Today’s episode is in partnership with Tower 28 through Gloss Angeles Confidential, our seeding program that lets our listeners test new products before they launch and tell us what they really think.

Founder and CEO Amy Liu is back on the pod at a fitting moment: Tower 28 and Gloss Angeles both turned seven this year! We first met Amy for coffee when we were both baby brands — a lot has changed since then. Tower 28 is now one of Sephora’s fastest-growing skincare brands, SOS Spray created an entire category, and Amy is rethinking what sustainable growth actually looks like.

We talked about the pressure on beauty founders to sell, why Tower 28 is scaling back its launch calendar, the proliferation of SOS Spray dupes, and whether “safe for sensitive skin” is becoming the new “clean beauty.”

Plus, our Gloss Angeles Confidential testers gave us their unfiltered reviews of the brand’s biggest launch yet: the Swipe Serum Foundation.

Keep reading for highlights!

Amy Liu Isn’t in a Rush to Sell Tower 28

Beauty loves an exit story. Every major acquisition inevitably turns into a guessing game about which founder will be next and the pressure only intensifies once private equity enters the chat.

Amy, however, isn’t treating an exit as the ultimate finish line.

“I don’t need a billion-dollar exit,” she tells us. To be clear, she isn’t trying to manifest the opposite of one. But after watching founders sell their companies only to turn around and launch another, she started questioning the rush.

“If I’m gonna try to go raise another baby, why don’t I just keep the baby I have and try to do a better job with this baby?”

That doesn’t mean an exit is off the table. Amy acknowledged that brands taking private-equity money have an obligation to return that investment—typically at three to five times its value. But for now, she’s more interested in enjoying the process and continuing to build Tower 28 than racing toward an arbitrary end point.

Why Tower 28 Is Choosing Fewer, Better Launches

Tower 28 spent years doubling and tripling its business. In 2025, Amy expected it to grow another 50 percent. Instead, it grew approximately 17 percent—a number many brands would celebrate, but one that felt disappointing compared to her projections.

The slowdown forced her to take a harder look at the business. One of her board members offered a line that stuck: “A successful business can really hide a lot of flaws.”

When a brand is moving at rocket speed, it’s easy to say yes to every retailer, product idea, opportunity, and expansion because you’re afraid the momentum might disappear. Amy learned that maintaining growth requires a different skill: discernment.

Tower 28 has since trimmed next year’s calendar and is concentrating on “fewer, better things.” That includes learning from launches that didn’t perform as planned, like the brand’s FaceGuard sunscreen, and becoming more deliberate about what deserves the team’s time and resources.

Swipe Serum Foundation Is a Return to Tower 28’s Original Mission

Tower 28 may be known for skincare, but Amy originally created the brand because she couldn’t find makeup made for people with eczema, acne, rosacea, and other sensitive-skin concerns. Swipe Serum Foundation brings the brand back to that purpose.

For the campaign, Tower 28 put out an open casting call for people with visibly textured or reactive skin. The team photographed 70 people living with acne, eczema, rosacea, and topical steroid withdrawal, without retouching away the very concerns the product was created for.

Amy said this launch feels like “coming home” to the brand’s original mission: helping people who want makeup to improve how their skin looks immediately but are afraid of making it worse.

The formula comes in 36 shades developed with makeup artist Delina Medhin and offers lightweight, buildable coverage without silicone, oil, or alcohol. Tower 28 also conducted third-party testing on acne-prone participants who wore it daily; after one week, 94 percent did not experience an increase in breakouts.

Our Glams have been testing the new foundation for a few weeks now through Gloss Angeles Confidential and their feedback is extremely enthusiastic.

One tester called it “the best” foundation she had ever tried. Another praised its lightweight, sheer-to-medium coverage and said it held up in heat and humidity. A tester with PCOS-related acne reported that it blended seamlessly, controlled oil, and didn’t cause a breakout.

We also ran into one tester at an event before we’d even tried the foundation ourselves. Her skin looked so good that we immediately asked what she was wearing: it was Swipe Serum!

Pro tip: Don’t automatically order the same shade you wear in Tower 28’s Swipe Serum Concealer. Most people choose a lighter concealer for their under-eyes, so use the brand’s guide as a starting point rather than an absolute match. Even Amy admitted she initially chose the wrong shade for herself.

Of course, no complexion product works for absolutely everyone. You can read all of our testers’ feedback—from the favorable to the critical—on the foundation’s Sephora product page. Search “Gloss Angeles” within the review section to find them.

Is “Safe for Sensitive Skin” the New “Clean Beauty”?

We’ve noticed a shift happening at Sephora: Brands that once led with “clean” and “non-toxic” claims are increasingly repositioning themselves as safe for sensitive or acne-prone skin. Amy has noticed it too.

As a board member of the National Eczema Association, she sees the growing interest in its Seal of Acceptance as a positive—it gives people with eczema more options. But she remains clear about Tower 28’s differentiator: The brand combines sensitive-skin-safe formulas and high performance with something traditionally clinical brands often lack—fun.

Sensitive skin shouldn’t relegate anyone to a sad shelf of beige pharmacy products. As Amy put it, Tower 28 customers still get to shop at Sephora, carry the little striped bag, and participate in the larger beauty conversation.

The rest of the industry may be catching on, but Tower 28 has been building around that idea for seven years.

Do you think “safe for sensitive skin” is replacing “clean beauty” as the industry’s favorite claim? And have you tried Swipe Serum Foundation yet? Tell us in the comments!

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Today’s episode was created in partnership with Tower 28 through Gloss Angeles Confidential. These partnerships help us continue making the podcast while giving our community opportunities to try products before they launch. We carefully vet every brand and product we feature, and we appreciate your support!

Interested in learning more about our Gloss Angeles Confidential program? Click here to learn how you can participate, as a brand or a tester!

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts (yes, you can watch us on there!), Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop everything mentioned in this episode here:

TOWER 28 | Swipe Serum Concealer

Swipe Serum Non-Acnegenic Foundation With Medium Buildable Coverage - Tower 28 Beauty

Shop more of my favorite products here.

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We’re beginning this week with the tragic passing of Hayden Panettiere—and the complicated response from Neutrogena, a brand she represented for more than a decade.

We also have two new bombshells entering the celebrity beauty villa: Tate McRae and Lindsay Lohan both appear to have brands in development. We get into why Tate’s current name may be limiting the world she can build, why Lindsay should absolutely launch sunscreen, and the transparency we’ll need before buying anyone’s supposed glow-up in a bottle.

Keep reading for highlights!

Neutrogena Releases Statement on Failing Hayden Panettiere

Earlier this year, Hayden Panettiere revealed on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast that Neutrogena attempted to end its partnership with her after she spoke publicly about experiencing postpartum depression in 2015.

Hayden said she hadn’t planned to discuss it when she appeared on Live With Kelly and Michael. The subject came up, and she answered honestly. According to Hayden, Neutrogena subsequently invoked a morality clause in her contract.

It’s difficult to imagine a brand attempting that today, when mental health has become a standard part of corporate messaging and nearly every beauty company wants to present itself as a champion of women. But in 2015, postpartum depression wasn’t being discussed openly in the same way—especially not on morning television. Hayden’s willingness to share her experience helped move that conversation forward, even as the company she had represented since childhood allegedly made her feel ashamed for doing it.

Following Hayden’s passing, Neutrogena released a statement acknowledging that history:

“We are proud to have partnered with her and understand that we made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time. This is not what Neutrogena stands for or who we want to be.”

The brand also promised to make a “significant investment” in a longtime community health partner that helps women access support, including care for postpartum depression.

Honestly, the statement was more direct and human than we expected. Neutrogena acknowledged that Hayden felt unsupported, avoided hiding behind generic language, and committed to an action beyond the apology.

But it also raises an unavoidable question: Why didn’t this happen in May, when Hayden was still here to receive it?

The Nose Finally Gets Its Skincare Moment

This news is brought to you by Wizard Wellness

Microbiome science came for your gut, then your face, then your mouth. Somehow it skipped the one part of your body that filters every breath you take: your nose.

Wizard Wellness is fixing that. The brand just rolled into 1,700 Walmart stores, plus 1,400 CVS doors. Founder Lorne Lucree spent twenty years in beauty product development (including creating On ‘Til Dawn Setting Spray) before deciding the drugstore aisle deserved the same treatment.

The brand’s hero is the Daily Probiotic Nasal Spray, formulated with prebiotics, probiotics and skincare-grade hydrators and antioxidants, like glycerin, resveratrol, and ectoin. In a clinical study, panelists using the nasal spray and oral strips together daily saw a more refreshed appearance by day 3, with statistically significant improvement in dark undereye circles and facial puffiness by day 14.

It’s drug-free, non-habit forming, and designed to be a daily ritual rather than something you dig out of a drawer in a crisis.

Kirbie is a huge fan of the Daily Probiotic Nasal Spray in Arctic Vanilla (it also comes in Botanical Breeze), while Sara keeps the more compact Happy Nose Nasal Stick in every purse (no, seriously).

Find your nearest retailer here and check out the brand’s full line-up on wizardwellness.com

Tate McRae’s Beauty Brand Should Be All About Body

Tate McRae has filed trademark applications for Tate by Tate McRae, Tate, Tate 01, and Tate 01 by Tate McRae, covering everything from skin care and fragrance to body products and lip gloss.

We have two notes. First, “Tate by Tate McRae” commits one of our cardinal celebrity beauty brand sins: naming the brand directly after yourself. What happens if you eventually want to sell it? What happens if you want the brand to exist without you? And what happens if your public image becomes a liability? The strongest celebrity brands—Rhode, Rare, Fenty—create a world that can extend beyond their founders.

Second, if Tate doesn’t start with body, she’s lost the plot. Her dancing, athleticism, and literal dipped-in-gold glow give her a natural lane into body care, body makeup, fitness, or wellness. Please give us the glow products—and a 2026 version of a celebrity workout video while you’re at it!

Lindsay Lohan’s Beauty Brand Should Begin With Sunscreen

Lindsay Lohan’s forthcoming Linlo Beauty is reportedly seeking to raise up to $5 million and is being led by Lara Verdugo, whose résumé includes Procter & Gamble and Spanish sunscreen brand ISDIN. The trademark covers nearly every beauty category, but SPF feels like the obvious launch: Lindsay is a famously freckled redhead who has spoken about sun protection.

The bigger challenge will be trust. If Linlo plans to position Lindsay’s glow as proof of its products, some transparency about the ahem, treatments complementing her skin-care routine would go a long way. We can appreciate a great sunscreen and a tasteful tweakment at the same time!

