Gertie Wilson grew up as a ballet dancer. While she wasn’t meant to be a ballerina in New York City, she loved to perform on stage. Particularly, she loved how cosmetics could really bring the characters on stage to life, as well as the confidence and illusory characterization they created. That’s when she truly fell in love with makeup.
But the industry isn’t exactly one-size-fits-all. When she would take her makeup kit anywhere, she’d need to pack multiple brands to accommodate everyone. Gertie says that “whether they had a health need, like a sensitivity or an allergy, or whether they had a lifestyle choice like veganism, there wasn’t one single product line that could accommodate everyone’s needs, last all day, look good on everyone, be fashionable, and be affordable.”
Of course, there is a wide selection of natural makeup available on the market, but Gertie found that she was always searching for more. That’s when she decided that she would fix the problem herself by developing a solution.
So Gertie buckled down and learned all that she could. “I started out working for other people. I think what you have to do in any industry is learn from other,” Gertie says. “So that’s exactly what I did. I started learning from every makeup artist, growing my confidence, and gleaned everything I could while I planned to take the leap on my own.”
Of course, it wasn’t a small task to take that leap. “It was scary,” she says. “It was very scary. You have to put yourself out there, trust yourself, believe in yourself. I’d say listen to the people cheering you on, hold onto every ounce of confidence, and just get
out there and do it. I think anybody can do it. It’s simply a matter of mind over matter.”
Gertie began planning for several years before she ever had any product. “It took
a lot of time, patience, and determination,” she adds. “It had to be something really special.”
Sure enough, she’s created something special. She started out with a small business loan, and got partners. “It was challenging. Not only do you have to believe in yourself, you have to convince other people to believe in you,” says Gertie. “I had a twenty-something page business plan that I made, and I’m so visual, I did it all with InDesign. I wanted it to look perfect, so I probably did it the hardest way possible.”
Gertie launched her first product in May of 2015, the signature foundation, “Bombshell Beauty Balm.” And then, one piece at a time, she’s grown steadily since. She’s been able to focus on each product, pouring her effort into formulating it right, and now she has a full lineup. “It’s been a slow yet incredibly rewarding process,” she says.
Elevé is now a full-fledged cosmetic company for everyone. “I picture the Elevé girl as a mom, a working woman, a fashionista, or even as a high schooler that is growing and changing. She may have acne, wrinkles, rosacea,” Gertie says. “And we make it all as skincare, not just makeup. When you’re applying cosmetics, you don’t want it to be damaging. You want it to be repairing while also making you feel ready to rock the world.”
The industry is changing, too. “I think women are starting to care more about ingredients, paying attention to what’s in products,” Gertie adds. “We’re seeing this in the food industry. People are starting to care more about what goes in and on their bodies. Women haven’t always had access to good cosmetic products, and they actually have to do the research and find brands that they can trust. I want women to be able to be natural, have good ingredients, and feel stylish enough to walk down the runway. So, that’s unique, and I do think the industry is coming around, and I’m proud to be setting an example with this brand.”
Of course, Gertie hasn’t left her ballet roots behind at all. It’s all in the name. “Elevé is
a ballet term that means ‘to rise.’ My whole mission is to make women feel uplifted and empowered to conquer the world. That is my business in a nutshell.”
Elevé Cosmetics is completely vegan-based, gluten-free, and paraben-free. Each product is all-natural, non-toxic, and mineral/botanical-based. It’s packed full of peptides, active anti-aging ingredients, and antioxidants. Additionally, it’s long-lasting, affordable, and yet has a luxury quality. This is the special mission that Gertie set out to accomplish, and she’s doing it worldwide.
From the very beginning, Gertie has taken pride in each detail, from ingredients, to packaging, to colors. “I think all those little details make Elevé stand out,” Gertie says. “We’re not a big company that’s just pushing product. We really get to take our time and make sure everything is perfectly right. I think that makes us special.”
In addition, Gertie has innovated this line to be fluid and evolve naturally. “My goal was not to have a static like, rather to change constantly, make new colors every season, and listen to my customer’s needs. For instance, this summer we’ve introduced a fashion-forward shimmer line with colors that any woman can wear. Our newest palette looks good on anybody. We also have some new really bright lip colors that are fun.”
All of the company’s palettes are named after wardrobe essentials. Gertie’s original palette, “The Little Black Dress,” was aptly named because it is intended to be versatile enough to wear anywhere. The newest palette that Elevé has launched is called “Crop Tops and Flip Flops.” This is the summer-inspired kit, and with so much attention to detail, it’s hard not to admire the thoughtful care that goes into each product.
One of the little details on the packaging (that we love) is that it proudly boasts to be Austin-based” Austin is amazing,” says Gertie,” Austin truly inspired Elevé. The whole town is natural, cocy, and beautiful. There are so many great qualities here that I wanted to capture. 111 always have this city’s name right underneath the logo. This is home, and this will always be home. I made it for the Austin woman in mind.”
Many local business owners love to give back to this community, and Gertie
is no exception. “One organization that I’m passionate about,” she says, “is the Shade Project. They focus on installing shade over playgrounds in parks around town so that children are protected from the sun’s harmful rays when they are playing outside.” This prevents skin cancer, which is a topic that matters a lot to a makeup artist. Gertie is chair for the organization’s annual event, cleverly themed after a derby for its large, shade-proving hats.
We can learn a lot from this business’ success. For one, learn from anyone and everyone. “Talk to as many people as you can,” Gertie recommends. “Make connections, grow your network, find role models, feed your inspiration.”
Gertie also says that it helps to celebrate each and every milestone, no matter how small. “From the very first online order we filled to actually winning awards among hundreds of brands, to shipping internationally, I celebrate each success.”
Lastly she advises to “listen more than you talk.” On her journey, she’s learned that the best thing to do is “listen as much as possible to every person you ever meet. You never know how they can help, or what their perspective will offer.”
Naturally, when asking a makeup artist for advice, a girl can’t help asking for some tips: “Wear sunscreen. Always look for a product with SPF to protect your skin,” advises Gertie. “It’s important to wash your face before bed to not only remove makeup but also oil, dirt, and environmental elements that build up throughout the day.” And of course, the most important piece of wisdom, ”be yourself. That’s always the best thing. Radiate confidence and just rise up.”
Written by Briana Loëb
Photo by Leslie Hodge
