“What was your big break?”
InMy Beauty Break, we’ll dig into the behind-the-scenes details the money, the aha!
moments, and the mistakes of the biggest brands in the industry.
What has been your secret sauce?
I decided that I wasn’t going to let COVID stop me.
The results started speaking for themselves.
Gisselle Hernandez.
Due to COVID, our summer collection was delayed by over four months.
However, the support from the community surpassed my wildest thoughts.
Glamlite’s products often go viral.
The Pizza Palette.
Glamlite was literally built from the ground up.
I’ve always taken pride in being hands-on with the brand.
Before I was able to afford to hire a team, I took on so many roles.
Courtesy Gisselle Hernandez
Most people don’t see what goes on behind the curtains.
Sometimes the night before a big launch I am working until 4 a.m.
I had to sacrifice weekend outings with friends, personal time, vacations, holidays.
The Ice Cream Dream Palette.
Glamlite didn’t even begin as the foodie brand it is today.
Explain a bit about your process going from Glamlite 1.0 to where it is now.
See, this is why I constantly say the key to success is simply being yourself.
When I was a teenager, I went to MAC one day and I bought this gorgeous blue eyeshadow.
I took my time recreating this blue look I saw on YouTube to wear to a party that evening.
That comment stuck with me and followed me into my adult years.
After that day, I only used neutral makeup, which is why my first palette was all neutrals.
My first palette only sold two units on launch date.
My next few palettes weren’t much of a success either.
We slowly started attracting new customers but the progress was extremely slow.
Some people sent me hateful messages in regards to my weight.
I was tired of hiding.
I was tired of pretending to be someone I am not.
I had spent an entire life trying to hide, trying to fit in.
On that day, the idea ofthe Pizza Palettewas born.
I was terrified because it was out of my comfort zone.
so that test out the formula, I had to create colorful looks on a daily basis.
That’s when I found myself.
I became this entirely new person.
I would go to the market withbright blueor green makeup.
Once I began posting my looks up, no one judged me.
On the contrary, they complimented my makeup and made suggestions for more colorful palettes.
I feel like the brand reflects my personal evolution.
I have grown into this confident and daring woman, one product at a time.
When did the big beauty break with Glamlite come and what was that like?
Thelaunch of the Pizza Palettein December 2018 completely changed my life.
When I released the palette I had no idea that it was going to go viral.
When the palette went live on our site, it completely sold out in under 48 hours.
Some of the biggest influencers in the industry started reviewing it which built up the demand for it.
You’ve mentioned how you struggled with your weight and were bullied your entire life because of it.
How has creating Glamlite helped you overcome a lot of the mental struggle that can result from that?
I’ve been battling with my weight since I began my first diet at age 11.
Self-hate is not something that you overcome overnight.
It’s something that people could no longer use against me.
A lot of people have reached out to me and thanked me for encouraging them to love themselves.
However, I am only human and once in a while, I drift to my old ways.
From stretch marks to loose skin, I am learning to love every part of me.
Tell us a bit about life before Glamlite.
Before any financial success, how would you describe your earlier years?
I grew up in poverty.
When we migrated to the United States we were undocumented, therefore my mother worked low-paying factory jobs.
Our household income was $16,000 a year, which isn’t a lot for New York City.
My upbringing taught me that real happiness doesn’t come from materialistic things.
What would Gisselle today say to 10-year-old Gisselle?
Everything it’s crucial that you be successful is in you!
Focus on yourself, your dreams, and your vision.
What have been some ways you’ve gone about achieving this goal?
Being awoman of color, inclusivity comes natural to me.
Women of color deserve representation.
I realized that my purpose in life was to one day be able to impact the life of others.
Even if my story only motivates one single person to believe in themselves, I have accomplished my purpose.
This is something that I have instilled in my daughter.
The Ice Cream Dream Palette.
How do you fight off the haters who criticize your food-themed brand?
The motto for my brand has always been don’t be afraid to be yourself.
I responded to him, “I don’t look like the models used for beauty campaigns.”
Beauty is about learning to embrace your flaws, accept them, and flaunt them.
Screw these unrealistic expectations and show the world you are beautiful exactly the way you are.
What’s up next for Glamlite?
What new products can we expect?
I am ready to take the brand to the next level.
I have a few secret collabs and amazing projects that I can’t wait to reveal.
you could follow her onInstagramandTwitter.