If you had to choose, what should Tate McRae and Lindsay Lohan launch first? Does putting a celebrity’s name in a brand name make it feel dated? And do you think Neutrogena’s response to Hayden Panettiere came too late?

Subscribe now

Interested in learning more about our Gloss Angeles Confidential program? Click here to learn how you can participate, as a brand or a tester!

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts (yes, you can watch us on there!), Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Mario Dedivanovic is back and this time, he’s revealing a new side fans and followers haven’t seen yet. In his own words, a new Mario is about to emerge!!!

Since Mario last joined us, Makeup by Mario has grown into a global brand sold in more than 2,500 doors. We talked about how he’s navigating an increasingly crowded Sephora, the discontinued product customers are begging him to revive, whether SKIMS Beauty complicates his relationship with Kim Kardashian, and the makeup “trend” he believes we’ve all been lying to ourselves about.

Keep reading for highlights!

Makeup by Mario Became a Top-Five Brand by Launching Less

Walk into Sephora right now and you’ll be greeted by an influx of makeup artist-led brands. Mario, however, doesn’t see the current boom as a bad thing—or even a particularly new one.

He pointed to the ’90s, when Trish McEvoy, Bobbi Brown, François Nars, Carol Shaw, and Laura Mercier launched brands in quick succession. Today’s version is simply, as Mario put it, “on steroids.” What the resurgence really signals, he believes, is that shoppers are once again valuing genuine expertise and lived experience.

So how does one stand out? Stop looking sideways. Makeup by Mario released fewer products this year than ever before, going roughly five months between launches—and still became firmly established as a top-five brand at Sephora. In an industry that seems convinced another launch is always the answer, that feels significant.

Mario is aware of trends, but he doesn’t build around them. His hits—from Master Mattes to the SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer—begin with his artistry and a real need in his kit.

His Biggest “Flop” May Be Ready for a Comeback

Mario was convinced his Master Lip Palette would become one of the best-selling products in the world. Instead, consumers weren’t quite sure what to do with it.

The palette included primary colors like blue, white, and yellow, plus a removable metal mixing plate that allowed users to customize their own shades. Makeup artists and celebrities loved it, but the average Sephora shopper was left wondering: Is this for me—or is this for a professional?

@roseandbenColor Theory Witch here 🎨🧙🏻🪄 if you’re confused about your lip color try this exercise! Put on your fav lip and add blue to just one side 🧐💙 Lip palette: @Makeup By Mario Lip I have on: @M·A·C Cosmetics centere of attention #colortheory

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The product was eventually discontinued. Now, it’s the brand’s second-most-requested comeback, behind Ethereal Eyes, which returned this year.

Mario believes that the Master Lip Palette arrived before BeautyTok turned color theory into common knowledge. Consumers now understand why you might add blue to neutralize an overly orange lipstick or mix pigments to create the exact shade you want, but they didn’t a few years ago.

Mario says he wants to bring it back — would you buy it?

SKIMS Beauty Isn’t Creating a Mario vs. Kim Beauty Battle

Mario and Kim Kardashian have worked together for nearly 20 years, so naturally we had to ask: What happens when your longtime client is preparing to launch SKIMS Beauty while you’re running one of Sephora’s biggest makeup brands?

According to Mario, there’s no rivalry, and the idea of “my brand versus your brand” doesn’t reflect their relationship at all.

@kardskultureKim's makeup artist, Mario,, got emtional over Kim's SNL hosting debut

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He helped Kim develop many of the original KKW Beauty products, collaborated with her on two palette collections, and said he would still happily test a SKIMS Beauty formula or offer advice if she called. He now does her makeup only a few times a year for special occasions, but the two remain close and talk regularly. It’s all love between the two beauty entrepreneurs. I mean, how could we forget when he was moved to tears by her SNL hosting debut. Mario and Kim forever!

“No-Makeup Makeup” Was Never Actually No Makeup

Mario’s prediction for the next phase of beauty? Consumers are finally admitting that no-makeup makeup requires…a lot of makeup.

The goal hasn’t changed. People still want blurred skin, softly sculpted features, and an effortless finish. They’re simply becoming more interested in the products, skills, and strategic layering required to achieve it. Effortless beauty, as any makeup artist knows, is frequently the result of tremendous effort.

Mario also expects more individualism, playful color, soft shimmer, and continued obsession with blur. Blue eyeshadow is part of a larger nostalgia wave, while frost may prove to be a moment rather than a full-blown movement.

And for anyone participating in “no-mascara summer,” Mario has thoughts. While skipping mascara can give an editorial look a cooler edge, he says most of us need it for everyday definition.

Would you buy the Master Lip Palette if Mario brought it back? Do you think brands are launching too many products? And are you embracing no-mascara makeup—or do your lashes require assistance like ours?

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Interested in learning more about our Gloss Angeles Confidential program? Click here to learn how you can participate, as a brand or a tester!

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts (yes, you can watch us on there!), Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop everything mentioned in this episode here:

MAKEUP BY MARIO - Master Mattes Long-Wear Cream Eyeshadow

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette: The Original 12 X .03 Oz/12 X 1 G

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer 0.18 Oz / 5 G

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO F4 Dual-Ended Foundation and Face Brush

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO SoftSculpt Cream Contour & Bronzer Shaping Stick 0.37 oz/10.5 G

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil Smokey Pink 0.049 oz/1.4 G

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO Ethereal Eyes Eyeshadow Palette: The Original 0.04 Oz X 12

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO Master Mascara Volumizing & Lift Perfect Brown 0.45 oz/13.5 mL

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO SurrealSkin Talc-Free Soft Blur Setting Powder 1 Fair Pink 0.53 Oz / 15 G

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Perfector 0.31 Oz / 8.8 G

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO Master Blade Brow Pencil Almost Black

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO E7 Dual-Ended Eyebrow Brush

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette: The Neutrals 12 X 0.04 Oz / 1.3 G

MAKEUP BY MARIO | MAKEUP BY MARIO Master Mattes Long-Wearing Cream Eyeshadow 0.06 Oz/2 mL

LA MER | La Mer The Lip Balm for Hydration and Barrier Repair 0.32 Oz/ 9 G

SHU UEMURA | Eyelash S Curler

SURRATT | Relevee Lash Curler

Shop more of my favorite products here.

This week, we have a lot to discuss: the beauty products currently making our routines SO much easier, our very opinionated review of a certain viral Hamptons chicken salad, and the latest skin care brand to enter Sephora: NIOD!

Plus, the conversation we can’t stop thinking about: Tate McRae’s Neutrogena ad—and the bigger question it raised for us about what brands are actually getting when they hire a celebrity ambassador. Because if the celebrity doesn’t appear to actually use the product, does it matter?

Keep reading for highlights!

Tate McRae’s Neutrogena Ad Has Us Asking Questions

If you’re on BeautyTok, you may have already seen the discourse around Tate McRae’s recent Neutrogena “get unready with me.” Tate has been a global ambassador for the brand since 2025, but this particular sponsored video felt less like an intimate glimpse into her skincare routine and more like someone remembered she had a deliverable that was overdue.

TikTok definitely noticed. People picked apart everything from how she handled the products to whether she appeared to actually be using them, with some comparing the moment to infamous celebrity beauty demos of yore (we’re looking at you, Millie Bobby Brown and Shay Mitchell).

But the bigger question is: does Neutrogena actually care?

As we discussed on the pod, a less-than-perfect skincare demo probably isn’t going to stop anyone from buying Hydro Boost. The product is already wildly popular. Tate’s job may be less about convincing you that this is the moisturizer she uses every night and more about putting Neutrogena in front of a younger consumer and making a legacy drugstore brand feel culturally relevant. Which brings us to the more interesting question: How much does celebrity influence actually translate to sales anymore? Maybe the value of a celebrity beauty contract in 2026 isn’t necessarily conversion. Maybe it’s relevance.

DECIEM Darling NIOD Launches in Sephora 

This news brought to you by NIOD

Copper Peptide connoisseurs NIOD, from the DECIEM family of brands, launched at Sephora last week. You may recall The Ordinary—also a DECIEM brand—entered the retailer in 2017, took a brief hiatus and then returned to brick and mortar stores in 2021. Now NIOD, which touts ingredients like GHK-Cu (long before they became an injectable peptide) is joining them. 

The brand is kicking off the partnership in LA on Monday with a cold plunge featuring DJ Steve AOKI. Attendees who sign up to cold plunge will be gifted Steve’s favorite product: The Copper Peptide Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1, made of copper tripeptides. (Who knew he was a wellness guy? He does have fab hair…)

www.NIODPoweredPlunge.com

This Foundation + Mascara Are Making Our Lives SO Much Easier

You know what does make us want to buy something? A product that makes getting ready easier.

First: the Hung Vanngo Beauty Red Carpet Skin Luminous Longwear Serum foundation. We are obsessed!

One drop is all you need to turn your skin from dull to red carpet-ready. Sara finds it so blurring and self-setting that she barely feels the need to powder, and Kirbie had the ultimate blind test: a makeup artist used it on her for an Oscars event before she even knew what it was and she remembers looking at the finished makeup and thinking her face looked amazing.

Then there’s Katie Jane Hughes’ new Microscara mascara, which may have accomplished the impossible: getting Kirbie excited about mascara again.

The secret is the teeny-tiny, Christmas-tree-shaped bristle brush. If you have small eyes, short lashes or have ever ended up with half your mascara stamped onto your eyelid, you understand why this matters. It lets you get directly to the root without wrestling with a giant wand. Kirbie’s initial review: run, don’t walk. She even thinks it could rival MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash for her.

We Need to Discuss the Famous Chicken Salad from the Hamptons

This is technically not beauty news. It is, however, important journalism. While in the Hamptons, we made the pilgrimage to Round Swamp Farm to try the chicken salad that has been hyped all over social media, mostly by Bethenny Frankel.

Glams. We have questions.

We expected chicken salad. What we encountered was something closer to whipped chicken spread. No chunks. No celery. No grapes. No discernible texture. Sara gave it a four. Kirbie gave it a two. Hunger may have influenced both scores.

And we now have an independent authority backing up our assessment: TSA confiscated our leftovers at JFK because they classified it as a paste.

A PASTE.

Round Swamp defenders, you have 24 hours to defend yourself in the comments.

Tell us: Does a celebrity ambassador actually make you buy beauty products anymore? Have you tried Hung Vanggo’s new foundation? And most urgently, if you've had the Round Swamp chicken salad: salad or paste?

