The makeup artist talks to InStyle about launching her new brand Neen, using social media in the makeup industry and her sustainability efforts.
Courtesy of Jeanine Current
Makeup is more than just a way to even out your complexion or add a touch of color to your eyes and lips. It’s also a form of expression that can affect how you feel – instantly. This belief is especially true for celebrity makeup artist Jeanine Lobell.
“I always say that makeup is a mood-altering chemical. You can paint emotions on your face and then feel them,” says Lobell InStyle“From confidence to feeling more mature, more glamorous, more friendly, more fun – whatever you want.”
Lobell, best known for founding cosmetics brand Stila in 1994, has seen many changes in the beauty industry. Since she parted ways with Stila 24 years ago, social media has created a way for people to connect and share ideas about makeup. Whether you have a million followers or just 10, she says the opportunities to build and be part of a makeup family are endless.
That’s what led her to her latest project, Neen, a makeup line that includes refillable products for eyes, lips and cheeks, as well as a subscription service. “I wanted to bring together the amazing people I meet every day (and) share their stories and connect through makeup, which I’ve always seen as a way to express yourself,” she says.
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Beauty fans flock to Neen to find makeup that not only stays on and looks great, but also has a sense of community. The brand’s website is full of fun tutorials that help consumers learn new techniques or try out different looks. There’s even a monthly subscription card that gives you a card with five peel-off tabs of limited-use makeup that can cover your entire look or be worn alone. Everything offered is affordable and made with sustainability in mind.
In conversation with InStyle, Lobell talks about how she built a strong makeup community, Neen’s sustainability efforts, and offers advice for others looking to break into the space. Read our interview below.
InStyle: The makeup market can be crowded. What makes Neen stand out from the rest?
Jeanine Lobell: Our products are really outstanding. I’ve been doing this for a long time and I have really high standards. But even I sometimes try one of our eyeshadows and think, “Wow.” More importantly, the community around us is really different. As a brand, we don’t talk about ourselves much; we also have a community that shares their stories. They’re real, they’re authentic and people can really relate to them.
It’s a young girl going to a rave party, it’s an older professional, it’s a woman at home in jeans and a t-shirt, it’s someone dressing up in full glamour – when you hear these people talk, you think, ‘Wow, that person is incredible.’ It also makes you realise that as a unique human being, you are incredible too. I think that resonates with people a lot better than brands telling them to use this (or) look like this.
What was the biggest challenge in developing this line?
A big challenge for us has been our commitment to sustainability. We start all of our developments with this in mind – it’s not an afterthought. But the (beauty) industry really isn’t geared up that way. When we want to avoid plastic and use more sustainable materials, there are often no easy options. Instead, there’s a simple plastic solution for every product. For example, I have an amazing mascara formula that I’ve wanted to make for over a year – more on that shortly – but it really can’t be done without plastic.
How were you able to find a solution back then?
We’re working with Oceanworks, a company that goes out to sea and collects plastic from the plastic islands that are destroying the oceans, and then melts it into pellets that you can then reuse. So when you use our (future) mascara, you’re not creating more plastic waste; you’re helping to get plastic out of the ocean and waterways and put it back into the recycling loop – or, in the worst case, a more suitable landfill. But it really takes a lot of push to implement solutions like this.
What moment are you most proud of since founding Neen?
I’m super proud to have created such an amazing (brand) that really delivers on its promises. It was a new challenge for me to work with cleaner formulas. I think the perception is that clean is not as powerful as traditional formulas and I think I’ve changed that with Neen.
What advice do you have for aspiring brand founders?
I would say you have to be really passionate about it and solve what you see as a real problem or provide something that is really missing. We are starting to see a lot of negative consequences of the many brands being built around influencers and celebrities.
There was no real reason for the brand to exist beyond the reach of that person. Consumers want to connect with brands, they want to understand the story. It’s no longer enough to just be able to sell them something.
Beauty Boss profiles the minds behind the brands making waves in the beauty industry. From the ideas that originally inspired brands to how they create the best-selling hair, makeup and skincare products, find out how these thought leaders do it.
Additional reporting by Kayla Greaves
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