Beauty by Vespa was born from a passion and a gap I noticed when I moved to New York.

passion

gap

I have always loved natural makeup; the kind that makes a woman look like herself, just effortlessly beautiful. It’s what I do for myself, and it’s what I’ve always been drawn to as an artist. When I moved to America, I realized that this kind of work (truly natural, skin-like, elevated makeup) wasn’t easy to find. What most people don’t realize is that natural makeup is actually harder to execute than full glam. It requires more skill, more time, and a much more trained eye. There’s nowhere to hide. Everything has to be just right. That’s what became my focus. And that’s what Beauty by Vespa is built on.

Before founding Beauty by Vespa, I was in beauty education teaching professional artists and working with leading European beauty brands. That foundation shaped everything about how I work and how I lead my team today.

I’m Elena, the founder.

meet the artist

I also care deeply about what goes on your skin and about the world we live in. We work with mostly cruelty-free, carefully chosen products because we genuinely love animals and believe the beauty industry can and should do better. It’s a cause I care about personally, and every product choice we make is a small step toward change. We’re always moving toward cleaner, kinder options for your skin, for animals, and for the environment.

We always make sure to use high-quality, clean and cruelty-free products to ensure both safety and performance.

On the Vespa with Sabra :)

Work in progress

Our team is as diverse as New York itself. We speak multiple languages and have worked with brides and clients of every ethnicity and background. We don’t have one idea of beauty — we have many. And we think that’s exactly how it should be.

Today I lead a team of 26 artists across New York. And yes, I ride my Vespa all over the city to get there. The name isn’t just a brand, it’s a lifestyle. Move with intention. Enjoy the ride. Show up fully.

Elena has a thing against black so you won’t find it in our brand or our uniforms. Our artists show up in navy and chocolate tones instead. Yes, it was very much intentional. (New Yorkers, don’t hate her.)

Elena’s first beauty job in America was with Shiseido. They were looking for someone who spoke Russian and Chinese. She studied finance in China, so that worked out perfectly.