Jessica Alba
WOMAN MADE:
Jessica Alba
The self-described “beauty junkie” set out to develop a diverse brand that services the needs of people with all different skin types, skin colors, and hair textures.
- Written By
- Megan Deem
VIOLET GREY profiles female beauty entrepreneurs who are considered industry game changers for their individual approach to business. Each one entered the conversation in her own manner and maintained a steady, if not unparalleled, trajectory with her indomitable spirit.
At one point, Jessica Alba was best known as the star of films such as Sin City and Fantastic Four. These days, however, she’s concerned with a different kind of performance—one that values billion-dollar valuations over box office reviews. After all, she is the founder of eco-friendly consumer goods behemoth The Honest Company, and its offshoot, Honest Beauty. Alba’s fashion magazine covers have now been supplemented with profiles in Inc., Forbes, and Fortune, as others scurry to learn the secrets of the woman who built a brand valued at more than $1 billion dollars.
For her part, Alba attributes the success of The Honest Company to the clarity of the brand’s mission. “I wanted to build a company that would create more opportunity for families to live happy, healthy lives,” Alba says. “We strive to create trusted products with a focus on ingredient transparency so that people can feel good about what they are bringing into their homes.”
The Honest Company launched in 2012 with a deceptively simple mandate: provide customers with accessible, high-performance and non-toxic household and baby products. Consumer response was swift, fervent and overwhelmingly positive—parents could comfortably “outsource their trust” in The Honest Company’s eco-friendly baby wipes, diapers and cleaning supplies. Not long after, Alba set her sights on the personal care market.
The result was Honest Beauty, which launched in 2015 with 17 skin care products and a 66-piece makeup range. The line’s vast offerings adhere to the same socially minded ethos as the flagship brand. In concrete terms, that means no parabens, paraffins, silicones, talc, petrolatum, mineral oil, or synthetic fragrances. Green is good, but makeup has to work. Luckily, Honest Beauty’s products—like the almond oil-infused Truly Kissable Lip Crayon and the creamy, versatile Magic Balm—deliver results good enough to almost make their ingredient lists irrelevant. Honest Beauty’s next wave of product will be an expansion in the skin care category to address adult-onset acne. “I break-out a lot,” Alba admits (at least we have confirmation that she’s not perfect).
Alba also has her sights set on global expansion; last month, The Honest Company launched in South Korea (may we suggest Honest Beauty meets K-Beauty?). Whatever follows, we can’t wait to catch the movie star-turned-mogul’s next act.
JESSICA BEFORE 10AM
01
VIOLET GREY: What is the atmosphere of your bedroom?
JESSICA ALBA: Cozy.
02
VG: Please describe your bed and your favorite thing about it.
JA: It’s soft. I use a down comforter, soft sheets, a memory foam pillow, and other pillows that I sleep with. My favorite thing about it is getting to sleep!
03
VG: What time do you wake up?
JA: Between 6 and 7 a.m., depending on the day.
04
VG: How many hours of sleep do you require?
JA: I don’t need a set number of hours; it really depends on the day and how much I’ve done.
05
VG: Do you drink coffee or tea, eat breakfast?
JA: I usually drink an almond milk latte or matcha tea. My favorite thing to eat for breakfast is toast with avocado on it.
06
VG: Do you work out in the a.m.?
JA: I wish I worked out more, but even just getting in three days a week has been challenging for me.
07
VG: What is your morning skincare regimen?
JA: Brush my teeth and wash my face with our Refreshingly Clean Gel Cleanser, followed by our Elevated Hydration Replenishing Mist, Even Brighter Everyday Moisturizer, Everything Organic Facial Oil, and Magic Balm on my cheekbones and lips.
08
VG: What makeup and products do you use on a daily basis?
JA: Between the kids and the office, I usually only have about five minutes to get ready, so I like to keep it simple. I use our Honest Beauty Everything Primer and Concealer Duo. I tap Magic Balm around my highpoints and cupid’s bow. I put on Brow Filler and Crème Blush, curl my lashes, put on mascara and Truly Kissable Lip Crayon, and go!
09
VG: What’s your hair situation in the a.m.?
JA: I always shower in the morning. On a regular basis I use our Honest Beauty Beyond Hydrated Shampoo and Conditioner, Beyond Hydrated Moisture Milk Leave-In Conditioner all over, and Honestly Effortless Sea Salt Spray at the roots. I don’t have time to style it, so I usually just let it air-dry on my way to the office.
10
VG: What’s the first thing you read each morning?
JA: Emails!
11
VG: What business do you conduct before 10:00 a.m.?
JA: My meetings start at 9.
12
VG: What time do you head to your office?
JA: I try to be there by 8:30.