Latest / Skin Anarchy / Terri Bryant Founder of Guide Beauty

Transcript

Terri Bryant Founder of Guide Beauty · Skin Anarchy

0:01
SPEAKER_00: Diablo 4 has arrived.
0:03
SPEAKER_00: The force will help gather only you can stand in their way.
0:07
SPEAKER_00: Journey across the expansive open world sanctuary.
0:11
SPEAKER_00: For five powerful classes of progressive figure play style.
0:15
SPEAKER_00: Adventure with your friends and up the fourth-player co-op with cross-play and cross-progression on all platforms.
0:20
SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Hell Diablo 4.
0:23
SPEAKER_00: Available now, rated and premature.
0:25
SPEAKER_00: Tap the banner or visit this episode's page to learn more.
0:31
SPEAKER_02: Hi guys, welcome back to another episode of Skincare Anarchy.
0:34
SPEAKER_02: I'm so excited about our guest today because her line is truly very inspirational.
0:39
SPEAKER_02: And um when it first came out, I was just, I was so enamored by it because it was so new and such a new concept.
0:47
SPEAKER_02: So without further ado, I want to introduce you guys to Terry Bryant.
0:50
SPEAKER_02: She's the CEO and founder of Guide Beauty.
0:53
SPEAKER_02: And um welcome to the show, Terry.
0:55
SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much for being here.
0:57
SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for having me.
0:59
SPEAKER_01: I'm excited to chat.
1:01
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, um, so am I.
1:02
SPEAKER_02: Um, Terry, can you tell us um just about the entire brand journey of uh Guide Beauty and how you really came to the concept of this, you know, a new way to apply makeup, a new way to, you know, just this it's beautiful, really, what you came up with.
1:17
SPEAKER_02: So I'd love to hear all about it.
1:19
SPEAKER_01: Sure, yeah, uh, I'd love to.
1:20
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, Guide Beauty is all about making artistry, makeup artistry, and techniques that are traditionally challenging for many, easier for all.
1:28
SPEAKER_01: And it started um, you know, from a realization in my own personal journey.
1:32
SPEAKER_01: I had been a makeup artist and in the beauty industry as an educator for 25 years.
1:37
SPEAKER_01: Uh, I knew from an early age that makeup was my world, that I loved being a makeup artist.
1:42
SPEAKER_01: I loved playing in that in that realm.
1:44
SPEAKER_01: Um, even as a kid, whatever my mood was, happy, sad, hungry, whatever it was, I would, you know, what I would feed it with makeup.
1:53
SPEAKER_01: I would sit on the floor, I would play, and it was such a positive experience for me because when I was younger, I uh I wasn't necessarily the most confident kid.
2:01
SPEAKER_01: I, you know, for a long time I was I would say I was um an awkward kid.
2:05
SPEAKER_01: I realize I am actually still an awkward adult, but um I don't mind it.
2:11
SPEAKER_02: One awkward adult to another, I guess.
2:14
SPEAKER_01: Oh, yay, I love other awkward adults.
2:16
SPEAKER_01: Um yeah, and the only difference is I'm now I'm okay with it, right?
2:19
SPEAKER_01: But um I spent a lot of time playing with makeup and there was some sort of appreciation that came for me in this process, this very cathartic process of I would I would create and and whatever I would create, whether I liked the way that my you know that I sort of maybe elongated my nose or I chiseled my cheeks or I made my eyes pop, there was an understanding that my face was the canvas that that I was building upon.
2:44
SPEAKER_01: So, how could I not love that canvas?
2:46
SPEAKER_01: How could I not learn to appreciate, you know, each feature and the whole?
2:50
SPEAKER_01: So there was something very empowering for me in that.
2:53
SPEAKER_01: And when I started to share it with other people and do other people's makeup, I quickly I would get this sort of the same response over and over again.
3:00
SPEAKER_01: I, you know, you'd see people light up, you you see people really appreciate being celebrated, and then they would always say the same thing, which is I wish I could do this for myself.
3:09
SPEAKER_01: I wish I had the same level of confidence, I wish I could take you home with me.
3:12
SPEAKER_01: And I would say, Well, of course you can.
3:14
SPEAKER_01: I high enough, I'm the person who can teach you because I know how to do it.
3:18
SPEAKER_01: And if I know how to do it, you can do it.
3:20
SPEAKER_01: So right.
3:22
SPEAKER_01: So uh turns out they're two very different things.
3:26
SPEAKER_01: Understanding the steps to application or to doing something are a far different thing than actually executing them on your own.
3:32
SPEAKER_01: And I learned that when I decided to pick up um painting uh with uh water paints and oil and acrylics.
3:38
SPEAKER_01: Turns out I'm not so good at that.
3:39
SPEAKER_01: I understood what he's teaching me, but I was a disaster.
3:42
SPEAKER_01: So anyway, same here.
3:44
SPEAKER_02: I had uh my father forced me to learn how to paint when I was young, and I was like, you know, dad, this just isn't my thing.
3:51
SPEAKER_01: The nice fair part about that is guess what, Dad?
3:54
SPEAKER_01: I learned what I don't want to do in life, right?
3:56
unknown: Right.
3:56
SPEAKER_01: Right.
3:57
SPEAKER_01: There's the silver lining.
3:59
SPEAKER_01: Um, so you know, I I makeup has always been a passion.
4:03
SPEAKER_01: I went to school for elementary and special education.
4:06
SPEAKER_01: Um, I was working at a Chanel counter in college, um, and I had gone to my first training, and I left that training thinking, this is it, this is it.
4:15
SPEAKER_01: That's why that's what I want to do.
4:16
SPEAKER_01: It was so inspiring.
4:17
SPEAKER_01: Um, I loved it so much.
4:18
SPEAKER_01: And I ran home and sat down at the kitchen table with my mom and said, What am I gonna do?
4:23
SPEAKER_01: I, you know, I've always loved makeup.
4:24
SPEAKER_01: I just went to this seminar.
4:26
SPEAKER_01: I feel like I just like my world just went, you know, like just lit up.