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Interested in learning more about our Gloss Angeles Confidential program? Click here to learn how you can participate, as a brand or a tester!

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts (yes, you can watch us on there!), Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop everything mentioned in this episode here:

Hung Vanngo Red Carpet Skin Luminous Longwear Foundation

KJH Brand Microscara

ULTA - Mascara Guard Shield Tool

VIVIERPHARMA - C E PEPTIDES Use Code SARAT15 for 15% Off

Radiance Serum USE CODE KIRBIE15 for 15% Off

VIVIERPHARMA - Serum 30 USE CODE KIRBIE15 FOR 15% OFF

VIVIERPHARMA - HEXAM USE CODE SARAT15 FOR 15% OFF

VIVIERPHARMA - Skin Brightening Cream USE CODE KIRBIE15 FOR 15% OFF

PRADA | Monochrome Soft Matte Lipstick

NEUTROGENA | Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Gel Cream

NEUTROGENA | Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes - Fragrance-Free

NEUTROGENA | Hydro Boost Hydrating Gel Cleanser - Fragrance-Free

NEUTROGENA | Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50, 3 Fl. Oz

Shop more of my favorite products here.

Are beauty embargoes officially dead? This week, we unpack what actually happens when embargoes are broken, whether there’s really a beauty blacklist, and why the rules seem to change once a launch hits the internet. Then, we get into Mikayla Nogueira’s decision to bring POV Beauty to Sephora—and debate whether ULTA Beauty might have actually been the smarter move.

Plus, in partnership with K18 through Gloss Angeles Confidential, 200 listeners put the new FutureIQ™ Biomimetic Hair Longevity Serum to the test for three months. It makes some major claims around shedding, premature graying and scalp aging, so did it actually deliver? The testers have thoughts.

Keep reading for highlights!

So…Is the Beauty Embargo Dead?

Kind of?

This conversation actually started in our Gloss Angeles Confidential Slack, where testers were confused because they were under embargo for a product they were already seeing creators post all over social media. And therein lies the problem.

In our editorial days, embargoes were serious business. We’ve both been yelled at by publicists over embargoes while watching other publications or creators post the exact same news early. And when you’ve spent days interviewing someone, researching a story, and preparing it to publish at a specific time, watching someone else casually post the news first is enough to make a beauty editor lose her mind.

@golloriai can love y’all to the bone, @Haus Labs , and still say when something doesn’t feel right. nobody is bigger than the program.🤎 we just gotta do better, because that situation genuinely did not feel good, sistas! and as always, thank you to my team for advocating for me, my voice, and the work we do with so much care and conviction. i could not do this without y’all.

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The creator economy has made the whole thing even messier. We discussed the recent situation involving creator Golloria George and Haus Labs, in which she said she was asked to remove a negative review because the product was under embargo—even though she said she hadn’t been told about the embargo and the product had already appeared online elsewhere. That raises an interesting question: If the product is already public, does the embargo still count? And would the reaction have been the same if the review had been positive?

Technically, breaking an embargo can still get you removed from a brand’s communications or PR list. But practically? We’ve watched people build entire platforms around leaking beauty launches and still get invited to the party. So maybe the embargo isn’t dead. But the rules definitely aren’t being applied equally.

POV Beauty Is Going to Sephora. Should It Have Gone to ULTA Instead?

Mikayla Nogueira’s POV Beauty is officially heading to Sephora on September 3, and while the news wasn’t exactly shocking to beauty insiders, the retailer was.

If you aren’t aware, Mikayla started her TikTok career while working at ULTA. She hosted the first ULTA Beauty World. Her appeal has always been accessibility—she’s not selling you an untouchable fantasy; she’s your beauty bestie telling you what to buy. To us, that feels very ULTA.

There’s also the sheer competition at Sephora: Rhode. Summer Fridays. Makeup by Mario. Danessa Myricks. Patrick Ta. One/Size. The list goes on. We’ve talked to enough founders to know that getting into Sephora is only the beginning. Once you’re there, you’re fighting for shelf space, homepage placement, social support, and ultimately, attention.

At ULTA, we think Mikayla could have had an opportunity to be the proverbial big fish in a smaller pond, and potentially help usher in a new era of major founder-led brands for the retailer.

Of course, there’s a reason everyone wants Sephora. The prestige! The founder roster! The marketing machine! We get it. We’re just very curious to see how POV cuts through.

Apparently, We’re Ready to Wear Makeup Again!

Reddit analyzed thousands of conversations for its first-ever People’s Beauty Index, and one statistic made us particularly happy: conversation around no-makeup makeup dropped 81% year over year, while conversation around experimenting with makeup jumped 400%. Even eyeshadow palettes are up 56%. Nature is healing!

More interestingly, the language people use around beauty is changing. Mentions of words like “fix,” “hide,” “cover,” and “correct” fell 87%, while “embrace,” “highlight,” “enhance,” and “emphasize” increased 220%. We love to see it!

Beauty feels a lot more interesting when the goal isn’t for everyone to have the exact same glazed skin, laminated brows, slicked-back bun, and barely-there makeup. Give us personality! Give us color! Give us an eyeshadow palette with more than three shades of beige and brown!

Also: seven in 10 people surveyed said they feel more confident buying a product after reading about it on Reddit, which is fascinating considering the platform’s less-than-stellar reputation for conspiracy theories and influencer takedowns. But when it comes to beauty reviews, it turns out Reddit can actually be incredibly useful—especially when you want unfiltered opinions from people who have really put a product to the test.

We Had 200 People Test K18’s Newest Hair Serum

In Partnership with K18 and Gloss Angeles Confidential

When K18 first told us about its new FutureIQ™ Biomimetic Hair Longevity Serum, we were a little skeptical about its claims. The $120 nightly scalp serum is designed to address excessive shedding, early graying, and signs of scalp aging. It almost sounded too good to be true. K18 says that after three months, users can see fuller-looking hair, less shedding, an improved scalp barrier, and fewer visible grays. Those are big promises—and hair changes are notoriously difficult to evaluate—which is exactly why we turned to our Gloss Angeles Confidential community. We had 200 of our listeners use the serum for three months and report back.

The result? 90% said they enjoyed using it, with many saying they felt it delivered on at least one of its claims. We saw reports of baby hairs, thicker ponytails, and less visible grays. One tester even measured her progress by the fact that her ponytail holder now requires one fewer loop. That is not a feeling. That is math! Girl math!

The biggest hesitation was price. One bottle is $120 and lasts about a month, and 70 testers said that while they’d recommend it because they saw results, they weren’t sure they could justify buying it themselves once their free supply ran out.

Which leaves us with the ultimate beauty-editor question: If something actually works, how much are you willing to pay for it? If you’re already spending money on collagen supplements, scalp treatments, microneedling, and other methods in the name of healthier, fuller hair, $120 a month may not sound quite as wild—especially if you’re seeing results. As for us, we saw enough to keep FutureIQ™ in our routines going forward.

Are beauty embargoes officially pointless? Do you think POV Beauty makes more sense at Sephora or ULTA? And are you willing to spend $120 a month on a hair serum if you actually see results?

Subscribe now

Interested in learning more about our Gloss Angeles Confidential program? Click here to learn how you can participate, as a brand or a tester!

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts (yes, you can watch us on there!), Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop everything mentioned in this episode here:

K18 | FutureIQ™ Biomimetic Hair Longevity Serum 90ml

RHODE SKIN | Pocket Blush 5.3

POV BEAUTY | Amp It Lip Ampoule

POV BEAUTY | Amp It Lip Ampoule

POV BEAUTY | Glaze It

POV BEAUTY | Snatch It Eye Serum

POV BEAUTY | Drip It Xl

POV BEAUTY | Snatch It Face Ampoule

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According to Kiehl’s, the “Supra-Liposomal delivery system” contributed to improving cheek sagging by +22% in an 8-week clinical test of consumers prescribed a GLP-1 for weight loss. (But you don’t have to be on a GLP-1 to see results!)

You can read all of our testers reviews on Sephora.com—good, bad or indifferent—to see how the serum faired for them. There were some great results! Just search “Gloss Angeles” in the review section.

We partnered with the brand via Gloss Angeles Confidential, our seeding and testing program, and will be co-hosting the VIP preview of the Plump Apothecary the brand is launching in Venice tonight.

The apothecary will be open to the public for one day only tomorrow, August 14th. Visitors can go home with samples, merch, and get their skin analyzed, too! If you’re in the LA area, stop by! The first 100 guests will receive a full-size 1cc* Collashot Serum.

📍 1306 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA
📅 8/14 • 12–7PM

✅ Free samples:
✅ Limited-edition merch
✅ Plump treats
✅ Free skin analysis w/ our Skin Pros

Are you a brand who wants to learn more about Gloss Angeles Confidential? Read below.

This week, she talks about how she broke into the industry, the six eye facets every beauty girl should know, and her real-talk tips for picking brushes that actually last.

Keep reading for highlights!

She Invented Latte Makeup Before the Internet Gave It a Name

Here’s the lore: the image that eventually became synonymous with latte makeup was created by Tanielle in 2018 during a photoshoot in a friend’s backyard (against what she lovingly describes as a “crappy wall.”)

At the time, Tanielle was gravitating toward golden, yellow and olive tones because she was tired of the reddish-brown shades that were everywhere. As someone with an olive undertone herself, those colors simply didn’t look right on her. She specifically remembers loving Fenty Beauty’s Island Ting eyeshadow and its olive-toned powder bronzer.

@taniellejaimuaLet’s do a low key latte look on this gorgeous woman using @Tanielle Jai Bronzour, brushes and liners (coming soon) all you need for this look: Skin prep Brow gel Concealer BRONZOUR cream bronzer Blush a brown liner Highlight #makeuptutorial #lattemakeup #creambronzer

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Years later, the image resurfaced, someone dubbed the aesthetic “latte makeup,” and suddenly Taneille’s work was everywhere. The timing was perfect: she already had a bronzer called Latte in production.

It’s a good reminder of something we talk about constantly: TikTok is very good at naming beauty trends, but that doesn’t necessarily mean TikTok invented them. Credit your sources, Internet!

Your Eyes are Multi-Faceted!

Tanielle created an entire system for analyzing eyes because she was tired of hearing them reduced to one label: hooded, downturned, almond, etc. In reality, your eyes can be several things at once. She looks at six different facets, including the size and shape of the eye, how close- or wide-set the eyes are, and whether the outer corners turn upward or downward.

