When I think natural beauty, the first name that comes to mind is Jane Iredale. She is one of my heroes – I recommend her products all the time, and I truly believe in the mission of her company. And there’s no one more fitting than Jane to kick off Beauty Cabinet Purge and Restock Week. I hope you enjoy our interview!
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SU: What inspired you to create a healthy makeup line?
JI: I had a career in the entertainment industry in New York, but eventually got show-biz burn-out. What I’d always wanted to do was to be involved with something that would enhance the lives of women and have some healing aspect to it. I’d seen the bad effects of makeup throughout my entertainment career, so it occurred to me that there was a place for makeup that was good for the skin. I’d spent so many years working with women whose careers depended on having a flawless complexion, and the heavy makeup they were using to cover up skin problems was actually aggravating their skin concerns instead of improving them. I started thinking about a solution – a makeup with true skin care benefits. I have always been interested in fashion, in wellness, in beauty, and in personal expression, so the leap into makeup was a very natural one for me to make.
SU: How did you get started?
JI: We incorporated in March, 1994 and started with five shades of loose minerals. A few sample pots of a mineral powder that I’d worked on with a chemist in LA. I had one product and one customer. Gradually word of mouth took over and required more financing and more people. I’m told that most female entrepreneurs start by maxing out their credit cards and that was true for me. I borrowed small amounts from friends and family until I could get enough interest from a bank. We have since expanded the line to include more than 400 products.
SU: At what point did you know that your idea was going to succeed?
JI: We knew we were on our way to making it when we got our first mention in Vogue! Impacting women’s lives began almost immediately. In those days, they let us know by phone; now it comes from all directions, including social media, texts, e-mails, reviews. And it isn’t just about the products, it’s also hearing from single mom’s who’ve been able to keep a family together by selling our products in their place of business. There’s nothing like the satisfaction in that.
SU: Did you have a mentor?
JI: I haven’t had a business mentor except for my husband who I would consider more as the Rock of Gibraltar. When I need a balanced point of view, he never fails. My personal mentor convinced me years ago that I could manage to get a degree while working full time. So I was able to complete my BA at New York University and then my MA. Having that incredible experience gave me so much confidence. Going back to school was one of the most important things I’ve done. And my proudest moment was when my mother flew from England to see me graduate in my cap and gown.
SU: What makes your makeup different from other brands out there?
JI: There are a lot of brands on the market now using “mineral” as a marketing term. The misconception is that all mineral makeup is created equal. The mineral makeup category has been one of the fastest growing and almost every major player has some sort of mineral offering. And while I love what some brands have done, some of the other lines have talc, chemical sunscreen additives, synthetic preservatives, etc. It’s important to read the label to see if the brand you’re about to buy, fits with what you want from a product. A good mineral makeup formula hasn’t changed much since we began in 1994. The only change we’ve made is to add some beneficial ingredients like botanicals and antioxidants. We were the first to use liposomes in makeup like encapsulated algae extracts and antioxidants. Everything we do is based on making the skin as healthy as possible. We use a lot of plant extracts – most of them are certified organic. Their benefits, taste and smell are in my blood because I’m an avid gardener. Many of them, like pomegranate extract, have active antioxidant properties and help to reverse sun damage. Because our brand is rooted in science, I love it when I find botanicals that combine the natural and scientific worlds. We source most of our plant extracts from Europe where there is a long heritage of appreciating and understanding their benefits.
SU: What are the 3 most important ingredients to avoid in makeup?
JI: Ingredients we have chosen not to use in our products include synthetic preservatives (parabens and phenoxyethanol), phthalates, talc and nano-size minerals. Our minerals are tested under laboratory conditions to ensure the utmost purity, safety and efficacy.
I also recommend avoiding sulfates, which are most commonly found in hair care products. I actually shampoo with our Truly Pure Shampoo & Conditioner (which is technically a makeup brush shampoo!) It’s so soft I don’t need a separate conditioner, and I don’t have to worry about polluting our water system with sulfates.
SU: Are you a risk-taker?
JI: After facing and overcoming many challenges in creating my brand, I would consider myself a risk-taker. In the beginning, male chemists didn’t think it could be done and there was a lack of money. Another challenge was skepticism. After all, why would people believe that a mineral powder could do all I was telling them it could? It required a lot of hours standing at trade show booths covering red noses and knuckles. It was the plastic surgeons who first saw and understood the benefits and they are still some of my biggest supporters. Some of the surgeons used to keep our Amazing Base in their assistants’ desk drawers – now they have their own aesthetic centers.
SU: What motivates you to jump out of bed every morning?
JI: The fact that my job doesn’t feel like work to me. I find it satisfying, inspiring, challenging and fun. Not that I don’t like to go to the beach once in a while, but I’m at my best when I have something to do. Something where I have to solve problems, move things forward, create something. I can feel my juices flowing and I love that. My job is so intertwined with my life in general that it’s hard to separate it. I love to garden and the garden has become an inspiration for our makeup line. From colors, to smells to taste, it’s an important part of what we do.
SU: What is your morning routine?
JI: I generally get up at around 7:30 and make a smoothie with hemp milk and put in what’s seasonal and local. I can’t face anything until I’ve taken my shower. I always use our PurePressed® Base Mineral Foundation and although I change up on blush and eye shadows, I never deviate from our PureLash® Lash Conditioner and Longest Lash Thickening and Lengthening Mascara in Espresso. I’ll often put Tantasia on my legs as a moisturizer and for some color. I find I wear it year round. My little dog is a permanent fixture in the bathroom with me. She never seems to get tired of watching.
SU: If you could take 2 makeup items to a desert island (that you’re going to be stuck on for a year) what would they be?
JI: Sun protection!!! First, the pressed powder (PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation). It’s a foundation, powder, sunscreen and concealer all in one and nurtures the skin at the same time. You don’t need anything else. I would also take our new LipDrink Lip Balm with SPF 15; it quenches your lips with hydrating protection.
SU: Imagine that money is no object (that you’ve just won billions in the lottery), which charity/cause would you donate to?
JI: More than one, but certainly Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a national education and support organization whose mission is to connect people with trusted breast cancer information and a community of support. As a brand, we’ve partnered with them for eight years in a row and have helped touch more than 10,000 people affected by breast cancer. I’m also very passionate about supporting our hometown community here in The Berkshires, from the Berkshire Humane Society (I’m proud to say we have a cat spa named in our honor), to Shakespeare & Company and The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, to Berkshire Grown and the Great Barrington Farmer’s Market, which I host in the lot right next to my house every Saturday morning.
SU: What do you hope to be doing 5 years from now?
JI: We’re going to continue doing what we’re doing but hoping to get better and better at it. We’re very engaged with spreading the word internationally and learning about markets that we haven’t yet opened. These are exciting times with new ingredients, new technologies and new ways of marketing them.
SU: What is your all-time favorite quote?
JI: “Always do what you say you’re going to do.”