4:30
SPEAKER_01: I I wanna, I wanna, I want to do this education and cosmetics thing, but oh no, I'm I'm in the wrong field.
4:36
SPEAKER_01: I'm studying elementary special education.
4:38
SPEAKER_01: And then she sort of led me to realize that those worlds combined, that I I learned how to be an educator, I'm just gonna be educating a different audience.
4:48
SPEAKER_01: So um, so you know, I moved to New York and I did what you do when you want to be a makeup artist.
4:52
SPEAKER_01: Uh, and uh, and then I also started working at um by the cosmetics counter at Sax Fifth Avenue so that I could start getting access and introduce myself to people in corporate because I knew I wanted to do education.
5:04
SPEAKER_01: Uh and finally Christian Dior gave me my first chance.
5:08
SPEAKER_01: And so um eventually I ended up um sort of leading the Northeast Division of Education for Christian Dior, um more focused on the artistry aspect, skincare as well, but um sort of taking those programs that came from from France and then sort of you know adjusting them to meet the needs of the US consumer, and I love that sort of teaching either directly to the person who was using the makeup or the skincare or working with a person who was then going to in turn teach that person, or it could be working with other makeup artists to help advance their skills, and it was going along beautifully, and then and I was in New York and I thought I'd stay in New York forever, and then a brand, a little unknown brand at the time called Smashbox called and said, Um, we are we are a new brand, things are going really well.
5:56
SPEAKER_01: Uh, we need an education department.
5:59
SPEAKER_01: And I think, great, where in New York should I meet you?
6:01
SPEAKER_01: And they said, No, no, no, no, we're in LA.
6:04
SPEAKER_01: Uh, oh, all right, well wow, let's go to LA.
6:07
SPEAKER_01: So it's like the other hub of beauty, like New York and LA.
6:11
SPEAKER_01: Right?
6:12
SPEAKER_01: Although, at the interestingly enough, because this is this is a lot of years ago, so uh, but at the time, LA wasn't on like now, LA is like so on the map, like it is the map, right?
6:23
SPEAKER_01: For beauty.
6:24
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but back then, not at all.
6:26
SPEAKER_01: Like, if you wanted to be in the industry, you were in New York.
6:29
SPEAKER_01: Smashbox was kind of one of the first to really put LA on the map for beauty, and now obviously there's so many brilliant brands coming out of that world.
6:36
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I, you know, it was an exciting opportunity for somebody to say, you know, they had this amazing brand, they had this really um unique, authentic story.
6:45
SPEAKER_01: They had an amazing, passionate group of people who had were and great salespeople who who loved what they were sharing, and they had a certain level of education sort of that was coming sort of naturally, but they didn't have an organized uh and developed education program.
7:00
SPEAKER_01: So I moved to LA to develop that.
7:03
SPEAKER_01: And um, that was also brilliant and and exciting for me because it allowed me to continue to do both my loves.
7:09
SPEAKER_01: I was able to work in education, um, and then I was also able to, uh, because of the studio heritage, I was able to continue being the makeup artist.
7:20
SPEAKER_01: And so there were other stops along the way, but somewhere, I guess about 10 years ago, I noticed I was on set, I just noticed this little shift in my ability to ability to do makeup.
7:32
SPEAKER_01: I um I had always have sort of had this feeling like I I could look at your face and I could just immediately understand how I wanted to celebrate your features.
7:40
SPEAKER_01: And then whatever I saw, whatever my mind's I saw, my arm and my hand were just this very natural extension of that.
7:46
SPEAKER_01: And and and then I would go and go to work, I would go to play, it was artistry, and and it just I was fortunate.
7:52
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I had to build upon a skill set, but it came naturally to me.
7:54
SPEAKER_01: So uh, and I was thankful for that.
7:56
SPEAKER_01: Uh, but again, 10 10 years ago, there was like something was going on.
8:00
SPEAKER_01: I just that ability, there was just this little glitch in that ability, and I remember being on set and I was doing somebody's makeup and something that I should have just been able to knock out really quick.
8:11
SPEAKER_01: 30 40 minutes was going by, and I thought, and I could feel the models staring at me.
8:16
SPEAKER_01: And she wasn't nasty about it, but I I knew it was coming when she finally said, because we had worked together before, you know, what's taking you so long?
8:22
SPEAKER_01: And I thought, I have no idea, but I think but I ignored it.
8:27
SPEAKER_01: I was like, well, just ignore that.
8:28
SPEAKER_01: That that didn't happen.
8:30
SPEAKER_01: And those things kept happening along the way.
8:32
SPEAKER_01: I know there's several distinct stories that I uh moments where they that really stuck out, but and I and I had asked around, like, what do you think's going on?
8:39
SPEAKER_01: And most of the time when I would talk to somebody, either you know, a healthcare professional or somebody a friend who you know wanted to give me their opinion.
8:48
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it would be, well, you're getting older, you probably don't drink enough water.
8:53
SPEAKER_01: Are you taking your vitamins?
8:55
SPEAKER_01: Have you tried this one?
8:56
SPEAKER_01: And I thought, well, no, probably not.
8:58
SPEAKER_01: I'm probably not drinking enough water.
9:00
SPEAKER_01: I don't really take any vitamins.
9:01
SPEAKER_01: Um, maybe, maybe that's it.
9:03
SPEAKER_01: We'll just go with that.
9:05
SPEAKER_01: Uh and five years ago, um, that that disconnect in my hand that was causing just enough that I was sort of pulling away from working on set, at least for like fashion shows.
9:16
SPEAKER_01: I may, I may do a gig if you called me and said it's one model for a full-day shoot.
9:20
SPEAKER_01: But if you were gonna call me for 25 models for fashion show, I just somehow understood I wasn't gonna be able to knock that out.
9:26
SPEAKER_01: So I would say no.
9:27
SPEAKER_01: And then five years ago, that ability, that sort of or disconnect progressed enough that it started to affect my own ability to do makeup.
9:35
SPEAKER_01: And I thought, well, all right, clearly something's wrong here.