@glossangelespod“Hooded” isn’t your entire eye shape. @Tanielle Jai evaluates six different eye characteristics that determine deciding where to place shadow, liner and lashes 👁️ #eyeshadow #hoodedeyes #eyelid

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Her point: two people can both have wide-set eyes and require completely different makeup techniques. Kate Moss, for example, has wider-set, smaller-to-medium almond eyes, while Amanda Seyfried’s are wider-set, rounder and slightly downturned. Same “category,” totally different canvas.

Tanielle also wanted to remind everyone that the goal doesn’t always have to be “correcting” your features. Tanielle pointed to Sarah Jessica Parker, who often emphasizes her close-set eyes with smoky makeup instead of trying to visually pull them apart. Sometimes the thing the internet tells you to fix is exactly the thing worth leaning into.

Her Favorite Freckle Product Is a Brow Pen

Tanielle believes freckles can bring dimension and personality back into the skin after foundation—and her favorite tool for creating them is the Revlon Semi-Permanent Brow Ink. Important distinction, however: she hates it for brows. Loves it for freckles.

@taniellejaimuaIve been loving this for years now @revlon SEMI PERMANENT BROW-INK is my ride or die for faux freckles and it is for @BILLIE EILISH too #fauxfreckle #billieeilish #makeuptutorial

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Her trick is using two shades so the freckles don’t look too red or uniform, then pressing them into the skin with a finger so the placement becomes irregular. She even likes that the formula has a tiny bit of texture because real freckles and beauty marks aren’t perfectly flat and identical.

But Tanielle also gave us permission to stop forcing faux freckles into every makeup look. She loves them with sun-kissed, bronzy makeup, but says they can look out of place with a full cool-toned smoky glam.

Makeup Started as a Mask, Then Became Her Career

Tanielle’s relationship with makeup didn’t actually begin with some idyllic story about raiding her mother’s vanity.

When she was around 12, an older girl told her she’d “look way better” if she wore makeup. Tanielle was already insecure, and the comment stuck. From then on, she says she wouldn’t leave the house without makeup and would even sleep in it. She described makeup at that point in her life as a mask. Her school principal would have to constantly reprimand her for wearing makeup to school, but later gave in because he knew she wouldn’t take it off.

@glossangelespod@Tanielle Jai’s love for makeup was born many years ago…💭 #aussie #makeupartist

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Eventually, that obsession became an actual skill. She couldn’t afford makeup school, so she auditioned for a job at Australian beauty brand Napoleon Perdis with no professional experience and started working just three hours a week while holding down a full-time job. Her school principal ended up being her reference for the job.

She spent years learning on real customers—what confused them, what they wanted, what actually worked on different faces—and credits that retail education with teaching her things a course never could.

Are you a fan of the latte makeup trend? Do you actually know your eye shape? Have you tried faux freckles?

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Interested in learning more about our Gloss Angeles Confidential program? Click here to learn how you can participate, as a brand or a tester!

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts (yes, you can watch us on there!), Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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TANIELLE JAI | Bronzour Sun-Kissed Sculpt Cream

TANIELLE JAI | Vol.1 Brush Collection

TANIELLE JAI - STAYLINER Matte Lip + Eye Definer

12. Final Touch Brush

TANIELLE JAI | Powder Puffs 3 Pack

Uplift Hair Clip

CHANEL | Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint Foundation

CHANEL | Ultra Complexion Concealer – All-Day Comfort Flawless Finish Concealer

FENTY BEAUTY | Bright Fix Instant Brightening + Blurring Powder

FENTY BEAUTY - Hella Thicc Volumizing Mascara

Colorstay Semi-Permanent Brow Ink

FENTY BEAUTY | Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer 0.22 Oz - I Land Ting

L’ORÉAL PARIS | Infaillible Setting Spray

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This week, we’re asking a few important beauty questions: Can a topical serum really deliver filler-like results? Why did we stop using potpurri? And has Prada quietly become one of the best luxury beauty brands on the market?

We’re also sharing a couple products we genuinely haven’t stopped using this summer, revisiting a vintage beauty book that proved everything old becomes new again, and giving Zendaya the flowers she deserves.

Keep reading for highlights!

Has Beauty Changed Since 1982? Or Has It Mostly Remained the Same?

Sara recently stumbled upon a vintage copy of Revlon’s Art of Beauty, a makeup and skincare workbook from 1982. It serves as a retro guide featuring face and eye diagrams designed to help readers practice color coordination, skincare routines, and application techniques.

While some of the terminology used should stay in the past (oriental should be used to describe art or rugs, not eye shapes or people), what surprised us was how much advice still holds up. Drink water. Wear sunscreen. Stay moisturized on airplanes. Give yourself a weekly facial. Even contouring with two different shades, though some TikTokers would like to believe they invented that. It reminded us that beauty trends are often just clever rebrands of techniques makeup artists have been using forever.

The one trend we’d actually like to resurrect? Potpourri. Not the dusty floral bowls your grandma had, but elevated, modern potpourri. Someone call Tom Ford!

Is Kiehl’s New Serum the Closest Thing to Filler in a Bottle?

In Partnership with Kiehl’s and Gloss Angeles Confidential

Every skincare brand wants to be the next “injectable in a bottle,” but very few are willing to back up that claim with the kind of testing Kiehl’s did.

The brand’s new 1cc* Collagen Shot Plumping Serum is designed to target visible volume loss, comparing its plumping effect to one cubic centimeter of hyaluronic acid filler—not because it’s an injectable (it’s absolutely not), but because it’s formulated to help skin look fuller and firmer over time.

Kiehl’s specifically studied people taking GLP-1 medications, a group increasingly concerned with facial volume loss, aka “Ozempic face.” The brand measured 17 markers of skin quality, including cheek volume, jawline definition, elasticity, marionette lines, and under-eye plumpness, reporting a 22% improvement in cheek elasticity after eight weeks among GLP-1 users.

Of course, clinicals are one thing. Real people are another. That’s why we sent the serum to more than 200 listeners as part of our Gloss Angeles Confidential program, who used it consistently for 12 weeks before sharing completely honest reviews.

The biggest takeaway? Glow came first. Almost everyone noticed brighter, bouncier, more hydrated skin within the first few weeks. The firming effects took longer—around six to eight weeks—but that’s when many testers said they started noticing a more sculpted jawline and tighter-looking skin. Some even received the ultimate beauty compliment: unsolicited comments from friends (and yes, husbands who “never notice anything”) asking what they were doing differently.

It wasn’t perfect for everyone. A handful of testers experienced unexpected breakouts, so if your skin is sensitive to peptides or prone to acne, we’d recommend patch-testing before diving in.

If you’re looking for a topical product that targets firmness and visible volume loss, this is one of the more compelling launches we’ve seen this year. It’s not a replacement for injectables, but it is an interesting option for anyone hoping to put off their next injectable appointment a little longer.

You can read all of our Glamgelenos’ reviews for the 1cc* CollaShot Plumping Serum out on Sephora’s page here.

Why Zendaya is the Perfect Choice for Prada Paradoxe

Some celebrity fragrance partnerships make you scratch your head, but this one made perfect sense.

Zendaya is officially the newest face of Prada Paradoxe Sweet Chemistry, joining husband Tom Holland in what is now arguably beauty’s chicest fragrance power couple. If you’ve listened to the podcast for more than five minutes, you know Kirbie has been singing the praises of the original Prada Paradoxe since it launched, so this announcement felt especially satisfying.

We also loved how playful Prada was with the reveal. Fans started piecing together cryptic clues on social media before the official announcement dropped, turning the campaign into a guessing game that beauty lovers genuinely wanted to participate in.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Zendaya is in the middle of an unstoppable year. Between flawless press tours for both The Odyssey and Spider-Man, being a newlywed, and now fronting one of luxury beauty’s biggest fragrance franchises, she’s become the rare celebrity whose partnerships never feel transactional.

If there were ever a celebrity we’d trust to sell us a fragrance, it’s Zendaya!

Would you try a serum that's compared to filler? Are you excited about Zendaya being the face of Prada Paradoxe? And are we alone in wanting potpourri to make a chic comeback?

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Interested in learning more about our Gloss Angeles Confidential program? Click here to learn how you can participate, as a brand or a tester!

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts (yes, you can watch us on there!), Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop everything mentioned in this video here:

Kiehl’s 1cc* Collashot Plump Serum

CHANEL | Les Beiges Serum Concealer 0.29oz

PRADA | Touch Cream-To-Powder Color Blush 0.12 Oz

PRADA | Light Glowing Powder Highlighter

CHANEL | Hydra Beauty Micro Lip Serum

PRADA | Paradoxe Eau De Parfum Spray

CAPRI BLUE | Volcano Glass Bowl Candle

CAPRI BLUE | Volcano Tin Candle

THE CONTAINER STORE | Smart Diffuser Device

PURA | 4 Smart Fragrance Diffuser X Capri Blue Volcano Fragrance Set

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We have waited seven years and almost 600 episodes to get Jerrod Blandino on this podcast, and we promise it was worth the wait. Jerrod co-founded Too Faced with his husband Jeremy, sold it to Estée Lauder in 2016 for a record-breaking $1.45 billion, and launched his new brand, Polite Society, three years ago. And this week, days after the news broke that Estée Lauder is shrinking Too Faced and moving it out of its iconic OC headquarters, Jared finally told us the real story of what happened after the sale.

Keep reading for highlights and remember to watch or listen to the full episode for all of the juicy deets.

The Confession We Did Not Expect

Two weeks ago, Business of Fashion reported that Estée Lauder Companies would not be selling Too Faced and instead, streamlining the team and moving its headquarters from Orange County to New York. Jerrod posted a response to the news on his Instagram account in a video titled “A message to my Too Faced team.” He expressed his disappointment and heartbreak with the conglomerate’s decision. We asked Jerrod to elaborate on how he was feeling.

The hardest part for him isn’t the brand, he shares — it’s the people. Jerrod says he personally raised much of the Too Faced team, and watching them get treated as replaceable after the sale has been the most painful part of the entire saga.

While the sale is one of the biggest on record, Jerrod says that knowing what he knows now, he’s not sure he’d make the same choice to sell. He was careful to say he’s grateful, that the money changed his life and his family’s life. But he also said he thought the acquisition would give Too Faced “wings,” and instead it gave the brand “weights.”

The Moment He Says Was the Real Red Flag

Jerrod told us about the exact moment where he first felt something was wrong: during one of the meetings about the deal, one of the Lauder executives spoke disrespectfully to a member of his team. He remembers standing up so quickly in his chair that it hit the wall, and he stormed out. His husband and co-founder Jeremy came to check in on him and had to convince him to calm himself.

