Gwen Stefani used to find it "intimidating" browsing department stores for makeup.
Gwen Stefani felt 'intimidated' at department stores
The 'Hollaback Girl' hitmaker - who has just launched her own beauty brand GXVE - admitted she was always a "drugstore kind of girl" and would never dream of splurging the cash on expensive beauty brands.
The 52-year-old singer - who is rarely seen without her signature red lip - felt more comfortable buying budget beauty products from the pharmacy than being made to feel "stupid" by the "flawless" store assistants.
She said: "We’re talking about a lot of years ago, a lot of makeup, and a lot of memory loss [laughs]. I’ve tried a lot. Early on, back in Anaheim, I was a drugstore kind of girl. I didn’t ever dream of spending the kind of money that it took to buy things like Lancome or Clinique. Those mall and department-store brands were out of my league. I’d walk in, and it was complete intimidation by people wearing smocks with flawless faces. If I’d ask them what that product was for, I was going to feel so stupid. So I’d just walk straight on by to the drugstore and have the freedom to shop."
However, that changed when Sephora launched.
She added: "When Sephora came out, they were able to make it a little less intimidating and give you space. It’s still super overwhelming because there is so much product."
Gwen added her honesty over the years means her fans can "trust" GXVE.
She continued: "But something I feel excited about with GXVE is that because I’ve been so consistent and honest throughout the years, people can trust me on this."
Despite feeling intimidated at first, Gwen actually ended up fulfilling her childhood dream to become a "makeup girl" working on the beauty counter at a department store back home in Anaheim, California, after a stint working in the older women's clothing department.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, she shared: "At the mall, I actually got my start working in Plaza Sportswear, which was basically an older women’s department store filled with polyester. It was so fulfilling because, even though the clothes were horrifying, the women would come in kind of desperate for help to put an outfit together. And I could put an outfit together with anything. I don’t know why, but I can go to a thrift store and find a gem in five minutes. It’s a gift I have, I guess."
And it didn't take long for the future No Doubt star to become a beauty expert.
She added: "But I just really wanted to be the makeup girl. They all looked so pretty, and it looked so fun over there. I knew that I could do it, so I asked if I could be behind the counter - and they literally just put me behind the counter. They did not teach me anything or have me meet with a representative of the brand. Nothing. I was working for Borghese and Ultima II."
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