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Jolii Cosmetics Founder Sasha Suresh: Certified “Beauty Junkie”[INTERVIEW]

Jolii Cosmetics Founder Sasha Suresh: Certified “Beauty Junkie”[INTERVIEW]

Whether you’re stepping out these days or staying home and safe, the ritual of applying makeup can just make you feel good. My makeup arsenal is armed with some of my favorite beauty products. Lipstick is top of the list. It’s the one item I don’t leave home without (or staying safe at home) and I even put on lip gloss before bed. It just makes me feel pretty. Red lipstick by day, light pink lip gloss by night.

With my allergies to dyes and fragrances, I need to pay extra attention to where the products I use come from. I’m looking for sustainable high-quality products, with no animal testing and love the small batch process. Always on the quest for a new lip product, I stumbled on a woman who is developing beauty products with a passion and her new Jolii 2.0 product line is out. Just what every beauty enthusiast needs. We’re equally passionate about a “good lip” and won’t settle for the cakey lipsticks our grandmothers used to don. Jolii Cosmetic’s founder Sasha Suresh is changing the way we look at lipstick and gloss. She took some time out to give Luxe Beat Magazine an exclusive interview and share with our readers how one becomes a cosmetics industry innovator.

Certified “Beauty Junkie”

Jolii Cosmetics founder and creator Sasha Suresh grew up in India and “struggled to find the perfect matte lip products that didn’t feel like chemical concrete.” Her products are “made without compromise and crafted in Italy by a team of artisans.” Jolii is a vegan and cruelty-free brand and supports a variety of animal-friendly causes. Sasha is a huge dog lover and Jolii is working with Love Leo Rescue to have a portion of the proceeds go towards saving dogs.

How did you define “beauty junkie” and how did you become one?

Sasha Suresh (SS): As a little girl I used to watch my mother apply her makeup! She has a subtle elegance about her which I always allude to when thinking of beauty. I went through phases experimenting with my look from high school, to university and slowly found my look in my thirties. Make up is fun, playful and I believe opens up doorways to self-expression. In my mind a “beauty junkie” is on a journey of self-expression through makeup!

What is the one makeup item you cannot live without?

SS: For me it’s a good lip! I can go bare faced with just a lipstick or lipgloss on and feel good about myself! My go-to are the Luxe Crème Mattes in Focoso which is perfect for a day to night and the Lustre Lip in Terrena.

Jolii Cosmetics The Elixir

What is your favorite beauty tip?

SS: Cliché but, definitely less is more. I believe in starting off subtle and seeing how much you want to build on without the heavy contours. Let your skin glow! You want the makeup to enhance your look, rather than take away from it.

What is glass refined packaging?

SS: Jolii’s refined packaging is custom made and is made in small batches so as to not feel mass produced and stand out from the crowd.

How does making small batches and that utilize glass refined packaging benefit the final product and how can you keep the retail cost down with this level of craftsmanship? 

SS: Like I mentioned earlier, my goal for Jolii is to be able to stand out from the crowd and one of the ways I do that is by customizing the packaging and producing in small batches so it feels exclusive rather than mass produced. Keeping retail costs down is also another important aspect because the whole idea behind the brand is to be able to offer luxury products without it breaking the bank! I’d like to think that I’ve mastered a way of doing it!

What is so special about the Jolii 2.0 Collection?

SS: It is simply clean beauty. I strongly believe providing our customers with the most ingredient safe and highest quality product. Jolii 2.0 is the product of the aim.

What one Jolii product do you recommend for someone looking at trying out your line?

SS: This is a tough one but since summer’s around the corner, I’d recommend the Mellow Stick in Rosa. It’s a beautiful blush which blends like a dream and goes easily for a day to night look. The other product I would highly recommend is the new Jolii 2.0 – The Elixir – it is such a unique formula that is multipurpose and can be used on the go, even if it is powder based.

What is your favorite pastime?

SS: Well I wouldn’t really call it a pastime, but I have two beautiful dogs who I refer to as my babies. When I’m not working, I love to take them out on walks, play and give them all my attention. I love animals but dogs have a special place in my heart. My oldest Duscha, is a Boxer who turns 7 years old in September, and has been with me through thick and thin. Our newest member (of the family) is Mischka who is a Dachshund mix who I adopted two and half months ago. The two dogs get along like a house on fire!

