If there is one piece of advice I can give people, it is to follow your instincts.

When I first started as a makeup artist in the ’80s, I was very frustrated by the makeup on the market. Rather then enhancing a woman’s features, the makeup masked a woman’s features. Foundations made skin look unnaturally pink. Eye, cheek and lip products only seemed to come in garish shades. I loved the healthy, natural, simple look and that became my trademark as a makeup artist. I started my line with 10 brown-based lipsticks that were designed to look good without any blending or mixing.

My philosophy that makeup is a way for women to look and feel like themselves only prettier and more confident has remained unchanged since those early days. Beauty is about loving yourself the way you are and making the best of who you are.

Integrity is the word that means a lot to me in my personal and professional life. Throughout my career I always stuck to what I thought was best – regardless of what others were doing. I won’t put something on the market just to put my name on it. When I launch a product, I make sure that it’s something that doesn’t exist, that it fulfills a need and that it’s something I would want.

Success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s something that happens over time and it takes passion and a lot of hard work. My advice to anyone with dreams is to be fearless, always “be who you are,” and surely it will lead you the right way…