Yolanda Halston
Meet the Brains Behind One of The Biggest Beauty Breakthroughs of All Time
Before joining leading beauty, wellness, and lifestyle brand Jeunesse Global as an exclusive celebrity cosmetics collaborator and co-creator of the bestselling, celeb-coveted NV airbrush-inspired makeup line, beauty innovator and badass businesswoman Yolanda Halston was living the life in “La La” land, otherwise known as Los Angeles, as one of the entertainment industry’s most sought-after makeup artists to the sexiest stars in town. After an unfortunate turn of events led her to make a major, life-changing move, Halston – once again – found fame, fortune, and beauty bliss amidst the rumble. Learn how this brilliant cosmetics creator and makeup maven made it her mission to turn a devastating loss into a financial victory.
Known on (and off) the red carpet, as well as on-set and behind-the-scenes, for her signature, fabulously flawless-looking makeup masterpieces spotted on some of the most memorable, famous faces, and the former roomie of 80s big-screen queen Daryl Hannah, Yolanda Halston’s illustrious career in beauty and fashion spans three decades. A self-professed, lifelong beauty product junkie, along with a resume of over 300 films and television shows as a professionally-trained, theatrical makeup artist, Halston acquired an extensive knowledge of the skin’s powerful functionality, including the “do’s and don’ts” of making makeup magic for every complexion. She also gained a sixth sense of the billion-dollar beauty market’s unrealistic promises and product limitations, ultimately finding a cutting-edge way to disrupt the system with her entrepreneurial prowess and beauty product ingenuity.
A Beauty Innovation that Blew Everyone Away
Years of working on high-fashion and editorial shoots for all the fabled, high-gloss publications, such as In Style, Glamour, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and others, afforded Yolanda indispensable exposure to many opportunities and high-profile figures. After a close friend and A-lister underwent harsh laser skin treatments, Halston sought to help the actress heal and conceal her inflamed, blistered complexion so she could get back on-set sooner rather than later. Laser treatments in the 90s were just getting underway and hadn’t yet reached the “lunchtime facial” status of today. Recovery was time-consuming, often leaving just-treated skin in what seemed a perpetual state of distress. In order to help her friend and starlet get back to work, Halston visited with renowned Beverly Hills plastic surgeons, along with digging deep in her makeup bag of tricks and tools to try and find a synergistic healing and concealing skin solution. However, to no avail.
It was then that Halston accepted the challenge to create her own skin-saving makeup solution that not only effectively offered undetectable, long-lasting, camera-ready coverage, but transformative healing powers. With the help of superstar skincare chemists and beauty experts, Halston founded the original “airbrush-in-a-can” innovation in 2002. Her “aerobrushing” makeup plus skincare hybrid, Era Beauty, included travel-friendly, convenient cans of “spray-on” foundation that effortlessly delivered pro-grade, airbrush effects at your fingertips. It truly was a beauty no-brainer! The new, no-mess makeup was a long-awaited miracle from makeup artists to models to soccer moms. Halston quickly found herself a famous following that included A-listers, like Oprah, Angelina Jolie, Gwen Stefani, Demi Moore, as well as fellow makeup artists Pat McGrath, Dick Page, and Jeanine Lobell. Her pioneering products’ fuss-free, unique application and camera-ready results made her aerobrushing technology instantly addictive and obsession-worthy amongst beauty buffs everywhere, as the spray-on airbrush makeup in the recognizable “tall silver can” was spotted on countless film and television sets and in makeup bags everywhere. Whether prepping for a photo shoot, hi-def television, or cinematic film, posing on the red carpet, or running errands, Halston knows exactly what a product needs to have - and do - to “pull it off.” In 2009, Halston launched the AeroMinerale line as a follow-up to her prestigious, star-status Era Beauty aerobrushing essentials.
With an unmistakable talent for spotting trends in beauty, fashion, and business, Halston’s revolutionary aerobrushing technology was featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and just about every major fashion and beauty -based publication on the planet. Halston even had the distinguished honor of her game-changing, complexion-perfecting products being named one of eleven products “that have changed our lives in the last 80 years” in the 80th anniversary issue of Good Housekeeping. Her groundbreaking beauty line shares that very accolade with beauty icons Chanel No5, Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, and Johnson & Johnson Baby Lotion (in the pink bottle!).
