Having been in the skin care and makeup business as long as I have, one becomes quite picky about products. It’s no longer enough to swerve towards pretty packaging, or advertising (though both can be seriously enticing) but rather it’s about performance and ingredients that will not only get the job done, but wear well. Prior to opening my beauty boutique and spa Glam Lounge back in 2007 I pretty much scoured the industry for solution oriented brands that really worked. And I kept the goal of bringing some of my favorite brands to the valley that weren’t getting much shelf time anywhere else.
One of those brands was Becca Cosmetics. At the time Becca was one of the few brands that offered a multitude of complexion shades for just about every skin tone. As a makeup artist I am used to mixing colors to create the desired result but when you are in a retail setting most clients don’t have the time to mix their foundations in the morning and Becca was the answer. Not to mention the highly coveted beachy sexy aesthetic that the brand was famous for. Needless to say our clients loved the brand. They loved foundations that came in 36 colors and were easy as pie to match to ethnic skin tones, or the pretty tinted moisturizer that just slays the competitions formulas, came in a wide range of shades, and even included Spf and all those anti-oxiants and skin saving ingredients that people are now clamoring for thanks to the marketing genius of the latest BB creams.
Sadly Becca has gone through a few ups and downs since we closed the store in 2010 namely that they were in and out of Sephora a few years ago, and the stint in Duane Reade’s higher end section of luxe cosmetics… but the good news: Becca is rebranding and going back to it’s roots. So Becca fans soon we will be seeing them in Sephora again!
“Becca has worked to focus the line on top-producing sku’s,” said Alison Hahn vice president and division merchandise manager for color at Sephora.. “We have gotten rid of a lot of the noise and honed in on complexion and the perfectors.” A Shade Match Selector Wheel, which will be featured alongside the Becca assortment, will allow Sephora customers to find their shades and there will be a heavy emphasis on sampling a variety of hues. “It’s not that Becca has the most shades, but they have the right shades.”
Over the next 15 months, Becca will introduce three additional foundation formulas and a new concealer. Radiant Mineral Powder Foundation, $40, is launching in November, while Radiant Skin Creamy Concealer, $32, will bow in January. Three additional face products, Matte Skin Shine Proof Foundation, $42, Matte Skin Poreless Priming Perfector, $35, and Blotting Powder Perfector, will all roll out beginning in April.
In the second quarter of 2013, Becca will relaunch its Web site with a renewed focus on e-commerce and content. The site will include videos, digital master classes, a library of historical Becca imagery and access to live “conversations” with national makeup artists.
I for one am thrilled about the re-brand and hope that it will bring new clients to the genius that is Becca Cosmetics. For me it’s still a staple in my kit and for my on-location makeup team Glam Lounge Artists.
Sources: WWD, Photos; Becca Cosmetics
