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BOSS Series Interview: Dineh Mohajer, Creator of Smith & Cult

Interview with Smith & Cult creator Dineh Mohajer and Hard Candy

This weeks BOSS series features one of my all time beauty hero’s, Dineh Mohajer. She’s the original founder of Hard Candy, back when they had that chic rectangular packaging with a plastic ring on top (I used to wear them on my pinky) and introduced pastel nail polish into the industry. I used to shop them Urban Outfitters in high school and will never forget seeing Alicia Silverstone on the David Letterman show (scroll to 4min 28seconds) rocking her Sky Blue polish and being obsessed!!! Since selling the company she re-entered the nail polish industry starting another iconic nail polish brand Smith & Cult, which has legendary packaging and art direction and has grown it to a full makeup line featuring lips, eyes and face. She is wildly creative (follow her @dinehm and @smithandcultmy), my spirit animal, and can’t be more excited for her to be sharing her awesomeness and advice with us in this weeks BOSS series.

  • How do you describe yourself?

I think my friends would describe me as kind, passionate, cuckoo for cocoa puffs, loving, warm, guilt-ridden, ADHD, germaphobic, neurotic-ish, silly, funny, fun, having good skin, obsessive-compulsive…my husband would use seven words: Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Dopey, Bashful, Sneezy.

  • After you sold Hard Candy, what made you want to jump back into nail polish? And then years later expand into a full makeup line?

I never returned because I never really left. After Hard Candy was acquired by LVMH, my partner from Hard Candy, Jeanne Chavez, and I created, developed and sold another baby, called Goldie, to the Limited Brands. Smith & Cult was just another step in a natural progression for me.

  • How has the industry changed since you launched Hard Candy vs Smith & Cult. What resources make your life easier/harder?

Some aspects have remained identical at the core. The underlying motivation to feel happier, healthier and prettier is still intact. The joy of discovery, experimentation and success regarding product, packaging, imaging, education and branding has also remained the same. Our technological advancement has changed the manner in which we do all this, in some ways for the better and in some ways for the worse. For me, technology has allowed me to better articulate my creative vision more quickly and fluidly.

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An Inside Peak the Hard Candy Factory (Plus What’s NEW for Fall)

pretty connected at Hard Candy factory
Oh hey, I’m making cream blush!

I had quite a treat a few weeks ago when Hard Candy invited me out to NuWorld Beauty in New Jersey to see where all the magic happens. And by magic I mean where all the formulations come together and the actual makeup is made and packaged. It was like an episode of I Love Lucy, except instead of chocolate, makeup was coming down the conveyer belt (and real professionals were handling it). It’s simply incredible to see what goes on behind the scenes and how many impressive machines and people it takes to bring you a perfectly pressed compact or evenly poured lipstick. I mean speaking of lipstick, check this out:

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My Packing List for Hawaii

Part of my New Years resolutions is to be more adventurous, so on Christmas day I booked a trip to Hawaii for New Years.  I traded in NYC snow for Kona (and eventually Maui) sunshine!

My trips two weeks, so I packed the essentials for my paradise vacation:

More in depth review to come, but for now I need to catch a flight!

Affiliation: Sponge, Whish, Macadamia Natural Oil, Hard Candy, Ken Paves, and Upper Canada products we’re sent to me by a company representative for the purpose of this blog.  Estee Lauder was given to me by a company rep. for a previous blog I wrote for; Shiseido I received in a gift bag. I was under no obligation to write this review for any of these brands.

Booty Queen for Halloween

*My flash decided to censor my stuffed bra.
*My flash decided to censor my stuffed bra. Top by Nicole Romano, Blue Jean Denim Leggings by Mark. (worked great for stuffing my behind!), Shoes by Jeffrey Campbell

Oh Kim, why did we think Karaoke as a good idea?
Oh Kim, why did we think Karaoke as a good idea?
kim kard3 best
Look at those eyes! Ignore my hair (I was rained on)

Halloween is a fun time of year when you can really go outside your comfort zone and play dress up without any concern about looking too ridiculous or over-dressed.  This year, I decided to be Kim Kardashian.  It was very entertaining creating this costume considering it was my first ‘stuff my bra/butt experience.’  It also gave me an opportunity to test a lot of products.

Here’s a quick excerpt of the my Kim Kardashian look (more detailed review to come):

HAIR:

Redken Go Clean Shampoo and Finish Up Conditioner – Love it! This is part of Redken’s men’s line but it works really well on my hair.  Great lather, my hair comes out shiny and well, clean.  But yes, you’ll smell like a dude.  When men ask me for a list of products I recommend for them, this is always on the list (unless they have color treated hair).

Ken Paves Professional Styling Iron – Part of Ken Paves’ Travel line, is this lightweight straightener, which is fast becoming my everyday straightener – it’s that good.  Originally I was apprehensive about this product since I didn’t think ‘one heat setting fits all’ is viable for flat irons; however it gets very hot (up to 410 degrees F), which is what is really necessary for my curly hair.  Warning, if you generally use your flat iron on a low heat setting, this may not be the product for you.  Unless of course the heat settings automatically adjusts based on hair need, but either way there is no dial to manually control it.  I will investigate this further and report back.

Living Proof Straight Making No Frizz Styling Treatment – a great protective cream for when you’re using a flat iron or blow-drying your hair.  Helps fight frizz and only requires a small dollop to service your entire scalp.  It’s no wonder this line has been winning so many prestigious beauty awards!

Cutler Specialist Fly-Away Control Stick – This is my go to product for fly aways. Shaped like a deodorant stick, I just roll them over problematic areas and I’m all set for the entire evening.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume All-Out Hold Hairspray – This product fell a little flat.  It has great hold, but didn’t maintain the volume I was hoping for.

LIPS:

L’Oreal Infallible Plumping Lip Gloss in Plumped Pink and Plumped Red – It tingles a bit, and I definitely felt a little plumping action taking place, but having pretty full lips already, it wasn’t

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Hard Candy: They’re Back and Exclusive at Walmart

Exclusively at Walmart, the former prestige beauty brand, Hard Candy, resurfaces this week for the masses, priced at $5 – $10.  An impressive price point considering they will launch with 261 items ranging from nail polish, bronzers, tinted moisturizers, to lip stains, lip glosses, and a variety of eyeliners, eyeshadows, mascaras, and more.

The Hard Candy for Walmart launch party
The Hard Candy for Walmart launch party

Founded in 1995 by Dineh Mohajer, Hard Candy is one of those brands that takes me back.  That’s the year Clueless hit theatres and every female teen from that generation, become instantly obsessed with Alicia Silverstone.  Well at least I did, so when she

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