Thirty-year-old Aimee Connolly is *so* much more than a pretty face. Born and raised by a single mum, she was ~relatabley~ obsessed with beauty from a young age. After studying Business and French at uni, she decided to create her own beauty brand, Sculpted by Aimee. Get excited ladies, because you’ll no longer need to stock up overseas. This famous and much-loved beauty brand is now available in the GCC.
We recently caught up with Aimee to learn more about her brand and her exciting new Middle Eastern launch.
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Cosmo ME: Why did you decide to create a makeup brand?
Aimee Connolly: By the time Sculpted by Aimee launched I had been working as a makeup artist for six years, on the counter, doing tv, writing for magazines, and teaching in my makeup academy. I had covered lots of areas and absolutely loved it, but I also really had a passion for business and wanted to mix my love for makeup and that together officially to create a brand.
Given I was a makeup tutor, I spent a lot of time guiding people through their routines, answering their common makeup concerns, and learning what solutions they needed. This was invaluable for me to really understand what purpose I wanted my brand to have and to give me the confidence to go for it and set it up.
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C: Can you tell us about Sculpted by Aimee and the different products in your line?
AC: Sculpted by Aimee has always been and always will be about making feel-good products and making makeup easier, for everyone. We love simplifying it with multi-purpose products that help to condense your makeup bag so that you can get the most from the products you’re using.
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Some of our key products are in complexion – Beauty Base is a high SPF multi-purpose primer that protects, moisturizes, and adds a pre-makeup glow. Second skin is our SPF50 mineral liquid foundation that adds coverage and goodness with skincare ingredients at the core of it. Lip Duos are our must-have double-ended lip liner and lipstick in one, the best for your handbag on the go.
C: Is Sculpted vegan, cruelty-free, and clean?
AC: Sculpted by Aimee is vegan and proudly Leaping Bunny certified. We never compromise on our products. Leaping Bunny is the globally recognized gold standard for cruelty-free cosmetics and personal care products. It’s the best assurance a consumer can get that a brand is doing everything it can to be cruelty-free.
C: What makes Sculpted by Aimee stand out from other makeup brands?
AC: Sculpted by Aimee has always put an emphasis on the good-for-you ingredients inside our formulas so that you can wear your makeup daily and not sacrifice your skincare. We help you to make the best choices in products that will make your makeup routine easier and make you feel good at the same time. And at the very core of us, we are not just a makeup brand, we’re a beauty brand founded by a makeup artist with a community always at the very center of what we do and why we do it.
C: Why did you decide to expand to the Middle East?
AC: The Middle East has always been a goal of mine, as Founder and CEO, I’m constantly looking at what the next big move is for us. I had meetings here with local suppliers back in 2018 so it’s been on my radar as a key market for us ever since. I wanted to wait until it was the right time for us with a larger and more fitting product range.
C: How does your makeup and brand philosophy resonate with Middle Eastern women?
AC: I think all of us love quality products that we can trust first and foremost. I think that we provide quality formulas and an experience at affordable prices whilst having a multi-purpose nature or an education arm that really adds value to it.
C: Are you inspired by Arabic beauty in your makeup style?
AC: I adore the Arabic style of a classic glamorous look that plays with all features. Sculpted by Aimee are the perfect makeup brand for bold colours, focus on the liner, and a contoured complexion. We’re just as much the brand for a makeup newbie as we are for the experienced pro.
Can’t wait to get your hands on some Sculpted by Aimee products? Neither can we. Head over to Faces stores to check out the goods. If you’re not sure where to start, Aimee shared that Second Skin foundation, Brighten Up concealer, MyMascara, Bare Basics Palette, and Lip Duo are the most popular products.