Interview with Instyle Magazine - United Kingdom (UK)

Why did you set up this service?

My position as National Sales Manager at Vidal Sassoon was eliminated. I had so much invested:
1. 12 years in formulating colors and products
2. Experience with chemists and packaging suppliers
3. Developing a reputation as a makeup artist
4. Product development
5. Expertise in marketing
6. 3000 clients whose custom blend formulas I had on record and who were extremely loyal

I just finished my MBA and felt very comfortable with business knowledge. I had a window of opportunity to take on this venture.

It was basically a continuation of what I had been doing at Vidal Sassoon. The line I worked for did a little “dabbling” in custom blend products. I thought the idea was unique and empowering to women who can get exactly what they want, in their preferred component and pay average department store prices.

Custom blending has become the new standard – from coffee, jeans, jewelry and handbags.

With there being so much choice out there for colours is there really a need for a bespoke service? If so why?
Some interesting Trends that Will Shape the Cosmetic Industry

According to RSCG Worldwide, the fifth largest advertising network, there are four trends that will shape the future of the cosmetic industry.

1. Emphasis on Wellness. Customers want products that work inside and out. “Many women are devising beauty routines that center on self-expression and self-empowerment,” the report mentions. “They are less willing to be judged by standards other than their own.”

2. Creating Brand Me. Customization is on the rise. “At play here are two important forces: the desire for the best possible product to meet one’s unique needs and wish to be valued as an important, one-of-a-kind customer.” Custom blending, an old idea, has gained new life especially in specialty stores that offer high levels of customer service. Customers want products tailored to her personal needs, and they want the products immediately to take home. Thus, custom blending is more effective when it is mixed at the counter rather than mailing it several days later.

3. Make it multi-functional. “Today’s faster pace of life means that consumers are demanding more from the products they buy.” This means that products will have many functions. For example, a tinted moisturizer will be able to protect you from the sun’s harmful rays, add color to your face, moisturize your skin, and donate money to your favorite charity. “Opportunities for cause marketing tie-ins in this category, allowing men and women to look good and feel good with a minimum of effort.”

4. Changing Faces, Changing Needs. “The two most important demographic trends that will help shape the future of the cosmetics industry are our aging world and the West’s move toward multiculturalism.” People are embracing their ethnic identity

Thus, GIELLA custom blend cosmetics caters to the “Brand Me” conscious woman that is a growing segment of the population. It’s quick, easy and “exactly” what the client wants.


Furthermore, one of our biggest categories in matching skin tone is yellow-blue. Most cosmetic companies match skin tone as being yellow-orange or blue-red. They do not have a yellow-blue (olive) category. It is our number one seller.


What do people normally bring in to match the colour up to? fabric, a pair of shoes etc? What’s the most useful thing to send? (obviously our readers are in England so won't be able to drop into the shop)
We have matched fabric swatches, shoes, cosmetic cheek, nail and lip colors, pieces of fruit (strawberry and mango), pictures from a magazine, jewelry and handbags.

Clients generally want to match a dress, shoes or accessory (handbag or jewelry.) You can also request your texture – sheer, cream, matte, pearl, glitter.

Or we can also recommend the right shade of pink, red, brown, coral, plum for your hair, eye and skin color. You can send us a photo via mail or email and we can advise on what “shade “of color is best for you based on our Color Perfect Analysis system.

Do you have any tips? Time allocation?

It only takes 6 minutes to make each product. It’s really very simple. We melt down the appropriate base (lipstick, lip color or cheek color), add the pigments and moisture, stir, then pour into the component.

Nail enamel is mixed in a cup and poured into the bottle.

We generally sit with a client for 30 minutes on their first visit as they want advice on colors for foundation, powder, eyes, cheeks, lips and nails. We record everything on our Color Analysis forms and keep every bit of information on a computerized data base system. It’s easy to reorder in the future if the client cannot get back to us or is just too busy.

It’s easy to recommend future colors once we know their hair, eye and skin coloring.

What do you need to consider when going for a bespoke product for yourself or for a gift for someone?
Our Give the Gift of custom program has been a huge success. (See following Press Release).

We sell our components empty with a gift card that offers the person receiving the gift to come in to get their components personally filled for them. It comes in a decorative box with “filler” for the specific occasion.

GIELLA’s NEW Custom Cosmetics Gift Boxes:
The Perfect Personalized Gift

It is better to give than to receive, but gift giving can be a bit tough at times, especially when you are challenged to find something unique and special year after year for big events like birthdays and Mother’s Day. Thankfully, GIELLA’S New Custom Cosmetics Gift Boxes make splendid presents that are sure to be a hit because they offer the flexibility of a gift certificate but are so much more creative and still allow for a personal touch.

GIELLA’S Custom Cosmetics Gift Boxes are packaged in a miniature Henri Bendel hatbox decorated with Bendel’s signature brown and white stripes. Each box contains an empty nail polish bottle, lipgloss wand and swing compact (for face, eye and cheek color) to be filled with personalized custom color.

GIELLA’s Custom Gift Boxes are available in a variety of themes and can be created for any occasion.
• The Big Day Box – A useful and thoughtful gift for a bride-to-be or a fun bridesmaids gift that also includes a garter for the big day
• The Beauty Birthday Box – Packaged with festive confetti, it’s the perfect gift for your friend that is a self proclaimed beauty junkie or the makeup novice
• The Forget Flowers Box – An original Mother’s Day gift that will last longer than a bouquet of flowers but just incase she misses the flowers, it also includes beautifully scented potpourri
• The Break Up Box – For newly single girls that are looking to create a new sexy look. Sniff tissues are also included to wipe away the tears
• The Pick Me Up Box – A great gift for lifting spirits comes with a pair of smiley face underwear or tank top
• The Jingle Bell Box – Packaged with jingle bells, it’s the absolute gift for girls that have been good all year long and want to ring in the new year with a hot look
• The Chanukah Box – The best of eight gifts a girl can get during Chanukah that also comes along with a dreidel and chocolate coins
• The Valentine’s Day Hot Box – A sweet treat that she’ll be able to savor longer than a box of chocolates but also includes the all time favorite Conversation Heart candy

Give the gift of beauty with GIELLA’s Custom Gift Boxes… a personal gift they’ll never forget.



What’s been the weirdest thing anyone has ever sent?

I think the fruit was the strangest thing to match.

Who is this service most popular with? Brides, actresses - women going to big events?

We actually deal with everyday professional, working women who are “Brand Me” conscious. We do work with many brides as they are more “in-tune” with details. However, they remain as clients for years after, as they find the process so easy to reorder and personalized service and attention to their needs.

Custom blending at GIELLA is as easy and simple and fun as ordering a Café Latte Non Fat or a half decaf/half caf coffee extra hot at Starbucks. There is a growing trend on getting products made for you, as we are all specific with tastes and preferences, in a quick, timely fashion at competitive prices.

Customers do not have to settle with colors because a company is out-of-stock on an item or they are being “promoted” as the new Fall collection. Our customers get what’s most current (as there is no wait time to get them in stock), exactly for them, and in minutes.