Cosmetic chemist and “certified nose” Vince Spinnato knows a thing or two about beauty, with a career spanning over 25 years in the personal care, cosmetic and fine fragrance industries.
As President & CEO of TurnKey Beauty, VS Vincenzo Ltd., and Vincenzo Skincare, Spinnato has formulated and developed hundreds of products for skin and hair care, color cosmetics, bath & body and fine fragrances as well as baby products, pet products, and an energy drink.
His newest luxury product, Caviar & Diamond debuted in late 2020 under the Vincenzo Skincare brand. Considered an expert in his field, Spinnato has been a contributor to Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, W, Esquire, GQ, Whole Foods Magazine, Health News Digest, Riviera and more. His memoir, My Pursuit of Beauty: A Cosmetic Chemist Reveals The Glitz, The Glam and The Batsh*t Crazy was released January 10, 2021 and a documentary about his life is being submitted to film festivals across the country.
We had the opportunity to sit down with Vincent and asked him a couple of questions about his jouney, current and future project and much more.
Read the full interview below:
Table of Contents
Why did you want to write a memoir MY PURSUIT OF BEAUTY?
Vince Spinnato: The truth is I’ve been working on it for 10 years, ever since I sat straight up during a session with my long-time psychiatrist and said, “I can’t listen to myself talk another minute. I’m out of here.” He suggested that I write a book.
Since I have ADHD, ADD, dyslexia, and every learning disorder with initials, my Atlanta publisher, BookLogix, took one look at it and told me that I needed serious help reworking my “masterpiece.” They introduced me to Mickey Goodman who helped make sense of it. The result was My Pursuit of Beauty: A Cosmetic Chemist Reveals the Glitz, the Glam, and the Batsh*t Crazy.
Can you share an anecdote from the book?
Vince Spinnato: For some reason, I’ve never been afraid to “go for it.” I even crashed actor Jimmy Stewart’s funeral, and it paid off big time. As I worked the room meeting scores of Hollywood royalty, I ran into Lauren Bacall who was so interested in my VS Vincenzo face cream that she invited me to lunch at The Ivy, one of Beverly Hill’s most famous restaurants. My hopes were high that she would take an interest in me and my fledgling product line.
Let me say, the lunch didn’t go as planned. I was so nervous that I immediately splashed a glass of red wine all over her designer white suit. She was extremely gracious, and all was going well until I accidently tipped the table and helplessly watched as her full plate of linguini overturned in her lap. Lauren fled the restaurant dripping noodles and taking my dreams of endorsement from a famous Hollywood star with her.
What made you decide to become a cosmetic chemist?
Vince Spinnato: When I was 10, I didn’t like “boy stuff” like ball games, playing cowboy, fishing or hunting. My favorite activity was sitting on my grandmother’s couch watching the TV soap, “The Young and the Restless.” Every. Single. Day. The show revolved around the Abbott family’s perfume business, “Jabot”, that became such an obsession that I began creating scents in my sister’s Easy Bake Oven.
My dream never died, and at age 20, I took off for Hollywood to develop skincare products for rich and glamorous people like I saw on TV.
Where do you get training to become a “Certified Nose”?
Vince Spinnato: There is no specific degree for cosmetic chemists. You take a series of classes in chemistry but the rest of your education is dependent on mentors in the industry. My most valuable lessons came from on-the-job training and internships with Marie Ardita and Lee Paler who taught me how to develop complex formulas for every segment of the beauty industry. To become a Certified Nose, I trained with perfumers at Orchidia Flavors and Fragrances. The designation is similar to a sommelier, but for perfumers instead of wine experts. It’s considered the equivalent of a BA degree in perfumery.
Tell us about those first perfumes you created and your new contract to develop the JUDY Fragrance for icon Judy Garland’s 100th Birthday on June 10, 2022.
Vince Spinnato:
- The first perfume I worked on was “Still” for Jennifer Lopez and a cologne for “Michael Jordan” the basketball great which was sold exclusively at Foot Locker.
- In June, I was thrilled to be selected by Lorna Luft, Liza Minnelli and The Judy Garland Heirs Trust to develop a legacy fine fragrance in her honor. I feel especially honored since Judy has always been one of my all-time favorite stars.
Why is selling white label products a good way to get started in the beauty industry?
Vince Spinnato: My first celebrity client was Vidal Sassoon’s ex-wife, Beverly, who I met at a party where I talked my way into a job. In the divorce settlement, he got the salons and his name, and she got control of the hair care brand. My job was to help her re-brand the Vidal Sassoon hair care product line. Beverly Introduced me to others, including Jennifer Lopez’s management team which led to working on the team for her fragrance, “Still.”
