Christine Esposito, Managing Editor04.01.21
1927 Beauty
Victoria Stack
Headquarters: Wyoming, PA
Founded: 2020
It isn’t often that a recent college grad launches a beauty line so soon after graduation. How long was this company on your mind?
When I was 9 years old, I vividly remember my mom having a 32-color eyeshadow palette which she had to constantly hide from me, because I was so fascinated with it. I would always walk around the house saying “I want to play with makeup.” Then flash forward, to my sophomore of college, where I began to tailor my courses and projects into concepts that I could use to start a cosmetic company. So, I guess, it’s in my blood, I’ve always wanted to be in the beauty industry.
What classes in college, if any, helped you most in launching your brand?
I went to Bentley University, a business school in Massachusetts, where all of our classes were focused on business skills. My most helpful course was a brand marketing class, where we learned that a brand can be about so much more than a product—it is the story behind it and the experience that makes a difference. This motivated me to want to make an incredible product, with a message that everyone could relate to.
How was your experience finding your contract manufacturer? Did any of them not take you seriously? Why did you pick the company you are working with now?
I actually went through seven different manufacturers before finding the one I loved and now work with. I knew I wanted a custom and USA-based formulation, and that was the tricky part. So many of the contract manufacturers that I spoke to pushed me in the direction of private label or international manufacturing, which wasn’t something I was interested in. When I met my current manufacturer, they were literally willing to move mountains to make the product that we envisioned, so our choice was obvious.
So it is never easy to launch beauty brand, but what was it like developing and launching a lipstick line in a pandemic? And, people have been wearing masks to boot!
It wasn’t easy. Launching a lipstick line in an era of masks has been difficult, but lipstick is more of an act of self-care, or a way to stand out behind the camera, so thankfully people have really agreed with that. Other than a few shipping delays, I’ve been really lucky, and I am actually grateful for the time that I have had to work on 1927 Beauty, which might not have come together as thoughtfully as it has without the pandemic.
The brand name 1927 Beauty has to do with your grandmother. Tell us more about her.
Yes! My grandmother is 94 years old, and I grew up right down the street from her. For as long as I could remember, she has always rocked a hot pink, coral, or bright red lipstick, and applied it without so much as a glance in the mirror. I once asked her why she doesn’t look in the mirror, to which she replied, “who am I trying to impress?” This kind of sparked our Choose to Be line and tagline “No-Mirror Confidence,” because she chose to be herself. She’s still a huge inspiration to 1927 Beauty, and was the first person to try the final product, which was pretty surreal.
What is your favorite color in your current 10-shade line?
My favorite shade is Starry-Eyed. I always pictured someone like Audrey Hepburn wearing it because it’s a classic red. The demi-matte/demi-gloss formula is super buildable, so I often wear it as a sheer tint, or as a full coverage lip.
What other products are planned?
Early summer, we plan on releasing a new highlighter product. It is super versatile and different, so we’re really excited about it.
Victoria Stack
Headquarters: Wyoming, PA
Founded: 2020
It isn’t often that a recent college grad launches a beauty line so soon after graduation. How long was this company on your mind?
When I was 9 years old, I vividly remember my mom having a 32-color eyeshadow palette which she had to constantly hide from me, because I was so fascinated with it. I would always walk around the house saying “I want to play with makeup.” Then flash forward, to my sophomore of college, where I began to tailor my courses and projects into concepts that I could use to start a cosmetic company. So, I guess, it’s in my blood, I’ve always wanted to be in the beauty industry.
What classes in college, if any, helped you most in launching your brand?
I went to Bentley University, a business school in Massachusetts, where all of our classes were focused on business skills. My most helpful course was a brand marketing class, where we learned that a brand can be about so much more than a product—it is the story behind it and the experience that makes a difference. This motivated me to want to make an incredible product, with a message that everyone could relate to.
How was your experience finding your contract manufacturer? Did any of them not take you seriously? Why did you pick the company you are working with now?
I actually went through seven different manufacturers before finding the one I loved and now work with. I knew I wanted a custom and USA-based formulation, and that was the tricky part. So many of the contract manufacturers that I spoke to pushed me in the direction of private label or international manufacturing, which wasn’t something I was interested in. When I met my current manufacturer, they were literally willing to move mountains to make the product that we envisioned, so our choice was obvious.
So it is never easy to launch beauty brand, but what was it like developing and launching a lipstick line in a pandemic? And, people have been wearing masks to boot!
It wasn’t easy. Launching a lipstick line in an era of masks has been difficult, but lipstick is more of an act of self-care, or a way to stand out behind the camera, so thankfully people have really agreed with that. Other than a few shipping delays, I’ve been really lucky, and I am actually grateful for the time that I have had to work on 1927 Beauty, which might not have come together as thoughtfully as it has without the pandemic.
The brand name 1927 Beauty has to do with your grandmother. Tell us more about her.
Yes! My grandmother is 94 years old, and I grew up right down the street from her. For as long as I could remember, she has always rocked a hot pink, coral, or bright red lipstick, and applied it without so much as a glance in the mirror. I once asked her why she doesn’t look in the mirror, to which she replied, “who am I trying to impress?” This kind of sparked our Choose to Be line and tagline “No-Mirror Confidence,” because she chose to be herself. She’s still a huge inspiration to 1927 Beauty, and was the first person to try the final product, which was pretty surreal.
What is your favorite color in your current 10-shade line?
My favorite shade is Starry-Eyed. I always pictured someone like Audrey Hepburn wearing it because it’s a classic red. The demi-matte/demi-gloss formula is super buildable, so I often wear it as a sheer tint, or as a full coverage lip.
What other products are planned?
Early summer, we plan on releasing a new highlighter product. It is super versatile and different, so we’re really excited about it.
Stefanie Parks of Park Perfection Skin Care asks: What was the turning point for your business? Was there a moment you knew you had something special? “My turning point was the moment I told my grandmother about the company, and she responded: ‘Well, what would you do that for? No one wants to hear about me.’ That’s when I realized I had something, a story. The beauty company I wanted to build was so much more than just a product, it was a movement. So, I realized, I subconsciously created a company to instill an emotional connection with, now called 1927.” —Victoria Stack |