Raffaele's passion for beauty surfaced in her youngest years. Drawing inspiration from music, fashion magazines and legendary make-up artists like Way Bandy, she experimented with looks and crafted her technique behind the beauty counter of the family business, Raffaele's Pharmacy. From 80's chiseled cheekbones to classic natural looks, Raffaele refined her skills on willing customers waiting for prescriptions and booked her first professional job while still in high school.

During her senior year at Fordham University, a photographer friend introduced Raffaele to makeup artist Bobbi Brown. "Bobbi was always an idol of mine and having the opportunity to work with her was a life changing experience" says Alison. Shortly after her graduation in 1992, Alison landed the coveted position as Brown's head assistant, accompanying her daily on photo shoots. Later that year, she also became the first national make-up artist and international trainer for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. Raffaele spent three years with Bobbi fine-tuning her craft, and went on to amass a stellar portfolio of her own work through print and celebrity bookings. Her technique has graced many famous faces, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Sigourney Weaver and Giselle Bundchen.

Raffaele's star continued to rise as a professional makeup artist, but she realized there were still dreams she needed to follow. In 2000, after nine months of research and development, Alison launched her first brand, Skin Alison Raffaele. Her True Concealer became an instant success among artists and clients, solidifying her as a product development specialist.

While pregnant with her daughter, India June, in 2008, Alison evolved her brand by removing the parabens, talc, mineral oil, fragrance and gluten from her formulas, and relaunched the brand as Alison Raffaele Cosmetics.

Alison Raffaele Cosmetics is the culmination of Alison's dream to provide women with healthy cosmetic choices and produce eco-friendly products that integrate naturally derived anti-aging ingredients with high performance cosmetics.
Simply put, Alison's focus is to make unique products that wear beautifully on the skin, as well as deliver nourishing benefits from within, all formulated to draw out a woman's inner radiance and enhance her ability to "live beautiful"

From blemish fighting peptides to time released antioxidants, Alison is involved with each ingredient and product she develops from start to finish.

Beyond her hands-on involvement with all aspects of her company, Alison remains strongly committed to her roots as a professional make-up artist. Whether working with clients at special events, doing television appearances, getting celebrities ready for the red carpet, giving lectures or working with young artists through the powder group, Alison is truly living her passion each and every day and teaching others to "live beautiful!".