Premium Beauty News - Economically, how did the year 2010 go for Make Up For Ever?

Dany Sanz - 2010 went very well, it’s no secret, everybody knows it. Our efforts have paid off. Our global results were also very good. The year 2011 is looking pretty good too, we have boosted some circuits, in particular the United States with the opening of a "shop in the shop" in Sephora outlets. We also plan to revamp our store in New York and to open more stores under our own name, in Los Angeles for example.

Premium Beauty News - The main piece of information for Make Up For Ever today is the opening of its first general public store in the Marais, in the central area of Paris...

Dany Sanz - And for Paris there are two main news. First, the renovation of our historic store on Rue La Boétie, which will be revamped this summer. The upper floor of the store will allow us to expand our sales area and our training rooms. Then there is the opening this exclusive Make Up For Ever store at 5 rue des Francs-Bourgeois.

Premium Beauty News - It is a very "make-up street" where are located MAC or Bobbi Brown to name a few...

Dany Sanz - It is indeed a neighbourhood of make-up artists. It’s great to find ourselves among brands who are like us, that we respect and who have their own aficionados. It is also challenging to be among them.

Dany Sanz, Make Up For Ever

Premium Beauty News - This store, you said, that it would be intended for the "General Public". What difference do you make between a Pro store and General Public store?

Dany Sanz - 5, Rue La Boétie will again become the genuine pro store it used to be at the outset. Everything happens at La Boétie, it is the cradle of Make Up For Ever with the store, my office, the laboratory, the training rooms... As you know, at the outset of Make Up For Ever, all our customers were in the trade. The general public wasn’t even aware of the existence of the store! We were only working with professionals, whether make-up artists, of course, but also dancers, actors, artists... The general public has access to Make Up For Ever products in Sephora outlets, but customers also like to come to the store where they can find all the references. Rue des Francs-Bourgeois will be their dedicated spot, it will the store for our addicted customers.

Premium Beauty News - Do you have plans to expand the network of exclusive stores (whether pro or general public) in France or abroad?

Dany Sanz - Yes, in Saint-Tropez this summer. This store will be ephemeral since it will be open late spring and will welcome holiday makers from Saint-Tropez and its surroundings during summertime.

Premium Beauty News - As regard products: the HD range has recently enriched itself with many new shades. Is it comprehensive now?

Dany Sanz - No, it is not and never will be. This range is unlimited. Make-up artists working with HD cameras need specific products at all levels. In 2009, I started by proposing the HD foundation which seemed to me as being the most important product for make-up artists and also a highly specific one to design. The HD line rapidly expanded to include a number of new references: base, powder, we then worked on blushes and concealers. Currently, all our efforts are focused on developing new textures for the complexion. A new foundation is in the laboratory, it is a creamy product, with a richer texture, intended for dry skins. I am also currently working both on extending the shades of the HD loose powders and on our future HD compact powders. Next will come all the colour cosmetics for eyes and lips.

Premium Beauty News - You recently launched the campaign "HD unretouched," a campaign that makes Make Up For Ever the first cosmetic brand in the world to present unretouched visuals. Are you in favour of digital retouching? Does retouching enhance the work or the make-up artist?

Dany Sanz - I think touch ups are essential in comparison to what consumers, media and brands expect from an image being part of an advertising and commercial approach. The image mustbe challenging and unretouched, it is impossible to achieve a strong enough visual to make it recognizable among a thousand other pictures.

But "No Retouch" must be considered compared to HD cameras because it is more difficult to retouch a film than an image. We wanted to prove that it was no longer necessary to work on the image in any way, to touch up the make-up. Our "No Retouch" campaign began with the making of a film. A bailiff was present during all the film stages to testify on the absence of retouching.

Premium Beauty News - Concerning the new Aqua Liner range, it is predominantly iridescent. Why did you initially chose iridescent finishes? Consequently have you also planned some matt versions?

Dany Sanz - Within the Aqua Liner range, there are nonetheless three matte versions. To my dismay, consumer demand abroad goes for iridescent. They all want iridescent products! Amidst these pearlescent, I still propose essential shades in matte and iridescent. But be reassured concerning this Aqua range, I’m working on non-iridescent Aqua Cream products, they will be available in 2012. In 2012 we will also present our non-iridescent watercolour blushes. However, trend for the most part is to an iridescent finish and we are forced to meet demand.

Premium Beauty News - In 2009, you were excited about the development of specific products for the stage. Is this project still under consideration?

Dany Sanz - "Of course!" A year ago we launched the Up Light, which is my first work on light. The subject of light fascinates me more and more. I am currently working on new blushes and a new foundation that will be specifically light-reflecting. I am actually planning, late 2012 and early 2013, to exclusively focus on stage products.

Premium Beauty News - You’re very interested in packaging. Will you launch new products associated to specific packaging?

Dany Sanz - I reckon innovations related to packaging are not too exciting, I find it difficult to point out at any real innovation. We are currently in an ecological trend not being quite sure of what to choose, should we go for plastic, paper, cardboard?

Premium Beauty News - What do you think of the featureism in packaging such as vibrating, rotating or heating mascaras?

Dany Sanz - I want things that work. I focus first on the product’s formulation and I want a rational, resistant pack that will last in time by respect to the consumer. I would feel more attracted by new materials but, unfortunately, there aren’t any for the time being.

Right now, I am very interested in cardboard packs: I find some cardboards extremely resistant, just as much as plastic is! I find this cardboard beautiful and different, a noble and enjoyable material. I’m getting closely involved in the subject as we’re on the point of redesigning completely the whole range of Make Up For Ever with some totally new packs. 1600 references, no less! Tools, put aside, still remain 1000 references to place in boxes! We are also going to rework the design of our brushes.

MakeUp in Paris invites artistic directors to the show

MakeUp in Paris is organizing a round-table on the theme of Art Direction, in collaboration with the magazine MUP, Thursday, June 23, 2011. Speakers: Dany Sanz, Founder and Artistic Director of Make Up For Ever, Nicolas Degennes , Colour and make-up Artistic Director for Givenchy, and Max Herlant, Damien Dufresne, and Isabelle Pain.