Melissa Hebeler/E!As Jouer Cosmetics' fearless founder and creative director, Christina Zilber gets your makeup shopping frustrations—tracking down quality goods, finding the perfect lipstick colors, sifting through dozens of foundations for the right shade; you get the picture. Which is exactly why she set out to facilitate the process.
For Jouer, the mission is simple: provide a range compelling products, and customize specific palettes for each and every customer's needs. Really, it's that simple. Take an online quiz, curate a customized makeup palette and then wait for it to be delivered straight to your door.
We caught up with Christina on everything from the biggest makeup trends this fall to the best professional advice she's ever received. Now read on to hear from this trendsetter at work herself!
What was your first job?
I worked the candy counter at the Alexandria movie theater in San Francisco. There were no cash registers so I had to add all the orders in my head; luckily everything was sold in denominations of 75 cents. I gained 15 pounds eating popcorn and drinking soda!
How did you get started in your career?
As a model, I use to sit in the hair and makeup chair and take notes on everything the makeup artist used on me. Once, an artist put together a palette of lipsticks she had used on set, and I was thrilled. I took it the next step and started hand filling empty palettes with solid foundations, concealers, cream blushes, etc. I loved the idea of makeup on the go, but found palettes on the market limiting. I started to obsess over the idea of customized palettes and the idea of Jouer was born.
What is a typical day like for you?
I wake up around 6:30 a.m. to get the kids off to school. But, before getting out of bed I check emails, skim through Instagram and Snapchat, review my favorite beauty and fashion blogs then start my day. I try to do yoga in the morning before heading to Jouer for meetings, which can include product development, digital marketing and business development. I'm lucky enough to leave the office in time to pick the kids up from school. Then, we'll all sit down and do our "homework" together then eat dinner and watch some TV. I try to get in bed by midnight, but winding down is always a challenge when you own your own company!
Tell us about your office décor. When did you last give your office a makeover?
Jouer's office decor is clean, feminine, modern and soft. We refer to the Jouer offices as our beauty bungalows because the vibe is "professional homey." The true crowd pleasers are our iconic black and white photographs, our ridiculously fun beauty closet of Jouer products, and our candy jars filled with pink candy.
What's the best part about your job?
Doing what I'm passionate about while helping women feel beautiful.
What's the most daring career risk you've ever taken?
Launching a cosmetic line!
What's the one item in your closet that you could never go without?
My Repossi bracelets with my children's names are so sentimental to me and always on my wrist. They are simple, original, delicate and they never come off.
What makeup trends do you expect to catch on this fall?
Everyone's talking about strobing, which is a fancy way of referring to highlighter. I do love highlighter because not only does it give your skin a lit-from-within glow, but it can be used to sculpt and lift. Used properly, strobing can take years off your face.
What inspired you to launch Jouer?
A makeup artist once filled an empty palette with some favorite lipsticks of mine and I was hooked on makeup on the go. I loved the idea of makeup palettes but was frustrated by the limitations of product and color choice in the market. I set about creating a line of colors the customer could build into her own individualized palette. Jouer is a line of makeup for people, like myself, who have exceptionally high standards and want a more modern approach to beauty: simple, easy to wear colors with the best ingredients in smart packaging.
What's your daily makeup regimen?
Overall I like to keep my makeup simple. I start with Jouer Treatment Oil, then I prime with Jouer's anti-blemish primer because I'm lucky enough to battle blemishes and wrinkles! I apply Luminizing Moisture Tint all over my face then add Jouer's Perfector in shade 4 wherever I have redness (chin, around nose and under my eyes). If I have a blemish, I cover it with Jouer's anti-blemish concealer, which has salicylic acid to speed the healing. I dust Suntan Bronzer all over, add either Whisper Cheek Tint or Peach Bouquet blush, then line my eyes with Jouer's eye crayon in Baroque and top it with a coat of mascara. I've got about five lip glosses in my bag at any time so I throw on whatever I can grab first. The whole routine takes me about ten minutes.
What's the biggest misconception about working in the beauty industry?
The biggest misconception is that making makeup is easy and fun. The idea that you just pick a color, put it in some packaging and go to market is simplistic. There are so many logistics that go behind launching a product from concept to market, it's staggering. And everyone thinks naming shades must be so fun, but it actually often stumps us. We've recently turned to social media to help us name colors.
Who are some of your career heroes?
My close friends do such an amazing job juggling their careers with their families and still make time for friends. I look to them for inspiration and oftentimes, advice.
What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Don't take "no" for an answer. If you believe in something, keep pursuing.
Finish the sentences below:
Today for lunch I had… cobb salad and a diet coke.
My favorite lipstick shade is… though it's impossible to just choose one, I'm loving Jouer Hydrating Lipstick in Kiki, my namesake. It's the perfect pink with shimmer and works beautifully with a bit of bronzed skin.
The first website I log onto every day is… just after Jouercosmetics.com, it would be WWD.
My usual Starbucks order is… a grande nonfat latte.
If I wasn't doing this job, I would… 100 percent be a party planner. I love to host and get wrapped into all the pretty finishing touches that go into throwing a memorable party.
My favorite place to visit is… my Paris apartment.
List five things that are on your desk right now… my Mini Macbook Air, iPhone, Arc organizer with calendar, Jouer Essential Lip Enhancer and a diet coke.
The book I'm reading right now is…All the Light You Cannot See. I just finished a World War 2 tour of Normandy so this book feels incredibly relevant.