What are you binge watching right now?

SS: I love crime shows so I’m always looking for something that can keep me invested!

How do you define luxury?

SS: Quality and sustainability defines luxury. I look for products that are meaningful and can last and be in my space. This philosophy applies to all aspects of my lifestyle. It’s also the more environmentally friendly approach to living a meaningful life which isn’t always easy considering the options.

How are you and the company doing during the COVID-19 crisis?

SS: These are unprecedented times. The world has never seen anything like this and we are all in the same boat. It forces us to think about how we choose to live, how we consume and treat each other.

From inception, Jolii Cosmetics has been a one woman show. I do everything from start to finish, which I love but it comes with a set of challenges. During these times, I am grateful for old and new customers supporting my brand. Things are slower now, but I also am taking advantage of this time to work on future plans for the brand.  My hope for all smaller brands, is that we come out of this pandemic stronger and better for the larger world.

What is next for Jolii?

SS: It’s a surprise, you’d have to keep watching!

Sasha, it’s been a pleasure getting to know you and I’m so enjoying the products! Readers, treat yourself everyday to something special, be it a new lipstick or lip gloss or snuggling with your pups. I’m going to put my Lustre Lip gloss on and find a British murder mystery to binge tonight. Thank you Sasha, it was a pleasure! To learn more about Jolii Cosmetics check out the Jolii 2.0 products below or visit https://joliicosmetics.com/.

The Jolii 2.0 Collection:

Jolii Cosmetics Lip LustreLustre Lip

Achieve luminous lips with natural ingredients. This gloss provides opalescent reflections with special transparent gels. Enhance your glossy look! The use of special pearls creates a vinyl effect. Two different shades available.

  • Enriched with active ingredients for moisturized lips.
  • Contains menthol for a cooling effect.
  • Other key ingredients include shea butter and cannabis sativa seed oil.

The Elixir

This pigmented powder expands beyond lip color products.  Use the multi-purpose formula on eyes and cheeks for a nice sheen or build up the color intensity for a more pigmented look. Available in two shades. 

  • Pick your weapon: apply using your fingers for a subtle finish or a brush for a more precise look.
  • Made with cocoa seed butter, Sacha Inchi oil and coffee seed oil.
  • No fallout

About Jolii Cosmetics: 

Founder and creator Sasha Suresh grew up in India and considers herself a modern traveler. She has visited 12 countries in addition to living in Thailand and New York and she currently resides in Los Angeles. Making the leap into entrepreneurship, liquid matte lipsticks became her first challenge but proved to be a success for Jolii Cosmetics. The formula yielding a plush, moisture-rich, long-wearing formula made with responsible, good-for-you ingredients set the stage for more clean beauty products to come.

Self-funded and female-owned Jolii Cosmetics first created beauty buzz in 2017 with the Spektra Stick named “the most pigmented highlighter you’ll ever use” by Allure. New for 2020, the clean beauty brand known for colorful, luxurious and rich lip color is expanding its line. 

The Jolii 2.0 collection is offering two more ways to glow and shimmer with a semi-transparent lip gloss and pigmented powder. Experience the power of color without the sacrifice. Jolii formulas are 100 percent vegan and cruelty, gluten and paraben-free.

Products are made in Italy in small batches and utilize glass refined packaging. Despite this fine craftsmanship, these cosmetics remain affordable ranging from $18 to $30. 

Sasha Suresh Jolii Costmetics

About The Author

Sherrie Wilkolaski

Sherrie Wilkolaski is the Editor-in-Chief of Luxe Beat Magazine and CEO of Luxe Beat Media. She's a luxury lifestyle journalist, bestselling author, speaker, radio talk show host, content strategist and Publishing Architect™. France is her favorite country to visit, her most memorable travel experience was walking the Great Wall of China and she is looking forward to making her inaugural visit to Ireland soon! Her column Cookies & Cocktails is Luxe Beat's most popular. She’s a former International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association board member and treasurer. Her most recent book, Publishing Architect’s Blueprint: Self-Publishing Fundamentals is a 2017 Indie Book Awards Finalist. She's currently studying for her first Sommelier exam. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.

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