Jenny Patinkin is a beauty extraordinaire, best selling author, makeup artist and the founder of her namesake eco-luxe beauty tools brand. Her products can be found on the Jenny Patinkin website and at retailers including bluemercury, credo, Saks fifth Avenue, and more.
We spoke to Jenny about her eco-luxe beauty tools collection, tips on clean skincare and makeup as well as her empowering “flat-aging” concept.
1). How did you come to develop your eco-luxe beauty tools collection? Why is it important for you to create vegan/eco friendly products? I started out with a collection of natural hair brushes but kind of freaked out after a trip on Safari. Seeing all those amazing animals in their natural habitats did something to me and so I reconfigured my brush assortment to be vegan only, followed by the rest of my eco-friendly collection. There’s so much waste in the beauty industry, I wanted to be a part of the solution by having as many reusable, recyclable and repurposable elements to my collection as I possibly could.
2). For those unaware, could you please describe your “flat-aging” beauty model? We all spend so much time looking back at how great things were when we were younger, but Flat Aging is a way to encourage women to be present and appreciate their appearances in real time. It’s a rebellion against all the “anti-aging” messaging that’s meant to make us feel bad about ourselves, or like aging is a condition that needs to be cured. I’m all about embracing our beauty in the now. It’s a form of empowerment.
3). What are some of the skin benefits of your derma roller and at what age should someone incorporate into their daily skincare routine? My Derma Roller is designed for gentle, conservative at home use with the biggest benefit being product absorption. By making tiny, painless micro-channels in the skin, larger molecules can absorb at a deeper cellular level where they can work more efficiently and effectively. Derma Rolling can be done at any age, but if you have rosacea or active breakouts or acne, this is not the beauty tool for you. I can’t say I recommend daily use for most people, but 1-2 times a week will give you lots of visible results.
4). Are there beauty tips that you could recommend for those in the 20’s 30’s and 40’s plus? I would caution anyone who hasn’t yet started to see age related changes to the skin to take a preventative approach to beauty, in particular by making sure you are choosing beauty tools and using application techniques that aren’t going to tug or stretch the delicate skin. Sure, everything bounces back when you’re younger, but years of consistent stretching and pulling can add up, leaving the skin looking prematurely slack. It’s a hot button issue for me – I hate to watch You Tube or other makeup artists mushing their skin all over the place during application. It stresses me out!
5). What can we expect in the future from the Jenny Patinkin collection? Any new products? There are several new products coming from me in the fall! I’m expanding my Rose on Rose (Rose Quartz and Rose Gold) product assortment and my Pure Luxury Organic Bamboo collection, and I’ve revamped my bestselling Petite Makeup Brush set and it’s just so gosh darn cute!
6). What are some of your favorite clean beauty brands (makeup or skincare) that you love? Maya Chia always is a favorite for me – it’s the only retinol product I’ve used that doesn’t fry my skin – and Bloomeffects has me impressed. I’ve never felt a texture like theirs before. I’m also a big fan of Ilia concealers, PYT Beauty Eyeshadow and the new Exa foundation is quite remarkable.
“Don’t talk yourself out of things.”
7). What advice would you offer to fellow aspiring women entrepreneurs? Don’t talk yourself out of things. My natural instinct is always to say “no” before I say “yes” and there have been times it’s been a self-inflicted stumbling block for my business over the years. I would also suggest that you reach out to female leaders you admire and ask as many questions as you can. I have found that other female entrepreneurs are always happy to act as a mentor, or at least a sounding board, because we all know how challenging it is to get your start.
Thank you Jenny for the helpful tips, sharing your beautiful collection and words of wisdom. We have been using Jenny’s Pure Luxury Organic Bamboo Reusable Rounds and will never use another traditional cotton remover again! The rounds are soft and gentle and maintain their shape and integrity with every wash.
Be sure to follow Jenny on instagram @jennypatinkin
