THE PANDEMIC PIVOT: SIX STUDENT STORIES

Name: Sarah Stein

Major: Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing ’21

The Pivot: Can’t go to the lab for “Fragrance Knowledge” class? Check this out. Stein, president of the student-run Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing Association club, discovered how to increase participation in virtual group meetings.

Does Rockland County, New York, where you live, feel like FIT?

I set up an office in my basement because it was too distracting to take classes in my room. This fall, I’m used to it, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss being in school. 

You’re taking the “Fragrance Knowledge” class. Outside of a lab, how does that work?

Our professor, Virginia Bonofiglio [chair of Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing], worked with suppliers to send us kits with 36 different raw materials — naturals and synthetics — in little vessels. I got a pocket scale. Each week I follow the formula sheets to create fragrances. There are pipettes and a stand for blotters to tag everything. Honestly? At this point it just feels normal to me.

You’re the president of the CFMA Club. What’s it been like this semester?

We’ve had great success with Google Meet. We have like 25 to 40 people each week. I can record sessions so students who can’t make it don’t have to miss out. We’ve had guest speakers, including the cofounders of Fempower Beauty, a budding brand focused on activism and self-empowerment. One of them, Alexis Androulakis, is an alumna.

Have you done any virtual workshops?

We couldn’t send members raw materials, so we did one on lip scrubs you can make with ordinary items in your home: sugar, honey — or vegan alternatives — and any type of oil. I used olive oil. It was cool to see everyone on camera, doing the mixing. We’re industry focused so we took care to connect this activity to the self-care and wellness industries. They’ve skyrocketed during this time.

What are your final plans for the end of your tenure as president?

We’re bringing back Alexis from Fempower. We’ll encourage everyone to bring their own lipsticks and show them how a developer evaluates product.