bareMinerals' Leslie Blodgett Says: What's Missing in Beauty is the "Chuckle Factor"
See how Facebook is making her creative again
I'm engaged by the Internet again. Years ago, when I created bareMinerals, the Internet became an obsession: I was constantly online at all hours, day and night, talking with new customers, answering questions and sharing personal stories. I absolutely loved it, but I was feeling overwhelmed.
Fast forward to today and it's a different time, a different era and I'm in a different place in my life. I stopped listening to the news (since it started depressing me) and I turned back to the Internet. Now, instead of overwhelming me, it's pure entertainment. I relax in front of the computer when I'm home and scream with laughter as I check my Facebook page. It's just so cool that I can be friends with a 15-year-old and a 60-year-old, and that we all have something in common. We want to feel special. It's entertaining to talk to women with similar interests. It's not always about beauty, but random things we find interesting -- a new restaurant or the fact that I thought I found cellulite on my neck the other day. Cracking up about stuff like this on a daily basis makes me feel creative again. And I believe the greatest things in life happen during times of discovery and creativity.
Our company and the individuals in our company are risk-takers. We're constantly pushing it while giving permission to others to push it too. We are always looking for something unexpected because what we think is missing in beauty is the chuckle factor.
Perfect example: We are launching a lip balm next year and I want it to be fun. We all know it's not going to warrant an Academy Award or anything, but we wanted to do something unexpected, so we named it Frank. Everyone knows what lip balm is and what it does so we don't feel the need to explain. Plus, we have always been "frank" with our customers, so it works. Mostly though, it makes me laugh and we hope you will laugh along with us.
I'm feeling upbeat and encouraged about what's happening today. Things are really tough, but it's all about looking at the bright side. If I can put a smirk on someone's face, make someone happy for a split second, it's all worth it. We all say "life is short" but dismiss it because it's so cliche, but really, it's so true.
