My First In-Home Makeup Party!!

My sister joined my team a week ago and yesterday we did a launch party in the home of one of her best friends since childhood. It was so much fun!!

My sister, Trish, is not a sells person, she joined so that she would have the complete set of testers to take with her on her upcoming Mexican Cruise.  I on the other hand think she would be great and could actually supplement her husbands retirement income with Younique!

I have never done an in home party and since Trish is so new to the product, even though she was the Presenter for this party I took on that roll and let her be a guest. It was great for both of us!  I was able to talk about all our amazing products, and everyone including Trish learned a little bit about them. 

I took with me my entire tester set, as well as all the full size pigments, 4 sets of fiber lashes, my 3 complete sets of brushes, along with disposable mascara brushes, disposable spatulas for the brilliant, disposable eye shadow applicators and disposable lip gloss wands.  I also brought makeup remove wipes. mirrors and little painters pallets.

At each place at the table I set: A pallet, and a mirror, I then put the disposable items in the center of the table, along with all 3 sets of the brushes, the Glorious Primer, and the Refreshed Rose Water.  Trish brought her brushes so she used those.  In addition to the Hostess, there were 4 guests, and Trish, so a total of 6 spots. 

The guests were given the opportunity to test out Awake first, and then we moved on to Brilliant.  From there some tried the BB Flawless, while others went straight to the Concealers.  Those that started with the concealers decided quickly to wash their faces again and try out the BB Flawless. One guest even tried out highlighting and contouring and did an amazing job for the first time! From there we went on to the Blushers; and a little goes a long way!  These were all placed in the pallets for easy access and mixing or blending of colors.

Through-out the afternoon I told them of the different ways the products could be used and using my own pallet I demonstrated mixing them with the Rose water, and blending with other colors to get a custom one.

Then the fun really began, and we started with the Moodstruck Mineral Pigments.  I started it off by giving each of them a catalog, opened to the Moodstruck Pigments, and asking them to select the colors they wanted to play with.  Each quests picked the colors they wanted and we placed small amounts in the painters pallets.

While they were choosing the colors, using the back of my hand and Regal, I showed them the different ways to apply the pigments, in one spot I applied Regal dry, then I applied it over primer, and then wet.  They were able to see how light the pigment went on when dry, the little bit darker tone when used with primer and the deep dark tone when wet with the rose water. 

As they played with the pigments, I showed them how they could use the pigments as Hair Chalk by applying Regal to some of my curls.

They all applied, removed, applied, removed and applied again, playing with several different looks and colors. Then they tried the lashes! 4 of them fell in love immediately, and purchased them along with other products.

Finally we moved on to the lip gloss - I put all the lip glosses on top of my black Younique Case so they could see them and gave them each several disposable wands to play with.  During this I also took my Heartbroken  pigment and showed them how the Pigments could also be used as a lip gloss, I applied Heartbroken to my wet lips and let it dry, I then applied Loyal clear lip gloss over the top.

In the end everyone had a great time, Barbara earned some great Hostess rewards, Trish earned her first Younique Commissions, I was able to share a product I love with 5 ladies they were not familiar with Younique, and have a couple of potential recruits!

I had so much fun!! If there is anyone in the Palmer or Wasilla area that sees my blog and would like to schedule and in-home makeup party, contact me!! I can be reached by email at youniquebypamela@gci.net or through the "Contact Me" link on my website at www.youniquebypamela.com

My Younique Adventure!

On October 19, 2012, I saw a post on the Good Deal Divas Facebook page talking about a ground floor opportunity to get in on a new direct sales company before they had even launched.  I requested information and received a message from Nichole Smith, Younique Founding Presenter #36. 

I read that message on October 20, 2012 and followed the link included to the Younique Products website, once there I read about the founders of Younique, Derek Maxfield and Melanie Maxfield Huscroft, a brother and sister team.  Younique's philosophy is centered around the core values of simplicity, spiritual enlightenment, positive influence and the celebration of inner and outer beauty.  Derek and Melanie firmly believe that all women should feel valued, smart, and empowered through opportunities of personal growth and financial reward! Joining the Younique family provides opportunities for women to belong to a company that truly believes that the sky is the limit!

 

I also read the company Mission Statement "Feel beautiful.  Look beautiful.  Be beautiful.  Inside and out!  Younique's mission is to uplift, empower, validate and ultimately help build the self-esteem of women around the world. Through high-quality products that encourage these core values - along with spiritual enlightenment - we're enabling opportunities for personal growth and financial reward to women everywhere".

