Recently we had the pleasure of attending #BonjourBourjois, a re-introduction into the joyful world of Bourjois, a French makeup brand that is quickly becoming dear to our hearts. At the event we not only met some of the newest additions to the Bourjois family, we also were introduced to Donna Gilray, the General Manager of the Beauty Division of CS&Co. Beauty Solutions, who distribute the Bourjois brand in New Zealand.
We know our members love hearing about and from those working within the beauty industry, so we asked Donna if she’d mind having a chat with us, and being the lovely woman she is, she agreed.
Donna, thank you for taking the time to talk with us. Tell us a bit about yourself.
Originally from the South Island, I have been living in Auckland for 20+ years. I love living here and enjoy everything Auckland has to offer…although I am still an avid Otago rugby supporter and a South Island girl at heart.
Was the beauty industry something you aspired to enter? How did you get your start?
I have always loved and used cosmetics. My 1st venture into the industry was as a teenager when I became a Nutrimetics consultant. I can’t say I was overly successful but I did have an ongoing supply of product!
My career has been primarily in sales starting as a merchandiser and working my way up. Prior to joining CS I have been lucky to work with great brands in categories that I am passionate about.
The opportunity to join CS&Co. back in 2006 as Sales Manager was a natural progression in my career. The fact I would be selling cosmetics was a bonus!
Tell us a bit about CS&Co. Beauty Solutions. How many brands is it home to? What does distribution involve?
CS&Co. is NZ’s largest and most successful beauty distribution company. Recently purchased by Trilogy International, we are proud to represent some of the world’s most recognised beauty brands.
Our portfolio fluctuates around 50-60+ individual brands, which we represent across all retail channels in NZ.
As distributers fundamentally our role as brand caretakers is to ensure global marketing and brand strategy is implemented to the best of our ability in our market. That includes developing bespoke promotions and campaigns that will drive sales and improve market share and distribution.
One of Beauty Review’s main objectives is to support the New Zealand beauty industry, which is why we make a point of only purchasing beauty products through official distributors. Donna, what are your thoughts on purchasing beauty products through official suppliers vs parallel importers?
Supporting NZ distributors is supporting New Zealanders and NZ businesses. When product is purchased from a distributor we invest a % of that sale back into other NZ businesses be that media, retailer promotional events, rewards, support staff and bringing new product to the market. Everyone wins.
In a nutshell you really can’t be confident in what you are buying when you buy parallel. It often can’t be traced so you don’t know where it’s come from or where it has been.
It may offer a perceived lower price but often the product is discontinued, slow-selling shades and compromised. Profit generated from Parallel supports the overseas trader and there may be no back up support or consumer guarantees for faulty or compromised product.
CS&Co. is home to some amazing brands. Do you have any particular favourites?
Where do I start…? Natio skincare has been a favourite of mine since before I started with CS, it is so affordable but very effective; likewise I have and will continue to use Max Factor Mascara; it’s an iconic product for a reason.
Bourjois is such a beautiful new addition to our portfolio. I am in love with the Healthy Mix foundation, and Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail enamel is in my opinion the best polish on the market.
Trilogy Everything Balm should be in every house in NZ, and to get summer ready you can’t beat St Tropez rapid tan mousse.
Fragrance to me is all about enhancing my mood and indulging myself regardless of what I am wearing or where I am going. Favourites include Miu Miu, Balenciaga Paris, and Chloe.
One of my favourite movie moments is in The Devil Wears Prada. They go into a room and it’s filled with fashion that people can just take off the rack and wear. Is there an equivalent at CS&Co.? A stash of beauty that those who work their can help themselves to?
Sadly there is no ‘stash room’ as such. But we do get spoilt with lots of samples from our brands and we have very generous staff buying privileges
The beauty industry appears to be very glamorous. Have you ever met a celebrity? What OMG moments have you had?
2012 was the year of the celebrity for me.
Firstly through COVERGIRL I met Taylor Swift; she was very pleasant & engaging, she is also very tall! In September Gwyneth Paltrow joined our Max Factor conference in Berlin, and was so warm and eloquent. October 2012 I met Eva Longoria at a media event she attended to help launch the NZ TV Shopping channel.
Totally unrelated in 2013 I sat a couple of rows behind Justin Beiber on a flight to LA from London… I had no idea who he was and what all the fuss was about!
What’s been a highlight of your career?
It will always be whenever my team are recognised for their efforts. There is nothing more rewarding than being publically acknowledged as being the best in your field.
My team have had a number of global and national recognitions from our brand and retailer partners over the years and each one is a highlight for me.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced during your career, and how did you overcome it?There has been many but one that sticks out is my 1st Key Account Management role. The buying manager in my largest account was a challenging personality and wouldn’t work positively with me. Actually he made my life very difficult.
One day I simply asked him, in his mind, which company he dealt with was the best? … He told me …. I then contacted that companies Key Account Manager & asked him if he would mentor me on how to work better with this buyer.
Long story short 18 months later my company was seen as one of the best and then I was personally recognised as the top Account Manager for this retailer. I still have a great working relationship with this retailer today.
When not surrounded by and working on beautiful beauty brands, how do you relax?
I am a girl that finds it hard to relax. I am social by nature so often have a busy diary week in week out. The only way for me to truly unwind is to take myself off to Fiji where I have no choice but to sit, read and indulge in the spa and the cocktail menu.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to enter the beauty industry?
It’s great if you love cosmetics but first you need to love and become an expert in your chosen field, be that marketing, sales, planning or buying.
Beauty is a high involvement, fast paced and multi-faceted industry. You need to be able to think holistically and be able to multi task at the highest level. One cosmetic brand can have a range of over 200 products that can change every 4-6 weeks … attention to detail is key
If you had to wear one cosmetic for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Mascara … it gives definition, opens up your eyes and provides a hint of glamour, which we all need
What do you think will be the next ‘big thing’ for the beauty industry?
There will always be short term fads in beauty but the long term ‘big thing’ I see is the evolution of Natural.
I am not meaning products that trade on having an element of natural I’m talking brands that offer product that is naturally derived and with ingredients that can be traced.
Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of what they are putting on their skin and are making informed decisions. Whilst there are a number of skincare solutions on the market we are starting to see cosmetics enter this space … exciting!
Donna, thank you so much for taking the time to share a behind the scenes glimpse of the fascinating world that is the beauty industry. We truly appreciate it, as do our Beauty Review members.
This was really interesting.