The Art of Effortless Beauty: A Conversation with Taylor Frankel on Building NUDESTIX
*NUDESTIX
*NUDESTIX
It’s easy to forget, scrolling through the endless reels of contour hacks and glow-up tutorials, that beauty wasn’t always about transformation. For Taylor Frankel, co-founder and Chief Brand Officer of NUDESTIX, the spark came from a moment of quiet rebellion: a desire for less. Back in 2014, as social media fed an insatiable appetite for full-beat looks and elaborate routines, Taylor and her mother, Jenny Frankel, launched Nudestix as a counterpoint, a brand built on the simple idea that makeup should enhance, not mask. It was an ethos born from their own lives: quick mornings, busy days, and a love for real skin.
What began as a quest for travel-friendly, multi-use crayons has since evolved into a global community that champions minimalism, not as a trend, but as a lifestyle. Working side by side with her mother, an industry veteran, Taylor has helped steer Nudestix into a new kind of beauty narrative, one where authenticity, inclusivity, and function trump hype. Together, they’ve bridged generations and geographies, creating products that resonate as much in a Toronto dorm room as they do on the shelves of Sephora in Paris.
As Taylor looks ahead, her vision for Nudestix is clear: to keep listening, iterating, and reimagining what a streamlined beauty routine can look like. In a world still racing for the next viral moment, she’s quietly building a legacy—one crayon at a time.
Nudestix was launched at a time when heavy, transformative makeup was dominating social media. What inspired you to introduce a minimalist, multitasking approach to beauty?
At the time, I remember scrolling through Instagram and seeing all these full-glam transformations, contour, baking, layers of product. It felt so far removed from how my friends and I actually approached beauty. We were all about quick, effortless, and natural. NUDESTIX was born out of a personal need: I wanted products that were easy to use, travel-friendly, and allowed me to still look like me. The idea was to celebrate real skin and authentic beauty, enhance, not mask.
Nudestix is a rare example of a multi-generational beauty business. How has working alongside your mother, Jenny Frankel, shaped the brand’s identity and innovation process?
Working with my mom has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. She brings over 20 years of industry experience and has such a deep understanding of product development, while I bring a fresh, digital-first perspective. We challenge each other, but we also trust each other completely. That dynamic has allowed us to stay grounded in science and quality while staying agile and culturally relevant. The blend of our generational views really helped NUDESTIX find its voice.
What was the defining moment when you realized Nudestix had truly carved out its space in the industry?
I think it really hit me when we launched at Sephora and started seeing NUDESTIX pop up in everyday makeup bags, from beauty editors to influencers to college students. There was a real shift in how people were talking about “no-makeup makeup,” and we were at the center of that conversation. Seeing our community embrace the concept of minimalism and multi-use was a real pinch me moment.
The brand has expanded into skincare with Nudeskin and body care with Nudebody. Was this always part of the long-term vision, or did consumer demand steer you in this direction?
A bit of both. The minimalist ethos of NUDESTIX naturally translated into skincare, our community was asking for simplified, effective routines that worked with their makeup. So Nudeskin felt like a natural extension. Nudebody came later as we realized that people wanted that same clean, multitasking approach for their body care. Every expansion has been intentional, but always in response to real feedback from our customers.
As Chief Brand Officer, you’ve masterfully leveraged social media storytelling. What does it take to create an authentic connection with Gen Z and millennial consumers today?
Authenticity is everything. Gen Z and millennials are incredibly savvy, they know when they’re being sold to. What resonates is realness: showing behind the scenes, involving our community in product development, sharing the “why” behind everything we do. It’s about building trust, not just selling products. We treat our community like co-creators, not consumers.
Having grown Nudestix into a global brand, what has been your biggest learning curve as an entrepreneur?
Honestly, learning to let go of perfection. As a founder, you want everything to be flawless, but that mindset can slow you down. I’ve learned that progress often comes from taking risks, iterating, and listening to your team. Also: scaling globally comes with cultural nuance. What works in one market might not in another, so staying adaptable and listening to local voices has been key.
What role do you think beauty brands play in shaping broader conversations around identity, self-expression, and inclusivity?
Beauty is inherently tied to identity, and as a brand, we have a responsibility to reflect the diversity of our world. That means diverse shade ranges, inclusive campaigns, and giving a platform to different voices. But it also means challenging outdated norms and encouraging people to define beauty for themselves, not according to filters or algorithms.
In a world where trends move at lightning speed, how does Nudestix balance the art of creating culturally relevant moments with building a legacy brand?
It’s definitely a dance. We stay on top of trends, but we don’t chase them. Everything we do is rooted in our core values: simplicity, performance, authenticity. If a trend aligns with that, we’ll explore it. But we’re not about being trendy for the sake of it, we want to build a brand that lasts, not just goes viral.
Can you share any upcoming innovations, formulations, or unexpected pivots on the horizon for Nudestix?
We’re really excited about pushing the boundaries of “hybrid” products, think skincare-makeup hybrids that simplify routines even more. We’re also working on some exciting sustainability initiatives that reflect our commitment to the planet. Without giving too much away, let’s just say: the future of NUDESTIX is even more streamlined, skin-loving, and community-driven.
As someone who built a brand from the ground up, what’s one piece of advice you’d give to young entrepreneurs entering the beauty space today?
Start with why. There are so many brands out there, it’s a saturated space. But if you have a clear mission and you stay true to it, people will resonate. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Build a community, listen to them, and evolve with them. And remember: done is better than perfect. Just start.