That moment, he says, is when the “battle for control” really started. He also told us Bobbi Brown, who sold her own brand to Lauder years earlier, gave him a quiet warning early on that he didn’t fully understand until it was too late: don’t look back, and get great lawyers.

What Actually Happens the Day After a $1.45 Billion Deal

We asked Jerrod to tell us logistically what happens the day after you sign a life-changing deal like he did. Do you get a therapist? A team of handlers?

According to Jerrod, nothing. He and Jeremy sat quietly. They didn’t make a big statement or make big plans — they processed what a number that size actually means when it was never the goal to begin with.

@jerrodblandinoThe biggest blessing of our success is sharing it with the people we love. Check out the house I remodeled, decorated then gifted to my nephew & his family. #GodisGood

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The first real thing he did with the money was buy his entire family their dream homes for Christmas and helped decorate them. And while he loves to indulge in the finer things in life, his POV on wealth is that money doesn’t make you happy, it’s a magnifying glass. It amplifies who you already are.

Why He Started Polite Society

Although he did sign a five year non-compete, Jerrod didn’t really take a day off after selling Too Faced. He started building Polite Society in his mind within 24 hours, fueled by two years of watching a brand he built get run through corporate committee and hearing “you can’t do that” one too many times.

Polite Society is what happens when nobody can tell him no. He calls it “relaxed California luxury”: a little more embellishment, a little more flair, glamour for people who want to feel extra on a random Tuesday. Same obsessive, artist-first process that built Too Faced (see: a mascara brush he hand-molded out of clay), just with nobody standing over his shoulder this time.

Are you still a fan of Too Faced? Does your heart break when your favorite brand is acquired by a huge conglomerate? Tell us!

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You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts (yes, you can watch us on there!), Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Missbehave Weightless Volume Mascara - Black

The Starter Collection - Simply White

Glide Pro-Health Deep Clean Dental Floss, Cool Mint

POLITE SOCIETY | French Rose Milk Moisturizing Glaze Mist

POLITE SOCIETY | Love It Lip Balm

POLITE SOCIETY BEAUTY | More than A Pretty Face Skin-Caring Foundation

POLITE SOCIETY | B I G Mouth Xl Plump Intensive Lip Plumping Concentrate

POLITE SOCIETY | Cabana Club Cocoa Caviar Bio Peptide Bronzing Serum

MERIT BEAUTY | The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick

MERIT BEAUTY | The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick

MERIT BEAUTY | Great Skin Instant Glow Serum

DR. DIAMOND’S METACINE | InstaFacial Infusion Biomimetic Microcollagen Matrix

DR. DIAMOND’S METACINE | InstaFacial Emulsion Retinopro Growth Factor Night Cream 50ml

DR. DIAMOND’S METACINE | EyeLift Bioremodeling Peptide Multiplex 15ml

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This week we’re covering two brands doing very different things with nostalgia. Gap is leaning all the way into it — from Hailey Bieber’s sold-out jeans to a five-scent fragrance relaunch that will take you back to middle school. And MCo Beauty, the brand practically built on dupes, just made a move so smart it’s making even the brands it copies say “damn, okayyyy.”

Keep reading for highlights!

Gap is Back, Baby!

Mall rats of the ‘90s, rejoice: not only is Hailey Bieber bringing back the low-rise, baggy jeans of the iconic era, but Gap Beauty fragrances are also making a comeback. The iconic clothing brand is presenting five reimagined scents built off the archive: Dream (bergamot, jasmine, cedarwood), Grass (green mandarin, matcha, Virginia cedar), Heaven (amber, pear, Madagascar vanilla, patchouli), Om (a deeper woody option with ginger and sandalwood), and Harmony, a new, more playful addition with apricot and gardenia (for the Gen Z, we think!). Pricing starts at $20 for a five-piece discovery kit or a 10ml bottle, up to $52 for 50ml and will be available for purchase starting July 30.

In our opinion, this is a smart move for the brand who always seems to know their audience and nail it. Gap didn’t chase the ultra-sweet, gourmand notes that dominate Gen Z fragrance right now or launch with a category that didn’t seem true to the brand. They went back to what the brand was actually known for — crisp, clean, mall-era scent memory — instead of trying to reverse-engineer relevance.

MCo Beauty Just Pulled Off Its Smartest Move Yet

MCo — the brand best known for duplicating everything from Charlotte Tilbury’s contour wands to Rhode’s glazing mist — just launched a product called All Dayer, a setting spray made in direct partnership with Skindinavia, the original manufacturer that developed and supplied Urban Decay’s All Nighter formula for 15 years. We’ll hold for a minute to let you digest this.

Ahead of the Kirb

Bringing Back Products From the Dead Should Be MCo's Top Priority

Earlier this year, I published an interview with the CMO of Australian dupe brand MCoBeauty, who told me that it is innovative to bring popular products to the masses in the name of “democratizing beauty…

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a month ago · 23 likes · 18 comments · Kirbie Johnson

Urban Decay ended that relationship last year and reformulated All Nighter, losing Scandinavia’s patented cooling technology in the process. MCo’s version uses that original formula and sells for $19.99 — nearly half of All Nighter’s $34.

This isn’t MCo just copying and pasting, the approach that’s landed them lawsuits and a very busy legal team over the years. The brand is now quietly and strategically reaching out to brands whose products have been discontinued and helping to breathe life back into them. The company’s calling this era “dupe 2.0”: working directly with the manufacturers behind premium products, reviving discontinued formulas, and investing in third-party testing.

While we’ve been critical of the brand in the past, we have to say — we’re kind of into this! It’s a genius strategy for a brand that was built on copying others. Is this the future for MCo Beauty? If so, we’re curious to see what’s next.

Are you excited about Gap’s old/new fragrances? Are you hoping to try MCo’s All Dayer? Listen to the entire episode to get the full run-down and leave a comment!

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You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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POLITE SOCIETY | B.i Lip Plumping Oil Gloss

POLITE SOCIETY | B I G Mouth Xl Plump Intensive Lip Plumping Concentrate

TOWER 28 | ShineOn Plumping Lip Jelly 5 Ml

TOO FACED | Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper

SKINDINAVIA | The Makeup Finishing Spray - Bridal

SKINDINAVIA | The Makeup Finishing Spray

SKINDINAVIA All Dayer Setting Spray

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This week we’re joined by Toni Bravo—the comfort creator, consultant, and beauty industry’s unofficial CEO of Blush. You probably know her from the viral purple blush video that changed the conversation around deeper skin tones, her collaborations with Rhode, or the fact that she’s quietly become one of the most influential voices shaping the products you now see on shelves.

What surprised us most wasn’t her success (although buying two homes before 30 is objectively impressive). It was how refreshingly honest she is about everything from why beauty brands keep missing the mark to the financial advice every creator should hear, and why she refuses to let algorithms dictate her career.

Keep reading for highlights!

Beauty Doesn’t Have an Inclusivity Problem. It Has a Listening Problem.

The beauty industry has spent years talking about inclusivity, yet launches still regularly miss the people they’re supposedly designed for. Toni doesn’t believe every misstep comes from bad intentions. Instead, she argues that brands become so consumed by their own products that they stop listening to the people they’re creating for. “I think they’re just a little ignorant,” she shared.

@bonitravotrying this purple blush for the first time 🎀 #purpleblush #blackgirlmakeup

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It’s the same philosophy that turned her viral purple blush video into something much bigger than a product review. Representation isn’t about adding deeper shades at the end of development—it’s about including those voices from the very beginning.

Rhode’s Real Competitive Advantage

It’s easy to credit Rhode’s success to Hailey Bieber, but one of the brand’s biggest advantages may be its willingness to collaborate with creators who spend their careers testing makeup. “Cool people tap cool people,” she told us. Toni has consulted on multiple launches, living with formulas, refining shades, and giving feedback long before products ever reach consumers.

@bonitravonew @rhode skin , new try on 🍎

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Brands often hire creators to market a product after it’s finished. Rhode invites them into the process while it’s still being built and that difference shows.

The Bronzer Conversation We Should’ve Had Years Ago

“We’re not all just flat people. We’re not two-dimensional. We have shape, we have body, we have tone and we have undertone.”

@bonitravoday one of trialing my summer makeup routine. i want glow and i want bronze!!!! and i mean it!!! #blackgirlmakeup #bronzer

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Toni broke down why bronzer belongs in every makeup bag, not just for lighter skin tones. For years, deeper complexions were largely ignored by bronzer launches, leaving many shades muddy, red, or simply unusable. Her explanation was such a smart reminder that makeup isn’t about changing your face—it’s about enhancing the natural dimension that’s already there.

No Mounted TVs, One Rolling Cart, and a Kitchen That Could Be From Any Decade

Toni has zero mounted TVs anywhere in the house. Instead, she has a Swedish-designed rolling cart TV she wheels out only when she actually wants to watch something — patio, living room, wherever — then puts it away.

Her reasoning doubles as a mental health philosophy: she’s on screens constantly for work, so her home is deliberately built to not extend that. Same logic shows up in her actual screen habits — no phone an hour before bed or after waking, and a genuinely clever hack where she has to scan a physical barcode (hers is on a tin of fish, obviously) to unlock certain apps, forcing her out of bed and into the kitchen before she can even check a notification.

Her kitchen, meanwhile, was designed to look timeless on purpose — she didn’t want it dateable to 2026, wanting something that could “live through many iterations” of her life. Custom color, custom cabinetry, and her single biggest home splurge — no regrets.

Money Advice for Anyone Making Their First Real Income

Toni bought not one but two homes, and when we asked how she’s avoided the classic creator financial horror story, her answer was blunt: get a financial advisor, a financial planner, and a good tax person immediately. Not eventually — immediately.

“I don’t think it’s ever a waste of your money when you start bringing this kind of money in to have someone that knows what to do with it,” she said. Her bigger point: creator income is inherently unstable — big month, then nothing — so having someone tracking and moving that money monthly isn’t a luxury, it’s the thing standing between “I made it” and “I blew it.” Her biggest warning for peers: not having professional help at all is the single easiest way to sabotage the opportunity in front of you.

Would you try the barcode screen-time trick? What is your go-to bronzer? Do you have a financial advisor?!

