The Quality Makers: Nikki DeRoest of Ciele Cosmetics
Founder Nikki DeRoest of Ciele Cosmetics
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Welcome to The Quality Makers, an interview series highlighting pioneers in the direct-to-consumer space. Join us as we get an inside look at the world of digital shopping through the eyes of the individuals shaping it…
LA-based celebrity makeup artist Nikki DeRoest has been in the beauty industry for 20+ years. She’s originally from Seattle/Salt Lake City, and moved to LA about 12 years ago. As a trusted resource for all things beauty, Nikki is also a passionate educator, product developer and beauty connoisseur. Her valued perspective as an industry leader has earned her the spotlight across various masterclasses, expert panels and events. This special interview makes clear that Nikki’s magic lies in her ability to connect with people through accessible beauty-related tips and unapologetic conversation. Enjoy her take on how to build an authentic, tight knit social audience, community and finally her long-time-coming iconic beauty brand: Ciele Cosmetics.
Credit: Ciele Cosmetics
How did your career in the beauty industry begin?
I started working retail at Nordstrom. I was a Stila, Bobby and Chanel girl back in the day. It was so exciting for me because the female founders of these brands were my idols. Even from a young age, I knew I wanted my own makeup brand one day. I didn't really know what that meant but I was drawn to it from the start. I then dabbled in both hair and makeup for a while, and eventually I began to build up my name once I was living in LA. In 2013, I started making friends with some pretty important fashion bloggers and they introduced me to the importance of having an online presence. Everything I’ve done led me to the creation of my own makeup line.
But the true beginning starts with my mom, who’s a retired hairdresser. When I was born, we lived in Utah and we had a salon in our basement. I was an 80s baby sitting on her clients’ laps while she was doing their perms. My mom has always been really creative. When I turned 12, she took me to her esthetician and taught me about skincare and makeup. That was my gift: a cleanser, a moisturizer and I was allowed a blush, a mascara and an eyeshadow. My mom always taught us the importance of taking care of ourselves. She even taught my dad how to do my hair so when she was out of town for work, I’d still have my hair done for school. Around that time I also discovered Bobby Brown’s books which became my bible. I loved Bobby's concept of celebrating your own unique beauty, that beauty is not about hiding yourself. That message made beauty make sense to me; it’s supposed to make you feel good. I was always the kid getting my friends ready for dances, cutting my friends’ hair, and braiding the volleyball players' hair before their games. Beauty has always been a part of me and it was obvious from the beginning that I would end up here.
Nikki DeRoest (& her family)
Tell me about Ciele Cosmetics & your secret ingredient: SPF.
I’ve always had an infatuation with sunscreen, especially as I was coming into my 30s and started to see the changes in my skin. I began to question: why isn’t there a blush that has SPF in it? My cheeks are an area in which I need that coverage, so why isn’t this something that exists? I then continued into: well, why not have extra protection in all of the products that you're putting on your face every day? No one's ever doing enough with sunscreen. It's really hard to get the ‘three fingers’ or the ‘half a teaspoon’ amount, so let's create makeup that’s an addition to your sunscreen, meaning you're constantly layering on more. As someone who has worked in the industry for so long, if I'm not really making a change or presenting products that don't already exist, what am I doing? SPF is such a simple thing to add into my products but the benefits are vast and truly forever lasting. From a vanity standpoint, it's definitely great for anti-aging and a clear complexion effect but it also protects you and lowers your risk of skin cancer. So if you can choose a blush with SPF in it, why wouldn’t you?
As an artist and as a founder, I'm so passionate about innovation and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. But it comes with challenges as well: focusing on SPF is not for the faint at heart because you're dealing with trying to hit certain levels of SPF while still having the performance piece. You have to go through a lot of testing, which is time and money, and you can't jump on that new trend because these factors hold you back to a certain degree as well. I’m creating evergreen products that’ll be around forever though, and that’s what matters. For years, my co-founder, Cerre Francis, and I were sitting at this table every day, figuring out how to build a brand and now, here we are as this recognized brand… It's a crazy feeling.
Credit: Ciele Cosmetics
Tell me about the products that you offer.
We started with what I like to call a complexion wardrobe. Our tinted serum is called tint & PROTECT ($44) with an SPF of 50. That product is really the darling of the brand, probably because it hits everything you're looking for in a skintint. It has a nice, natural finish so it's not too greasy, and it also has more of a medium coverage. As a makeup artist, it's really the only thing I'm now using for the Red Carpet. Then there’s our blush & PROTECT ($34), which really was the inspiration behind the whole brand, also with an SPF of 50. I love the idea of a liquid blush. Then we have our sculpt & PROTECT ($34), which is kind of a hybrid between a bronzer and a contour. And lastly our filter & PROTECT ($38): the product I was most unsure about when we launched, but people just went crazy for it. What's special about it is that it’s blurring, beautiful and lightweight. Even if you don't like a dewy finish, you can still get this gorgeous veil on your skin. It's kind of our dark horse.
I’m obsessed with making formulas, so at this point our cadence is about 3-4 new product launches a year. I am minimal in being realistic about what people are really after, though. I don't want to make a skew just to make a skew, it has to be something that's needed. For the buying experience, if there's too much, it's overwhelming, and then it's hard to make a decision. I like to hit that sweet spot where I really feel like there's something for everybody but there's not an access amount.
Credit: Ciele Cosmetics
What is your creation process like and where does your inspiration come from?
When it comes to creating, I spend a lot of time by myself. I like having the time to sit and think and analyze and dream, so I'm kind of a loner in that way. Travel is definitely my number one inspiration – just getting out of my head, out of my house, exploring other cultures. I'm so curious about seeing the world. And then it's just about what's missing, what's needed, what makes sense or how I can do something better. That's the fun with SPF because I use it as my base for any newness. In terms of testing products, I always make people apply them in front of me to see what their experience is like. As a makeup artist, I can make anything work but I want to give people the experience of doing their makeup well in 5-10 minutes.
What would you say differentiates you from other brands?
We coined a term called Clear Beauty. Clean Beauty is really the norm at this point, but Clear Beauty also encompasses the non-pore clogging ingredients. I had acne for many years, and it didn’t get better until I started working with my esthetician to understand what certain formulas and certain ingredients can do to your skin. That’s why it’s so important to make formulas without ingredients that could clog your pores. My aim is to focus on those with acne prone skin, so that no one has to sacrifice wearing makeup in fear of having a breakout.
Credit: Ciele Cosmetics
What do you hope people will take away from using your products?
It's just the ease of application, the finish and the way that it makes you feel. I hope people are left thinking: this hits all the points of what I've always been looking for. My goal at the end of the day is to make others feel confident through the use of Ciele’s products, making them feel more protected with SPF, and remind them that you can play in makeup even if you have acne – that should never be feared.
We’re really coming from a thoughtful place. When I first started making cosmetics, it kind of shattered my heart because I realized there's some brands out there that are just making things to have something to put out. And here I am, putting so much of my heart and soul and thought into each product. I simply don’t believe in following trends - for me it’s about what makes you feel good, what works for you, and sticking to that instead of just chasing something trendy. At Ciele, every day is a pinch me moment. I’m so lucky to be in a continuous place of passion and creation. I feel like I’m really living my dream.