ABOUT LAUREN
Bio & Clients
Lauren Cosenza is the creator and writer of DIVAlicious blog, a NYC-based pro makeup artist, a featured beauty/fashion expert, a video personality and spokesperson, a published contributor and writer, a brand consultant, a product junkie and an insatiable style seeker.
Lauren is affectionately known to friends, family and readers as LDIVA – a nickname that originated in college. Called a diva (in ways both good and bad!) throughout her adolescence, Lauren chose Barbie (over a political figure or Hollywood legend) as her “American Icon” for a visual media video assignment freshman year. Casting her friends as Barbie, DeeDee and Dana, Lauren played the part of Diva herself. Not long after, when creating her very first AIM account, she chose LDIVA1. Many years later, the nickname carried on... and before Lauren could reveal herself as the author of DIVAlicious, it became her blogger identity.
What are her diva credentials, you ask??
Born in high heels wearing lipstick, Lauren Cosenza started playing with makeup when other kids were playing with dolls and hot wheels. Fascinated by color, texture, self-expression and transformation, Lauren tested product on schoolmates, family members and herself when no one else was around. In her formative years, Lauren stayed up late to study the classics – Mademoiselle, Cosmo, Glamour, Vogue and more. She contends she was the only middle school student in the history of her hometown to have a subscription to W magazine, which she read cover to cover monthly when it arrived. Never a slave to labels or a blind follower of trends, Lauren firmly believed in personal style and bold individuality.
Lauren graduated from American University summa cum laude with a BA in Communications and a BA in Spanish Studies. She got both degrees taking all back-to-back classes two days a week to fit in more shifts at bebe in the Georgetown Park mall, where she served as part stylist and part therapist to repeat customers mostly looking for a new pair of black pants and the self-confidence to pair with them.
After eight glorious months abroad where Lauren got to see European fashion firsthand (the good, the bad and the criminal), Lauren moved back to NY to work in advertising at McCann-Erickson. After launching the multi-media DTC campaigns for Yasmin, Yaz and Mirena, she switched to the publishing side where she managed beauty and fashion accounts at her beloved Cosmopolitan magazine.
Always wanting a bigger beauty role, after several years as a Fun Fearless Female, Lauren moved to Shape magazine to join the Fit & Fabulous. At Shape, Lauren served in a managerial role as the Executive Beauty & Fashion Director and later, Brand Development Director. Lauren oversaw the national beauty business and within her first two years it became Shape’s largest advertising revenue category via multi-touchpoint partnerships. Additionally, Lauren secured opportunities to extend the brand beyond its pages by managing the development and production of Shape-branded iphone apps, workout DVDs, and super-feminine home fitness accessories (think hot pink zebra-print yoga mats). In February 2010, timed for release on Valentine’s Day weekend, Lauren conceptualized and spearheaded SHAPEbride – the first-ever synchronized launch of a magazine, website and iphone app.
After seven years in publishing and with an even greater desire to make the world more beautiful, in early 2010 Lauren decided to move on to pursue her passion on her own two… 5” Louboutins.
Lauren started and owns Lauren Cosenza Beauty LLC and has a registered trademark on Divalicious® blog.
In addition to her own blog and professional makeup work on shoots, at events, for brands and with magazines, Lauren is a regularly featured beauty and style expert.
Lauren is a Victoria’s Secret Beauty Expert - designing facecharts and looks for VS beauty collections and providing VS-branded tips for magazines, websites and blogs. Lauren has handled TV, print and online press for Victoria's Secret and served as the Beauty Expert doing makeup and videos at the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, the Victoria’s Secret VIP NYFW Suite and other editorial and consumer VS events. Lauren is a core contributor for Makeup.com (selected as one of its four Beauty Squad members). Lauren is on the Cosmopolitan Beauty Brains & Blogs blogger panel and is prominently featured in-book, online and in video for beauty brand integrations. Lauren is a beauty/fashion consultant for Self magazine and is the Style Curator of the SELF Virtual Trunk Show. Lauren writes beauty and fashion columns plus manages select beauty and style brand partnerships for Latina magazine. Lauren is a featured contributor for Daily Glow where she gives no-nonsense commentary on the latest beauty products.
Lauren hosts videos for clients such as Aveeno, Clarisonic, Cosmopolitan, Latina, Matrix, Redken, Rimmel, Sally Hansen, Self, Victoria’s Secret and more – in addition to FOX segments featuring her makeup tips and blog.
Lauren travels to major US cities with top brands to host fashion shows, disperse beauty tips and debut lines and collections.
Lauren was showcased on the front page of the New York Times Style section for her take on fashion and NYC nightlife.
Lauren is a member of Summit Series, MAC Pro and Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW).
In her limited free time, Lauren has worked for years as a volunteer in city shelters teaching the next generation of young women about inner-beauty and its outward expression, plus currently donates her time to makeover programs for breast cancer survivors and women with MS.
NOTABLE CLIENTS
