Bluemercury founder, Marla Malcolm Beck

Marla Malcolm Beck
Marla Malcolm Beck

When Marla Malcolm Beck talks beauty, she means business. And that strategy has worked out pretty well for the Harvard Business school grad, who turned her tiny skincare and cosmetics boutique into a nationwide beauty behemoth in under ten years.

"It started from just being a beauty junkie," admits the Bluemercury founder. "I got into facials when I was teenager, and would go to this salon where I lived and get treatments in the back." Her frequent salon appointments naturally led to product obsessions, including Dermalogica and M.A.C brands. When the California native headed east for graduate school, however, she found herself embarking on time-consuming road trips to find her favorites. "This light bulb went off in my head--there had to be a way that I wouldn't have to drive so far to find these brands," she adds. After a brief stint in a well-paid but unglamorous job in private equity ("I was buying companies that distributed office products and janitorial maintenance"), Marla launched the shop and spa of her dreams--named simply for her favorite color and the god of communication.

"The whole idea behind Bluemercury is that when I was in my twenties, I hated shopping for beauty products. In a department store, you had to shop counter by counter and I felt like I was being judged by how much money I would spend, " she notes. To create a more welcoming atmosphere, Beck created a store where the staff that is fully trained on all 50 brands. "We take a look at the customer for what her personal needs are. Maybe a cleanser from Bliss is right, followed by an exfoliator from Dermalogica."

Despite her own impressive credentials, Marla insists a business school degree isn't a prerequisite for a successful company--just equal parts passion and experience. "Think about what you really love to do, the core of what you love--then I would say get experience in that field for the first couple of years out of college," she advises. "Getting experience to marry that passion, even if it's a summer job, gives you a feel for what it takes to run a business." Her formula worked. Blue Mercury now boasts 28 stores with continued plans for expansion, not too mention a unique combination of haute boutique and spa that keeps customers coming back for more. Hopefully, for the sake of Marla's dream (and the price of gas)-- they don't have too far to drive.

–MAURA LYNCH, Associate Beauty and Health Editor

click here for Marla's favorite Bluemercury products >>

Also check out