Too Faced Co-Founder Jerrod Blandino on Breaking into the Beauty Industry

Jerrod Blandino is the founder of Too Faced Cosmetics.

I'll be the first to tell you that working in the beauty industry is full of glitz, glamour, and fabulous creativity. I'll also be the first to tell you it can be tough. It's been almost 20 years since I started Too Faced with my husband and business partner, Jeremy Johnson.

It's been an incredible journey and along the way when people ask me for advice on breaking into the industry I always tell them it's going to take guts, more work than you can ever imagine, prayer, and a belief in yourself and what you're doing that will push you to the edge — but it's worth it. Take the road less traveled and above all be prepared to work your ass off.

Along the way, you might find that people might discourage you from going for your dream, even people who love you, because they are afraid you might fail. Find the strength in yourself to go on because there will be 1,001 reasons to give up, but all of that hard work will teach you more about yourself and reap more rewards and love than you can imagine. If you're lucky enough, all your dreams will come true and you'll get your happy ending.

Read on for some of my best advice for anyone looking to break into the industry.

Don't Do It Better — Do It Differently
When I started Too Faced, I was at the cosmetics lab, and I saw these amazing vessels of glitter that I wanted to have pressed into an eye shadow. The woman working at the lab said it couldn't be done.

I said, "Well, why not?" and she told me how binders work. So I told her to just add more binders! I was so naïve that I didn't know things were impossible.

It worked, and we created the world's first glitter eye shadow. My entire career I have stayed true to the idea of pushing boundaries and never taking no for an answer. I'm not always concerned with trying to do things better than someone else, I want to do it differently. That's how you change the world.

Never Say "No"
I always tell my team you can say not right now, or not today, but you can never say no. To break into an industry as tough as beauty and to stay competitive and innovative you've got to push yourself and your boundaries.

You don't change the world by accepting the limitations of your circumstances, of science, or of other people's ability to understand your vision. You have to keep pushing. True pioneers turn no's into yes's.

Failure Is Temporary
Listen, if you're not failing, then you're not risking anything or growing. Failure is temporary, but success is permanent. In the beginning, there were times where our bank account only had change and where major things didn't go as planned or were out of our control. From each failure we learned and we pushed ourselves to succeed.

We've all heard of other brands' success stories, when it seems like they hit it out of the park overnight. That was never us. You're going to fall down a thousand times on your way to the top, and the wonderful thing about failure is that it can be your greatest gift in the end. Sometimes you learn more from your failures than your successes. Don't let it define or discourage you. Let it empower you.

Sharpen Your Makeup Tools
If you can keep your eyes, heart, and makeup bag open, you will go far. Try that new product, go to that seminar, and do makeup on anyone who will let you. I started my career working behind the makeup counter, and it was a fast track through my own personal makeup school. I got to touch so many different faces, ages, skin tones, and work with so many different products. It is the best way to truly learn about makeup.

Be a makeup junkie. Live it, breathe it, own it.