Unfortunately, Yolanda learned the beauty brand-building process wasn’t always pretty. Despite her dedication to honing her craft in cosmetics artistry, naturally beautifying the skin, and hands-on expertise on the visages of countless celebs and supermodels, Halston soon learned the beauty biz could be an ugly place. She ran into patenting issues with other, more established brands who sought to capitalize on her aerobrushing concept. Then, Halston found herself unceremoniously homeless when she lost her home in one of Malibu’s fires. It was at this time, the makeup pioneer packed whatever she was able to salvage and took a leap of faith. All the way to Florida.
A Sunshine State of Mind
A few years prior to re-locating to the Sunshine State, Halston’s entrepreneurial savvy and aerobrushing sensation caught the attention of another beauty entrepreneur – Wendy Lewis, co-founder of health, beauty, and wellness giant Jeunesse Global. Smitten with the makeup maestro’s captivating work, Wendy extended Halston an exclusive invitation to join the Jeunesse team as a licensed cosmetics creator, collaborator, and business partner. Halston took Wendy up on the once-in-a-lifetime offer and began working closely with the Jeunesse doc himself – Dr. Newman – to formulate a truly unique, cutting-edge cosmetics plus skincare hybrid. The aerobrushing product line would seamlessly blend beautifying botanicals, vitamins, minerals, anti-aging antioxidants, stem cells, and a proprietary polypeptide complex with high-performance cosmetic ingredients for the ultimate, one-stop-shop makeup PLUS skincare must-have. And, Jeunesse NV was born. Officially leaving Los Angeles after the inauspicious loss of her home proved to be a blessing in disguise, as Halston is now able to work more closely with the Jeunesse family and resides mere minutes from the sprawling Jeunesse headquarters.
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Today, the award-winning, water-based NV aerobrushing line consists of: a “pore-fecting” primer to smooth, fill, and blur; foundation (in nine, made-to-match shades) to cover, conceal, and correct; bronzer to sculpt, contour, and color; and a luminous shimmer to highlight and enhance, giving the complexion the perfecting finishing touch. The exquisite body bronzer spray features a sun-kissed bronzer PLUS body-perfecting foundation in one beach-ready bottle. Customers can choose from two “just-back-from-Bora-Bora” shades. All Jeunesse NV products, aside from the body products, are ingeniously infused with the brand’s proprietary, skin-perfecting APT-200 polypeptide complex, so you can heal as you conceal!
The Jeunesse Journey Continues
Not only the co-creator of the cult-fave NV line, Halston continues to serve as the brains behind her airbrush-inspired, indie face product line’s day-to-day business operations, as she works closely with distributors, influencers, media personalities, affiliates, and the Jeunesse family of consultants. Currently, Halston is strategically working on increasing North American exposure for the NV line with the help of another beauty product-obsessed GoGirl – GoGirl Worldwide Magazine Founder and CEO, Jennifer Murphy. With the recent co-branding partnership between GoGirl Worldwide Magazine and Jeunesse Global this past winter, the NV line is sure to enjoy much-deserved American star-studded recognition and we cannot wait to see what’s in store for both female-forward brands.
Get to Know Jeunesse NV
Named 2017 Best New Product of the Year by The International Business Awards, the entire Jeunesse NV line is loved for its innovative, aerobrushing technology that delivers long-lasting, pro-grade results – FAST! With a single spray, you’re seconds away from supermodel-sexy skin. From the catwalk to the boardwalk, Jeunesse NV provides all the makeup bag essentials to get you gorgeous and glowing on-the-go. Oil-free, fuss-free, and water-resistant, NV will never budge or smudge under pressure. The beauty and wellness giant’s trade secret ATP-200 polypeptide complex plus scientifically advanced stem cell technology, transform the skin over time for a more youthful-looking, ageless effect. Be sure to check out our exclusive Jen’s Jeunesse Gems editorial in this edition for all in-depth, beauty insider deets, including full product descriptions, how-to’s, tips, tricks, and fun, fast facts about each NV makeup essential. From magazine cover to the red carpet to the cubicle to class, get the complexion-perfection you crave with a boost of anti-aging benefits to boot!