 

As I stated in an earlier post I was sold and immediately signed up, I am presenter #83.  At that time the kit contained business cards, some product cards, a fancy pen and a wonderful black case.  There was not product since at that time the company did not have any products available.

 

We launched on November 1, 2012, and the excitement of our websites "going live" was amazing! at that time we had 2 products, and a couple of others came available in January, 2013. By February,  corporate eliminate 3 products, and changed the focus of the company to cosmetics; and in March, 2013 launched additional products.   The excitement every time the site is improved and new products are released continues!

 

In early 2013 corporate announce the Younique Inaugural Convention, at the time I knew that as broke as I was, all the time, that the $500, plus airfare, was not something I could afford.  Then corporate offered a payment plan.  By this time I was still so excited about the company that I had decided that no matter how long it took I would make this a successful business for myself so that I would have a comfortable income in my retirement, so I have until 2029 to make a success of it!

 

I determined that not only could I write the entire trip off on my taxes, but the chance to attend the first ever convention for a company I loved, was something that I had to do, not matter what it cost!  I started making payments on the convention, and then used ALL my Alaska Airline miles to get a ticket to Utah.  This was way outside my comfort zone - I did not know anyone that was going to be there - and I do not like to interact with people I do not know - but I did it, and it was an AMAZING weekend!

 

My sponsor, Nichole, is such an inspiration.  This photo is of those members of Team Diva, and all from ALASKA, that attended convention, along with Younique Founder Derek Maxfield.  Team Diva made up 1/3 of the convention attendees.  I shared a 2 bedroom suite with Nichole, and we had a team meeting our first night there, it was so much fun getting to know so many talented woman.  I am proud to be a member of Team Diva, and can't wait until the next convention!

 

I am not the type of person that like to talk with people I do not know, I am a little shy and extremely self-conscious, so becoming a presenter for a makeup company and deciding that no matter what my family and friends thought about my decision I was going to succeed, was a HUGE step for me.  I have never before found a company or a line of products that I love as much as Younique, so for me this is not only a business but a blessing!

 

Younique is bringing me out of my shell! It is helping me to feel confident in myself, to feel empowered by the knowledge I have about the company and the products, and my self esteem is building everyday!

 

I have been approaching people about Younique and getting a great response! I am not advancing as fast as others in the company, but I have 16 years to get there, so I am taking it slow and steady.  My adventure continues everyday that I talk to someone new about Younique.  Someday one of those people will decide that Younique is right for them, and my team will continue to grow. Until that time I will keep sharing the joy that is Younique with anyone and everyone that will listen. 

 

The next step in my adventure is my first ever event, I have secured a booth at a local holiday market place, I am terrified, but excited at the same time. For those of you in Alaska, stop by booth 1-3 at the Mat-Su Holiday Market Place, located in the Menard Spots Center in Wasilla Alaska, on November 9 or 10,  2013.

 

Younique has truly changed my life! I am proud to call myself a Founding Presenter with a company that treats all of its presenters like family, a company where the founders interact on a daily basis with its presenters and actually cares about our success! 

 

 

Younique Virtual Parties!

I do not like to be the center of attention, so standing in front of a lot of people trying to talk is like having a tooth pulled without numbing it first. I am sure this is the primary reason that my past adventures in direct sales did not amount to much at all. 

I join Younique on a whim after reading the company mission statement; and then I learned that they intended to market primarily through social media! I was so excited to learn that they would be pioneering the concept of "Virtual Parties" instead of in home parties!  

How many of you know what a Virtual Party is?   I  truthfully had no clue what it really was, I have since learned that it means you can invite friends from all over the US and Canada to attend and you do not have to clean the house or prepare snacks and drinks!

The Younique Virtual Parties and an ever evolving concept.  When the company launched no direct sales companies were doing an entirely virtual party, so most people still do not understand just what it is.  The platform for the Virtual Party started out as a Facebook event, several presenters are experimenting with using Facebook groups and Google Hangouts. The biggest obstacle is getting the guests engaged. 

A Younique virtual party can last up to 10 days, and since it is virtual getting the guests to participate can be challenging. 