9:39
SPEAKER_01: I it can't be the water thing.
9:42
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but I I need to figure out what's going on.
9:45
SPEAKER_01: Um, and and uh ended up, you know, there was some help along the way, but ended up going to see a neurologist who uh kid you not, in about two minutes said, uh, I think he got Parkinson's.
9:58
SPEAKER_01: Um it was like it was as quick as that.
10:00
SPEAKER_01: And I thought, all these, all these years, are you thinking?
10:03
SPEAKER_01: And I I said to him, which is the ridiculous, I should know.
10:05
SPEAKER_01: I'm a physician's daughter.
10:07
SPEAKER_01: I said, Um, well, how sure would you say you are?
10:11
SPEAKER_01: Like if you were a betting man, like, you know, one to ten, thinking no, nobody's ever gonna answer that question.
10:17
SPEAKER_01: And he did, he said, I'm gonna give it a nine.
10:20
SPEAKER_01: And I went, Oh wow.
10:21
SPEAKER_01: Okay, well, that you seem pretty sure.
10:24
SPEAKER_01: And then, you know, they sent me for death scan and certain testing, and and and as it turns out, um, you know, finally got that diagnosis.
10:30
SPEAKER_01: Um, and that changed everything for me.
10:33
SPEAKER_01: That was kind of actually when I got the final diagnosis, in a way, that was the the day that Guide Beauty uh, you know, was born.
10:41
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
10:42
SPEAKER_02: That's truly, I mean, talk about inspiration, you know.
10:46
SPEAKER_02: I and talk about you know, turning, like, you know, when life hands you lemons, that kind of thing, right?
10:52
SPEAKER_02: It's I mean, really, I commend you so much.
10:54
SPEAKER_02: That is such an inspirational um journey.
10:58
SPEAKER_02: I I I can't tell you enough.
11:00
SPEAKER_02: I mean, when I first discovered your brand, I knew the I knew a little bit about the backstory, and I just I mean, I focused on all the amazing tools that you created and the way that you did.
11:10
SPEAKER_02: I mean, that is what my focus, you know, was on.
11:13
SPEAKER_02: It was not so much on, you know, I of course, you know, there this unfortunate circumstance in your life, which obviously has not held you back, which I'm very, you know, I really commend you for that, but more so it was the artistry that I focus on.
11:27
SPEAKER_02: So I just want to say that your focus on that whole aspect of makeup and beauty has really um it's it shows in your brand.
11:35
SPEAKER_01: So thank you so much.
11:36
SPEAKER_01: That's so lovely to hear.
11:38
SPEAKER_01: Um, because it it it you do hope that people um that that that's what that's what people connect with, because you know, my my personal experience, you know, there was that moment where I got that diagnosis and um, you know, there was validation that something was wrong.
11:54
SPEAKER_01: And then there was this moment of, well, wait a minute, now I know that there's something here.
12:00
SPEAKER_01: Like there's a bit of an empowering moment of I'm not thrilled that I got this diagnosis by any means, but um, I know what I'm dealing with.
12:07
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna change this.
12:09
SPEAKER_01: I had slowly been losing something that had meant so much to me.
12:12
SPEAKER_01: You know, it was my livelihood and my career, but my passion, um, my creative outlet, all my closest relationships and bonds were from this world for so long that um, you know, I had been letting it go because I thought there was no other option.
12:26
SPEAKER_01: And now I thought, well, if I know what's in front of me, I'm gonna go home and I'm gonna find an answer for myself.
12:32
SPEAKER_01: And I started to create these prototypes.
12:34
SPEAKER_01: And at one point, I was working on something that was a mascara prototype, and I remember looking at my husband and saying, wow, this is really easy.
12:42
SPEAKER_01: Wouldn't this have been amazing for all those thousands of people that I was trying to help learn how to apply makeup who struggled through a challenge, who needed a better, easier way.
12:50
SPEAKER_01: Wouldn't it have been great if I had something like this for them?
12:53
SPEAKER_01: And then that, you know, again, you'd say, out of not the, you know, the best news in the world, something for me very beautiful was born, which is I spent my my whole career so passionate about artistry and education.
13:06
SPEAKER_01: Uh, and I know I've always known what it meant to be a makeup artist.
13:10
SPEAKER_01: I understand the mechanics of good artistry, but what I couldn't do is I couldn't put myself in the shoes of somebody who didn't have that natural connection.
13:18
SPEAKER_01: And now I and now I can.
13:21
SPEAKER_01: And so I I realized this could become bigger than that.
13:24
SPEAKER_01: I realized that I could help people like me, and then I could help people like everybody who ever sat in my chair who said, I just don't, I don't think I can do this.
13:32
SPEAKER_01: And I and I certainly that require a lot of precision level skills.
13:36
SPEAKER_01: And I had I had spent about almost a year working on it on my own, and I knew, you know, I think I got a decent up to a deep pretty decent place in uh on my own with our prototypes, but I knew I wanted to take it a step further, and and that's when we actually, and this is what was sort of super exciting for me, was um, we engaged a design team that specializes in human factors engineering and universal design, which is like an incredibly inclusive design process.
14:07
SPEAKER_01: Uh and I and I'm I really am slightly obsessed about it.
14:10
SPEAKER_01: Uh, everybody in my household is tired of hearing me talk about it at this point.
14:14
SPEAKER_01: But it's such a it's such a really, I think it's it makes sense.
14:17
SPEAKER_01: I had never known it existed prior to my own journey, but it's such a beautiful way to approach things because really at the very core of universal design and this inclusive design process, it says cast the whitest mat from the design phase from the ground up and include the needs of those who have them and you know, accommodate and factor in for the greatest needs, and you will create a better product or process for everyone.
14:42
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
14:44
SPEAKER_01: And like that was such a why, why we should always do this.
14:48
SPEAKER_02: Absolutely, that's a standard of beauty that needs to be out there.
14:52
SPEAKER_02: I completely agree with you.
14:53
SPEAKER_02: And I love that you even you went in that direction.
