Kimberly McDonald grew up with a love for rocks and colour, and a few simple maxims from her southern mother. One in particular stuck with Kimberly and possibly even foretold the future: never leave home without your earrings and lipstick on. They are two symbols of the businesses to which Kimberly has dedicated her professional life; Beauty and Jewelry.
In her early 20’s Kimberly split her time between her home in Atlanta and the city she’d always dreamed about as a child, Paris. During her time in Paris, she attended courses at a make-up institute, learning how to use colour and cosmetics to enhance natural beauty. Back home in Atlanta, McDonald was featured in a local publication that catered to the socialites of the area, and became the featured makeup artist of the Southeast for Christian Dior Cosmetics. While in Paris, however, it was her newest love that kept her occupied:Kimberly had discovered a love for vintage and antique fine jewelry, regularly purchasing unusual pieces for her own collection. During this time, her American clients began to envy and request to buy these fabulous French finds.
Just before her 30th birthday, Kimberly decided that it was time to move to New York. Not knowing anyone in the city, she packed her belongings & headed for the Big Apple. As she was transitioning, she kept in touch with many of her clients from the south, assisting them with jewelry purchases as well as continuing to serve as a valuable resource for their questions about products, people and procedures in the beauty industry. It was this interaction that inspired Kimberly to start Beauty News NYC. She wanted to create a publication that would keep readers informed about what was new and exciting in the beauty industry, and to make sure that the reviews and companies featured were not influenced by how much money an advertiser spent.
Kimberly also continued with her jewelry business and in 2006 launched the yoga-inspired line, ROCKRAS. This line married her love for colour and her love of gem stones. ROCKRAS pieces have been featured in InStyle Weddings, Jezebel and Fashion Week Daily; and have been worn on by stars like Mya and Ciara.
Asked about what lies ahead, Kimberly says this; “I find that the further ahead I look, the closer I get to my original loves…rocks, colour, lipstick. Isn’t it great when your first loves remain with you for life?â€