My fellow presenters have created numerous virtual party games to encourage participation, these include: Pigment Bingo; Earning points for participation or ordering, etc.; guess the lip gloss; and guess the 3D lashes, and a few others.

The key is to have a very active Hostess! If your hostess is posting photos and videos of herself using the products, and tagging her friends in pigments, lip gloss, or other product photos, then her friends will comment and join in the party more often. 

I have also found that if you talk it up and post a lot of information and set a specific date and time for the "Party" then the guests get a little more involved.  If they all know that everyone should be online at 7pm on Saturday night for the party, you can then use the group chat feature, or even go as far as using Skype or video conferencing to hold you party. 

One of my favorite things about the Younique Virtual Party is that if you have a guest that places an order on day 1 or even day 3 of a party, their order will ship usually within 48 hours, so she will receive her products before the 10 day party is over, she can then post photos and comments about the products she order to help get the other guests excited.

Younique has amazing Hostess rewards (in the form of Younique Cash and 1/2 priced items) based on party points, that allow guests from the US and Canada (and next year the UK and Australia) to shop from the same party.  The amount of the free product, (Younique Cash) earned goes up based on the total party points.  The hostess has 1 year from the date her party closes to use her Younique Cash and 1/2 priced items.

You can schedule your party by contacting me at youniquebypamela@gci.net or on my site and www.youniquebypamela.com

Highlighting and Contouring

I must admit that I had heard of highlighting and contouring but had no idea what it was and how it could improve a persons appearance. 

Melanie, Younique Co-founder, did a conference call and talked about highlighting and contouring and had these photos:

She described each photo and talked about how you contour and highlight using the Younique products.

I was TOTALLY LOST! LOL

I had no clue what she was saying, so I listen again and again.

Previous to this conference call Corporate has announced that we would be having our first ever convention!

It was a tough decision, financially the convention was reasonable, but, I live paycheck to paycheck, so the decision to go cost me greatly! I am so glad that I took that step, however, more of the convention will come in a later post, this is about Highlighting and Contouring.

At convention, Corporate had arranged to have a wonderful makeup artist, Cherise Weymann, at the convention to teach a couple of classes, one of which was on Highlighting and Contouring.

Cherise Weymann
Professional Makeup Artist, Cherise Weymann, received her certification and formal accreditation in Makeup Artistry from the Acadia School of Aesthetics in 2010.
In 2009, Cherise had the opportunity to work as the Head Makeup Artist on the music video, "I'll Love You Anyway." In addition to makeup artistry, Cherise possesses many other remarkable artistic talents and abilities including drawing, painting, interior decorating and design. Her dedicated desire and passion in makeup artistry is rooted in her love of helping woman look and feel beautiful.
Cherise has a thriving business and a large clientele base based solely on word of mouth and she is booked out weeks in advance with a majority of her work in film, on-set model photography projects, and special events. She enjoys working with professional actors and singers on film and music videos, but her real joy comes from working one-on-one with everyday people teaching them how to bring out their own beauty through makeup artistry.


The class was amazing! I learned so much! This link Highlighting & Contouring is a compilation of the three classes showing the process on 3 Younique Presenters.  The before and after looks were wonderful in person!

This photo is one example of how this technique and great makeup can do wonders!  The photo was from facebook, I do not know who the model is or what products are being used but the results are simple outstanding.

So Highlighting and Contouring is the secret we all should know!  Visit www.youniquebypamela.com and pickup the products you need to try this yourself! You can also find looks in our one of a kind "look book" or upload your own looks!

Awake & Brilliant - A product review

In September Younique released several new products, two of them from a new line of skin care. This post will be my first ever product review, please remember that I not only sell Younique products but LOVE all of them and this review reflects that view!

One of the things I love about Younique is that not only do they list the ingredients of each product but they describe what the ingredient is!

First up is Awake Facial Cleanser:         

Details

Awake contains a range of beneficial ingredients that awaken and cleanse the skin. Its thick texture transforms into an effective lather to dissolve oil and makeup, rinsing away pore-clogging surface debris, impurities, and excess oil. It refines the skin texture, brightens skin clarity, and minimizes the look of pores over time.

Details

Gently massage Awake Facial Cleanser onto dampened face to create lather. Use soft circular motions all over face for 60 seconds, then rinse clean with warm water. For optimal results, use morning and night.                