14:56
SPEAKER_02: I mean, you know, hats off because I think people get so much tunnel vision um in terms of, you know, like, well, this is missing or this is missing.
15:04
SPEAKER_02: But it's like when you can create a product that is universally, you know, it's it's accepted and it's used and it's it's helpful, that is true progress in my eyes.
15:13
SPEAKER_02: You know, I I think that that's what all of medical innovation is founded on.
15:17
SPEAKER_02: Um, you know what I mean?
15:18
SPEAKER_02: Like it's like that is when this things really start to change in an industry.
15:22
SPEAKER_02: And so when I'm looking at a product such as yours, I'm thinking, you know, I'm thinking about all the young women that don't know how to do a winged eyeliner.
15:30
SPEAKER_02: Right.
15:30
SPEAKER_02: All you know what I mean?
15:32
SPEAKER_02: All the young women that don't know how to do their eye makeup and stuff.
15:34
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, it's a huge service that you provide in a way because these girls go onto YouTube and they want to learn from their favorite makeup artists.
15:41
SPEAKER_02: And, you know, you're you're giving them the tools they need to do it in an easier, simpler, and precise way.
15:47
SPEAKER_02: So I love that.
15:48
SPEAKER_01: Oh, thank you.
15:49
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it for me, you know, I my experience was just so such a positive experience around makeup and it's such a like embrace, enhance, celebrate oneself.
15:58
SPEAKER_01: Uh, it's it's been something I've enjoyed so much.
16:00
SPEAKER_01: So I I do think, you know, if it's something that I can share in people, and you know, it's unfortunate uh and and interesting at the same time that when we were in the design process, a lot of people, you know, we had we had users from across the board, right?
16:15
SPEAKER_01: So whether you were a novice or you were a makeup artist, we wanted you to come test.
16:19
SPEAKER_01: If you um had you know surgeon, you know, precision surgeon steady hands, yeah, or you were like me and Ed Parkinson's and your hands shook, uh had a shake, we wanted you to come in.
16:29
SPEAKER_01: If you had rheumatoid arthritis, if you were um, you know, had all the time in the world to play with makeup, or maybe you were somebody who said, listen, I don't do it because I don't have time, life is busy.
16:39
SPEAKER_01: We wanted to cast that wise net so that we could factor in for all of those needs.
16:44
SPEAKER_01: But a lot of the times in the early stages, one of the first things that would happen is we had to get um sort of break down a wall a little bit, a little barrier.
16:52
SPEAKER_01: And I realized a lot of people who were coming in were uncomfortable showing that they couldn't do this, that makeup was challenging.
17:02
SPEAKER_01: And I thought, what have we done to people?
17:05
SPEAKER_01: This is that's like this is it's probably the reason I got into makeup and not hair.
17:10
SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, you cut somebody's hair off, uh, you know, as I just actually did to myself, I'm gonna have to wait many months for that to grow away.
17:18
SPEAKER_01: Now I'm saying not my best decision ever, but yeah, it's okay.
17:22
SPEAKER_01: But with makeup, it's playtime.
17:24
SPEAKER_01: Like play, wash it off.
17:26
SPEAKER_01: And it's a form of artistry, and the more you play, the better you get.
17:29
SPEAKER_01: But somehow it's become this intimidating thing.
17:31
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, I realized it has to be about so you know, looking and we would watch people, we would watch users once they started playing.
17:39
SPEAKER_01: Like, where are the roadblocks?
17:40
SPEAKER_01: Where are the challenges?
17:41
SPEAKER_01: Where do they try to self-accommodate for maybe an inferior design or a design that's not meeting the need?
17:47
SPEAKER_01: And how can we reimagine and redesign and rebuild to meet that need?
17:51
SPEAKER_01: And then how can we create a community and an environment that says it's okay?
17:56
SPEAKER_01: Like, no, don't you don't have to be perfect.
17:58
SPEAKER_01: What's perfect anyway?
18:00
SPEAKER_01: Come in and play.
18:01
SPEAKER_01: So it it uh you know it it becomes a lot more meaningful for me in in that way that uh you know, I think I had lived again, so so excited to share.
18:10
SPEAKER_01: And maybe because I had been playing in a world with people who were also of a certain skill set, we might have not realized how intimidating it was.
18:18
SPEAKER_01: Um and until you know, you don't, you know, with all best intentions, I don't know I could have ever gotten here any other way.
18:25
SPEAKER_01: So uh that's the you know, it was a gift.
18:28
SPEAKER_02: Well, I love that I love that you brought up the education background that you have because I am a firm believer in someone who can teach is really, you know, what we need.
18:40
SPEAKER_02: Like we need teachers in every industry, I feel like, you know, I can tell you, you know, even outside of beauty in in medicine or in academics, like, you know, we there was that one professor or that one teacher that you they really knew how to teach their subject, and it was like, you know, you just loved going to their class, like you were so engaged, you know what I mean?
18:59
SPEAKER_02: So so yeah, like I feel like you know, education is something that not everybody can do.
19:05
SPEAKER_02: And when you can do it and apply it the way you have, I mean, that's that's truly it's it's a gift.
19:10
SPEAKER_02: It's a gift, really.
19:12
SPEAKER_01: It's so rewarding, right?
19:13
SPEAKER_01: Like in whatever field you're in, when you're when you're educating and you can pass it along and you watch somebody have that moment and and and and they're so excited, they learned, they they they get it, you know, their win is your win.
19:24
SPEAKER_01: But I mean there's kind of nothing more rewarding than that uh uh for me anyways, but uh yeah, yeah.
19:29
SPEAKER_01: So and but it was helpful.
19:31
SPEAKER_01: It was it was helpful.
19:32
SPEAKER_01: I think you know, there was a there was a path that I was going down uh that I didn't even realize I was going down, and life, you know, life lands you in certain places.
19:40
SPEAKER_01: Um, and so you know, uh it it is it is fun though now to realize that we can reimagine makeup application.
19:48
SPEAKER_01: It can be easier, it can be better, it can be faster.
