Total Beauty: What's one bad beauty habit you can't seem to quit?

Christine Martinez: Hair twirling. I've been a compulsive hair twirler my whole life. I used to dismiss it as something every girl with long hair does, but it's probably tied to the fact that I'm an antsy person who always needs to be doing something with my hands. I'm hoping to break the habit before I become a permanent resident in split-end city.

TB: What's one beauty splurge you make on a regular basis and think all women should, too?

Martinez: Since my wedding last summer, I've become obsessed with Shellac manicures. There's nothing that bothers me more than chipped nails, and now I never have to worry about that again! It's totally worth the price to have gorgeous, shiny nails for two-plus weeks. I have to add a close second which is eyebrow threading. A girlfriend of mine convinced me to give it a try, and I'm happy to say that I haven't touched a pair of tweezers in over a year.

TB: What one product do you swear by?

Martinez: I was thrilled when I discovered Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen, $34. It's a product with a long name for a reason: it does everything! It's smooth, light, non-greasy, and makes my skin look fantastic all day. Hands down my favorite Luvocracy discovery ever! I highly recommend it.

TB: If you look back, what's one moment that changed your life?

Martinez: I launched my first company (LAMA) back in July 2008, and three months later Lucky Magazine featured LAMA as their new favorite web shop. I'll never forget how it felt to pick up the issue at the supermarket, flip through it, and see my little shop right there in a magazine I adored. I understood right then and there that I could create something people loved -- and that I could do it with very few resources (a few thousand dollars, no partners, and right out of my apartment). I knew I had to spend the rest of my life creating online spaces people wanted to visit again and again. 


TB: If you were a nail polish, what color would you be, and what would you be called?

Martinez: I'm not afraid to admit that I am the quintessential girl (I love being a girl!) so I would definitely be pink. I'm a big fan of all of the women out there who aren't afraid to be the lovely people they are, embrace their feminine side, and kick some butt in otherwise male dominated industries like tech. So my color would definitely be called "Power to the Pink."

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