As a beauty blogger and writer I’m always on the look out for stand out products and it’s a bonus for me if it’s also Canadian and locally made. Pelle Beauty is one of those stand out product lines and I’m excited to feature the founder of Pelle Beauty – Marnie Cipriani.
Please share with me your story and how you started Pelle Beauty.
I’m educated in both business and makeup artistry. My love for the creative was more dominant so I pursued the beauty industry right when I got out of school. I’ve always had very sensitive skin and have had to cherry pick skincare products that wouldn’t cause a reaction. I worked for a company where I could use their makeup but not their skincare – I was that sensitive. Before the start-up of Pelle Beauty I had been making my own products for personal use. When freelancing, I found that there were clients of mine who were in the same boat as me, and it just started to catch on. That is when I thought about having a business. It took a long time before the business came to fruition as this is a very niche market and I’m extremely particular. I love doing this and with the website, it’s really amazing how many people I have met from across the globe who have similar concerns.
Has “clean living” always been important to you? And how can someone make small and easy changes to leading a cleaner lifestyle?
Clean living has always been important to me. I am always on the lookout for new things to try in my personal time etc. My journey into clean living has been gradual over the years. I think that is why I have been able to successfully stay with it. It never feels like a chore. I am also realistic, not everything can be done perfectly 100% of the time. We live is a society where it would be very difficult to live that way. I always tell people to start out small. For example, stop using air fresheners and look into cleaner alternatives to refresh your room. Try out the green household cleaners see how you like them. Skin care and toiletries are usually the last thing people will swap out, so I always advise doing it one product at a time.
What inspires you when creating new products for Pelle Beauty? Can you briefly take us through your creative process?
Great question. One main influence is from my customers. I listen to what they say. If it feels right I then go into looking for a solution and research. One part of the planning is having a lot of testers and getting candid feedback. This can take awhile. With this feedback I then go on to do more editing & revising of the product. Right now I have two products that I am working on behind the scenes! It’s very fulfilling.One thing I like to do whenever possible is to make products multitasking. I feel this is important. The ingredients also have to be very effective and luxurious. When planning a product I don’t focus on the cost of ingredients. Instead I focus on the payoff you can receive on your skin. Some of the ingredients I source out come from across the globe. It is my intention to give you a product that is jam-packed and loaded with goodness. For example, we will be releasing Bloom Beauty Mist & Foaming Cleanser early this Summer. Both of these products are for all skin-types and provide you with a relaxing aromatherapy experience – something that is nice for anytime of the day. They also contain beautiful plant distillates, aloe & botanical extracts to boost your skins hydration level. The mist can be used after cleansing and to set your makeup.
What do you do to relax and unwind?
To relax and unwind, I love to read! I spend a lot of time on the computer so it’s nice to actually hold a paper book in my hands and read. Right now I’m reading the Game of Thrones series. I’m currently into the second book. I also love to experience new foods. That is the one thing I love about the Toronto area, there is always something really tasty to try.
You have gorgeous skin! Obviously that’s attributed to Pelle beauty products 😉 but what other beauty secrets are you willing to share?
Thank you for the compliment. You know this actually ties in with clean living. For me personally, I do not wish to get fillers or injections. I’m not judging anyone who has them, but rather they are not for me. I am a huge advocate for doing facial exercises. If you stick with them, they are very effective. I’ve been doing them for a few years and I love the natural results they provide. I’ve been able to have fuller lips and keep my face toned. The other benefit is that they provide circulation to your face, much like a good massage!
(Editor’s note – check our Marnie’s interview about facial exercises over at Ella Pretty Blog!)
Thank you so much Marnie for taking the time and allowing us to get to know you a bit better! If you’d like to meet Marnie in person, check out Pelle Beauty for yourself and be the FIRST to try out the new BLOOM products join me at the Blush Pretty BFF event taking place Wednesday May 28th from 5 – 7pm! The Blush Pretty studio is located at 777 Richmond Street West, Toronto Suite 2023.
To RSVP simply go to the facebook page invite or to beautymail@blushpretty.com.
Hope to see you there!