Premium Beauty News - A few words first on the Gurwitch Products Group and its two ’flagship’ brands, Laura Mercier and RéVive.
Al Lustrino - Gurwitch Products is the parent company of two of the prestige beauty industry’s leading brands, Laura Mercier and RéVive. As of July 27, 2006, Gurwitch Products operates as a subsidiary of Alticor, Inc. The company maintains corporate offices in Manhattan, Houston and London, and its products are sold in more than 1,000 stores across 27 countries.
Laura Mercier is a global luxury line of cosmetics, skincare, body & bath and fragrance. Founded in 1996, by French makeup artist, Laura Mercier, the brand is based upon the founder’s philosophy of “what makes you unique makes you beautiful.” She is known for the flawless face- the concept that making skin look perfect is the first and foremost important thing a woman can do to achieve a great look. Laura believes that a flawless look begins with a fresh canvas, and each product has been specially developed to allow every woman to achieve an incredibly even, smooth, natural-looking complexion. Laura Mercier is an international brand sold in 27 countries. Key US retailers include Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Sephora.
RéVive is a luxury skincare brand created by a leading plastic surgeon, Dr. Gregory Bays Brown. Dr. Brown formulates RéVive products with Renewal Epidermal Science (RES) Technology which includes patented, Nobel Prize winning, and bioengineered ingredients that help regenerate the appearance of youthful skin. RES ingredients make RéVive products the perfect skincare brand for pre and post cosmetic procedures. Today, RéVive products are available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York, Blue Mercury, Harrods, Liberty, and Space NK.
Premium Beauty News - Laura Mercier, it’s first an atypical career!
Al Lustrino - Laura Mercier is a world-renowned makeup artist and founder of Laura Mercier Cosmetics. As the personal makeup artist to celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Julia Roberts, and Juliette Binoche, and as a contributor to cover designs and editorial shoots, Laura Mercier created looks that are both flawless and accentuate one’s natural beauty.
Raised in Provence, Laura began her training at age 17 when she entered a painting school in Paris. After deciding to shift her talents from the canvas to the face, Laura attended the Carita School where she studied in makeup application. Subsequently she represented Carita as a makeup artist and makeup teacher, working closely with Thibault Vabre.
In 1985, Laura moved to New York when she was asked to join the team to launch American Elle. She immediately began working on advertising campaigns for Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, Clairol, as well as editorial spreads for magazines including Elle, Vanity Fair, Glamour and several other publications. She began working with clients such as L’Oreal, Maybelline, Victoria’s Secret, Gap, Banana Republic, and many other cosmetic and clothing companies, while working with Madonna on her looks for print, television and film. Subsequently Laura entered into a four-year contract with Elizabeth Arden, designing the makeup looks for all of their advertising campaigns, and also worked with Chanel on the company’s beauty advertising campaigns in France.
In 1996, Laura developed Laura Mercier Cosmetics to benefit women of all ages and skin types. She personally created the colours to satisfy the needs of her clients, based on a classic and always-current palette, rather than seasonal trends only.
The Laura Mercier line has received numerous accolades from customers and magazine editors.
Premium Beauty News - Basically, it is a particular approach?
Al Lustrino - Based in Laura’s belief that “what makes you unique makes you beautiful,” the brand empowers each woman to express and embrace her own individual beauty. Through the creative, artisan vision of a professional makeup artist, the innovative makeup, skincare, body and fragrance products combined with application techniques, are designed to enhance every woman’s Flawless Face and inspire confidence.
As a working professional makeup artist, Laura saw the need for several products, particularly in face makeup, that were missing from the traditional cosmetics marketplace. Unable to find the formulas, colours, and textures she wanted, she began experimenting and mixing her own to fill the “white space” in makeup in creating the flawless complexion.
Her search to find the products that worked for her professionally expanded to the desire to help every woman achieve her full beauty potential, and in 1996, the Laura Mercier line was born.
The brand’s iconic products – the primer, tinted moisturizer, and secret camouflage, and setting powder – help women achieve their own flawless face in four simple steps.
Step 1: Prime the Skin
Laura’s invention, Foundation Primer, creates the perfect canvas for makeup application.
Step 2: Apply Foundation
Laura believes makeup should look as natural as possible which is why she created a luxurious collection of Foundations and Tinted Moisturizers in a rich range of shades and finishes.
Step 3: Conceal
Laura never goes anywhere without concealer—her award winning Secret Camouflage completely covers imperfections.
Step 4: Set with Powder
For a look that lasts all day Laura recommends setting makeup with Loose Setting Powder.
Premium Beauty News - A celebrity Make-Up Artist has recently joined your company?
Al Lustrino - Celebrity makeup artist, Matin Maulawizada, is the Global Artistry Director for Laura Mercier. In this role, Matin works closely with Laura Mercier herself to develop all products, ensuring they all support the brand’s overarching flawless philosophy. He also plays a key role in evaluating and providing feedback on products in development and recommending shade ranges and colour trends.
Matin is very familiar with the Laura Mercier products as he was the first National Makeup Artist when the brand was launched in the mid-1990s!
Premium Beauty News - As head of packaging development, what is your main concern?
Al Lustrino - Clearly, I’m in a constant quest for innovation. And I must admit that real innovation is very difficult to come by and identify.
Premium Beauty News - The interaction between container and contents is increasing?
Al Lustrino - We cannot focus solely on the packaging as far as cosmetics are concerned. The interaction between package and product is a critical consideration and needs to exceed the customer’s expectation