19:50
SPEAKER_01: Um, and so uh yeah, I think Guide Beauty is is uh kind of um became the dream brand.
19:57
SPEAKER_01: I never even knew uh I I we could create.
20:01
SPEAKER_02: Isn't it isn't it so interesting um the inspiration that we get out of the most random things in life?
20:08
SPEAKER_02: You know, it's it's it's crazy, isn't it?
20:10
SPEAKER_02: Like you can never predict it.
20:12
SPEAKER_02: Um so I yeah, and I and I love that because that whole you know spontaneous aspect of creation is I think um really behind all of the innovation that we see.
20:22
SPEAKER_02: And I think, you know, it it really is about passion and following an instinct and following this, you know, this drive that all of a sudden you feel.
20:30
SPEAKER_02: And so I love that I love that you just went with the flow, you know, and I and I because you know, I see so many people that you know they unfortunately they'll have a diagnosis or something and you know, and anything in life, it's not just medical, and it it stops them.
20:43
SPEAKER_02: And instead of having a solution-oriented mentality, they they you know cling to this this mentality of well, my life is forever changed now, and I don't know where I'm gonna go.
20:54
SPEAKER_02: And so when I you know, when I see that, I mean, clearly you have a solution-oriented mentality, and that's that's beautiful, you know, and I think we need more of that.
21:03
SPEAKER_01: It's and it's interesting because I think, you know, obviously uh everybody, you know, life is is full of those moments, uh, right?
21:09
SPEAKER_01: Very and I I don't know who anybody who goes through completely unscathed, right?
21:13
SPEAKER_01: Uh things things are going to happen.
21:16
SPEAKER_01: Um, and then it's you know, there's always generally one of two options.
21:20
SPEAKER_01: You kind of, you know, you're we're certainly allowed and I think probably need to have that moment of uh of mourning and and and and we're allowed to feel that loss, but then what's next?
21:31
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, when I realized I I was I was no longer who I used to be, right?
21:37
SPEAKER_01: I'm no longer that and I'm never gonna be who I that person, but I can be somebody else and I can do something else.
21:45
SPEAKER_01: What is that?
21:46
SPEAKER_01: Who is that?
21:47
SPEAKER_01: What do I want to make from this?
21:48
SPEAKER_01: Because you can I can either sit in the sadness forever or I can I can find the beauty, and I'm you know, you know, obviously sometimes easier said than done, right?
21:57
SPEAKER_01: Like there are things that happen in life that just you know give somebody.
22:00
SPEAKER_01: Admit it, they're they're really challenging.
22:01
SPEAKER_01: But for this and for me, and from my own personal experience, um, when those challenges have have arisen, uh, and certainly this is not the only one, right?
22:10
SPEAKER_01: If I if I just give it a beat and just spend a moment and and wait and wait and look for it, there there has always been something beautiful that has been born from it.
22:20
SPEAKER_01: There has been always something I can take from it or make from it so that you know if it isn't good, I have to give it some purpose and some meaning.
22:26
SPEAKER_01: It has to, it, it has to have that for me.
22:29
SPEAKER_01: Um, and so in these moments, it's just it's probably my nature.
22:32
SPEAKER_01: It's funny, like something very tiny might set me off, you know, like something that doesn't matter at all that could send me, you know, under the table for days.
22:39
SPEAKER_01: But when the big moments hit is when I usually is when when my instinct is more to say, let's let's get moving.
22:46
SPEAKER_01: Let's let's Yeah, yeah.
22:48
SPEAKER_02: And I think that's the you know, I I love that.
22:51
SPEAKER_02: And I think women especially, we are so we're very inclined to do that because it's like we see a problem and then we're like, okay, next, you know.
23:00
SPEAKER_02: So I think that is a very, very um fundamental, like, you know, I this thing in in women.
23:06
SPEAKER_02: And I think it's because we're just we're we're problem solvers, you know.
23:10
SPEAKER_02: We would we want to fix it.
23:11
SPEAKER_02: It's not we don't want to suck in it, we don't want to sit in it, we want to find the solution.
23:15
SPEAKER_02: And so yeah, I I want to ask you though, Terry, how long did it take for you to come up with the tools and the really craft them beautifully to the point where you were very happy with the product?
23:25
SPEAKER_01: Uh three years.
23:28
SPEAKER_01: Three years, yeah.
23:29
SPEAKER_01: It took a it took a minute.
23:30
SPEAKER_01: It's funny, you know.
23:31
SPEAKER_01: I I when I started, you know, everybody said things are gonna, whatever, however much time it's gonna take, double it.
23:36
SPEAKER_01: They should have said triple it, quadruple it.
23:37
SPEAKER_01: Things take a minute for them.
23:39
SPEAKER_01: You know, I I wanted, I knew I wanted, you know, it had to be form and function needed to live together.
23:46
SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, the tools needed to to obviously, you know, we we knew because we were following human factors uh engineering and we were looking at inclusive design and universal design, you know, we we knew that that uh the grip we had to enhance grip, we knew we had to create points of stability, we knew we were trying to create something that wasn't, you know, was a comfortable hold, but you were trying to execute a certain technique.
24:07
SPEAKER_01: So if it was creating that wing, then the tool had to help guide your hand to that wing.
24:12
SPEAKER_01: Um so all that mattered.
24:14
SPEAKER_01: But that in that same moment, we want I wanted the products to be beautiful and feel luxurious and feel you know, that you pick it up, and that's a moment of celebration just by picking up this beautiful tool or or makeup uh when you go to apply.
24:31
SPEAKER_01: So that became a bigger challenge because there were certainly early prototypes over the three years that uh you could see functioning, but they were massive.
24:42
SPEAKER_01: And I'm not carrying that around, and I don't want that on my vanity.
24:46
SPEAKER_01: I want it to be beautiful as well.
24:48
SPEAKER_01: Those, you know, and and I think ultimately that enhanced the process, but there's also then you're trying to marry worlds of now there's design, the static design, there's function design, there's actually the manufacturing and and and engineering it and and and all the modifications that need to come in there.
