Look Fabulous Forever makeup acquires Ipswich factory

Look Fabulous Forever prides itself on celebrating age and producing makeup products tailored towards older women. 

“The makeup industry is geared towards younger women, and there is an idea that youth equals beauty,” explained Anna Cusden, group managing director of Look Fabulous Forever.

“We never use words like ‘anti-aging’. We want to make women feel good about how they look.” 

Tricia Cusden founded Look Fabulous Forever in 2013. Image: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

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The brand was launched in 2013 by Anna’s mother, Tricia Cusden. Tricia, then 65, was frustrated that she could not find products which had been created with her skin type in mind.  

“Older skin is naturally more absorbent,” explained Anna, 48. “She would put on foundation which would soon disappear, because it hadn’t been formulated for older skin.” 

Tricia decided to establish her own brand, whose products would be specifically designed older women like herself.  

She began researching makeup factories which might produce these products – and stumbled upon Creative Cosmetics, based in Riverside Industrial Park in Ipswich. 

With Tricia having grown up a short distance away in Mildenhall, it seemed fated, and a ten-year partnership was born.

Tricia’s two daughters, Anna and Suzy Stern, soon joined Look Fabulous Forever to take on leadership roles.

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Suzy Stern (left) and Anna Cusden (right) soon joined their mother's company in leadership roles. Image: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Workers at Creative Cosmetics package products. Image: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Nail polishes are among the many products produced by Creative Cosmetics. Image: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Creative Cosmetics now produces most of Look Fabulous Forever’s products, including nail polishes, lipsticks, foundations, primers, blushers and bronzers. 

The company has been run for the past 36 years by Alan Major and Paul Pepper, and has built a reputation for being one of the UK’s few colour cosmetics manufacturers. 

Towards the end of last year, Mr Pepper and Mr Major revealed their plans to take early retirement. Not wanting Ipswich to lose a flourishing business, Look Fabulous Forever acquired the company. 

Anna said that Paul Pepper and Alan Major were incredibly supportive in the early days of Look Fabulous Forever. Image: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Pictured L-R: Anna Cusden, Suzy Stern, Tricia Cusden, Alan Major and Paul Pepper. Image: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

It will continue operating under the name of Creative Cosmetics, with the key members of its team retained. 

"Alan and Paul were incredibly supportive of us in the beginning, and really invested in our business,” said Anna.  

“Our intention is to build on Creative Cosmetics’ existing reputation for quality and innovation to increase UK manufacturing of makeup, boosting productivity and growth.”