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You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop everything mentioned in this episode here:

DANESSA MYRICKS BEAUTY | Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder

DANESSA MYRICKS BEAUTY | Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder - 9

RHODE SKIN (RHODESKIN.COM) | Pocket Bronze

DIOR | Backstage Rosy Glow Powder Blush

RHODE SKIN | Pocket Blush 5.3g

L’ORÉAL PARIS | Infaillible Setting Spray

CHARLOTTE TILBURY | Airbrush Flawless Finish Blurring & Setting Powder - Deep

Benetint Pocket Pal

RHODE SKIN | Peptide Lip Shape the Contouring Lip Shaper 0.75g

RHODE SKIN | Peptide Lip Tint

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We can’t believe it, but we just turned 7! Seven years, almost 600 episodes, and somehow we still have more to say than time to say it in. To celebrate, we skipped the standard highlight reel and did something more fun: we got into the actual behind-the-scenes of running this podcast, including the episodes that never made it to your ears and the reasons we killed them.

We also closed out with a trend that’s everywhere right now — no-explanation “things worth the splurge.” See what made it on our lists.

Keep reading for highlights!

Why We’ve Fully Filmed & Deleted Episodes

This is the part we don’t usually talk about: sometimes we record a full episode, pay to produce it, and then decide it’s never seeing daylight.

The reasoning always comes back to the same thing — we’re journalists first. If a guest spends the whole interview hyping themselves up instead of actually telling listeners something useful, or if something about the conversation just doesn’t sit right, we’ll scrap it. This year alone, two episodes got cut after filming: one where the guest’s message was communicated so unclearly it would’ve confused listeners more than helped them, and another where the guest made bold claims about their expertise that didn’t hold up to basic scrutiny.

We also went further back and pulled the curtain on episodes that got fully deleted from the archive after the fact. One involved a dermatologist who later went viral for penile filler injections and was ultimately put on probation by the Medical Board of California in 2025 — the board cited gross negligence and inadequate record-keeping, among other findings, though he didn’t admit wrongdoing. We’d noticed something felt off during the actual taping (long unexplained waits, an odd energy), and once the professional complaints started surfacing, we pulled the episode entirely.

Our philosophy, as we said on the episode: strong opinions, loosely held. If we vouch for someone and then learn something that changes the picture, we’re willing to reverse course — even after the fact.

Things We Think Are Worth the Splurge

To close out the anniversary episode, we did our own spin on the “worth the splurge” trend taking over the internet right now. Sara and Kirbie’s list:

Kirbie’s picks:

• Hair extensions — an investment, but worth it for the versatility and length payoff

• Renee Rouleau Anti-Bump Treatment + Hero Cosmetics micro-dart patches — her fail-proof combo for stopping a cystic pimple before it fully forms

• A home printer — sounds unglamorous, but the peace of mind of never running to FedEx again is priceless!

• Goop Kitchen — genuinely delicious and feels good to eat

• Chanel Les Beiges Water Fresh Tint — the perfect amount of coverage while still looking like your skin

• Prada Paradoxe — if you follow Kirbie, you know this is her signature scent

Sara’s picks:

• Vision correction surgery (ICL) — life-changing, period! No more packing contacts or glasses for every trip. Plus, waking up and being able to see is the best feeling ever

• Dyson Airwrap — the styling tool that broke the internet for a reason

• Lash extensions — high maintenance to be low maintenance!

• Windmill Air purifier — cleans the air automatically and looks good doing it

• Shark robot vacuum — vacuums and mops on its own, handles maintenance between deep cleans

Where we agree:

• A good haircut — doesn’t need to be expensive, just needs to be right; it changes how your hair falls and styles

• Microneedling — one of the few treatments that benefits nearly any skin type or concern, but only when done by a qualified professional, never with an at-home device

• Laser hair removal — “best investment ever,” full stop — no more shaving!

Do you have a favorite Gloss Angeles episode? And what are your favorite things you think are worth the splurge? Tell us in the comments!

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop everything mentioned in this video here:

TRIA LASER | Hair Removal Laser 4X (use code: GLOSSANGELES for 10% off)

Hp Deskjet 2855e Wireless Color All-In-One Printer, Scan, Copy, 3 Months Free Instant Ink, Ai Enabled (588s5a)

Dyson | Airwrap Co-Anda2x Multi-Styler and Dryer - Straight + Wavy

DYSON | Supersonic Hair Dryer with Attachments

SHARKNINJA | FlexStyle Air Styling and Drying System

BABYLISSPRO | Nano Titanium 1¼” Extended Barrel Curling Iron

BIO IONIC | Long Barrel Curling Iron 0.75”

T3 | Switch Kit Curl Trio Interchangeable Curling Iron

RENÉE ROULEAU | Anti Bump Solution

HERO COSMETICS | Mighty Patch Micropoint for Blemishes

RENÉE ROULEAU | Better Than Balm

RENÉE ROULEAU | Mini Better Than Balm

Airdoctor Ad3500 Air Purifier

WINDMILL AIR - Compact Air Purifier

SHARK - PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1 Vac & Mop

Shop more of my favorite products here.

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Before we dive in, an important heads up: we have a SCAMMER impersonating Gloss Angeles. If you’ve received an email from “collab@glossangeles.org“ inviting you to join a contributor network, do not open it, do not reply, and please mark it as spam/report it. Red flags to watch for: broken links, odd formatting, typos, and requests for money to cover “equipment.”

We do have our official testing community called Gloss Angeles Confidential where you can test and review beauty products before they’ve launched for FREE! If you’d like to join, you can click here.

On to news for this week!

Hung Vanngo is officially entering the complexion category, and we’re breaking down everything to know about his new Red Carpet Skin Foundation, from its unconventional shade system to whether it has what it takes to stand out in an overcrowded market. We also dive into Too Faced’s nostalgic Sweet Peach revival, including what made the original launch such a phenomenon and the products we think are missing this time around. And last, but certainly not least (Gen X will not be forgotten!), we discuss CoverGirl’s surprising decision to stop chasing Gen Z and instead bet on Gen X, and why it could signal a much bigger shift in beauty marketing.

Keep reading for highlights!

Hung Vanngo Just Solved Foundation Shopping’s Biggest Headache

Hung Vanngo — the celebrity makeup artist behind some of the most-photographed faces on the red carpet, and one of our favorite Gloss Angeles guests ever — just launched his first foundation, and it’s actually solving a problem instead of just adding to the pile.

Here’s the issue we’ve all lived through: you’re shopping online for a new foundation, trying to find what shade and undertone you are, and suddenly you’re squinting at a color wheel trying to decide if you’re “cool olive” or “neutral peach.” Hung’s Red Carpet Skin Luminous Foundation skips undertones entirely. Instead, you pick from eight neutral skin tone categories — fair through deep rich — and the 38 shades inside those categories are meant to work regardless of whether you lean warm or cool.

It’s $46, which is shockingly reasonable for the category (we both expected closer to $60), plus a $36 dual-ended complexion brush. Formula-wise, it’s got hyaluronic acid and a film-forming polymer for a serum-like finish that builds to medium-full coverage — though we’ll flag that the polymer can pill under certain sunscreens, so this is more “red carpet” than “everyday SPF layering” territory. We’re testing it and will report back.

2016 is Back, And So is Too Faced’s Peach Collection

If you were in the beauty space a decade ago, you likely remember Too Faced’s original Peach collection. Like many trends from a decade ago, the collection is back, but this time, it’s different. It features an eyeshadow palette (a more restrained 9-pan instead of the original’s sprawling 16-18), a setting powder, setting spray, and face primer. (No lip products this round, which we thought was a miss!)

The real standout is the setting powder packaging. It uses a rollerball mechanism so the loose powder only comes out when you actually swipe a brush across it — no spills, no waste, no dumping half the pan into your bag. It’s the kind of small packaging fix that should honestly be industry standard by now.

@allisonturquoisenostalgia AND innovation!?🤩🍑 #cosmeticpackaging #beautypackaging #skincarepackaging #beautyindustry #cosmeticindustry

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Why CoverGirl is Done Chasing Gen Z

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, CoverGirl is walking away from years of courting Gen Z with celebrity ambassadors and pivoting hard back to Gen X women, roughly ages 45-60 — the customer who actually grew up on the brand and still remembers Niki Taylor’s original campaigns.

The brand is also committing to keeping new launches under $10, after products priced at $12-15 underperformed, and is repositioning itself as an affordable mass-market brand instead of chasing “trendy.” Basically, the e.l.f. Cosmetics playbook.

We’ve said this before on the show and we’ll keep saying it: women in their 40s and 50s have the disposable income and the brand loyalty, and the industry keeps looking past them anyway. This feels like one of the more self-aware moves we’ve seen from a legacy drugstore brand in a while.

And to every woman who feels like the beauty industry stops seeing you at a certain age: you’re not forgotten here. We promise!

Would you try Hung’s no-undertone foundation? Do you still have your original Too Faced Peach palette? And are you rooting for CoverGirl’s comeback?

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop every product mentioned in this episode:

Ultraclear Black + White Pure Rain 72-Hour Antiperspirant & Deodorant

Hung Vanngo Red Carpet Skin Luminous Foundation

HAUS LABS | Triclone Skin Tech Foundation Discovery Set

HAUS LABS | Triclone Skin Tech Foundation 30ml

COVERGIRL | Simply Ageless Skin Perfector Essence Foundation

CHANEL | Les Beiges Water Fresh Tint Foundation

CHANEL | Les Beiges Water Fresh Tint Foundation

MAC | MAC Cosmetics Extended Play Gigablack Lash Tubing Mascara 0.2 oz/5.7 G

Shop more of my favorite products here.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: a great self-tanner might be one of the most underrated products in your beauty routine. Even Kylie Jenner has gone on record about how life-changing a good (fake) tan can be for your mental health. And while we completely agree, after talking with Luna Bronze co-founders Maddy Balderson and Rhiannon Hall, we’re thinking about self-tanner in a completely different way.

The Australian founders joined us fresh off their Ulta Beauty launch to share how a skin cancer diagnosis (and then a second diagnosis a decade later) shaped their brand, why they’re pushing back against TikTok’s tanning trends, and how they set out to reinvent the category.

Keep reading for highlights!

Self-Tanner Isn't Just Beauty — It's Sun Care

We've always thought of self-tanner as cosmetic care, but Luna Bronze wants us to think of it as preventive care.

Maddy was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma at just 27 after years of tanning beds, tanning oils, and chasing the perfect glow. That experience became the foundation of Luna Bronze. Then, more than ten years later, she was diagnosed again. That second diagnosis completely reframed the brand’s mission.

@luna_bronzeSkin cancer doesn’t f*** about. Today is my first day of radiation treatment. Follow along to see the real before and after effects of sun tanning! ☀️ #skincancer #tanning #lunabronze

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Maddy explained that even though she had completely changed her behavior, from using daily SPF to always seeking shade, the experience reminded her that skin cancer isn’t just something that happens to “other people.” It also forced the founders to start talking about their mission more openly again instead of letting it fade into the background as the brand grew.

