Starting a cosmetic line

Ok...I just want to update all of you out there who are considering starting a cosmetic line.

There is soooooo much to this, I can't begin to tell you. Without giving too many "trade secrets" away, I will try to give good advice.

First, if you are not a patient person, this isn't for you. Nothing ever gets done the way or in the time frame it should. I have gone through three different cosmetic manufacturers in one year!!!! Since I am a small start-up with little capital, I have to work with small manufacturing companies. This means that they have greater potential to be unprofessional, and not know what the hell they are doing.

Do not let these companies walk over you. YOU are paying them. You have every right to tell them what you want and how you want it. You should not feel guilty or that you are being too "bossy". You won't get anywhere being timid.

Let me backtrack a little. I literally started from scratch. I knew what I wanted to do: have a prestige, organic, all natural mineral-based makeup. That's all. I didn't know where to get the ingredients, or how the whole process worked. I just started pouring over the Internet like a madman (being obsessive-compulsive is great if you know how to put it to good use)...I just started looking for manufacturing companies for my type of product.

It was a long and tedious path. But before you start looking, you really need to know, "what is my makeup line going to be?" "Who will it be for?" "What will I have that nobody else has?" "why will people want to buy my product?" If you can't answer these questions, you are not ready. You must do research on cosmetics to see what is needed out there. Is it for minorities? oily skin? Older skin? what are the price points going to be? where will you sell it? who will be your market? have you thought of marketing/advertising and PR (marketing and PR are entirely different. If you don't know this, you need to check that out too).

there is so much to do before you even look for a manufacturer. Research is key. Think of it this way: people are going to say, "wow, you have a makeup line, what is different about it? I get asked this all the time. If you don't have a great answer: "It's a small color line geared toward the career woman who has minutes to put on makeup. It's a quick fix that looks great in little time."

If you just want to "create a line" because you "think it would sell", it won't. There are hundreds of makeup lines out there. Yours must be different, exciting, fresh, and innovative. To just sell foundation and blush doesn't work. You need a selling point, and a big one, at that.

I feel like I jumped around a bit here, but all of the information is salient, I think. It should help. I will write on this topic again very soon.

Liz Earle

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser makes your complexion "soft and dewy."

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, $20, at lizearle.com

If you don't know the brand, it's great! And it's natural!!!!
products that really work, on every skin type, by harnessing the potent powers of the finest quality ingredients

a simple, no-fuss and dependable routine which is also a pampering daily treat

an affordable choice with everything beautifully hand-wrapped

a commitment to first class service

our friendly, caring team who make it all possible

More Jennifer Lopez Makeup tips

I have had so many requests to comment more on Jennifer Lopez's makeup tips, I'm finally caving in......

I assisted on this photo shoot with Jennifer and her perrenial makeup artist Scott Barnes. Both are amazing. Jennifer knows every angle of her face and what works and what doesn't. Scott Barnes? He's simply amazing (check out his website www.scottbarnes.com).

Let me say two things: 1) Jennifer always LOOKS like she has very little makeup on. But she has it all on, believe me. She is a natural beauty, but even natural beauties need help when being photographed. The camera is very very unforgiving.
2) Markus Klinko and Indrani always airbrust their pictures to the Gods!!!! The do a lot of alterations with photoshop.

This being said, just remember, less is more. but always start with highlighter: under the eyes, on the cheekbones, on the chin, and on the forehead. You then blend in a "countour" color on the hollows of the cheeks, cleft of the chin, and the temples. Blend, blend, blend!!!! The eyes weren't too dramatic, but always put on a foundation or base on the eyes. then take your color over it. It will be more intense, and stay on longer.....after you blend the highlighting/shading, apply two to three layers of my foundation until you have the coverage you want.

That is how we did Jennifer's foundation and eye color that day!!!!

I always tell people it's amazing how much time and makeup it takes to make someone look like they have none on. It's the absolute truth.

Titanium Dioxide

If you purchase my organic foundation or Saude Pele, you will notice something. I don't add Titanium Dioxide to my makeup (an ingredient in ALL mineral makeup). Here's why.......

Titanium Dioxide has been classified as "Possibly Carcinogenic to Humans" - yet still appears in the formulation of many well known household, and even personal care products such as toothpaste!

Even more worrying...this chemical ingredient is used in almost all suncreams made for children! (as well as many products for adults too) - It makes the cream bright and white (you've seen that stuff that skiers

plaster on their nose and cheeks? Yes...Even more worrying...this chemical ingredient is used in almost all suncreams made for children! (as well as many products for adults too) - It makes the cream bright and white (you've seen that stuff that skiers plaster on their nose and cheeks? Yes...this ingredient makes the cream white!)...and whilst it helps reduce exposure to harmful rays...could it be posing a health itself?

Yet another reason to be wary of the chemicals that appear in the products you use for skincare, hair care, body care and cosmetics...This common ingredient which is now under suspicion should be provide even more impetus to why you should choose a safer alternative...