Happy Friday everyone! As we reach the end of the month, you may be starting to feel a little run down. If so, you may need to take some ‘me time’. Even if it is just 10 minutes…
This week I had the opportunity to sit down with Doris Dalton; the Founder and President of Doll10 Makeup. Doll10 is a cruelty-free beauty brand that aims to get you looking fabulous in only 10 minutes. So, if you're in dire need of some 'me time' but you have limited time, you won’t want to miss this week’s chat!
Hi Doris! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me. Could you start by telling me a bit about your childhood and how you feel that has influenced you today?
I’m one of four children and I grew up in a loving family on a farm in Pennsylvania. My family has always been very close, and we still are today, which is something I’m very grateful for. My sister works with me and my dad is my biggest fan; in fact, he never misses an airing when I’m on HSN or QVC.
That’s so sweet. Family is also very important to me! How did you get started in the beauty industry?
Well, I’m actually a chiropractor and never planned to get into the beauty industry at all. As life would have it though; (to make a long story a bit shorter) I developed a rare form of cancer and after treatment, I didn’t recognize the woman looking back at me in the mirror.
When I lost my hair and my brows… I just wanted to look and feel like me again, but all of the makeup on the market at the time was just way too harsh on my extremely fragile skin. As a Doctor, I know what the body and the skin need to heal, so I began creating products that would allow me to get dolled up and feel beautiful, whilst also being kind to my skin.
"I always say, we work backwards from how most beauty companies work. We don’t think of what will “sell”, or what trends are… We look at ourselves, what we want for our skin and what beauty-related problems we can solve."
That is so powerful that the brand is a direct result of your personal experience with illness…
Well, I started the brand out of necessity. After my cancer and treatment, my skin was so fragile and there was nothing on the market that I could use or trust. So, I created Doll 10 for myself and for my sensitive skin. The fact that we’re changing the way women feel about themselves and giving them total confidence transformations with our products is still emotional for me.
I bet! How do you come up with new ideas for products?
I always say we work backward from how most beauty companies work. We don’t think of what will “sell”, or what trends are… We look at ourselves, what we want for our skin, and what beauty-related problems we can solve. We develop our products as solutions and as skincare first; color is secondary. I’m always in the lab and working on new ingredients to help the skin preserve and repair itself. Our newest launch, Dollskin™ Anti-Stress Skin Perfector is a great example of our beauty solution philosophy. Stress is aging us at a rapid rate, so we created something to counter that process and the effects it has on the skin.
I can’t wait to try it! And in terms of business and marketing, has working with influencers always been key to Doll10 makeup?
It wasn’t always, to be honest. When I started Doll10 makeup, Instagram wasn’t really a thing yet. Eventually, when we did begin working with influencers, it was really important to me that we work with people who really love our products and the brand. Creating that authentic connection is something that is (and always will be) so important to me.
I completely agree; that’s why I got in touch with you. We love what Doll10 makeup stands for and, as someone who has suffered with sensitive skin, it is a brand that I can actually use and love! What is your favourite thing about having started Doll10 makeup?
Oh, that’s easy! My favourite thing is the way that I’m able to make women feel when they use Doll10 makeup. Beauty is really not about the way we look, it’s all about how we feel. If I can give a woman the opportunity to feel beautiful and confident with a swipe of lipstick; powered by ingredients she can trust and feel good about using, then I’ve done what I set out to do. I love waking up every day with a purpose and living out my passion! I always say: “this is way too much fun to call it work!”
That’s amazing! If you had to pick, what would you say is the best part of your job?
I would have to say, it’s hearing how my products have changed a woman’s confidence. For me, there is no greater joy than hearing one of our Dolls say: “this product changed my life!” It is the most rewarding thing to hear.
And how has your team grown over the years?
Well, for the first three years it was just myself and (my now Chief Operations Officer) Angie, working out of my basement! We finally got an office space in 2009 and we’ve been growing ever since!
Sounds like a lot of hard work and passion has gone into creating Doll 10. What has been your biggest learning experience with Doll10 makeup?
To trust my instinct and stay true to who I am. There have been times where we’ve tried to hop on the latest “trend” or “fad” in the beauty world and it hasn’t worked because our audience likes Doll10 makeup for what it is: timeless beauty solutions.
