FIDM Student Team Wins CosmoProf Challenge with Beauty Products for 2050
Pairs of FIDM Beauty Marketing & Product Development and Graphic Design Students recently worked on developing unique concepts under the banner “Connected Beauty Concept of 2050” for Cosmoprof North America, the leading business-to-business beauty trade show, and Quiana Johnson and Alysha Freeze were named the winners.
The winning concept, NU-YU, technology that protects you on earth and in space, was determined via public voting. Three finalists’ concepts were featured exclusively at the beauty trade show in Las Vegas. We recently chatted with Quiana, a Beauty Industry Management Grad and current Business Management Student, and Alysha, a Graphic Design Graduate, who each received a $500 prize from Cosmoprof North America, to learn more about their futuristic concept:
How did you come up with NU-YU? How did you divide the work between the two of you?
Quiana: While researching different technology, we came across Elon Musk’s neural lace concept, which we incorporated into the functionality NU-YU. While also looking at the future of our earth we realized that we wanted to incorporate preventative healthcare into NU-YU. This is how we created NU-YU, a device made up of neural lace that will protect you on earth from pollution and UV rays as well as in space from cosmic rays and cosmic dust, while having additional cosmetic functions. We mostly worked on everything together and fed off of each other's ideas. Alysha is an amazing graphic designer who did all of the graphics, logo, and editing. Overall, it was completely collaborative as I brought my beauty industry knowledge and she brought her graphic design knowledge.
Alysha: We first started with the idea of 3D printing makeup from a mirror, but Quiana came up with the idea of involving space into our product. From there we brainstormed different ways to bring in both aspects. With dividing the work, Quiana was the brains of the operation. She did a lot of the research on how our product would work while I did most of the visuals, designing how our product would look and work.
How did you enjoy participating in the challenge? What was the hardest part? The best part?
Quiana: I really enjoyed participating in the challenge because we got to be as creative as we wanted to be as no idea was "too crazy." I enjoyed being able to freely think outside of the box while having Sasha Salehi as our amazing instructor who would constantly inspire us. The hardest part was probably developing the concept because we wanted it to be completely biodegradable, have cosmetic functions, and incorporate preventative healthcare to solve all of our needs which was challenging. The best part was that Alysha and I got along and had no problems throughout the project, we worked well together which made the whole project a fun challenge to be a part of.
Alysha: I loved participating. It was a chance to create a portfolio piece that would most definitely stand out. The hardest part was trying to think 30 years from now. We get so stuck on the idea of “how can technology get any better?” We really had to think out of the box. The best part was seeing how our final product came out to be. Also finding out we won of course!
What was it like to go to Vegas as the winning team?
Quiana: Vegas was so much fun, and being there for the biggest beauty convention in the U.S. was amazing because we got to experience both business and fun. We made so many new connections and got to learn how to talk to brands professionally. Although presenting was nerve-wracking at first, I was well prepared after all of the presentations done at FIDM.
Alysha: Going to Vegas was an amazing experience that I won’t ever forget, especially having the opportunity to share our idea with major companies. Knowing we won was a very rewarding feeling while in Vegas.
How did it feel when you won?
Quiana: Winning felt so surreal because since it was online voting, we had no idea who was in the lead. Everyone had amazing concepts and ideas so anyone could’ve been the winner. I was overwhelmed with gratitude and still am so thankful I even got to participate, let alone win.
Alysha: I knew we had worked so hard to finish the project and I knew our concept was out of this world (literally), but hearing we won, I knew that hard work was well spent. It's the best award I’ve won yet that’s for sure.
Categories: Beauty Marketing & Product Development Visual Communication
