Victoria Curtis marked a decade in the beauty business by celebrating the momentous occasion in New Zealand, hosting the retailer conference at the QT hotel in Queenstown. She chats to Anita Quade about her business journey and her most prized memories.
How it all began…
“As a teenager my very first job was in a hair and beauty salon, an environment that I grew to love. I recall watching with fascination as women transformed their appearance and as a result built their confidence and self esteem. My passion for the beauty industry was ignited during this time.
Following my high school years I studied makeup artistry as a hobby as it was a passion of mine. I completed a double degree in Accounting and Marketing and had the chance to study abroad in the US. On my return I was fortunate enough to be offered a graduate position at L’Oreal Australia, in the Marketing Department of the Professional Products Division. This allowed me to once again connect with the salon and spa industry. This time however, I gained insight into the other side of the industry by offering support and business development programs to salon owners. I took a keen interest in the philosophy of these salons and what they were trying to achieve for their clients. It was during this time that I discovered a gap in the market.”
Launching a signature brand
“I felt that there was an opportunity to launch a luxury cosmetics brand exclusively for salons and Medi Spas. My vision and point of difference was to combine the chic and style of designer cosmetics
with the high quality, pharmaceutical grade ingredients that complimented a salon services and acted as the final step in their clients treatment plan.
This vision came to life some three years later through my own research and development. I travelled the globe to source products, packaging and formulas that I felt were exactly what I would love to use and carry in my personal makeup bag, with the most powerful skincare benefits available on the market. After testing the formulas on my own skin, which I had battled with for years to keep clear, I discovered a formula that in conjunction with my skincare treatments, allowed me to finally achieve results in the form of clear, glowing skin. The secret is in our vita-mineral infused formulations which are designed to feed your skin with antioxidants, offer SPF protection, hydration and nourishment, while delivering the most flawless finish.
The Curtis mineral finish is best described as having the most complimentary lighting on your complexion all day long. We like to refer to it as the Curtis Collection “Signature Candle Lit Glow.” A soft focus finish that allows you to Future Proof Your Beauty by protecting your skin against age aggressors. Our message
to young women is to be proactive and prevent the ageing process rather than than being reactive and have to then attempt to reverse it.”
Major milestones over the past 10 years
“I have been fortunate enough to celebrate some incredible
achievements for the brand over the past decade including:
♦ Winning ABIA Makeup Artist of the Year
♦ Being featured as one of 40 high achieving business women in the book – “The Game Changers”
♦ Official Makeup Sponsor of major Australian Fashion Brands at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Sydney
♦ Becoming the fastest growing Australian Professional Makeup Brand with over 150 retailers in New Zealand and 300 in Australia.”
The point of difference…
“The Curtis Collection brand philosophy is to offer “MORE THAN MAKEUP” to our clients and stockists in every way possible.
For our customers we are committed to creating performance based makeup with real skin care benefits.
My main focus in 2016 was to create an interactive online experience for our customers like never before. Our exclusive website allows clients to discover products that offer solutions to their specific beauty concerns using our “Beauty Solutions Guide” and video tutorials. In addition to this, I also created a
unique “Makeup Styling Guide”. This one of a kind online tool, creates a wardrobe of makeup looks for the user by recommending the shades in the Curtis Collection range that will enhance their features. It determines results by asking the user to select their skin shade, undertone, hair colour and eye colour. Based on our professional recommendations, the results are calculated and the user is presented with their perfect matches in our collection!
Having the ability to offer clients fashion forward cosmetics with skin care benefits really is a winning combination for our salons. It means that they can remain competitive in the world of cosmetics
and their clients are able to recreate the most on trend looks using mineral makeup that is benefitting their skin.
I believe that over the past 10 years Curtis Collection has set a new standard in the salon and spa industry. We strive to offer the very best products, service and experience for our customers and salons, online, in store and at home and will continue to do so, for the next 10 years and beyond.”
This article first appeared in the November-December 2022 print edition of Professional Beauty.
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