Nine years ago, Jamie Genevieve was working at the Estee Lauder beauty counter in Glasgow’s Debenhams.
Fast forward to 2020 and the influencer-turned-entrepreneur has launched her debut make-up collection, VIEVE, which has received investment from the venture capitalist firm Venrex (the main investor in Charlotte Tilbury).
“I’ve wanted to create my own brand for nearly a decade, but the name VIEVE came to me just over two years ago,” 27-year-old Genevieve tells the Standard. “Since then we have been designing the brand and products pretty much full-time. I knew I wanted to start with the basics - beautiful everyday essentials.”
Fittingly, VIEVE has launched with The Essential Collection. It is comprised of five matte nude lipsticks, five lip liners, three golden-hued highlighters (that Genevieve describes as “like putting on jewellery – it just finishes the look perfectly!”), and one seriously pigmented eyeshadow palette.
“I really wanted to create a brand with a combination of performance, quality and community,” she explains, “The Essential Collection from VIEVE was created through my conversations with fellow beauty enthusiasts and what they need in their daily makeup bags for the looks that take five minutes as well as for playtime that can take two hours. Easy to use, classic products that you can really rely on.”
Cult Beauty’s co-founder Alexia Inge, is resolved that Genevieve’s make-up line is one to watch. "VIEVE should not be considered just "another influencer launch", it's going to be a big contender in the world of make-up. I have huge respect and admiration for Jamie, her translatable creativity and warmth has made her a trusted authority within the beauty industry," she says.
Where a beauty influencer goes, hyperbole is sure to follow. But the proof, as they say, is in the pudding, and do Genevieve’s products live up to the hype? I took them for a test drive to find out for myself.
VIEVE The Essentials Palette
The world is hardly in short supply of eyeshadows but, as something of a novice myself, I’m always intrigued to see whether the newest launch can convince me to embrace the shades. Genevieve’s 10-colour palette took her the longest to develop and it’s clear why. The shadows, which are all riffs on neutral and beige shades, are highly-pigmented and required only the slightest sweep over my lids to provide a full swash of colour.
My stand-out from the palette had to be the three multi-dimensional shimmer shades which transformed my eyes into two blinking and winking glitterballs. A brush of the shade Thea across my lids, a slick of blusher and I felt ready to … well, party, but in lieu of said party, I settled for a made-up movie night.
VIEVE Nova Glow Highlighter
Now that Strictly is finally back on the small screen, there’s finally an incentive to put on a bit of slap in celebration (just me?). All it took was two sweeps of Genevieve’s Nova Glow across the high points of the face and my skin looked positively dolphin and glass-like. Want to shine bright like a diamond? Look no further than these three golden-hued gems.
VIEVE Modern Lip Definer
On a quest for a plumper and more pillow-like pout? Genevieve’s lip liners are creamy enough to convert even the most obstinate lip liner haters. Granted, as something of a connoisseur myself, there’s rarely a liner that my lips don’t fall for. Yet VIEVE’s spectrum of browns are so easy-to-blend and neutral that I would bet good money on them being able to win over even the uninitiated.
VIEVE Modern Matte Lipstick
I err on the side of caution when it comes to lipstick, often finding their consistencies too matte or drying for my already fairly parched pout. However, I am open to being convinced that I should make a strong lipstick the staple of my make-up bag and so anticipated great things from Genevieve’s. I found the shades of nude too pale and foundation-esque for my liking. I was slightly disappointed as the colour range was quite limited and looked practically the same.
That being said though, the creamy texture was a winner for me and should a wider variety of hues be issued, I may just be a lipstick convert after all.
