Photo by HUB Photography
Catherine Bailey is a beauty industry veteran. With more than 30 years in the business and an impressive resume to match, it’s no secret why beautyblender founder Rea Ann Silva sought Bailey out to manage her multimillion-dollar company. “I spent many years working within the beauty industry and found it to be one of the most rewarding and fun industries to be part of,” says Bailey. Over the past 30 years, Bailey has held many roles, starting as the executive assistant to the owners of Victoria Vogue, a cosmetic applicator company based in Bethlehem. “After more than 17 years at that company, I left as head of product development, which is how I connected with Rea Ann Silva,” she says.
Rea Ann Silva founded beautyblender in Los Angeles in 2002, after working as a makeup artist in the entertainment industry for years. “Her desire was to improve the application process in her craft,” says Bailey. “She did that by creating the blender and wanted to share this tool and its simplicity of application as well as the superior finished look, with the consumer at large, from moms to working moms and career women.”
In 2013, beautyblender moved its distribution center to Bethlehem and never looked back. “After a visit to the Valley, Rea Ann felt this was the place to be and immediately fell in love with the area,” says Bailey. “It was really at that point that the company began to explode.”
The success of beautyblender can be directly linked to the tireless work of Bailey, who served as president and chief operating officer until her retirement. Bailey, who now acts as a senior advisor to the brand, imparts this wisdom to young women who have a dream to start a business as successfully as she did. “Have a mission that excites you and fulfills a passion that can be shared with others,” says Bailey. “Building a business takes a great deal of effort and the hard work is not always rewarded at first; that’s where the belief comes in. Additionally, take advantage of all the help you can find. Everyone needs a team and it’s important to be open to the conversation to help you make the best decisions.” Bailey also serves as a mentor for SCORE Lehigh Valley, championing the success of local entrepreneurs.
