I began my journey with makeup in 2010, not really as a hobby but out of necessity. I found my skin reacting badly to a lot of cosmetics on the market at the time and I was getting frustrated with the lack of options that I could use. This frustration lead me to creating some of my own makeup. I started with loose mineral eyeshadow and lip balm, and really quickly fell in love with the process. I discovered not only could I make makeup at home, but I could use natural ingredients that were safe for my skin.
With all the excitement of making my own products, around 2012 I decided to start an Etsy store. But timing was never quite right and they never really took off like I had initially hoped.
Fast forward to 2018, I decided to take a more serious leap into the beauty industry. I teamed up with a business partner, and together we started my first handmade makeup company. While the experience was invaluable, we faced SO MANY challenges that many startups do: branding issues, a lack of focus, and the difficulty of maintaining plastic-free packaging. As much as I wanted to create a brand that stood for sustainability, our struggles led to the company folding, and I stepped away. It was a really hard decision and I wanted to keep going, but you know when something isn't right - you just know.
Then the pandemic happened and for the first time I was working from home and kind of found myself with a lot of extra free time. For me, it was the push I needed to try again, but this time, I wanted to do things differently. The idea of little plastic containers floating around the ocean was something I couldn’t stand. As a graphic designer by day, I decided to put my skills to use and create a brand that would not only offer high-quality makeup but also make a positive impact on the planet.
In 2021, Hello Wink was born, with a clear mission: to offer clean beauty on the go, packaged in 100% plastic-free materials. I started with our All Over Color Sticks—multi-use balms that can be used on lips, eyes, and cheeks. Each stick is handmade in our Hello Wink labs, using natural ingredients and cosmetic colorants like mica and pigments.
At Hello Wink, my goal is simple: shake up the makeup industry and inspire everyone to make one small change. The cosmetics industry produces 120 billion units of plastic containers each year. This level of plastic is totally unsustainable for our planet, and we believe that even the smallest changes can make a difference.
I'm not here to say you should remove every single plastic thing you use, but I do believe in making conscious choices. If everyone swapped out just one of their plastic lip products for something sustainable, together, we could make a big difference in our planets future.
And that's what Hello Wink is all about. It's not just about what's trending or what's the newest thing. It's about making products that are good for you and good for the planet. Because sustainable beauty isn’t just a trend—it’s the future.
Francesca