VISIONARY questions. And they’ve become so knowledgeable about the effects of the environment on their skin, and on what they ingest and how it affects their skin. Years ago, cosmetics and fragrances were presented in a precious manner—like fine jewellery. [Retailers] have taken away the barriers, so now customers can play with products, read them and take them into their own hands.
Q: WHAT MAKES A GOOD TREND FORECASTER?
WHEN IT COMES TO COSMETICS, Shelley Rozenwald
is all about going with her instincts. Like the time, in the early ’90s, when she discovered Bobbi Brown cosmetics and brought it to Canada despite the fact that the under-the-radar line consisted of a mere 10 lipsticks. “I liked [Bobbi Brown’s] philosophy—that every woman is beautiful in her own right,� recalls Rozenwald, recently appointed the Bay’s chief beauty adventurer. A visionary equipped with a sharp intuition and fearless attitude, she’s seen it all during her 30-plus years in the industry—which includes stints as Holt Renfrew’s senior vice-president of cosmetics and president of Murale—from the birth of the makeup artist to high-tech beauty innovations. But beyond the latest trends and must-have products, Rozenwald remains focused on what really matters: helping you look—and feel—beautiful.
Q: DURING YOUR TIME IN THE INDUSTRY, WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHANGE YOU’VE SEEN? The crossover between science and nature. [Brands] are combining science with natural ingredients—plants, vegetables, fruits—to get very effective products. Origins and StriVectin are really great examples. Last year StriVectin collaborated with the scientists who did a lot of work on the niacin molecule [vitamin B3], which they’re using for cancer treatments. The results were amazing.
Q: HOW HAS SHOPPING FOR BEAUTY CHANGED OVER THE YEARS? The Internet gives consumers access to virtually every product in the world, so it really is about choices. Consumers know what they want and they’re asking the right
108 FLARE APRIL 2011
Q: HOW DO YOU KEEP UP ON ALL THE LATEST BEAUTY TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS? I do a lot of reading on ingredients, on scientific advancements and also on trends. I’m on the Internet a lot. I’ll look on lifestyle sites such as Dr. Oz [doctoroz.com]; many times, when they’re talking about inner health, it reflects onto beauty.
Q: WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT? I’ve launched about 100 cosmetic and fragrance brands in Canada. L’Eau d’Issey by Issey Miyake, for example. I remember being in a Paris department store and someone giving me a sample vial. It smelled great, so I looked at the back of the package, found the address, went to the office, knocked on the door and said, “I’m from Canada. Is there someone I can see?� We ended up bringing it to Canada. It was a top brand when we launched it and remains a top brand. I also launched Bobbi Brown in Canada. I brought in Laura Mercier, Jo Malone, Giorgio Armani.
Q: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CUSTOM FRAGRANCE TREND? It goes in line with bespoke fashion—people wanting to be individual. There’s always a market for that because people like to have something unique; they don’t want to follow the masses.
Q: YOU’RE CONSTANTLY ON THE ROAD FOR WORK. WHAT ARE YOUR TRAVEL ESSENTIALS? A good cleanser—something gentle for the eyes and face. I’ll use Clinique for that. And a cream for dry skin because planes and hotels are so drying. I use M Cream from 3Lab. I’ll often do a mask too. It’s very relaxing and puts nutrients and moisture back into your skin‌You get to lie down for 20 minutes, close your eyes and not use your BlackBerry.
Q: SO MANY WOMEN RUN FROM THE OFFICE TO POST-WORK EVENTS, DINNER, COCKTAILS. HOW CAN THEY LOOK FRESH-FACED AFTER A DAY IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER? They should take off their makeup and reapply it. I have a cosmetic bag in my desk—a duplicate of the one I have at home. Go to the washroom, clean your face, floss, put on your makeup and you’ll feel like a million bucks. —Shawna Cohen WWW.FLARE.COM
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shelley rozenwald
Chief beauty adventurer at the Bay
Somebody whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intuitive and in tune with whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s around them. [Someone who] arrives at the airport and looks at the condition of people in the check-in line, noticing which people have makeup on or not and what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re wearing.
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