Meet The Beauty Industry VP Who’s Also A Thrift Queen

Amy Focazio is manhandling a bouquet of dried lavender, cutting the stems down to size for a vase we've decided has to be in the next shot. "Is this the right height?" she asks, only too eager to help. This is after she's offered us espresso (though she abstains for the sake of a good night's sleep) and gamely swapped outfits four times.

The vice president of global communications for MAC is a decidedly down-to-earth boss, a woman as equally comfortable at the head of a boardroom as she is at a table set for brunch. And, after 20 years in Manhattan, Focazio has a few life lessons to impart, from shopping on a budget to inspiration beyond Pinterest — and we got the scoop.