had an opportunity to show the skincare industry that you don't need to use synthetic ingredients to achieve beautiful skincare results.

Pacifica's Brook Harvey-Taylor Takes the Sephora Questionnaire

What is your current state of mind?
I am traveling right now, so I would have to say it is anticipation. Anticipation for what is next. I like this feeling--never quite knowing what I am going to have for dinner, where we will be, what the next day will be like. I really find comfort in the familiar, but I am a junkie for new experiences.

What is your favorite beauty word?
Ageless.

What smell do you love?
The smell of my 5-month-old baby's head, early evening in my Southern California beachside neighborhood when the star jasmine and the angel's trumpet flowers are the strongest, and gardenias.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
I would love to be a painter.

What is your favorite color?
Hands down, always turquoise. I use it a lot in our packaging.

What products, other than your own, do you love the most?
I love Jurlique. I am crazy for their face products. I also really like the Ojon products. I have really long hair and the conditioner works well for me. My new favorite lip product is from Tarte--the natural lip stain in Joy. It moisturizes my lips and adds nice color.

What is your greatest beauty extravagance?
Going to the spa at the Ojai Valley Inn spa for their Ayurvedic Detox Body Treatment. I love to do this with the changing seasons. I get my best girlfriends together, and we make the 20 minute drive to Ojai where we have an incredible lunch before our treatments. Totally over indulgent, but it feels like a week's vacation rolled into one day.

When and where are you happiest?
Sunset, on the beach with my kids and husband. It clears always the day and brings me into the moment.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
"Um, let me think about that." I use this with my kids, my husband, in meetings. It is a phrase that I think buys me time to come up with a good answer. But it is getting to the point where I think my kids are suspect that I will really think about the topic at hand ever again.

What is your least favorite beauty task?
This might sound silly, but I really don't like washing my hair! I am still on the hunt for the best shampoo that smells as good as it works.