In your own words, can you please describe the impetus of the beauty empire, Anastasia Beverly Hills?
I knew I wanted to be significant by doing something that I loved and was important. I always had an interest in beauty, but I got a job as an esthetician out of necessity. I was an immigrant, and it was work I could do without needing to speak the language. While working, I noticed that no one was paying attention to their eyebrows! In art school, I had learned that changing the eyebrows in a portrait could change an entire face. If the Golden Ratio could bring balance and proportion to centuries of art and architecture, why couldn’t it do the same for my clients’ faces? I started to offer brows as a service, and the concept quickly took off. The rest is history!
Which product put your brand on the map? Is that still your most popular item? If not, what is it now?
When I started to create products for brows, they were the first of their kind on the market. The category didn’t even exist in beauty. I began with powders and pencils, the descendants of which are Brow Powder Duo and Brow Wiz, two of our best sellers to this day. Some of our products do better than others depending on current trends. I actually tried launching a pomade for brows in the late 90s, but no one was ready for it—to dive into bold, structured arches. Brows were barely gaining traction, and it was too big of a step. But in 2014, I released it again and it’s since become a cult-classic.
Why are eyebrows so important to any look—barefaced or full makeup?
When you spend so much time studying faces, it clicks that eyebrows have the power to frame and transform an individual’s entire look. Even if you skip the rest of your beauty routine, brows can make you appear more polished, put together, and alert.
What is a beauty product you could never live without and why?
I never leave home without an Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. It handles both shading and fine detail, can fill areas of sparseness as well as add extremely soft and natural dimension. Basically, I can create perfect brows no matter where I am.
How would you explain the reason why makeup is so empowering?
Makeup is another way of expressing our autonomy. We make a choice, and makeup becomes a tool we use to communicate who we are to the world. It’s a very powerful thing to be yourself. And what makes you feel powerful – that’s what makes you beautiful.
Can you tell us about your product in our fall curation and the partnership with CURATEUR?
Liquid Glow has an incredible lit-from-within effect, and you can use it anywhere you’d like a boost in radiance—on the cheekbones for highlight, mixed with foundation for face, or applied to any part of the body for an all-over glow.
Are there any exciting projects/product launches on the horizon that you can share with us?
We’re always working on something new! The easiest way to follow along is on our Instagram, @anastasiabeverlyhills.
