Ten Questions with Madeline Alcott of Petit Vour
Receiving my monthly Petit Vour beauty box is always one of my favorites. These adorable pink boxes arrive with lovely cruelty free and vegan items inside that are carefully wrapped in tissue paper and tied with a bow. Recently I got to ask Co-Founder and CEO Madeline Alcott some questions about Petit Vour and her vegan beauty favorites.
- As the founder of Petit Vour, a subscription box that includes only cruelty free and vegan items, you are clearly a compassionate person. How long has veganism been a part of your lifestyle? I’ve been vegan for about 6 years now, but before that I was vegetarian and before that pescetarian. It’s been quite a journey!
- Petit Vour has grown a lot over the past year! It’s been amazing to watch! What inspired you to start Petit Vour? I was inspired by so many things. Back in fall ’09, I was a model in the first ever vegan fashion show organized by Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart (VAUTE) and Kristin Lajeunesse (WTF Vegan Food). Being surrounded by vegan gamechangers definitely inspired me to think outside the box. I wanted to be part of the movement, but more importantly, I wanted to do something that hadn’t been done. Fast forward 3 years (early 2012), I realized there was a significant void in the beauty market. Luxury, high-performance, vegan beauty was nowhere to be found. I had a nagging feeling that if I could create a beautiful space that held only the finest vegan beauty products, vegans and non-vegans alike would flock to check out the goods. By launching a luxury vegan beauty box and online shop, we could attract quite a number of beauty devotees and encourage cruelty-free shopping, supporting our ethical brands, and saving animals from exploitation. Win, win win!!
- A lot of my readers may not be subscribers (yet!). 1) What can someone expect to see in the monthly boxes? 2) What makes Petit Vour stand out? 1) Each box holds a variety of products, ranging from makeup to haircare (about a $35 value, generally). It’s important to us that our members feel pampered from head to toe so we cover a lot of categories month-to-month. 2) Performance and presentation set our cruelty-free box apart from the rest. We have a high attention to detail, ensuring that every box conveys a feeling of luxury and compassion. We work with brands that strive for performance that would rival even the most well-known cosmetics in the industry. It’s quite a task, sifting through products to find the best, but the reward is tremendous. Imagine the positive shift if makeup counters, artists and bloggers went cruelty-free!
- Of all the items that you have featured in the boxes, what are some of your absolute favorites? Now THAT is a tough question! I am a huge fan of super serums–Lina Hanson, MUN and KYPRIS are my favorites. They are so luxurious and truly effective. NCLA has an incredible range of colors that are so much fun. I also love how the clever names enhance the experience of painting your nails (Cloudy With A Chance Of Sprinkles, anyone?). Gr8ful SkinCouture is my go-to when I want a luxurious mud mask experience. As for vegan beauty brushes, nothing beats Kelley Quan. I used to use MAC brushes long before I knew about cruelty-free living and, I have to say, Kelley Quan matches up! I should probably stop now, but I could go on for quite some time 🙂
- Petit Vour is making the shift towards more natural items. Why is this important to you? We’ve always had a focus on natural products, but now we’re seeing the importance of highlighting WHY. It’s so easy to compare drugstore products to natural luxury products and only focus on the pricetag. The truth is, the pricetag is what it is for a reason. We don’t just look for products that are as naturally made as possible, we look for ingredients that work, and ingredient combos that overachieve. Cheap fillers inhibit performance, parabens and formaldehyde releasers threaten our health. We value superior ingredients and (truly) compassionate companies over the pricetag.
- I’m assuming that, like most of us, you carry a small stash of beauty must-haves in your purse. What favorites do you carry with you at all times? Gressa Lip Boost in Bare. The color is so sexy, but in a subtle, effortless sort of way. Also, I just received a spritzer by My Daughter’s Fragrance and I am obsessed! A light, pretty scent makes me feel so put-together and feminine.
- What does the future look like for Petit Vour? Do you plan to stick to beauty, or do you want to expand into other areas? Beauty is our priority, but we’ll see! I mainly want to focus on making cruelty-free shopping fun, effortless and inspiring. Classic, feminine beauty for women of substance is our thing and we want to keep pushing in that direction. It’s totally niche and we love it. Every business needs their space and we found ours. It rings so true to our hearts.
- What beauty item are you currently obsessed with? EVOLVh and YAROK haircare! I’ve been shifting to a more natural haircare routine and it feels so good. I can practically hear my hair whispering words of gratitude.
- What is your all time, holy grail, beauty product? If I could only wear one product for life, it would have to be one of the super serums–by MUN, Lina Hanson or KYPRIS. There are many days where I want to go “naked face” (that’s what I call it). A clean, properly moisturized face draws out natural radiance, which I love.
- They say that perfume can tell you a lot about a person. What is your signature scent? I love love love My Daughter’s Fragrance! I’m wearing it right now. It has a very classic, elegant, feminine feel. I think it’s a universal scent that so many people would love. It’s friendly and approachable, which I try to be every day! 🙂
I also have a very exciting announcement to share with readers of Logical Harmony. I am curating the July Beauty Box with Petit Vour!! If you have not yet signed up to receive the boxes, be sure that you do soon! In the sign up process, there is a field to ask how you heard about Petit Vour. Enter Logical Harmony in this field to receive an extra bonus in your July box!
Images courtesy of: Petit Vour
Great interrview! I’ve been receiving the boxes for 3 months and have been loving them. I am so happy to have found a place to try out new cruelty free and natural products. I can’t wait to see what you curate for the July box. 🙂