Sainsbury's launch Boutique cosmetics range

If you pop to Sainsbury’s for your shopping this weekend, be sure to keep an eye out for their new Boutique cosmetics range. Two years in the making, this lovely range is affordable makeup, with a wealth of beauty knowledge behind it.

In early 2011, Sainsbury’s approached established makeup artists Jo Saville and Sophia Price who, with a wealth of beauty product experience,  have created the perfect collection of colours which marries high pigmentation, easy application and brilliant staying power – all the things you want from makeup.

Boutique shades feature great names such as Grass Is Always Greener, Tickled Pink and Cat Got The Cream, designed to provide an affordable treat, and a bit of fun, while doing the grocery shop. Choose from 16 Nail Polishes, 11 Lipsticks, 10 Eyeshadows and nine Lipglosses. Prices range from £4 to £7.

We caught up with Jo Saville and Sophia Price to discuss their Boutique range with them.

Us: How much of a part did you both personally play in the product development of Boutique?
Jo: Sophia and I have both worked our way into the industry from different backgrounds; I have been a make-up artist for years and met Sophia on a fashion shoot. We have different influences, which helped us to work together to select colours suitable for everyone’s make-up bags. We were heavily involved in the development, ensuring that the collection was diverse but succinct enough to easily select a product that you’d be confident to apply in the morning before you go to work and wear all day into the evening’s activity. The colours will suit a range of people for a range of occasions.

Sophia: We worked closely with the team at Sainsbury’s, consulting on colour palettes, pigment strength, formulation quality and usability. Our aim was to give the Sainsbury’s customer the quality they deserve and that we, as make-up artists are accustomed to working with.

Can you share your journey with us, ending in how you were involved in this exciting project?
Jo: I’ve spent nearly eight years in the industry with experience across the fashion and beauty sectors, working with high profile models and every conceivable make-up brand. We had worked with Sainsbury’s in the past and they approached us to work with them on the creation of this brand. It’s been nearly two years since we first started work on the project and it’s amazing to finally see it in the flesh!
Sophia: I have been working in the fashion and beauty industry since the age of 14. Before my successful career as a make-up artist, I was a model. There I found my passion for make-up, picking the brains of all the make-up artists, absorbing everything like a sponge – I can tell a top quality make-up artist and product just by one touch of a brush. As a make-up artist I work across the industry with top brands in shows and shoots, and I also organise teams of artists. Jo and I worked across a number of projects before we began our inspirational journey with Sainsbury’s. We’ve been involved in all aspects of developing the make-up itself and continue to work closely with the brand team on additional formulations and limited edition, trend-led products.

What type of woman is the target Boutique customer?
Sophia: She could be any one of us which is why it was so important for Jo and I to ensure that the Boutique range delivered quality products that a vast array of women could enjoy. The beauty of working with a company as influential as Sainsbury’s is that the customer base is so diverse, including all age-groups, demographics and geographies. Our goal is to ensure every shopper can enjoy and use the range, so we focused on delivering a capsule colour palette at the highest quality, from soft neutral shades to more dramatic daring tones. The range will work through all seasons and all occasions.

Which products in the Boutique range do you feel are the ‘hero’ products?
Jo: We worked through the entire collection with a fine toothcomb making sure every item is perfect but my favourite has to be the eyeshadows. They really don’t crease, have incredible staying power and are a fantastic colour pay off.

Sophia: We spent a long time working with Sainsbury’s, formulating the lipsticks to ensure the colour and wearability was at its best. Bringing the quality of professional products into a high street brand was key, so the development team used different formulations to ensure each lipstick colour worked to its maximum ability. From matt to moisturising, our aim was to minimise bleeding and give longevity at a reasonable price point.

Which shades do you feel will be most popular?
Jo: The eyeshadow in ‘Forty Winks’ is a gorgeous, golden peach summery tone and paired with a brown (Brownie Points), gives a stunning warm look. Alternatively, team with a charcoal (Put On The Slate) to give a wintery smokey look, which will suit any skin tone. Lipstick wise, the red (Paint The Town Red) and nude (The Naked Truth) are favourites of both of ours. Each shade will suit all skin types and will look equally beautiful paired with either a soft feminine eye or a dramatic smokey look. We spent a lot of time and attention on the ‘reds’ within the lipstick range, making sure there was a mix of a classic Hollywood glamour, as well as a fresh on-trend, hot red.

What was the most important factor for you both when consulting on the collection?
Sophia: Given our expert knowledge of the market, we wanted to ensure every product had excellent colour payoff, is comfortable and enjoyable to wear, easy to use while also being durable enough to not slip off the lips and eyes during the day. We wanted to ensure the level of colour pigment was the highest quality, on par with professional artistry brands and cosmetic houses, but still without being too intense for the Sainsbury’s shopper.

Are there any stories behind the product names?
Jo: Sainsbury’s wanted to create quirky names that people would find catchy, memorable and vibrant, with a touch of character. Some of my favourite shade names are Out & A Pout, Mums The Word and Forty Winks.

What is your must-have beauty product that you can’t live without in your kit?
Jo: Eyeshadows are key to my make-up designs, enhancing the eyes and helping to alter and ‘make’ a look with one sweep. I love using different shadows to highlight and contour so when working on clients, a great range of eyeshadows is a must!
Sophia: Personally mine would have to be lipstick, a swipe of colour does wonders to brighten your complexion. If I have no other make-up to hand I will use a lipstick as a multi
use product on the lips, cheeks and eyes. Colour brightens the face, drawing the eye to the most expressive features.

The new Sainsbury’s Boutique range is available in stores now