Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Houston.
Hi Shannon, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started my career in the beauty industry working at MAC Cosmetics in Newport Beach. I was 20 years old and had just finished cosmetology school. I worked there for about a year and a half and gained tons of experience as a makeup artist. After that, I started my career as a hairstylist at a salon called Luca Bella in Orange County. I worked there as a hairstylist and makeup artist for 7 years. During that time, I was also doing hair and makeup for TV show The Real Housewives of OC and booked with multiple weddings on the weekends. In 2013 I also started doing Christina Haack’s hair and makeup for the show Flip or Flop. I was BUSY. In 2014, two of my good friends oped up a new hair salon called Latitude 33 Hair Artistry. They told me that they wanted to start selling makeup, and for me to find a line that I liked. I saw this a great opportunity to start something of my own so I went for it. I started developing Pink Dust in early 2014 and launched online in January 2016. We launched online with only a few thousand followers now we have over 60 thousand followers. I pride Pink Dust on only selling products that I would use on myself and my clients. I think our customers appreciate the simplicity of the line and having products that work for every face at any age. I stopped doing hair completely in 2020, and now in 2022 my family and I decided to relocate to Frisco, Texas. I am excited for a new adventure, and to bring Pink Dust to Dallas.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Everything has happened very organically. I am big believer in manifesting what you want and keeping a positive mindset. I’ve learned that the key to success is patience. Nothing happens overnight. Especially when starting a business. If you take every setback as a learning experience and only focus on a solution, then failure is not an option.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Pink Dust is a cosmetic line that I developed as a makeup artist to work for every face, at every age. I have never been a makeup artist that needs to bring a 20-pound kit with 1000 products with me. I am very picky and I believe if you have the right products and colors, they can basically work on everyone. Especially when it comes the face makeup and concealer. I could bring one palette, 4 foundation colors, and 3 lipsticks/liners and use them on a whole wedding party. That is kind of how I designed Pink Dust. I believe in quality over quantity. I think changing up your makeup and playing with new colors is always fun, but I will never sell products just to sell them. Everything I sell I want people to use and need. I believe in efficient makeup with quality formula that is reasonably priced. The best feeling in the world is when customers say they are obsessed with our product and have never found anything like it. That is the Pink Dust goal.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I have been very lucky to have been surrounded with a ton of super helpful and supportive people throughout my career. My parents and family have always supported my dreams. My husband played a huge role in starting Pink Dust. I never would have started it without him, and to this day we run the company together. My sister is in marketing and was always a huge help right from the start as well. My good friend Angelique El Moussa, who I have worked with for 15 years has also played a major role. She is one of the owners of the first salon I started selling Pink Dust at. She has always been super supportive and helpful. She also introduced me to Alexis Bellino from OC Housewives and Christina Haack from Flip or Flop. Christina was also a huge help in building the Pink Dust brand. She was always extremely supportive and helpful in promoting Pink Dust however she could. There are so many more people that I owe a huge thanks too. I am very lucky to have always had all the right people in my corner.
Contact Info:
- Email:shannon@pinkdustcosmetics
- Website: www.pinkdustcosmetics.com
- Instagram: @pinkdustcosmetics @shanrbeauty
- Facebook: Pinkdustcosmetics
- Youtube: Pinkdustcosmetics
Image Credits
Daily Post Media
Chris Cruz Photography
