The Long Road Led Me Here

The Long Road Led Me Here

by Lauren

At eleven years old, I had my first skincare routine. My mom took me to Xpect Discounts in Milford, CT and walked me through the beauty aisles, explaining the importance of taking care of my skin. I don’t remember everything that went into my shopping basket that day, but a dark blue tub Noxema Classic Cream face wash stands out in my mind.

Without realizing it, my mom planted a “beauty” seed in me that day that quickly grew into a lush garden of obsession. I could spend hours looking at products in drugstores and supermarkets and flipping through my copies of Seventeen and YM magazines cover to cover. 

I felt like Dorothy at first trip to Sephora in my early twenties, stepping into a colorful world full of potions and pigments. That day, I made my first-ever high-end purchase, a sparkly pink NARS Angelika blush. I felt that maybe one day, this would be the start of something bigger.

Today, at 42 years old, I’m preparing to launch my own beauty brand, 3 of Cups, this fall. That little girl, wide-eyed in the store with her mom, and the 20-something who didn’t know how to believe in her power would be so excited.

I believe that life is like a GPS. It doesn’t matter how far off track you go; the Universe always readjusts you to head to your soul’s destination.

After high school, I went to university and earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at my parents’ insistence. In between lectures, I spent my free time and pocket money on Cosmo and Allure, wondering what it would be like to write for them.

I considered switching my major to chemical engineering, thinking I could work in a lab and make beauty products, but my dad said no. I didn’t push.

Knowing I didn’t want to be an engineer, I got a master’s degree in nursing. It made no logical sense. Even though, in my heart of hearts, I dreamed of launching a beauty brand and felt drawn to storytelling and media, I didn’t have the confidence to step into my path. So, I followed my mother’s and became a nurse.

At the time, my husband (we met in engineering school) was flying to Dubai often for work. When he was offered a position there, I said yes without hesitation. I think I said yes before him! We promptly moved and a few years and two kids later, I started a beauty-themed Instagram account, just for fun.

That account changed everything. My GPS recalculated. I added a YouTube channel to the mix, became certified as a broadcast journalist and TV presenter (mostly to get more confident on camera), and eventually landed one of my dream jobs as the Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan Middle East magazine.

It was magical. I was finding my way home. I met visionary founders of the biggest beauty brands in the world and the inspiration I felt was palpable. 

A little voice inside me whispered, you can do this too. For the first time, I didn’t question it. I simply thought, yes, I can. 

My garden of obsession had bloomed into something bigger, my own sacred space in the beauty world. Welcome to 3 of Cups.

Beauty with a frequency.

Skincare with a soul.