Mary Van|Makeup artist, Entrepreneur, CEO and Outdoor Enthusiast

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Mary Van is a highly trained and nationally renowned makeup artist who is dedicated and passionate about all things natural. Van is devoted to her Mineralogie and Demaur Cosmetic’s team and, more importantly, to each client. Her desire to bring natural and nourishing makeup to women’s complexions led her to create a successful international corporation, which features a high quality, 100 percent mineral makeup that is distributed and sold in over 12 countries. Her mantra is the backbone of the company, “Protect, nourish, hydrate and love your skin – just don’t forget to add some color. Take care of what you have from the inside out”. Embracing the beauty and benefits of color theory and mineral makeup changed my life and career path.

mineralogieHaving begun my career using traditional makeup, the discovery of, and exposure to, the amazingly beautiful benefits of mineral cosmetics changed my entire focus. I began my career as a makeup artist at the age of 18. I knew this was the career for me the first time a wholesale client (a fellow makeup artist and aesthetician) told me the huge difference our minerals made in her customer’s life. It was an amazing feeling and reinforced this wonderful and sometimes crazy path I have been on for all these years. Knowing that you made a difference; that is a big wow moment! Throughout my career, I have been the lead makeup artist for Diana Esber Cosmetics and the founder and owner of three separate skin care and makeup studios – one in conjunction with Rhonda Allison, which was the beginning of my commitment and passion for healthy, mineral makeup. Personally, my passions include yoga, exercise, outdoor activities, and, of course, my family. I realize that it is vital to feed one’s body, mind and soul with other things. Professionally, I pride myself on staying on top of trends – not fads. In the beginning, I only wanted to deal with loose mineral powders; obviously, that has changed.

“The best advice for anyone starting in our industry is continuing education. You must immerse yourself in learning, listening and applying all learning to your practice.”

Mineralogie and Demaur Cosmetics are built on the assurance of numerous super ingredients. We pride ourselves on using the highest quality, pharmaceutical grade minerals available. Additionally, the keys to the success of our makeup are our formulations. Just as all ingredients are not created equal, neither are the formulations. Quality, health, performance – a constantly evolving challenge and dedication in our labs – and yes, we create all of our loose mineral products at our corporate office. Quality control is key and more stringent than any other company; therefore, another super ingredient is our team in each lab, our team of testers (all staff members) and our team of customer service. Our labs constantly analyze and experiment with ingredients and formulations to keep our products on the cutting edge. Pretty colors do not cut it – quality, long-lasting and ever-evolving products and product ingredient decks do. Staying on trend, while maintaining the integrity of our commitment to the formulation of healthy, mineral makeup, is our greatest pressure. I see two strong trends coming up in the industry: first, multi-purpose makeup and skin care that provide more than one benefit. Makeup should not only bring beautiful coverage and color but also address other issues (such as uneven pigmentation, camouflage of imperfections, sun protection, and skin hydration). The other trend that I see is more traveling service providers (including skin care and makeup). Just as individuals have a private masseuse or physical trainer come to their home, I definitely see the private skin care and makeup industry on the rise. When it comes to the spa environment, I believe customer service is a main factor when consumers choose a spa. I have always lived by the rule that you treat people the way you want to be treated. And never settle. The biggest problem I notice throughout a myriad of traditional and mineral makeup lines is the push to get the sale as opposed to taking the time to educate the client on how and why this product works, how to apply it, and when to update. Every woman’s skin changes color throughout the year and constantly selling the same color to a client year after year is a true disservice. Time needs to be made for education and periodic evaluation and change. Professionally, that is simple: deliver the highest quality, be proud of the contents of each and every makeup container that leaves the warehouse, stay committed to evolution for betterment, and, most importantly, be accountable. You can always achieve the look you want with the right product, education and application instruction.

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