Jane Iredale is the president and founder of Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, a company she founded in 1994 which brought the mineral make-up line to the aesthetic industry. Jane has always thought of make-up as an essential part of a woman's sense of well-being and she wanted to make that easy to achieve. That's why her mineral powders are a foundation, powder, concealer and sunscreen all in one, and why every product in the line is multi-functional.
We stole five minutes with her to find out what else sets this popular brand apart from the rest, and what we can expect to see from them this year.
When you began Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, what did you notice was missing from the make-up industry and do you think you have filled that niche?
A make-up that was good for the skin was missing and we have definitely filled that niche. I wanted to develop something that would be an extension of skin care. That you could wear after a facial or salon treatment. That was nurturing and protective. That looked good, performed well and was as clean as possible. Nothing existed like that. But the most important thing was that it should look beautiful and feel good on the skin. I have to believe we've filled that niche since we are now sold all over the US and in 52 countries.
Tell us about your early years and the career you’ve built for yourself?
We started with one product, - made from minerals and antioxidants. We now have a full line that is carried by spas, salons, clinics and specialty retail. In the early years, it was a question of knocking on doors one at a time and explaining what mineral make-up was. Now, most people know about mineral make-up but many still have not experienced it. My job now is to increase brand awareness so that every woman can at least try it and make up their mind.
How would you describe the Jane Iredale brand and what do you think makes it stand out from other mineral make-up lines?
I would say that it's a make-up line that performs at the highest level and nurtures the skin at the same time. It has a wide breadth of colours with a variety of bases to suit every skin tone and colour. It stands out because it performs, stays on the skin and yet allows it to breathe and function normally. The quality is second to none. We also perform tests on our make-up like comedogenicity, toxicity, photo-toxicity, sensitivity and heavy metal testing. We want to feel confident in the products we're offering both the professional and the consumer.
What are the most important beauty and skincare tips you have learnt that our readers need to know about?
Go to a professional to get your correct base shade. It's worth spending some time and money on this because base is the product that will have your make-up look like a mask or not.
Secondly, pay attention to your brows as they frame the eyes and balance the face. Make them two shades darker than your hair colour.
With such a variety of products it must be hard to pick a favourite, but is there one that you personally gravitate towards using every day?
I use every day. The exclusive formula of these global shades provides a foundation, powder, concealer and sunscreen all in one. PurePressed bases actually help to improve the skin with ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide that act as anti-inflammatories, as well as effective broad spectrum sunscreens (SPF 20), pine bark extract - a potent topical anti-oxidant, and jojoba ester which improves skin texture and reduces moisture loss.
What products and trends can we expect to see from Jane Iredale over the next six months?
You will see our colour collections but also, we will be bringing out more and more products that help the health of the skin.