It made us rethink where self-tanner belongs in retailers. Instead of treating it like another body product, Luna Bronze sees it as part of the sun-care category and should be on the shelf right next to the most popular body SPFs.

TikTok’s “Tan Lines” Trend Makes Us Want to Cry

If you’ve spent any time on TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen the return of tanning oils, tanning accelerators, “tan-maxxing,” and creators proudly showing off razor-sharp bikini tan lines. Like us, the Luna Bronze founders are very concerned about it.

@carrotenusLocking in ☀️ #tanninggel #greekglow

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As Australians, they’ve watched generations grow up with some of the highest skin cancer rates in the world. While schools have made huge strides (Australian kids literally have a “No Hat, No Play” policy), social media has brought back some of the exact behaviors public health campaigns spent decades trying to eliminate.

It also made us wonder: why are tanning oils still sold so casually when we know exactly what UV exposure can do? Shouldn’t they come with the same warning cigarette packs get? We definitely think so. Should we start a petition?

They Didn’t Want to Build Another Self-Tanner Brand

Back in 2015, the self-tanner category looked very different. Think: orange color payoff. That unmistakable self-tanner smell. Giant weekly mousse routines. Marketing filled with bronzed beach babes that didn’t exactly feel relatable.

Maddy wasn’t looking for another mousse. She wanted something she’d actually use: a moisturizer that happened to tan her skin. That simple idea became the foundation of Luna Bronze.

We also loved hearing how intentional they were about building a brand that felt approachable instead of intimidating. Rather than marketing exclusively to people already obsessed with self-tanning, they wanted to create products for people who had never considered themselves “self-tanner people.” To Luna Bronze, innovation isn’t just about reinventing something completely — it’s making it more accessible to everyone.

Are you a self-tanner person? What’s your holy grail self-tanning product?

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop everything mentioned in this video here:

LUNA BRONZE | Self Tanning Jelly 150ml

LUNA BRONZE | Self Tanning Milk

LUNA BRONZE | Glow Tanning Moisturizer, Medium

LUNA BRONZE | Glow Tanning Moisturiser

LUNA BRONZE | Cosmic Bronzing Drops

LUNA BRONZE | Total Eclipse Self Tanning Mousse

LUNA BRONZE | Illume Tanning Water

LUNA BRONZE | Radiant Self-Tanning Lotion

LUNA BRONZE | Solar Eclipse Clear Self Tanning Mousse

LUNA BRONZE | Self Tan Back Applicator

LUNA BRONZE | Eclipse Self Tanning Mousse

Shop more of my favorite products here.

Kirbie is spending the holiday with her family in Texas, so we recruited one of our favorite people to fill in: former Allure Editor in Chief (and all-around beauty oracle) Michelle Lee. It has somehow been six years since she’s last been on the pod, and since then, she’s worked at Netflix, advises several big beauty brands and retailers, and spends what seems like half her time searching for the latest beauty finds in Seoul.

We covered A LOT in this episode: what Target’s breakup with Ulta means for beauty retail, whether consumers have become a little too trusting of anything labeled “Made in Korea,” and the increasingly complicated role of beauty journalists in an industry fueled by TikTok.

Keep reading for highlights!

Is Target Trying to Beat Ulta or Sephora at Their Beauty Game?

Target is replacing more than 600 Ulta shop-in-shops with its own in-house Target Beauty Studio, and we think there’s a much bigger story here than one retailer parting ways with another.

Beauty retail is becoming less about prestige versus mass and more about convenience and discovery. If you’re already making a Target run for paper towels and snacks, why wouldn’t you pick up a prestige moisturizer or a new K-beauty serum while you’re there?

Michelle also pointed out that for a lot of the country, Target is the beauty destination. Living in Los Angeles (or New York), it’s easy to forget that not everyone has a Sephora, Ulta, or department store around the corner. Bringing more global and emerging brands into Target could be genuinely meaningful for consumers who don’t have easy access to those retailers.

She also thinks Target has a unique advantage because it’s always excelled at mixing high and low—from its legendary fashion designer collaborations to affordable home décor. That same formula could work surprisingly well in beauty.

Are We All Getting “Blinded by K-Beauty Syndrome”?

Since Kirbie couldn’t be with us this week, we made sure to discuss her latest Substack: You Won’t Catch Me Trying XERF.

The piece isn’t actually about whether the radiofrequency treatment works. It’s about something much bigger: what Kirbie jokingly calls “Blinded by K-Beauty Syndrome.” The theory is that consumers hear that a treatment or product came from Korea and immediately assume it’s the next revolutionary breakthrough.

Ahead of the Kirb

You Won't Catch Me Trying XERF.

I think we’re starting to get BBKB Syndrome, or “Blinded by K-Beauty” syndrome, where everyone rushes to do and buy things because they heard it was popular in Korea…

Read more

2 months ago · 30 likes · 5 comments · Kirbie Johnson

To be clear, Korea has earned its reputation as a beauty innovation powerhouse. Michelle — who now spends a good chunk of her time in Seoul — can attest to that. But she also agreed it’s worth asking tougher questions instead of assuming “Korean” automatically equals “better.”

@heymichelleleePart 1 | Got a chance to try the XERF treatment, the buzzy new radiofrequency skin tightening device from Korea, with @Dr. Walter Joseph. If you’re new to RF, it’s a great non-invasive way to tighten skin and boost collagen. BUT historically, RF could be pretty painful, so you’d likely want/need numbing cream. So when I heard that the XERF treatment is super tolerable, I was eager to put that to the test. I’ve tried some extremely eye-watering treatments before, so I’m happy to report that the XERF treatment was so comfortable — even without numbing cream. I find that many treatments (like certain lasers and pro microneedling) get a bit spicy on different parts of the face, namely the bony, less meaty parts on me. So I did feel some zings of occasional warmth in those areas, but nothing unmanageable. My skin felt tighter right after, and any redness dissipated within an hour. One month in, my skin is feeling pretty bouncy…I’m curious to see how the results progress over the next few months as collagen continues to rebuild. Will keep you posted! #cynosurelutronicpartner #xerfandtell #xerf @Cynosurelutronic

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That led to a larger conversation about XERF, the new radiofrequency skin-tightening treatment making the rounds on social media. Kirbie’s hesitation isn’t necessarily about XERF itself, but more about how quickly aesthetic procedures become viral before consumers have enough long-term information to make informed decisions.

It’s a good reminder that FDA clearance isn’t the same thing as proven superiority, and “new” doesn’t always mean “better.”

Do Beauty Editors Still Matter? 🥲

We couldn’t let Michelle leave without asking the question that’s on every beauty journalist’s mind: In an era where products go viral overnight on TikTok and consumers increasingly discover launches through creators instead of magazines, what role do editors still play?

Michelle’s answer was nuanced. Influencers have fundamentally changed the way people shop, but editors still bring something incredibly valuable: context.

Anyone can tell you a product is trending. Good beauty journalism explains why it matters, how it compares to what’s already on the market, and whether it’s actually worth your money.

Hear her full take on today’s episode!

Would you shop prestige beauty at Target instead of Sephora or Ulta? Have you ever booked a treatment because you saw it on TikTok? Do you think beauty editors still influence what you buy, or do creators have your attention now?

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts (yes, you can watch us on there!), Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop every product mentioned in this episode:

SULWHASOO | First Care Activating Serum VI, 15ml

NEOGEN DERMALOGY | Hyal Glow Rose Essence

DR. MELAXIN | TX Retinalsome Double Effect Eye Cream

IT COSMETICS (ITCOSMETICS.COM) | Do It All Sheer Face Tint Balm

CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ | The Foundation

PAT MCGRATH LABS | Skin Fetish: Glass 001 Legendary Glow Setting Spray

Shop more of my favorite products here.

We have an update on the lawsuit against one of the most controversial estheticians in Beverly Hills, a marketing campaign so brilliant only Beyoncé could pull it off, and Sephora is quietly changing the in-store shopping experience in a way we think more retailers should be paying attention to.

Keep reading for highlights!

Bath and Body Works Is Coming to Ulta Beauty

Big retail news: starting this July, you’ll be able to shop a curated assortment of Bath and Body Works products at over 600 Ulta Beauty stores nationwide and on Ulta.com., including their signature scents, fine fragrance mists, body creams, hand soaps, candles, and wallflowers.

This feels like a bigger win for Ulta Beauty than for Bath and Body Works. We think its millennial and Gen X shoppers who grew up obsessed with the brand — now they’ll be able to toss a Cucumber Melon body spray into their cart while they’re already there for mascara. It’s basically the Target shop-in-shop playbook all over again, and we’re fascinated to see how it plays out in markets where an Ulta and a Bath and Body Works are already next door to each other. Are you excited about this partnership?

Sonya Dakar’s Career Has Reached Its End

If you’ve been following this story, you know it’s been a doozy. After irreparably burning client Victoria Nelson during a treatment, facing a lawsuit, and getting the California attorney general and the state board of barbering and cosmetology involved, Sonya Dakar has officially surrendered both her esthetician’s license and her establishment’s license rather than going through a full administrative hearing.

Ahead of the Kirb

"Long Overdue": Sonya Dakar Stripped of Her License

You may recall the horrifying story of Victoria Nelson, whose face was irreparably burned by esthetician Sonya Dakar at her Beverly Hills clinic. Last August, Nelson, a former client of Dakar, posted a video alleging Dakar disfigured her face with a peel she administered at her clinic in April 2021…

Read more

2 months ago · 20 likes · 2 comments · Kirbie Johnson

What does this mean exactly? She will never legally practice in California again, and her Beverly Hills clinic is done. She also has to pay the state board around $17,000 in investigation costs, plus roughly $70,000 in restitution to Victoria for things like the corrective treatments she had to pay for out of pocket.

We’ve heard our own off-the-record horror stories from people who worked for her over the years, so this outcome feels less like a loss and more justice being served.

Beyoncé Basically Out-Marketed Everyone, Again

Have you seen the Cécred campaign video documenting Jay-Z’s hair transformation from locs to afro? It dropped exclusively on Cécred’s YouTube (not Beyoncé’s, not Jay’s), it’s narrated entirely by Beyoncé, and it is, in Kirbie’s words, “like hearing God speak.”