Definitely! So, what’s your absolute favourite product that you have created?
I guess you can say I’m a sucker for a classic, but my favourite product is the first product we created: Brow Fix (now known as “Brow Lights”). When I created Brow Fix, it was the first colored gel/powder all-in-one that had fibers in it that actually look like real brow hair. It adheres to the skin and stays on until you take it off. I created it for myself after losing all my brows to cancer treatment because there was nothing out there on the market that would stick to skin and not come off.
That is a really impressive feat! What were your biggest challenges in starting up a beauty business?
It was really making sure that we stand out in a very competitive space. I started in this industry to help myself and other women feel beautiful; that was my mission. Navigating the business side of things, outside of just creating amazing products, has certainly been a learning curve.
So, what makes Doll10 makeup stand out?
I am really proud of the fact that we’re committed to changing the way women feel about themselves and makeup is our vehicle for doing that. It is about so much more than makeup for me. It is really and truly about creating a feeling of confidence that makes any woman unstoppable. I am on a mission to give every woman the feeling that she can conquer the world, 10 minutes at a time, with clean products.
"Do things that fill you up, make you happy and renew your spirit. We only get one life, live it to the fullest!"
I love that ethos so much! What has been your biggest “pinch-me” moment with Doll10 makeup?
This year, it was our ‘Dolls 4 Paws’ adoption event! It was our second annual ‘Clear the Shelters’ adoptathon in which we partner with the Women’s Animal Center in Bensalem, PA. It was unbelievable that all those families came out to rescue a fur baby from the shelter. They opened their homes and their hearts to these dogs, cats, bunnies, guinea pigs, and hamsters! Hundreds of animals have been adopted to date and each adoption honestly makes me cry tears of joy.
That is so beautiful. What inspires you?
Our Dollsquad inspires me. We’ve created such an incredible community around all things beauty; I am still in awe that there are Doll 10 makeup products sitting on our makeup vanity. To know that they trust us with their skincare and beauty routines is so inspiring and humbling to me. We’re all in this together!
So, what is an average day like for you with Doll10 makeup?
I normally wake up around 7:00 am (depending on how jetlagged I am from being on-air in our international markets) and grab my coffee. I catch up on my emails and calendar for the day. Then, I start tending to my two dogs, two indoor cats, and sixteen outdoor cats! After that’s done, it’s usually another cup of coffee and I steal ten minutes for my everyday makeup essentials. This includes: our Hydralux Foundation and concealer, Dollskin™ Complexion Enhancing palette, and the nude lip wardrobe. Lately, I have been experimenting with intermittent fasting, so I skip breakfast and head into the office, to the lab or to QVC for an airing!
You’re extremely busy by the sounds of things…Would you say that you have a work/life balance?
I try very hard to have a work/life balance! While it can be challenging sometimes, I make it a priority and juggle things around when I need to ensure that I have quality time with my family, as well as some 'me time' to rest and recharge. I make a point to spend quality-time with my husband, son and daughter-in-law and, of course my furry family members on a daily basis; even if it’s just a quick text or call!
What words do you live by?
Really value your time. It’s your most precious commodity. I regularly tell my team “you can always make more money, but you can’t buy more time.” Do things that fill you up, make you happy and renew your spirit. We only get one life, live it to the fullest!
I wholeheartedly agree! What is next for Doll10 Makeup?
There are so many incredible things on the horizon for next year! We just launched our first retail door at Dunnes Beauty Hall in Ireland, which is so exciting! More of that to come! The biggest thing for 2020 though, has to do with skin. That’s all I can say right now! It will involve going back to our roots as each of our formulas actually started out as skincare. Stay tuned! It’s going to be incredible!
Like what you read? We also caught up with Doris Dalton on IGTV which was amazing so check it out here!
Doris Dalton has also been on air with Doll 10 on QVC & she is really fabulous at showing Doll10 on video in all its glory, we have included the links here and here. Shop now via QVC. All images are via Doll10.
If you fancy checking out some previous interviews you can find them here.
Gabriela is a London-based writer and creative, working in marketing. Her favourite skincare product is Darphin’s Ideal Resource Youth Retinol Oil Concentrate.
Helped these 10 items thanks for sharing.