Tuesday, March 25, 2008

So Glossy!

I recently had a chance to talk with Keisha Nash-Whitaker about her line, Kissable Couture. For those of you who don't know, this beautiful and ambitious woman is the wife of Oscar-award winner, Forest Whitaker.

Being a wife and mother of preteen/teen girls is a full-time job that keeps her pretty busy. Lucky for us, she finds the time to keep our lips kissable with her line of perfectly textured glosses that go on fluidly sans the gooey stickiness akin to other brands. Plus, all of the shades are named after the men in her and her friends' lives. Of course, the Forest hue is her favorite!

If you want a smooth, sexy shine with the right hint of color, these glosses are for you!



Check out our Q&A:

BGG: What inspired you to create a line of lip-gloss?
Keisha: I collaborated with AJ Crimson and we always talked about working on something together. I started out as a model and he’s a makeup artist. So with my background in fashion and his in makeup/beauty, it was a natural transition to merge the two.

BGG: How did you come up with the name Kissable Couture?
Keisha: Well, with AJ being in makeup – the lips are kissable and with me being in fashion, came the couture part. Put them together you have Kissable Couture!

BGG: What was the biggest challenge you faced getting your line off the ground?
Keisha: I wanted be taken seriously. I didn’t want to be seen as this fly-by-night celebrity-endorsed product. I wanted to be known for having a fantastic product. I just had to keep knocking on doors until they eventually opened.

BGG: I know that you created a special Valentine’s Day collection a few months ago, do you think you’ll continue to produce special collections?

Keisha: Absolutely! Life is a special occasion! As we continue to grow, we will continue to surprise customers with new festive collections.

BGG: Do you plan on expanding Kissable Couture to more than just lip-gloss?
Keisha: Absolutely! This fall we will add nail polish that will accent and complement the lip-glosses. In the summer we, we will add 3 to 5 new colors that will evoke hope and change. With the state of the world right now, people want to be positive and uplifting and we want to do that with Kissable Couture.



BGG: How do you balance being a businesswoman, wife and being a mom of 3 girls?
Keisha: For me, I always put family first. I work on Kissable Couture during the day when my kids are at school. Evenings and nights are reserved for my family. I am very multi-faceted. I believe women are able to balance it all.

BGG: Do you have any other makeup must-haves besides Kissable Couture?
Keisha: Yes! I love Bobbi Brown’s Shimmer Brick in Bronze. It's great!

BGG: You have a killer sense of style; do you ever think about launching a fashion line?
Keisha: Definitely, I’ve thought about it a lot. If I did it would consist of chic & comfortable clothes; something that feels like me. I have been known to be in a grocery store in the afternoon wearing pumps – I’m an everyday chic girl!

BGG: In your spare time, what do you do to relax and have fun?
Keisha: I’m always with my hairdresser David; he’s a lot of fun! I also enjoy doing Pilates, yoga, going to the movies in the afternoon with my hubby, attending book club meetings, going to lunch and just hanging out with friends and family.

BGG: What advice do you have for young women of color who aspire to start their own makeup lines?
Keisha: Stay in the game and believe in your product. Know that it’s about quality and perseverance. Iman was my role model. Now there are so many role models out there. Young kids can see presidential candidates that look like them and know that anything is possible. I would say to dream and dream BIG!

Visit www.kissablecouture.com to order online and for store locations near you.

18 comments:

Mlle M. said...

Great interview! Just saw Ms. Nash-Whitaker and Kissable Couture featured in Lucky magazine. It's nice to learn more about her.

K-Bear said...

BGG that was a great interview. I was shocked to learn she doesn't already have a fashion line of her own. Ooo I can't wait for her to get that going. Even though I'm not a gloss loving girl, I'll try hers because the colors are so rich and beautiful. Definitely worth a try in my pursuit to perfect my pout! HA!

Anonymous said...

First of all Keisha Nash-Whitaker is gorgeous!
I am anxious to try her new lip-gloss line. It is very inspirational to see someone like her so level-headed.

Anonymous said...

excellent interview!

Anonymous said...

Great interview! A friend told me about this gloss, I had no clue it was Keisha Nash-Whitaker's line. If I had I would have definitely been skeptical. But this is the real deal, It doesn't have that sticky residue that most glosses have. I swear by it now and wouldn't dream of trying another lip gloss. It's worth every penny and it's something every girl should try!

Anonymous said...

Hey BBG,
I purchased the David Kissable Couture lipgloss a while back and one thing that really stands out is the beautiful packaging of the product...certainly a cut above the rest. I actually have David in my purse now and it is true that it is a non sticky gloss.
Product Junkie Diva

Ros said...

Good interview! I will have to try out her lip gloss although I'm sure I will love it becuase it looks so natural. I hope she does start her fashion line. I think it will be good since she is a black woman and she should take any opportunity she can to keep achieving and being successful.

Just K said...

What? A lip gloss that isn't sticky and it's made by another BG...I'm on my way to get it right now!

Anonymous said...

Wow! I gave up on glosses a while ago. I just couldn't stand that thick feeling on my lips. I guess it's time to dive back in! I can't resist the pretty colors and I love supporting my sistahs!

Anonymous said...

I really like her line if lip glosses. I can't wait to see what her fashion line looks like. Great Interview BGG.

Kwana said...

Great interview. I didn't know about her line, but I'm going to look for it now. It's so good to put a mind behind the beautiful face.

12kyle said...

BGG
I don't know much about makeup but I know who I can talk to if I have any questions.

Anonymous said...

another great interview...i'm sure my wife will try her lip-gloss

B said...

I loooove her. She is so beautiful and she is in love with the Bobbi Brown Shimmerbrick, like me! I've been eyein' her lippies for awhile so this post has definitely inspired me to cop it sooner rather than later. Fab job again, BGG!

Brown Girl Gumbo said...

For those of you who haven't tried Kissable Couture yet, you should definitely try it!! You will not be disappointed!! :-)

Anonymous said...

Okay everyone, I am off to look for the lip gloss this weekend. Great interview! I hope to see her fashions soon. I hope she will consider all sizes for women!

Ananda said...

i loved your interview with keisha nash-whitaker. i will definitely plan to purchase her kissable couture. thank you again for keeping me in the bgg know.

aishaadair said...

That was a great interview with Keisha. I think her glosses look great. I'm a mac girl myself, but would definitely try hers. The colors look really nice. The natural earth tones are right up my alley.