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Our First Influencer Event!

Our First Influencer Event!

Wow mis Reinas!

This past weekend we hosted our first-ever Alamar Cosmetics’ influencer event just in time to celebrate Las DesNUDEas launch and it was absolutely incredible!

 It went a lil something like this:

Our event was hosted at the 27 Bar & Restaurant, which is located inside the Freehand Miami Hotel. The space made the perfect setting to resemble a “casita,” which is something I wanted to create for my guests. I wanted a “home-y” vibe that spoke to my childhood upbringings and Cuban culture, specifically the home I left back in Alamar, Cuba.

Our event design team, Cardin Events, handled all things décor and did a fantastic job of bringing my vision to life. Décor items included custom couch pillows, tazitas de café (coffee cups), and my vanity set, which made the perfect backdrop for all photos. (Shout out to my girl, Lily for creating magic!) 

 

 

 

An hour before the event started, I head down to our glam room to get ready.  At this point I was SO nervous and afraid that something would go wrong, or that people wouldn't come since we hosted our event during a very busy week in Miami (Miami Swim Week madness was happening)!

Our event was competing with so many others that were taking place that same day but the good news is…our event turned out AWESOME and everyone that mattered to me was present! I definitely felt the local support.

 Our #aLaNude event was sponsored by Havana Club, which added the final touch that I needed. They provided customized cocktails that were inspired by our lip liners – Dulce and Coqueta--Dulce was my personal fave. Big thanks to the Havana Club team for making this happen, it truly meant a lot to have a notable spirit sponsor that not only tasted good but also resonated with my brand and heritage.

 

 

 

Once Meg the Stalion and Bad Bunny started playing, everyone started dancing and I felt at ease. It felt like I was at a family party celebrating con mi gente. I was completely relaxed and in my zone but then it was time for my speech..

 

I swear I blacked out for this moment--haha! This is my brain’s defense mechanism to protect me. I didn't even remember what I said until after I watched the clip. Que Pena forever!!!

 My mom left shorty after my speech and we both got so emotional when we hugged goodbye, It was surreal to have her see me in my element, doing my thing. I know how proud she is of me and really thats the only metric of success I need. I even included a picture of her from her first ever salon in Miami on top of my vanity set up. I wanted everyone to see where I get my drive from. 

 

 

Over all the event was a complete success! thank go my team talked me in to it because now I feel so much closer to my local community and I have these amazing photos to remember this day forever.

 

July 16, 2019 — APC Collaborator
The Making of our DesNUDEas Collection

The Making of our DesNUDEas Collection

I can't believe it's finally time to leak my nudes! It's been over a year since I started working on my pride and joy, the DesNUDEas collection! It's my signature lip look. Bronze smokey eye, lots of blush and highlight, and my sluttiest looking NUDE lip. I LIVE for a glossy, peachy, nude pout but the process of creating this collection was lengthy and frustrating. 
Let's start from the beginning, shall we?
The very first thing I wanted to launch when I started Alamar Cosmetics was a collection of delicious nude glosses. The second I saw that Alamar was gaining exposure and love, I began developing the shades and formula 
At first, everything moved quickly. I knew exactly the shades I wanted to create because I had spent years previously mixing other glosses and lipsticks to create this effect. We got into the lab within 2 months of creating the "benchmarks", which is a term labs use to describe what they use to color match. I went back and forth between making the shades deeper, less deep, more sheer, less sticky, more sticky, etc and ended up with so many different versions of each gloss. 
When I finally got the shades and constancy down, it was time to worry about the "component" --the tube of the lip gloss itself. I wanted something sleek and luxe, but still affordable.
Industry fact: A lot of brands will actually pay MORE for their component/packing, rather than investing in the actual formula. I don't know about you guys, but I prefer a bomb formula in a modest packaging than a lavish component with a mediocre formula, PERIODT! 
The first time we got a sample of our component it was GREEN! Green!!! And we only had one more "redirection", or change we could make, before it would start to push back our time line. 
We also had the added challenge of working on the lip liners at the same time as the glosses because my vision was to launch them together. The liners however, were being made at a completely different lab in a different state.
This lab had a way higher "minimum order quantity", so I had to scale back from 4 shades to 2 shades because is way too expensive to do all 4. I chose to move forward with DULCE and COQUETA because they are the most universal shades that I knew would work on the majority of people. 
It might have taken longer than expected, but they are finally here! I'm so excited for my Reinas to try these glosses and liners and give me their honest feed back. I want to continue to expand the DesNUDEas collection with more shades and new products.
 
Thanks for taking the time to read all about my process in bringing this delicious glosses to you guys. So, mi Reinas, what do you want to see next? 
July 08, 2019 — APC Collaborator
Mami, You Need a Vacation--Trust Me. Let Me Tell you Why...

