One Non-Fat Lipstick To Go, Please.

June 7, 2006

The way Giella Poblocki sees it, custom makeup is the equivalent of Starbucks. The creator of the makeup line bearing her moniker says you can walk into a coffee shop, place your exact order (tall non-fat-caf cappuccino), and pick it up within five minutes. THe same holds true for her custom blend cosmetics, GIELLA. Order blush, bronzer, foudation, liners, nail polishes, and shadows blended to your taste and GIELLA's staff will whip it up for you in a matter of minutes. The only difference? Her "baristas" are well-trained makeup artists who read a client's hair, eyes, and skin to select the perfect hue. Poblocki's space at About Faces looks like a color lab instead of a makeup counter, with small glass bottles filled with bright powders that will be mixed into cream blushes and tinted moisturizers. The general idea is womane can wear all colors (red, purple, green, blue), they just need to find the right shade for them. GIELLA also specializes in replicating discontinued makeup. Desperate women bring in old tubes of, say, their favorite lipstick that's been replaced by a new shade. The makup artists can mix color to create a faux version--thus ensuring your beloved hues will never become extinct. GIELLA Custom Blend Cosmetics range from $15-$75 at About Faces.

Source: Baltimore Magazine, June 2006, page 100.