Discussing lessons in the art of reinvention, entrepreneurs Victoria Jackson and Alli Webb gave insights into their returns to the beauty industry during WWD’s third annual L.A. Beauty Forum, held on Oct. 6 at The Maybourne Beverly Hills.
“We’re all in this room because we love this industry, and we love making great products and getting our message out there,” said Jackson. “It’s why we’re here. It’s a passion.”
The beauty veteran became the first person to sell color cosmetics on QVC in the ’80s with Victoria Jackson Cosmetics and subsequently generated $1 billion in sales in the 10 years that followed, before introducing her new brand No Makeup Makeup — a term she coined in 1986.
Webb, founder and co-chief executive officer of hair brand Messy — who previously launched and sold salon chain Drybar to Helen of Troy for $255 million — echoed the sentiment. She described her post-exit experience as a period of identity loss: “If I’m not running this company, what am I doing? Who am I? You start to lose a sense of purpose.”
Messy emerged from a personal evolution that embraced natural hair health over the perfection of blowouts.
“The irony is not lost on me that I was telling everybody to get their hair blown out for the last 15 years, and I’m like, ‘You know what? Don’t do that anymore,’” Webb said to laughs.
“But it was a personal evolution for me,” she went on. “I stopped blow-drying my hair and stopped the excessive heat, and my hair got healthier, and it grew or stopped breaking. And so, I was like, ‘There’s something here.’ And I started to feel really passionate again about this new frontier that I had found in embracing my natural hair. And that’s really how Messy was born, and that’s really why I’m back.”
Jackson’s return, meanwhile, is rooted in continuity. She highlighted the enduring relevance of her brand: “No-makeup makeup has been trending for me since the ’80s. I trademarked that a long time ago. It was my passion. It’s really what I believe in. The message is very authentic for me.”
Jackson also shared that life’s unpredictability reinforced the importance of perseverance, citing both personal and professional challenges. She recounted dealing with a medical concern involving her child, which forced her to pivot from beauty to medicine, and navigating skepticism from critics during her infomercial days. “I can weather any storm.”
Alli Webb and Victoria Jackson
For Webb, this second time around has refined her approach to business.
“I think I’m not as high-strung and nervous and make everybody as crazy as I used to,” she said, describing a softer and more collaborative leadership style, which she finds more impactful. “I kind of have the mentality that it’s all going to work out one way or the other.”
Webb acknowledged the difficulty of introducing a brand in a crowded market, as the landscape of retail and consumer engagement continues to evolve.
“This space is very saturated…that being said, launching a prestige brand, there’s nowhere else to do it but Sephora,” Webb continued. Messy launched exclusively in 700 doors at Sephora.
Jackson highlighted the ongoing strength of direct-to-consumer channels, including QVC, noting rapid growth and a strong connection with customers. She emphasized the importance of maintaining focus on quality and authenticity, adding: “I stay true to my beliefs, my messaging and just creating great product.”
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