In 2016, beauty creative director and graphic designer Melissa Medvedich decided it was time to change course from her career and pursue her greatest passion: skincare. Having transitioned to a more minimal and clean beauty routine, face oil had become the most transformative and effective product in Medvedich’s regimen. She began her education at the renowned New York Institute of Aromatic Studies, where she became a certified aromatherapist and later continued her studies in botanical beauty formulating.
Two years of development later, Medvedich launched her singular debut product, Cosmic Glow Oil and Supernal was born. The silky and easily absorbed facial oil is full of glow-inducing ingredients including organic Camellia Seed Oil, Squalene and organic Baobab Seed Oil. Fortified with Vitamin C, Cosmic Glow is designed to revitalize the skin’s natural luminosity.
Tell us the story behind the name of your hero product.
MELISSA MEDVEDICH: When starting to envision what I wanted the brand to feel and look like, I started pulling together mood boards of imagery I was drawn to. Lots of bold colors, clever animations and the northern lights kept popping up. When I started to make lists of words I associated with everything I was seeing, I feel down a rabbit hole and found the word Supernal, which means celestial and relating to the sky or heavens. It was word love at first sight! Simultaneously, I was creating and continually refining the formula of what would be my perfect oil—an easily absorbed, velvety, nourishing oil that would promote glowing skin and Cosmic Glow Oil was born!
The design is amazing, what was the process like?
MM: Thank you so much! I really treated myself as if I were my own client, using the approach I would when working as a full-time designer and creative director. After I chose the brand name and went through the trademark process, I started working on designing the logo. I am fully a type nerd, so I marinated over 15 different logo options for weeks. The rest really fell into place quickly and easily. The shapes and bolder colors of the packaging are a reoccurring theme I had been using in my design work throughout my career or in pictures I was helping to create.
What has been the most rewarding part of building the brand?
MM: So many things! As a creative, I had faith in myself that I could design something that would be visually appealing but my main concern was creating a product that was effective and people would benefit from. The most rewarding thing has been connecting with people in the beauty community and hearing how much they love the formula or that the oil has helped their skin.
You are such a New Yorker! What are some of your favorite spots?
MM: Facials: Sofie, Diana at Rescue Spa, Shamara at SB Skin. For food, I love Sweet Water and Rubirosa. For Jewelry I love Foundrae, home I love ABC Home and shoes I like clogs from No 6 Store!
What's next for you and your brand?
MM: I want to keep the line pretty well-edited, but I hope to be launching the second product sometime in 2020. I’m working on bringing Supernal international as well.
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