25:05
SPEAKER_01: And then because we're sort of creating it from the ground up and we're doing something different, there's just they're like kind of felt like countless iterations to get it right, which is uh in a way almost a win.
25:16
SPEAKER_01: But you know, over those three years, we had over 200 test users.
25:19
SPEAKER_01: The guide wand, which is the way to get your eyeliner, whether it's a tight line or water line or classic line or a wing, um, that that particular um tool took uh over a hundred iterations to get it where we needed it to be.
25:36
SPEAKER_01: Because what you do is you you design and then you put it back in front of your test users and you watch and you you kind of hope in a sense that you you see them hit a roadblock.
25:47
SPEAKER_01: Because if you don't, uh and then at least in the beginning, then you haven't found the fix.
25:53
SPEAKER_01: If you see it, then you can find a better way, and it will always be an ever-evolving, growing process, right?
25:58
SPEAKER_01: But um, but we knew along the way, we kept going, and then then there was that moment where you hit it where people picked it up and it was intuitive, and the tool became an extension of their hand, and was they were able to execute it, and they had that like that aha excited moment where their eyes get wide because they just did something they thought they never could, or something they used to do and could no longer, like my mother who uh you know was in her 80s, wore makeup.
26:21
SPEAKER_01: She introduced me to makeup, she wore makeup her whole life, um, and then stopped many years ago doing eyeliner and mascara because of mostly because of her vision and because just naturally, not very few of us have a rock steady hand, right?
26:33
SPEAKER_01: Um wears it every day because she can, and it's a way she chooses to celebrate herself, so and and how she wants to walk out into this world.
26:40
SPEAKER_01: And so um, yeah, so it does take a minute uh when you're starting from scratch because nothing in this process was off the shelf.
26:48
SPEAKER_01: So because the tools and the forms were uh custom, the formulas to match them also had to be.
26:55
SPEAKER_01: And we also knew we wanted clean and vegan and cruelty-free, and so that's a whole other element because um, you know, there's certain things you just can't accept.
27:03
SPEAKER_01: Um it's worth it.
27:06
SPEAKER_01: It it certainly takes some time, but it's worth it if you're gonna do it.
27:09
unknown: Yeah.
27:09
SPEAKER_02: I mean, talk about perfectionism though, Terry.
27:12
SPEAKER_02: I mean, you've really, really, I mean, you you covered every aspect, it seems like, you know, and that that's a that's really, really a huge project.
27:20
SPEAKER_02: I mean, you know, I talked to I talk to people and um, you know, in terms of like my focus is always on, well, where's the consumer feedback?
27:27
SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean, when you're creating a brand, where is that?
27:30
SPEAKER_02: And the way you described it to me is like the most unbiased way of conducting, like, you know, in in your own way, a clinical trial.
27:37
SPEAKER_02: I that that's what it sounds like, you know what I mean?
27:40
SPEAKER_02: So it's like when people say, well, where are the clinical trials for this and that and that?
27:43
SPEAKER_02: I'm like, I'm gonna refer them to this episode because it's, you know, um, like I'm I'm glad that you picked people that weren't just um, you know, having trouble with makeup.
27:53
SPEAKER_02: You picked everybody, you know what I mean?
27:54
SPEAKER_02: You invited everybody, and that is really, I think, the goal of beauty, right?
27:59
SPEAKER_02: It's to empower everyone, um, regardless of your background or your hurdles or your, you know, every anything.
28:05
SPEAKER_02: It's it's that's the goal.
28:06
SPEAKER_02: And so um, I think you've definitely accomplished that.
28:09
SPEAKER_01: That's amazing.
28:10
SPEAKER_01: I mean, the beauty of it is is that it's you know, I certainly didn't and and because of that, I didn't do it, do it on my own, right?
28:17
SPEAKER_01: It's a the community helped build this better way.
28:21
SPEAKER_01: They were with from the beginning.
28:23
SPEAKER_01: Um, and and so you know it it does make all the all the difference.
28:28
SPEAKER_01: And I think what generally happens is a lot of times we create something and then we think, oh, who did we miss you?
28:35
SPEAKER_01: How can I make some sort of accommodation to this tool to allow you to to to to enter, right?
28:43
SPEAKER_01: But that doesn't feel, I mean it's an invitation, but it doesn't feel like the most heartwarming, welcoming invitation, right?
28:49
SPEAKER_01: And it doesn't ever work as well.
28:52
SPEAKER_01: Um, but you know, when you invite people in and and really have them develop, um, you know, it certainly you know it makes for the the better product, it makes for the for a better process.
29:03
SPEAKER_01: And again, I think the more people you can include, the you know, the the widest net you can cast, the just the better you're gonna be off no matter what you're creating and doing.
29:13
SPEAKER_02: Right, right.
29:13
SPEAKER_02: I totally agree.
29:14
SPEAKER_02: I I have a question actually, because you know, this is a very, very unique uh set of products that you've created.
29:21
SPEAKER_02: So how were there any challenges when you were trying to market this to everybody?
29:26
SPEAKER_02: I mean, did you run into any hurdles and stuff?
29:29
SPEAKER_01: It's funny, it's funny to ask.
29:30
SPEAKER_01: I, you know, I remember this whole time I was so excited and I felt like I I you know, we had we'd really spent so much time and and and the feedback during testing was so amazing.
29:41
SPEAKER_01: And and you know, ahead of our design team um, you know, is is brilliant and we just things were going so beautifully, you know, with obviously the challenges of time and and everything that goes and you know, obviously happen overnight.
29:53
SPEAKER_01: But um, I just was so sure that this was right.
29:56
SPEAKER_01: And then I remember, uh, and it was like two weeks before sort of shutdown from the pandemic, but uh we didn't even know what was about to happen, but we were on a plane, my husband was with me, he's uh you know, he he's part of our this business with me as well.
30:10
SPEAKER_01: We started together.
30:11
SPEAKER_01: Um, so we're we're on the plane going to New York from Florida where I am to meet with the beauty editors, and I remember having that, like after you know, three years of development, I looked to him and I said, What if they don't like it?
