When Divya Gugnani (entrepreneur and mom of two) and Lindsay Ellingson (jet-setting supermodel) decided that they needed to streamline their makeup routines, they worked together to co-found the award winning beauty brand, Wander Beauty. From luxurious eye masks that you can put on while you’re applying the rest of your makeup, to mascaras that will give you full eyelashes with the perfect amount of curl, Wander Beauty is all about less is more when it comes to what you tote around in your makeup bag. Made with the finest (and cruelty free) ingredients, this is a beauty brand that should be your ultimate go-to.
In this interview Divya and Linsday share about how they met, what sets Wander Beauty apart from other brands on the market, and a hint about where they see the brand going in 2020.
First of all, how did the two of you meet?
DIVYA: Lindsay and I met at a party. I had just had my daughter and was dying to get out of the house and have a glass of champagne!
LINDSAY: We immediately bonded over our love of travel and beauty. Divya ended up inviting me over for lunch a few days later.
When did you first come up with the concept for Wander Beauty?
LINDSAY: As a model, I was constantly on-the-go and traveling, but my beauty products were all housed in glass bottles and the furthest thing from travel-friendly.
DIVYA: As a career mom, I was rushing to get my kids out the door each morning, leaving me to do my own beauty routine on the train en route to work. Even though we were living totally different lifestyles, we both felt the same pain point in our routines.
What do you feel sets Wander Beauty apart from other beauty brands?
LINDSAY: Most beauty brands take a more is more approach. We’re telling you the opposite – you need less product that does more, saving you time and space.
DIVYA: Plus, we are focused on clean beauty while never compromising on product performance.
Which products are part of your daily beauty regimes?
DIVYA: The first thing I do every day is cleanse my face with our Drift Away Cleanser. I moisturize with Dive In Moisturizer, which is amazing under makeup. I apply Dualist Concealer, especially under my eyes to hide my late night emailing habits, add mascara and Lip Retreat Oil (I use on both my lips and cheeks for a glossy flush of color!), and I’m out the door.
LINDSAY: Lately, I’ve been prepping my skin for makeup with our Hidden Glow Brightening Cream. It gives you an instant warm luminosity while also brightening skin overtime. If I need a little extra coverage, I’ll use Nude Illusion Foundation but many days, I just use our Dualist Concealer to spot correct. I’ll use our Lipsetter on lips and cheeks, apply our Unlashed Mascara, and I’m ready to face the day.
One of my favorite Wander Beauty Skincare products is the Baggage Claim Eye Masks. What is the skincare product that you find yourselves using on a daily basis?
LINDSAY: I can’t live without Baggage Claim Eye Masks. Between shooting content on a daily basis, tons of travel, and spending tons of time in front of the computer, I use these everyday to depuff my under eyes. I like to keep mine in the fridge for an even deeper cooling effect.
DIVYA: Our Do Not Disturb Overnight Concentrate is my holy grail. It has 1% retinoid, but is balanced by super hydrating ingredients like squalane to keep skin hydrated, not flaky. It helps to even out skin, diminish wrinkles and speed up skin’s renewal process.
Is there a particular product or products that you always have in your bag when you’re on the go?
DIVYA: I carry Lip Retreat Oil in every bag I own! It’s the perfect combination of treatment and color, with the finish of a gloss, I love using it on my lips and cheeks for a quick dose of color and sheen.
LINDSAY: I love keeping a Glow Ahead Face Oil in my bag. Besides being great on skin, it works on cuticles and I use it to tame flyaways. Our oil is different from others because it’s in a tube, instead of glass, and has a spill-proof dropper so that you can take it on the go.
How do you both practice work/life balance while running a successful beauty brand?
LINDSAY: I make sure to always make time for family, especially my husband and dog, Carly. We love spending weekends exploring Brooklyn and relaxing. Having that time to recharge helps me conquer the week. I also have a morning ritual that puts me in the best headspace for the day. I snuggle with my dog, have a glass of lemon water, and write in my gratitude journal.
DIVYA: My balance comes between all of the craziness of the day. I carve out time to walk around our office and neighborhood in place of a coffee break (since I don’t drink coffee). I swim which allows me to be completely disconnected and device free – the pool is where I do my best thinking.
I love watching the different makeup looks that Lindsay shares via video. Lindsay, what to you enjoy the most about sharing your favorite looks/products with consumers?
LINDSAY: Hearing their feedback! Because we are so in tune with our consumer, there’s nothing I love more than hearing how a video tutorial helped them figure out their routine, or helped to inspire them to try something new.
Wander Beauty products have been featured in well known publications such as Allure, Glamour and Vogue. What was it like when you first saw your products in the press?
DIVYA: Seeing press recognize the brand never gets old – we won three Allure Best of Beauty Awards this year (making it five Best of Beauty Awards in total), and we celebrated for weeks on end. There’s no better feeling!
Do you have new products that you are planning on releasing in 2020?
LINDSAY: We have a ton up our sleeve for 2020. We’re all so excited for all that’s to come.
DIVYA: Some hints: We’re getting deeper into skincare and introducing some new categories. Can you guess which?
Keep up with Wander Beauty through the following links
Website: https://www.wanderbeauty.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wander_beauty/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/wanderbeauty
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