Nadine Dilong We find out more about her favourite career moments and brands to work with.
After almost 25 years working for True Solutions, Mia Cassin has just announced she has started her new role as Marketing Manager for BLC Cosmetics, so we thought it was time to catch up with the beauty industry veteran, and pick her brain about the brands she is working with as well as how COVID-19 has influenced her life.
How did you start out in this industry?
At 21 I took a job working as a PA to the Marketing Director at Clarins (Trimex) and instantly fell in love with the cosmetics industry. I went from there to a contract at Estee Lauder Companies before moving into the professional skincare market working with True Solutions International (which was Doctors Formula at the time I joined) as the Sales & Communications Manager.
What are some of your career highlights/fave memories to date?
Definitely working on an event that Mandy Gray (former owner of True Solutions) came up with called ‘Goddess Day’. These events saw around 100 beauty contacts from Beauty Directors, Editors, Freelance Journalists, media contacts and VIPS and celebrities come to Mandy’s home for a series of treatments using the brands in our portfolio. We also offered manicures, brow sculpting, psychic readings, massages (and more) and a take home dinner when guests left. Goddess Day’s took months to prepare and to this very day is an event remembered as ‘the event of the year’ by many in the beauty industry.
Another highlight for me was speaking at the 2011 Dream Ball after going through treatment for breast cancer. I had volunteered with Look Good…Feel Better for many years and attended many of the Dream Balls and never imagined I would ever be the patient telling their story of how the Look Good…Feel Better program supported them during treatment. This opportunity to speak in front of 750 of my friends and peers was life changing for me and something I will remember forever.
I have also met some of the world’s leading industry gurus over the years including Dr Colin Whitehurst (creator of Omnilux), Joe Lewis, who is the creator of Priori, Elizabeth Arden PRO and MD Formulations as well as a formulator for many of leading brands and many more who all have added to my career highlight.
What made you choose to work for BLC?
It was time for a move and I knew I wanted to stay in the professional skincare industry and when the opportunity with BLC Cosmetics came up I knew it was right. With a strong portfolio of brands and clients this opportunity is something that will challenge and grow my skills as well as giving me the chance to bring some of my skills to the company. Nikki Somerset is a great leader and this was another reason I wanted to join the team.
Which brands are you especially excited about?
I’ve worked with HydroPeptide before and have such a passion for the peptide technology and how it works on the skin, I was very excited to be able to work with the brand again. I’m also really looking forward to working with Thalgo – a brand that is rich in heritage and has a loyal clientele. The entire BLC portfolio of brands has so much to offer salon and clinics and I can’t wait to be immersed in them!
What trends do you see happening?
Following COVID-19 the rise of the at-home skin treatment continues with people wanting to spend more time looking after their skin at home with mini treatments likes masques, serums and skin tools. In saying this though, with the recent reopening of salons around the country and the amount of treatments being booked I’m pleased to say not everything is being done at home! The hands of a skin professional definitely aren’t being replaced by the at-home trend!
How did you spend your time during lockdown? Did you find a silver lining?
I was in a position where I was still working full time from home so I was busier than ever. As a marketer we spent our time pivoting the business to support clients while their doors were closed. Personally I liked the downtime on weekends and spent a lot of time watching Netflix and reading – something I don’t often have a lot of time to do. I had all the intentions of at-home fitness and borrowed equipment however that didn’t work out too well. I did however spend more time walking down at the beach where I live and really loved it. Still working from home now I need to ensure I do a walk daily as it’s a great way to start or finish the day!
