We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mariel Gibson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mariel below.

Alright, Mariel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

The truth is I am still learning the best way to do my job. As Product Director, technology is always changing and so are the trends. Social media is a pivotal tool to gauge my next step, as well as guiding me in the right direction of what consumers want. In the midst of that though, it’s knowing that you don’t have to have the latest and greatest to execute the task beautifully. Being resourceful will get you much farther in completion and knowledge rather than trying to wait until everything is perfect from your end. I learned to do my job through trial and error, but also my love and passion for the beauty community. I knew what people liked as consumers, I was listening to the upcoming trends, I watched the shifts, just like if you were to watch basketball highlights. You consistently study what you want to understand and master. In true D’on fashion, we are for everyone. I knew that receiving this opportunity to be Product Director would put me in position to uphold our values while, also, chasing my dreams. Knowing what I know now, I would have pushed myself to learn more software programs so I was more prepared for reaching out to various manufacturers. In my opinion, the most important skill is knowing when and how to pivot, as well as being communicative. Product development is not on the customer frontline, however, we are the gears that keep everything moving. We are constantly testing, retesting and trying again and you have to be okay with what the outcome of this is, even if you’re on plan C.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Mariel Gibson, Product Director for D’on Cosmetics. I have many years in customer service, but always in the back of my mind was Beauty. Beauty is my thing, my niche. From 13 years old, I found myself immersed in tutorials, routines and seeking out how to genuinely care for my craft. This being the driving force, I wanted to be involved in something. I no longer wanted to sit online and be complacent about the product I’m receiving or consuming. I needed and longed to still be in the beauty space beyond content creation or being a customer. I reached out to our founder, Summer D’on to see if I could assist with literally anything at all. I loved D’on’s main principle, beauty for everyone and I knew that Summer had the same passion as I did. She trusted me with D’on Cosmetics, as if it is my own and that is solely how we operate. It does not belong to one, as it is for everyone. She allowed me into her space and embraced me as I learned the ins and outs of product development. Very new to the business end of the beauty space, this is my first position, but I do see longevity with the profession and with D’on Cosmetics specifically. To date, the product I’m most proud of is our limited edition 2023 holiday collection candle BEAUTÉ. It encapsulated everyone from the initial smell test and ultimately sold out very quickly. It was my first launch I designed completely by myself and it is my baby. BEAUTÉ inspired me so much because I want people to know that it is okay being a little fish in a big pond sometimes. First, we are a cosmetic company selling out a candle during the busiest season of the year, but second, I had fully immersed myself in a space I had never been before and was doing exceptionally well. I never would have thought this would be my job, but I love it and would never trade it.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Our most effective strategy is being available and practical for all stages of beauty. When shopping D’on Cosmetics, the customer can be anywhere between a beauty novice to a celebrity makeup artist and all of our products will be of use to them. We are, also, available on multiple retailer sites to provide access for anyone who wants to try what we have to offer.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Lately, the best source for new clients has been Tiktok. We made it our mission for Q1 2024 that we would push our Loose Setting Powder because it is what we want D’on Cosmetics to be known for. With this in mind, we have been putting ourselves out there to reach our target audience, literally everyone who ever wanted to be flawless in their makeup. As of recently, we’ve significantly grown in sales, website traffic, and social media impressions, by being marketable and showing off what D’on LSP can do for you.

Contact Info:

• Website: doncosmetics.co
• Instagram: @MarielNichole__
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariel-gibson-515b65242/

Image Credits
Summer D’on (picture of candle on tray)