Mineral make up brand Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics hosted a special media dinner on Tuesday September 7, featuring special guest, Global Senior Educator and Exclusive Makeup Artist for the brand, Philip Luque – who was in town for the Sydney International Spa & Beauty Expo.
Held at the chic Challis Studios in Sydney’s Potts Point, editors were greeted with glasses of Yellowglen Perle sparkling wine and a decadent selection of canapés, before moving into the studio space which had been transformed into a glamorous private dining room, befitting the luxury of the brand.
Debbie Axen, Youngblood Director of Worldwide Distribution, also visiting from California kicked off the night’s official proceedings, taking guests through the brand's history – which started when founder Pauline Youngblood-Soli began formulating her own natural, mineral foundation to apply to patients with traumatised skin back in 1996.
Matt Williams, Director of Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics in Australia also spoke about the brand’s evolution locally – from only 60 salons some ten years ago to almost 700 salons today, saying, “People are often surprised at the rapid growth that we have experienced in such a short time, but our philosophy has been simple. Our customers are women that want to look after their skin and look their best every day.”
Lisa Williams, Matt Williams and Meredith Spence
In fact, in the last four years alone, Matt and the local Youngblood team have increased the size of the business ten-fold – a staggering achievement in light of the recent economic downturn, during which time the business still saw healthy growth.
This may also be in part to the company’s salon-only approach, which sees Youngblood consumers given the knowledge to maximise the benefits of the products, when they purchase.
“We have chosen to stock the brand in the salons, spas and cosmetic clinics, rather than through retail, as we believe that so much of the power of the products performance lies in its application. To have a trained professional demonstrate how to use the range is the greatest opportunity for a client to experience the benefits of our minerals,” Matt explained.
But there was no doubt that the main event for the night was hearing from Youngblood’s makeup artist Philip, whose relaxed and engaging style – not to mention the expertise with which he demonstrated the Youngblood range – had everyone thoroughly entertained.
A licenced cosmetologist, Philip has worked for top designers including Carolina Herrera and Diesel and his work has been seen in the pages of Italian Vogue, W magazine and at the Emmy Awards. He has been ‘making people beautiful’ for over 15 years – and he demonstrated his skills for the audience
Philip Luque
While guests dined on sumptuous dishes from Forte Catering & Events, Philip gave a makeup master class, as he taught them how to swish, dust and shimmer their way to mineral perfection.
Guests were invited to get up close and personal with the entire Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics range, and were given an exclusive sneak peek of what's new for 2010 and what is set to be released in 2011.
Guests Erin Whitty, Donna Ogier and Michelle Bateman
Considering Youngblood Cosmetics' flawless finish, it's no wonder the brand boasts a roll call of celebrity clients including Kelly Rowland, Jennifer Lopez, Pink, Lauren Conrad and Heather Locklear, not to mention men in the film business including Robert Redford and Johnny Depp.
www.youngbloodmineralcosmetics.com.au