Lightning Round Q&A
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We sat down with the extremely busy beauty innovator and businesswoman for a one-on-one chat about building a beauty business, her tried-and-true tips and tricks for getting flawless on-the-fly, and more. Take a look:
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GOGIRL: Not every would-be entrepreneur possesses a degree in business or marketing. So, what are some of your go-to tips for a GoGirl/GoGuy aspiring to start hers/his own beauty line – whether makeup, skincare, haircare, body care, or wellness/lifestyle products? What are the top three things one should do to get started on launching their business?
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YH: Offer something unique. The beauty industry is so saturated with amazing products and buyers are continuously seeking something “different” and disruptive in product, design, and branding that they’ve never seen before. Also, be an expert. People want to learn from someone who offers solutions and demonstrates innovative techniques. Keep in mind, if it can be imagined, it can be done. Don’t take “no” for an answer.
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GOGIRL: If you weren’t a celebrated makeup artist-to-the-stars and Jeunesse cosmetics creator connoisseur, what would you be doing instead? In another life, what would Yolanda be doing?
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YH: Definitely something creative! I am equally passionate about cooking as I am about beauty, so I would be a chef.
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GOGIRL: For a woman who knows a thing or two about the beautification of the skin, can you please share your morning and evening skincare routines with our GoGirl readers?
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YH: Consistency is key. I prefer a 3-step routine: cleanse with a foaming wash using a makeup removing-mitten; treat with a stem cell serum; and moisturize with a hydrating moisturizer. I’ve found that if I keep my skincare regimen simple, I never skip a step. Since I travel so often for Jeunesse, I always pack my six go-to products that I know I will use: Luminesce Youth Restoring Cleanser, Luminesce Cellular Rejuvenating Serum, Luminesce SPF 30 Daily Moisturizing Complex, Luminesce Advanced Night Repair, NV Makeup Removing Mitten, and, of course, all my NV products. Since my NV products are skincare-infused, I consider them more like skincare products than makeup.
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GOGIRL: For GoGirls on-the-go or who are short on time, what are the Jeunesse NV essentials that every GoGirl should have in their makeup bag to get them flawless in a flash?
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YH: I always have my NV Primer, three shades of NV BB Perfecting Mist (one that matches my skin tone, a lighter shade for concealing, and a darker hue for shading), NV Bronzer, and my NV Shimmer. My new fave thing is the NV Body Bronzing Mist in the stunning Maui shade and applying it with the NV Body Brush for that flawless, allover airbrush effect. And, I have two brushes – one for my face and one for my body – to seamlessly blend everything together.
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GOGIRL: Which Jeunesse NV product is your most prized creation and why? The one product you’re most proud of?
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YH: I’m obsessed with the new NV Body Bronzing Mist and the NV Brush! The NV Brush is made of premium Faux Blue Point Squirrel and is strategically tapered to all the makeup to melt into the skin for an undetectable, flawless finish.
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GOGIRL: What do you love most about creating and collaborating with Wendy and the Jeunesse team? Is there anything about the development process you particularly love? Or don’t love?
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YH: I love the sense of family at Jeunesse. I knew from the first moment I met Wendy, Randy, and Scott that Jeunesse was where I belonged. The process of developing products is my favorite. I love chemistry and the problem-solving aspect of the entire process.
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GOGIRL: Throughout your journey, which is arguably impressive, is there anything you would have done differently?
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YH: There are things I would have done differently. That said, I love where I am TODAY.
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GOGIRL: Launching a brand or bestselling line with a legendary beauty, lifestyle, and wellness empire can seem intimidating. Can you offer any advice to help nix nerves or quiet those “negative Nancy’s” that just love to take up free rent in our heads? How about overcoming setbacks and unforeseen obstacles?
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YH: Be true to yourself. Believe in your dream. No one is going to do it for you. You’ve got to just do the work. I’m reminded of a movie where I was on set as the Key Makeup Artist for the Addams Family Reunion. I was 26 years old. It was pouring rain all day, every day for the first two weeks. And, it was an OUTDOORS shoot, no less! I was so overwhelmed just thinking about how much work had to be done. I had 6 hours of makeup before my day even begun. My inner mantra repeated, “just DO the work.” It was one of the greatest lessons of my professional life.
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To learn more about Yolanda, her gift for getting gals (and guys) gorgeous, and to steal her beauty secrets, tips, and tricks, be sure to follow her on the ‘Gram @YolandaHalston. Find her profile and all her NV indie face products at GoGirl.Jeunesseglobal.com/NV. Be the ENVY™.