Mami, You Need a Vacation--Trust Me. Let Me Tell you Why...

Over the last year, I have worked on Alamar Cosmetics from the comfort of my own home and it has been incredible! I can make my own schedule, sleep in when I need to, and even have meetings with my team from my own kitchen. It's truly one of the greatest blessings in my life and I AM NOT COMPLAINING...however, (jajajaja) it can get just a little bit taxing to be in the same place for 24 hours in a day for months at a time. I start to forget where work ends and HOME begins. And while we're on the subject, I should also mention that I work from home with my business partner and fiancé who also lives here... you see where this can get... interesting. Again, what a blessing amirite? Needless to say, after 8 months of working on my company I needed a break from the environment I built at home, so we agreed to go on vacation with my fiances family.
We laid out some ground rules that I think might help any of you who are trying to disconnect for a bit:
1. NO TALKING ABOUT WORK. Not a word. Jordan and I agreed that this week was about our relationship, family, and our romantic future and DASSIT. This was hard for me, I think about Alamar almost constantly but it made all the difference.
2. We're going to do WHATEVER we want. Some days we slept for the majority of the day. Some days we just ate and drank and laughed. Other days we spent with family. We spend the majority of our lives doing what we have to do, and vacation should be all about what YOU WANT to do. Major key!
3. Make a list of situations that are you stressing you at work and look for ways to improve upon them. For example, before our vacation Jordan and I were arguing very frequently about work. Specifically about when and how things should get done. I decided to use this vacation as a "reset" retreat. I made it my homework to find a way that I, MYSELF, can change my attitude to yield a different result between us. Some times just being away from a stressful situation can change your perspective on how to handle things.
4. Most importantly, have as much fun as possible. Laugh as much as possible. Smile, joke, dance, sleep, hydrate, tan! It's so important to "let your hair down" and take in some fresh air! Your ideas and creative energy can't flow in a stagnant envrionment. 
Moral of the story is that to be a boss ass bitch you need a real ass break and you deserve it! Then you can come back ready to take over the world! 
June 18, 2019 — APC Collaborator
My Reina Routine--Today We're Talkin' Skin Care!

My Reina Routine--Today We're Talkin' Skin Care!

Although I never thought it would be the case, I have become consumed by skin care! After years of my mom nagging me about SPF, hydration and proper cleansing techniques, I finally had the epiphany she's always dreamt of and realized how important skin care really is.
June 03, 2019 — APC Collaborator
MY FIRST INFLUENCER - MY MAMI!

MY FIRST INFLUENCER - MY MAMI!

I wanted to celebrate my first ever blog post by writing about my very first influencer: my Mami, and just in time too with Mother’s Day right around the corner!  

My mom’s name is Evelyn and she’s the woman that has taught me everything I know about being a self-sufficient girl boss! My mom came to the US at age 28, even older than I am now. I can’t even imagine leaving my entire life behind and moving to a foreign country with a 3-year-old daughter, but that’s exactly what my mami did. She became a pharmacy technician shortly after arriving to Hialeah, FL and eventually attended beauty school—the irony! I remember her giving me mini-makeovers with drugstore makeup while she was still a student; I was in 2nd grade and by the time I was in 6th grade, my mom had cultivated a loyal clientele and was able to rent her own location. It was a tiny little room in the back of a hair salon, and from there she worked 10-hour days doing facials, waxing, etc. 

 

She always came home so happy because she was able to spend her day doing something she loved. I couldn’t imagine any other life for myself. 

 

My team put together the following Q&A for Mami's Day, so here's a little more on us:

Do you remember the first time your mom let you wear makeup?

My mom would actually let me play at home with makeup and nail Polish whenever I wanted, it was a creative outlet for me. I would draw on my face and hers and whoever else would let me. In 5th grade, (I know WAY too young) I became obsessed with the idea that I looked ugly without black eyeliner on and that’s when she said I wasn’t allowed to wear it anymore. So naturally I would hide it in my shoe and smear it on as soon as I would get to homeroom! 

 

What beauty tips & tricks did you get from your mom?

My mom drilled moisturizer into my head! She always told me that hydrated skin was beautiful skin. 

 

Can you remember any of your mom’s favorite makeup products?

My mom loved and still loves L’Oréal Carbon black mascara and L’Oréal infallible black gel liner. She’s all about the eyes & no foundation. 

 

What were your mom’s Most iconic makeup moments?

My moms signature look is thick black liner, lots of mascara, wet looking skin and lots of blush. Honestly, she’s always been on trend! 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read all about my first favorite influencer and remember to subscribe if you want updates on when new posts go live!

 

Con Amor,

May 09, 2019 — APC Collaborator
Tags: ALAMARMAMI GABYTEEMUA