30:25
SPEAKER_01: All of a sudden I had that moment where my stomach dropped, and he looked at me and he's so sweet.
30:29
SPEAKER_01: He said, Well, then we'll go home, we'll have cocktail hour, and we'll talk about how you're gonna have makeup that you can play with for the rest of your life.
30:35
SPEAKER_01: It'll be okay.
30:37
SPEAKER_01: Badest husband ever.
30:39
SPEAKER_01: That's such a guy you're not kidding.
30:41
SPEAKER_01: He's a yeah, uh he's he's a he's a he's a keeper that he's a he's a good one.
30:45
SPEAKER_01: Um but so you don't like you get nervous, and are they gonna get it?
30:48
SPEAKER_01: You know, you're talking to people who have seen everything.
30:52
SPEAKER_01: Um, and it was it was really exciting to watch um this group, some who had different levels of physical imitation or or or um that needed some assistance, and and many of them, most of them who did not, but to watch one after another get it was really exciting um because I knew I knew because the commun, our community is who really, I mean, I gotta give our community credit for creating the products, right?
31:20
SPEAKER_01: So I knew I knew going out that the community was gonna was gonna be there, but there is always a little bit of a stigma, right?
31:27
SPEAKER_01: Like I'm so I I I could not have created this.
31:31
SPEAKER_01: I would not, I I'm positive I would not have landed here just because I didn't have that understanding if I hadn't had my diagnosis, if Parkinson's hadn't created enough of a disconnect so I could put myself in somebody else's shoes.
31:42
SPEAKER_01: Uh you know, from unique perspective.
31:43
SPEAKER_01: I'm I'm I'm the makeup artist who understands those mechanics of artistry, and now I'm somebody who understands what it feels like not to be able to achieve what I see.
31:51
SPEAKER_01: Right.
31:53
SPEAKER_01: So um, but in telling my story, you know, there are times where people kind of I think could shut down a little bit in the early days because I think they the assumption is because that's been how it's done so long for so long, is that if you are somebody who has a physical limitation, it's kind of an us or them moment, right?
32:12
SPEAKER_01: Oh, you're creating for the you know, quote unquote average user, which I don't know what that is, right?
32:17
SPEAKER_01: What's the average user not like like uh or you're creating for somebody who has something separate for this specific need, and those worlds don't cross.
32:26
SPEAKER_01: Um I will so there's always gonna be people, I I think really sort of you know the long way around to answer the question is I think the beautiful thing is uh people for the majority of people just got it.
32:40
SPEAKER_01: Um but there there are people and there had been people along the way who weren't gonna, you know, early it up, right?
32:47
SPEAKER_01: They weren't they weren't so sure that they were comfortable with it or they understood it.
32:52
SPEAKER_01: And and that's okay, right?
32:53
SPEAKER_01: Just uh just give people their their moment um and and hopefully, hopefully they want to come play at some point.
33:01
SPEAKER_01: And if not, that's you know, that's all right too.
33:02
SPEAKER_01: But uh overwhelmingly, things you know, people really did seem seem to get it.
33:07
SPEAKER_01: But certainly it was in my mind are are people gonna understand how this becomes a better process for the whole.
33:14
SPEAKER_02: Right, right.
33:15
SPEAKER_02: And I and I think, you know, for me, I hear, you know, on this podcast, it's really about for, you know, I think it's so important to understand the vision behind brands because I think that as a consumer, that really helps you figure out what you align with and what connects with you, you know what I mean?
33:32
SPEAKER_02: So like I I think um, you know, for everybody out there, it's kind of hard sometimes to look at a product and say, am I gonna go with this or not?
33:40
SPEAKER_02: But then once you hear the brand's journey and you hear the innovation and the and the vision of it, you really start connecting.
33:46
SPEAKER_02: And I think beauty is more than just something we put on our face.
33:50
SPEAKER_02: It's it it it you know, it reflects on our, you know, in our inner world and how we feel.
33:56
SPEAKER_02: And you know, it's everything.
33:57
SPEAKER_02: I'm echoing everything you just, you know, you told us about because I really believe the same things.
34:01
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I just I love it.
34:04
SPEAKER_02: I love that you were so, you know, determined and you just did what you knew was the next step in your artistry.
34:11
SPEAKER_02: And I am so happy that people jumped on board with this because I, you know, what I'm not kidding.
34:17
SPEAKER_02: When I first saw it, I was like, I've never seen something like this.
34:19
SPEAKER_02: And I know I was always wondering, like, you know, is it because of my science background that I'm able to appreciate this brand?
34:25
SPEAKER_02: Because it was amazing, you know?
34:28
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
34:28
SPEAKER_02: So um, I just want to ask you one more question, Terry.
34:31
SPEAKER_02: And that's really for your advice, because there are so many young women out there that are, you know, they're kind of going through the whole discovery of what they find to be beautiful in themselves, and you know, all these, you know, all these milestones that we hit as we're growing up.
34:45
SPEAKER_02: So, do you have any advice for them?
34:47
SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, from your professional experience?
34:50
SPEAKER_02: In in finding your path and finding your way and yeah, and finding your own, you know, what you think is beautiful, and you know, just anything that has to do with what you, you know, what you've encountered in your life, and and you know.
35:02
SPEAKER_01: Well, it's interesting.
35:03
SPEAKER_01: Somebody asked me um a little while ago, if you could go back and talk to your younger self, yeah, what what would you what would you tell them?
35:12
SPEAKER_01: What would you what would you say to them?
35:14
SPEAKER_01: What what would you tell them to do differently?
35:15
SPEAKER_01: And I and I said thought about it for a second and I said, I wouldn't.
35:19
SPEAKER_01: I wouldn't go back and talk to my younger self because I needed to go on that path.
35:25
SPEAKER_01: I needed to take I take it and experience it.
35:27
SPEAKER_01: And for the same reason that you know you can tell somebody so many things, right?
35:32
SPEAKER_01: But there's there's nothing that replaces going through and experiencing it and the learning that happens from that.