Tell us about your company and what contributed to the success of your brand.
Vince Spinnato: After years working as a consultant for other skincare companies, I founded my first company, TurnKey Beauty, Inc., that specializes in developing beauty products for celebrities and corporations under their own names.
After the success of fragrances for Michael Jordan and Jennifer Lopez, other stars followed: Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, Gwen Stefani, Dayanara Torres (former Miss Universe), the Housewives of Orange County and scores of businesses and brands. TurnKey was and is, my primary business but Caviar & Diamond, a high end skincare line, and Judy are the first products under my own VS Vincenzo brand.
What is your advice to others who are starting a career in beauty or cosmetics field? – Do you Mentor aspiring cosmetic chemists?
Vince Spinnato: You can learn how to be a chemist, but you need mentors to show you how to develop formulations for the beauty industry. It’s essential to be hand’s on. The person who most shaped my professional life is chemist extraordinaire Marie Ardita, who taught me so much about the industry that is not found in textbooks. At a time when women were rarely given the opportunity to work in the labs of major corporations, Marie became the one of the first female chemists at Gillette where she developed numerous formulations. Later, she was named “principal scientist.” At an age when she could easily retire, Marie continues to work in her own lab and we still talk daily.
Prior to Covid-19, I mentored students and gave them an opportunity to have hands’ on experience, just as my mentors had for me. Now that things are opening up, I’ll be able to continue paying back.
What is your advice to others who are starting a career in beauty or cosmetics field? – Do you Mentor aspiring cosmetic chemists?
Vince Spinnato: You can learn how to be a chemist, but you need mentors to show you how to develop formulations for the beauty industry. It’s essential to be hand’s on. The person who most shaped my professional life is chemist extraordinaire Marie Ardita, who taught me so much about the industry that is not found in textbooks. At a time when women were rarely given the opportunity to work in the labs of major corporations, Marie became the one of the first female chemists at Gillette where she developed numerous formulations. Later, she was named “principal scientist.” At an age when she could easily retire, Marie continues to work in her own lab and we still talk daily.
Prior to Covid-19, I mentored students and gave them an opportunity to have hands’ on experience, just as my mentors had for me. Now that things are opening up, I’ll be able to continue paying back.
What have been the top developments you’ve seen in the beauty industry over the years?
Vince Spinnato:
- In the past, clients were willing to wait weeks to see results from the products they used. The biggest change today is that everyone wants instant gratification. Fortunately, there are new materials and technology that allow clients to see, touch and feel results instantly. We are also using cleaner, greener materials and no longer use unsustainable products.
- My four-product Caviar & Diamond line (C & D) is an example. Instead of a host of beauty products, clients can clear off their counters and use C&D to get better, faster results.
Tell us about the exclusive VS Vincenzo Skincare CAVIAR & DIAMOND collection that you launched this year.
Vince Spinnato: Caviar is not just for eating! It has an amazing effect on the skin and serves as an anti-aging ingredient that helps to diminish fine lines, wrinkles and feathering. It also contributes to renewing the regenerating energy in long forgotten dead skin cells. The products are designed to perform in a variety of situations like fighting acne, reducing fine lines and correcting certain types of sun damage.
We understand you are a philanthropist, tell us about the causes that you support -
Vince Spinnato: Shortly after my father and grandfather died, I established two scholarships in the arts at my alma mater, Vineland High School in New Jersey, to honor both who were well known musicians. I named it “The Professor Enrico Serra & Vincent Spinnato Sr. Scholarship” and personally present the awards every year. They’re each worth $20,000 over four years.
As a chemist, I realize how essential clean water is to health and wellness so I’m working with “Wells of Life”, a non-profit that provides reliable water projects to communities in African nations. Last year I sponsored my first water well in Uganda. There will be more to come.
As a life-long sufferer of the hair pulling disorder, trichotillomania, I’ve established a non-profit called Trich-Stars with another trichster, Joanna Locke. I’m also working on products that make offending hairs on any part of the body feel softer, silkier and less compelling to pull.
But true confession: my pet project is volunteering with the Wounded Warriors project with my beautiful English Mastiff, Savannah who grew into 200 pounds of pure love. Veterans are always thrilled to interact with Savannah who is a certified comfort dog, and we’re thrilled to be able to offer some puppy love.
Twitter- Click here to check out Vincent Spinnato’s Twitter page.
Instagram- Click here to follow Vincent Spinnato on Instagram.
Linkedin – Click here to connect with Vincent Spinnato on Linkedin.
Website – Click here to check out Vincent Spinnato’s Website
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