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With an open door, Carmina Cristina stands in front of her shop, giving a big smile and a welcome to all the guests of Carmina Cristina’s Makeup Boutique. Inside, a contemporary, bright, and Insta-worthy wall of delightfully colorful products greets you. A spa area sits tucked away in the back, and soft music twinkles throughout the shop.
Shop owner, product designer, make-up artist, instructor, and absolute boss babe Carmina Cristina sat down with Susquehanna Style to share her story and chat about her boutique, located on Market Street in Camp Hill.
Cristina, a former lawyer from Romania, decided that she wanted to pursue something that would help her follow her heart and her passion, so she decided to attend the best cosmetology school in Romania. She was then selected to apprentice with a professional makeup artist who she accompanied to couture fashion weeks, movie sets, and magazine shoots.
However, Cupid’s arrow struck Cristina, so she followed her now-husband back to the States and continued pursuing her passion of helping clients find their own personal brand of beauty.
When Cristina first came to Camp Hill she was working primarily as a makeup artist for brides, local commercial shoots, and formal events in the area. After helping so many women and their bridal parties prepare for their big day, Cristina was constantly asked where her clients could get the products she used. The trick was that she used only professional products and found that she couldn’t recommend anything to her clients.
This struggle was where Carmina Cristina’s signature line of products began. After seeing a need for professional-grade items with an affordable price point, Carmina released her first line of cosmetics. With everything from eye shadow palettes to add tonality to a look, to cleansers, to the longest lasting lip liner of all time, to specialty primers—Cristina wanted to make sure that everyone could look and feel her best every day.
While carrying her own products, Cristina also carries several lines and products from Europe, including France and Germany, with specialty moisturizers and toners. She strives to bring her clients and the community the tools and the ability to recharge and take a few moments for themselves every day.
Cristina also believes that taking a little time for yourself should be an everyday occurrence. She carries lines of shower foams and gentle scrubs to make showering a self-care experience.
Not only does Cristina want to give clients tools and ability, she also wants to give them the knowledge and skills to do it as well, by offering several different types of classes. She offers classes in her boutique for all different topics, from formal to everyday, to trends, and for different audiences, from teen specialty classes to classes for 40 and older groups.
Cristina warmly tells a story of a mother and her teenage daughter visiting her boutique for just such a class; the mother had given it to her daughter as a Christmas gift. They learned not only what products work, but how to use them, for a glam look they can continue to reproduce long after the lesson. They left with a set of products and brushes to make their at-home beauty routine a relaxing ritual to revitalize the confidence of their own personal beauty.
Cristina, with a big smile and a burst of confident energy, says, “I am a licensed Pennsylvania aesthetician—not a salesperson. I don’t want to sell you a product just to sell it. I want to find the right product for you. I am an artist and an expert with years of experience. That is how I sell myself.” She goes on to explain that she finds helping her clients to be the most rewarding part of her job and says, “I take pride in creating a recipe for success for each person.”
The boutique is not limited to Carmina’s expertly crafted and selected beauty products but also contains a small salon area with a relaxing vibe and soft and flattering lights. In addition to having a retail space, there are also spa packages available with Carmina’s exclusive European facials (which include a light massage), special occasion makeup sessions, and consultations.
Carmina’s boutique celebrated its third anniversary in November 2017. It is open by appointment only starting in 2018 and is located on Market Street in Camp Hill. For classes, occasion makeup, spa treatments, or a little special retail therapy—be sure to check out Carmina Cristina’s extensive service list on her website, carminacristina.com.
Carmina Cristina Makeup Boutique
2209 Market St., Camp Hill, PA / carminacristina.com