35:39
SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, life is full of ups and downs.
35:42
SPEAKER_01: It's gonna, it's gonna happen, and sometimes it's gonna really stink, and that is okay.
35:47
SPEAKER_01: Um you know, I would say when those harder moments happen, reaching out and finding community is a beautiful thing to do and extremely helpful.
35:55
SPEAKER_01: It's not something I necessarily did as well when I was younger, but found through great friends who were better at it than I am as I get older.
36:04
SPEAKER_01: Um, but you know, there is it follow your path, your find what you enjoy, discover, play, and and and and don't be afraid to try because at the end of the day, you know, I will I will never regret trying, right?
36:23
SPEAKER_01: I will certainly I will never regret asking, I will never regret playing, I will never get regret giving it a chance, but I certainly don't want to live with a what-ifs.
36:32
SPEAKER_01: Uh, and you don't have to know everything.
36:35
SPEAKER_01: But along the way, if you find something that you're passionate about and it feels overwhelming, reach out and just start talking to people.
36:41
SPEAKER_01: You will be amazed.
36:43
SPEAKER_01: Not everybody will pick it up, but if you keep dropping it, there will be people who will who want to come play in your world and will help you in your in your path in that way.
36:50
SPEAKER_02: So that's great advice.
36:53
SPEAKER_02: I love that, you know.
36:54
SPEAKER_02: And you know, I've I've experienced that too with this whole podcast.
36:57
SPEAKER_02: You know, when I reached out to all of you, um, you know, all of my phenomenal guests, and you guys have been so, you know, just I don't know, I'm very humbled that people have said yes to coming onto my show.
37:08
SPEAKER_02: And so I completely resonate with everything you just um advised.
37:12
SPEAKER_02: So thank you for that.
37:13
SPEAKER_02: Um, and I'm sure out somewhere out someone listening out there is definitely gonna connect as well.
37:18
SPEAKER_01: I hope so.
37:18
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it isn't it funny how we all are, right?
37:20
SPEAKER_01: Because the thing is, you know, you you reach out and I'm so excited to talk to you, and we're excited to talk to me, and we're all, you know, we we're we find ourselves, we're into we have the same interests and we want to learn from one another.
37:31
SPEAKER_01: And and that is what it's all about, uh especially now, right?
37:35
SPEAKER_01: During this time when it's harder to find those.
37:38
SPEAKER_02: And you know, everyone's focusing on the negative, but I'm I I just want to say, you know, humanity's kindness will always shock you, you know.
37:47
SPEAKER_02: As I think, I think all of us want to focus on, well, we're not doing this right or we're not doing this right in the world.
37:53
SPEAKER_02: But it's like there's a lot of things that we're doing right, and there's a lot of amazing people.
37:57
SPEAKER_02: And you know, to be scared to reach out, I mean you should never be scared because there are phenomenal people out there that have kindness in their heart.
38:04
SPEAKER_01: So yeah, it's beautifully beautifully said because it is a good reminder, right?
38:08
SPEAKER_01: It's easy to get wrapped up in the negative, but uh that just that that is a disservice to so many who and and so much that is beautiful.
38:16
SPEAKER_02: Right.
38:17
SPEAKER_02: Well, thank you, Terry, so much.
38:18
SPEAKER_02: This has been truly wonderful.
38:21
SPEAKER_02: Um, I love everything about um you know our interview.
38:24
SPEAKER_02: This was so cool to me.
38:26
SPEAKER_02: So, and I was actually I was hoping you'd come on the show for a long time.
38:29
SPEAKER_02: Um, I just didn't know like, you know, who to reach out to, but I'm so glad that I connected and and that you said yes.
38:35
SPEAKER_01: Oh, then you're me too.
38:36
SPEAKER_01: Anytime you want to talk, you know where to find me.
38:38
SPEAKER_02: I'm yes, I'll I'll be honored to have you back anytime at all that your schedule allows.
38:45
SPEAKER_02: Um you just you know, you keep me posted and I will keep you posted.
38:48
SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, everybody listening out there, definitely go check out Guide Beauty if you have not already.
38:53
SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's a beautiful, beautiful line.
38:55
SPEAKER_02: You can already, as soon as you see it, you're gonna be able to tell, trust me.
38:58
SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, and leave us some feedback um on the our cover art for this episode.
39:04
SPEAKER_02: If you have any questions for myself or Terry, I will definitely pass them along to her.
39:08
SPEAKER_02: And um, yeah, thank you everyone for listening.
39:10
SPEAKER_02: Thank you, Terry.
39:12
SPEAKER_02: Thanks so much.
39:23
SPEAKER_02: Hey guys, so I hope you love that episode.
39:25
SPEAKER_02: Please make sure to hit subscribe if you're tuning in to us on any podcast platform.
39:30
SPEAKER_02: We are available on so many different platforms.
39:33
SPEAKER_02: So wherever it is that you're tuning in, just go hit subscribe.
39:36
SPEAKER_02: You will be immediately notified when we publish new episodes.
39:39
SPEAKER_02: This way you're able to tune in to amazing insights from experts, brand founders, industry leaders, authors, all the wonderful people that we host.
39:47
SPEAKER_02: And that's very important for me because I love to hear from you guys and really understand what you love and what you want to hear more of.
39:55
SPEAKER_02: Also, make sure to give us a follow on all of our social media outlets.
39:58
SPEAKER_02: We're available on Instagram, TikTok, X, you name it, we're there.
40:02
SPEAKER_02: We also have a blog on Medium.
40:04
SPEAKER_02: So if you're a reader and you love Medium blogs, check us out on Medium.
40:08
SPEAKER_02: We publish some really great articles on there that do deeper dives than just what's available on the podcast, and it's really a great place for all of you science geeks out there that want to learn a little bit more.
40:18
SPEAKER_02: We go above and beyond with our research and making sure we're bringing you information that you usually probably won't hear about in other outlets.
40:25
SPEAKER_02: So check us out, leave us a comment, leave us a review, and we'll be back next time with another episode.
40:30
SPEAKER_02: Thank you.