From the first use my face has felt incredibly clean! I have used a lot of different cleansers in my life and when I receive Awake I actually forgot I had it, so I washed my face with my normal cleaner and then I remember the Awake, so I washed my face again. A note - A little goes a LONG way! I used way to much that first time.  I looked up at my reflection, without my glasses so I cant see a thing, and all I saw was this Bright White face, I was shocked! My face had never looked or felt so clean before.

Ingredients:

Aqua, or highly purified, de-ionized water, is the liquid of life! Hydrates, cleanses, and nourishes the skin and works as a natural spreading component, helping to distribute other ingredients evenly over the skin.

Glycerin, derived from natural plant oil, is a non-toxic and non-irritating plant-based humectant, or moisture-preserver.

Stearic Acid (also known as Palmitic Acid) is an organic nutrient derived from palm trees that soothes and softens the skin by nourishing the skin deep within.

Carbon is a natural black colorant in cosmetics.

Garden Chrysanthemum is an herb that functions as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Also used to impart fragrance.

Allantoin is an organic compound extracted from herbs (comfrey and bearberry) that protects skin from potential reactions to any ingredients. Also helps to stimulate tissue growth.

Lauric Acid, derived from coconut oil, is great for its moisturizing properties, and treats acne with its microbial properties.

Potassium Hydroxide, also known as lye, is an alkaline ingredient used in small amounts to modulate the pH of a product and cleanse the skin.

Palmitic Acid is both a cleaning agent and an emollient (skin softener). Helps reinforce skin's healthy barrier function for a smoother surface.

Myristic Acid is a cleansing agent that creates foam.

Lauryl Glucoside is a surface-cleansing agent that degreases and emulsifies oils and fats, allowing them to be washed away.

Glycol Stearate softens and smoothens the skin while also acting as a thickening agent.

Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is a conditioning surfactant.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine degreases and emulsifies oils and fats, allowing them to be washed away.

PEG-100 Stearate (PEG is short for Polyethylene Glycol) acts as a surfactant, binding agent (to keep ingredients blended), stabilizer, and skin softener.

Aloe Vera has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial qualities, as well as a cool, refreshing sensation.

Licorice Root Extract contains anti-inflammatory properties, as well as activates melanin production as to be effective for improving dark spots and hyperpigmentation.

Methylhydroxybenzoate contains wide antibacterial properties, inertness, and chemical stability, as well as low toxicity.

Propyl Hydroxybenzoate is a preservative typically found in many water-based cosmetics, such as creams, lotions, shampoos and bath products.

Butylated Hydroxytoluene is an antioxidant additive

Next up is Brilliant Moisturizing Gel:

This product is one of those that are almost to pretty to use! I used this the first time immediately after I used Awake that first time and I also fell in love with it! Brilliant is a "Brilliant" combination of gel and little moisturizer beads that look like pearls.  Using the little spoon that is included in the package, scoop out a little bead and an equal amount of gel, blend and apply; it has this amazing smell of bell peppers in the jar but once blended the smell dissipates, my face love this stuff.  I have even been using it on my feet, my hands and my elbows!

Ingredients:

Ginseng, a plant extract, is used to tone and revitalize skin, balance the oil gland production, and smooth fine lines and wrinkles.

Pearl Powder stimulates new skin growth by regenerating collagen, improving skin tone and creating more youthful-looking skin.

Glycerin, derived from natural plant oil, is a non-toxic and non-irritating plant-based humectant, or moisture-preserver.

Propylene Glycol is a humidifying and delivery ingredient that helps active ingredients penetrate in the skin.

Carbopol Ultrez 21 Polymer is designed to thicken and stabilize personal care products.

Natural Silver is a natural metallic element used in cosmetics for its disinfecting properties and is known to destroy viruses and eliminate fungal infections.

Polyoxyethylene(40)Hydrogenated Castor Oil is a blend of polyethylene glycol and vegetable oil derived from the castor bean. Castor oil is used in cosmetics as an emollient (or skin softening agent), but also has water-binding properties. Also acts as a vehicle to deliver other ingredients deeper into the skin.

Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate is derived from amino acids and used as a skin-conditioning agent and preservative

 

It is my belief that these products combined have not only reduced the dark circles under my eyes, but improved the overall feel and appearance of my skin.  I highly recommend these products!

 

Please visit my page, www.youniqueproducts.com/pamelagraham for these and other great products; and do not hesitate to contact me for more information on any Younique product or on the company and the Younique Opportunity!!