The story behind it is genuinely sweet: Jay originally grew out his locs years ago so Blue Ivy would see her curls reflected in his hair. The video shows Beyoncé using Cécred’s detangling spray, deep conditioner, and moisture-sealing lotion through a six-day comb-out process before stylist Letisia Ravello helped reshape it into the afro he debuted at the Roots Picnic.

It was an intimate peek into their lives without feeling invasive, aspirational without feeling overly polished, and strategically directed every viewer to Cécred’s own platform and offerings.

We don’t hear Beyoncé speak very often anymore, so the fact that she chose to do it here made the campaign feel less like an advertisement and more like an event.

Sephora Is Finally Turning the Volume Down

If you’ve stepped into a Sephora lately, you’ve probably noticed that shopping can feel a little intense. Between blaring music, crowded aisles, flashing digital screens, and the tweens taking over every gondola, it isn’t exactly relaxing.

That’s why we are excited to see Sephora announce Quiet Hours, designated shopping periods where stores lower the music, reduce visual stimulation, and create a calmer environment.

The initiative was developed alongside neurodiversity advocates, but honestly, we think plenty of shoppers (not just neurodivergent ones) will appreciate it.

Do you think Sonya Dakar should ever be allowed to practice again? Did Beyoncé’s Cécred campaign make you want to try the products? Would you intentionally shop Sephora during Quiet Hours?

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop everything mentioned in this video here:

ONE/SIZE BY PATRICK STARRR - Powder Melt Glass Setting Spray 100 Ml

One/Size Powder Melt Mini

CÉCRED | Detangling Spray

CÉCRED | Moisture Sealing Lotion

CÉCRED | Moisturizing Deep Conditioner

CÉCRED | Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub

Shop more of our favorite products here.

Clayton Hawkins is one of our favorite people on the planet, so we’re thrilled to have him back on the pod. He’s the celebrity hairstylist who was part of the glam team behind Olivia Rodrigo’s breakout era, dreamed up Meg Stalter’s visual universe, and has taken over HairTok with his entertaining yet educational makeover videos. He’s also LA-born, a self-proclaimed pop culture historian, and genuinely one of the funniest people we know.

We talked about what’s actually in his (very overweight) kit, why he thinks the late ‘80s aesthetic is beauty’s next big revival, and his surprisingly nuanced take on working for free early in your career.

Clayton is teaching his very first master class on July 12 in LA. Buy your tickets here.

Keep reading for highlights!

The Beauty Trend He's Betting On Next Isn't Pretty—Yet

If you’re expecting another quiet luxury prediction, Clayton would like a word. Instead, he’s convinced beauty is about to embrace the maximalist, over-the-top glamour of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s: think Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Collins, giant shoulder pads, bigger hair, and silhouettes that haven’t really come back...until now.

Clayton believes social media tends to recycle whatever someone else posted last week, creating what he called a “Xerox of a Xerox.” So instead of pulling inspiration from TikTok, he’s buying old Sears catalogs, hairstyling books, magazines, and vintage references on eBay to find ideas that haven’t already been filtered through the algorithm.

It also explains why his work always feels familiar without feeling derivative. He’s referencing history—not trends. So if you’re wondering what’s next in hair, think bigger is better.

Meg Stalter’s Campy Hairstyles

One of our favorite parts of the conversation was hearing Clayton explain what actually goes into Meg Stalter’s recent viral red carpet looks. From the outside, they look delightfully chaotic, but behind the scenes, they’re obsessively researched.

Whether she’s recreating Kylie Jenner or channeling another pop culture icon, every wig, brow shape, texture, and reference is debated weeks in advance. Clayton, stylist Kat Typaldos, and makeup artists like Melissa Hernandez and Alexandra French treat these “joke” looks with the same seriousness they’d bring to an Oscars glam.

Clayton’s Take on the “Don’t Work for Free” Conversation

There’s a whole discourse right now about hairstylists and makeup artists who work for free — and whether they should or shouldn’t. Clayton’s take might surprise you.

He was direct about the fact that working for free got him where he is, not because he had money to fall back on (he didn’t), but because he made strategic calls about which jobs were worth the investment. His first job with Meg Stalter paid just $150, but the wigs he sourced cost $500, leaving him $350 out of pocket. At the time, that was a huge expense. Looking back now, though, it’s clear that it was one of the best investments he ever made.

That said, Clayton is firm: never do a red carpet for free. A tag from a celebrity posting their own photo isn’t the currency some people think it is. But a passion project photo shoot where you’re building a portfolio, working alongside people you admire, and genuinely making art together? That’s well worth the investment.

If there’s one lesson we learned from Clayton, it’s this: Your ego has to be smaller than your ambition.

What do you think: Is the late ‘80s moment coming? And where do you land on the “working for free” debate? Drop it in the comments!

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop everything mentioned in this video here:

SEXY HAIR | Spray & Play Volumizing Hairspray

AMIKA | Frizz-Me-Not Hydrating Anti-Frizz Treatment 200 Ml

NEXXUS - Unbreakable Care Root Lift Thickening Hairspray with Biotin

DOVE - Volume & Fullness Advanced Dry Shampoo

SCHWARZKOPF | Got2b Glued Styling Spiking Glue

IBIZA HAIR | B5 Brush

SHEILA STOTTS - Untangle Brush

MASON PEARSON | Handy Bristle & Nylon Hairbrush BN3

WET BRUSH | Pro Detangler Neutral

OLIVIA GARDEN | Newcycle Round Thermal Professional Brush

OLIVIA GARDEN | Ceramic+ Ion Speed XL Brush

GHD | Platinum+ Professional Hair Straightener

GHD | Soft Curl - 1.25” Curling Iron

BABYLISS | Nano Titanium Ultra-Sleek Straightening Iron 1 Inch

BABYLISS | Titanium Brilliance Waves

BIOIONIC | Bio:Ionic One Pass Oval Curling Tong With Uk Plug

BIO IONIC | Long Barrel Styler Curling Iron

HOT TOOLS | Pro Artist 24K Gold 3 Barrel Hair Waver

HOT TOOLS | 24K Extended Barrel Curling Iron

BABYLISSPRO | Prima 2000 3/4 Mini Straightener

Shop more of my favorite products here.

This week’s episode starts with a topic we really didn’t expect to revisit: the internet’s reaction to our discussion about Kristin Cavallari and sunscreen.

What began as a conversation about skincare philosophy somehow spiraled into rude comments about Kirbie’s appearance, assumptions about cosmetic procedures, and a reminder that people online will confidently speculate about things they know absolutely nothing about.

On a much more fun note, we also got to attend the opening match of the FIFA World Cup with Paula’s Choice, where we found ourselves basically sitting on the pitch alongside some mega celebs! We also teamed up with Macy’s to share the vacation beauty, fashion, and travel essentials we're packing this summer, from beauty products that earn precious carry-on space to accessories that make getting out the door just a little easier.

And because sunscreen discourse never sleeps, we also have a follow-up on Parsol Shield and what the new FDA-approved filter rollout will actually look like in the U.S.

Keep reading for highlights!

The Internet Learned Absolutely Nothing From This Conversation

Let’s start with the elephant in the comments section. After our discussion about Kristin Cavallari’s anti-sunscreen stance went viral, we expected disagreement. What we didn’t expect was for the conversation to become an attack on us!

For years, people have assumed Kirbie can’t fully close her eyes because of fillers or Botox. In reality, she was born with congenital ptosis and underwent corrective surgery as a child. It’s something she’s lived with her entire life and, as she shared on the episode, one of the reasons she became so interested in makeup in the first place.

The whole experience felt like a perfect example of why internet diagnosis culture is so bizarre. People who don’t know you, have never met you, and have zero context will confidently decide they know exactly what’s going on.

What was especially funny (and by funny, we mean mildly infuriating) was watching people call us “mean girls” while simultaneously leaving some of the nastiest comments imaginable.

Let’s remember to be kind to each other, in real life and on the internet, friends!

The Summer Travel Essentials We’re Actually Packing

Summer travel season is officially here, which means we’re once again asking ourselves the same question: how many lip products can reasonably fit into a carry-on?

With a little help from our friends at Macy’s, we rounded up the travel, fashion, and beauty essentials we’re actually packing this season.

A few favorites: a weekender bag with a separate compartment for shoes (a non-negotiable), a folio-style makeup case that forces you to only bring products you actually use, and Steve Madden’s jelly kitten heels that you can wear from the pool to dinner. We also make the realization that the Kipling monkey might have walked so Labubu could run.

Whether you’re headed on a weekend getaway, an international trip, or just spending your summer bouncing between concerts and pool days, we shared everything currently making the cut in our travel bags.

Beauty Meets the World Cup!

Paula’s Choice invited us to the opening match of the FIFA World Cup, and when we say the experience was incredible, we’re underselling it. We were essentially on the pitch/field!

The people-watching alone was worth the trip. David and Victoria Beckham. Anya Taylor-Joy. Hilary Duff. Katseye. The Biebers. Everywhere you looked there was another celebrity casually enjoying the match. But the person who truly captivated the crowd? Tom freaking Cruise!

We know everyone has opinions about Tom Cruise, but seeing him in person is one of those rare celebrity encounters where you immediately understand why he’s been famous for four decades. People were crying. People were screaming. People were treating him like a head of state. And to top things off, team USA scored four goals and won!

The whole night felt like one giant reminder that beauty brands are increasingly showing up in spaces far beyond beauty. Thanks for a fabulous evening, Paula’s Choice!

Here’s When to Expect the New Sunscreen Filter

One of the biggest questions we had after the FDA approved Parsol Shield (BEMT) was: When can we actually buy it?

As we learned, DSM-Firmenich—the company behind the ingredient—currently has an exclusivity period, meaning the rollout will happen gradually rather than all at once. While larger brands are expected to license the technology over time, don’t expect every sunscreen aisle in America to suddenly be filled with next-generation SPF formulas overnight.

The good news is the process is officially underway. We’ll be keeping a close eye on which brands launch first and will report back as soon as the first Parsol Shield-powered sunscreens become available in the U.S.

Tell us: What sunscreen are you using this summer?

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop everything mentioned in this video here:

TATCHA | Tatcha Mini The Milky Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ with Encapsulated Ectoin + Vitamin E 0.5 Oz/15ml

TATCHA | Silken Sunscreen SPF 35

TATCHA | The Milky Sunscreen SPF 50 5ml

PEACH & LILY | Beam Blocker Invisible Sunscreen SPF 30

PEACH & LILY | Sun Cover Mineral Sunscreen

NEUTROGENA | Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion Sunscreen SPF 50

NEUTROGENA | Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen SPF 45

ULTRA VIOLETTE | