When Jessica Karasik was faced with a rare jaw disease, she turned it into a business opportunity. She had been happily working in the cosmetic industry for more than 15 years in New York City, but she and her husband moved back to Dallas when her diagnosis, idiopathic condylar resorption, called for surgery that would require her to have her jaw wired shut for three to four months.
“This was going to be a big journey I had to get myself prepared for,” Karasik says. “My husband and I moved back to Dallas, knowing I would need family around, and this made things a little less stressful.
“Next, I knew I needed a job. What was I going to do? Where would I work knowing that I would be out of commission for at least four months?”
“The first big break was when I got an email from the E! News makeup department wanting to place an order for two of the large makeup boxes,” says Glamboxes founder Jessica Karasik.
Her husband suggested that she look into selling the acrylic cosmetic boxes she had custom made for her personal use. Throughout the years, Karasik’s friends complimented her on the customized boxes, which were a beautiful and convenient way to store all of the many things a lady needs in her beauty arsenal.
She began designing different styles and sizes and came up with a name: Glamboxes. She tasked a graphic designer with a logo and website and told the designer to have it all ready for her when she got out of surgery so she would have something to do.
“I couldn’t talk, so I texted and emailed and learned Instagram very quickly,” Karasik says. “Next thing I knew I was getting emails from celebrities’ assistants, hairdressers, makeup artists, and major jewelry and makeup brands wanting one of my Glamboxes.
“The first big break was when I got an email from the E! News makeup department wanting to place an order for two of the large makeup boxes. It just kept going from there.”
In addition to the E! News makeup department, Karasik counts among her fans Good Day LA, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Kardashians hairdresser Jenn Atkin, and reality star Kim Richards of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
What makes Glamboxes better than your average storage solution? For starters, they are totally customizable, and the high-quality clear acrylic compartments mean you can see everything inside (read: no digging around for what you need). And for those who like to support the local economy, Glamboxes are handmade in Plano.
They start at $159 for the GlamPetite makeup box; the GlamLuxe costs $259. Jewelry organizers range in price from $229-$329, with GlamRods to store bracelets costing $30 each. Each piece is made by hand, so expect a three- to four-week wait time after you place an order.
GlamLuxe makeup box, $259.
