From Passion to Empire: Rachel Zoe Dives Deep With Anastasia Soare
Beauty and fashion go together like two peas in a pod. As do fashion icon, Rachel Zoe and eyebrow guru, Anastasia Soare. The two became friends in their days as fashion and brow stylists and worked together with each of their celebrity clients. The red carpet was constantly blessed with their partnered expertise and everyone in LA knew so. When deciding what products to showcase in our inaugural fall curation, it only made sense that Rachel tapped her friend and founder of cult-favorite beauty brand, Anastasia Beverly Hills.
From passion led to empire, Anastasia Beverly Hills has become a household name for many makeup lovers and artists. Her out-of-this world pigmented highlighter found in this season’s curation is just a taste of her multi-faceted brand. Ahead, Rachel chats with Anastasia about her entrepreneurial status, her passion for makeup, and so much more.
You’re a self-made entrepreneur and inspirational to not only myself, but so many others! Can you share some tips for chasing your passion and how to make it a full-time gig?
Many years ago, a trademark lawyer gave me an incredible piece of advice. He told me the best thing I could ever do for my brand was to make ‘Anastasia’ synonymous with brows. I had noticed a gap in the market—no one was paying attention to their eyebrows! When I went on to open my flagship salon devoted to brows, I later realized that products for brows didn’t exist. I then created the first line, carving out a new category in beauty. So, my advice is to find your passion, find your stroke of inspiration, and then find your niche.
What does makeup mean to you? And what made you so passionate about eyebrows?
I believe that makeup has the transformative power to truly affect someone’s life. Customers are essentially inviting us into their homes, their routines, the way they choose to present themselves to the world. It’s a very intimate experience. I stay passionate about brows because that’s what started it all.
Self-care is essential and something I consciously try to carve out time for. Do you have any self-care rituals?
To me, self-care is what you need to prepare you to work your hardest. I am always deliberate about my mornings. I listen to jazz over coffee, answer emails at home, schedule my day, take phone calls, and take my time to get ready. This routine is a respite and essential preparation for whatever intensity may lay ahead.
I’m so excited to be working together again after all these years—and that it’s for the debut of CURATEUR! Can you tell me more about your highlighter included in this season’s delivery and what makes it so special?
What I love about Liquid Glow is that it adds this beautiful, natural radiance to the skin and it’s an incredibly versatile product to have in your makeup bag. Use it alone, or with your favorite highlighter for more intensity.
What do you find takes up most of your time, generally speaking?
Meetings! I wish this wasn’t the answer, but it’s true. I would never give them up, though. I like to be plugged into the process for every aspect of the business.
What are the most important things to you and how do you prioritize them?
Family is the most important thing in the world. I’m ambitious and career driven, but family has been the impetus for the most important decisions of my life. I left my large, extended family and everything I knew back in Romania to give my daughter the chance for a better life. I worked grueling hours to create a business and was able to bring my mother to the United States. Growing up, family gatherings were my favorite memories, so I keep the tradition going with a family meal every Sunday.
Did you have a mentor when starting out your career? Is there someone in your life that inspires you, even today as an established business owner?
My mother has been my greatest source of inspiration. She singlehandedly ran the family tailoring business after my father passed away, becoming the sole provider and the handler of our finances. She was so strong, so resilient, and she never seemed to tire. I remember watching how her clients adored her. She treated every single one like a friend, and always pushed to accept one more person, one more order. I would ask my mother, ‘don’t you want to rest? You work so hard, it never stops.’ And she’d smile and tell me, ‘I love what I do.’ Years later, when I opened the salon, I emulated the way my mother had treated her own clients. I prioritized customer server. And through the long days and endless appointments, I didn’t even want to stop because I realized – I love what I do.
What is your mantra? And how did you discover it?
Beauty is about balance and proportion—not perfection. This is the founding principle of Anastasia Beverly Hills. The three steps of my Golden Ratio Shaping Technique tailor brows to your unique face and bone structure. Beauty is just about finding what works for you, not conforming to a homogenized ideal.
Try our favorite Anastasia Beverly Hills highlighter and join the CURATEUR community today!
