Interview with ‍Tosca Hillman - Founder of GloGirl Cosmetics

1) How do you approach the creation of your products? What's your process like?

This is a great question. When I started, I didn't have a real road map, but I knew what I wanted. Now I start out by writing out ideas and drawing sketches. Sometimes an idea will come to me from an article I read or a picture  that I saw.

I am inspired by my culture, art, songs, conversations  and people around me. The process varies according to what I'm working on because of where I may pull creative inspiration from. I also think about how I can do something different or what I would like to see and how I can inspire someone in the process. On the back of my Goddess eyeshadow palettes, you will find a different quote on each one. 

2) In your opinion, what role does beauty play in boosting self-confidence and self-expression for your customers?

I always say that makeup is the armor that we wear out into the world. It acts as both a shield of confidence. It acts as both creative inspiration and self expression. I feel that it helps  you to  command a presence. If you look at bad ass women in history over the decades, most of them wear a bold lip color, usually red because it exudes power. Whenever I'm having a bad or challenging day, I always add a little highlighter (for a soft glow) and a little gloss or lipstick depending on where I'm going or what I'm doing.

3) How do you stay connected to your customer base and understand their evolving needs and preferences?

We get a lot of emails and interact locally at pop ups. People really connect with GloGirl and they will say what they’d like to see more of. I take those conversations very seriously and it helps me to improve or introduce new things in GloGirl.

4) As a founder, what has been the most rewarding moment for you since starting GloGirl?

I have a couple of rewarding moments. The first time I saw my gold tubes of lipstick in the packaging, labeled and ready to go. I cried. It took so much to get there and at times I felt like no one could see the vision but me and I did it. Outside of that, seeing my products on retail shelves among some of the big well known brands-a couple that I have even worked for in the past, was an amazing full circle moment. I felt like I had arrived.

5) Many customers love GloGirl after the first try. How has GloGirl incorporated sampling programs, and why do you think they are important for your customers?

I think sampling is an important step in making sure that you find that the right product that works for you. Unfortunately, it can be a very expensive processive for a smaller indie brand. We are so happy to team up with airshop so that our customers, both current and future can experience GloGirl.

6) What are 2-3 brands you admire in the beauty space? These could be makeup, skin, hair, etc. Feel free to share why you love them.

As a former MAC girl from days of long ago when it was a privately owned brand, I was always inspired by Frank Toskans vision and his incredible foresight and understanding that makeup should be available for all people of all colors. He was one of the first brand founders to unapologetically introduce high pigmented face makeup for women of color in simple cool packaging that at the time was really inexpensive. His early iterations of matte lipstick were unparalleled at the time.

The other brand that I have always been a fan of is Nars. As a young makeup artist, Francois Nars was one of the makeup artists that I found intriguing and extremely creative. His packaging was so sleek and cool and I wore his Orgasm blush to death for years! The other thing that I like about Nars is how consistent he has been with his brand message and overall concept. He has stayed true to the brand DNA and you can see the upgrades in packaging, but still recognize the brand.