Kjaer Weis

I’m so excited to introduce you guys to a makeup brand I’ve recently become a huge fan of. Kjaer Weis (the “J” is silent) is a cosmetics brand by Danish founder and New York based makeup artist, Kirsten Kjaer Weis.

One thing I noticed right away was the sleek and sexy design of the compacts. They’re really beautiful, and it turns out Kjaer Weis has put a lot of thought not only into their organic, natural products, but their packaging as well. I’ve tried their cream blush, lip tint and eye shadow (pictured below), and I love how smoothly they glide on. Very, very pretty.

c/o Kjaer Weis

I had the pleasure of asking Kirsten a few questions and got to hear about her experience starting up her cosmetics line, as well as advice she has for others.

When did you found your cosmetics line and what was your background before founding Kjaer Weis?

The line was eight years in the making and officially launched three years ago. I’ve worked as a makeup artist for twenty years and still do, though a lot less these days.

What inspired you to found Kjaer Weis?

I constantly came across women sitting in the make-up chair, pointing to conventional lines I had in my kit, and being allergic to this or that. At the same time, I have seen first hand what the short term effect of synthetics on your skin will do, in the form of rashes, allergic reactions, red eyes etc. It made me think, if this is the short term effect, what is the long term effect of a life long use? I felt very called to creating an alternative, that was harm-free for women to use, yet could perform and be modern in terms of textures and colors. What sets the line apart is just that. Plus it’s certified organic and there’s an emphasis on the look and feel of the packaging.

What piece of advice would you give someone looking to start their own line, whether it’s cosmetics, clothing, or something else?

I highly advise not to start your own line unless you are totally passionate about it. It’s very time consuming—weekends, evenings, a million things to keep track of. But if it’s something you truly love and are passionate about, it’s so worth it. It keeps you going. It’s like a fire inside you and you can’t not do it. The passion also feeds into not compromising or cutting corners. It goes hand in hand.

What has your MO been while building your brand?

Focus. Trusting my intuition—it is my strongest ally. Patience, lots of it!!

There you have it. Words of wisdom from Kirsten, and organic makeup from Kjaer Weis.

Elise Armitage

Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.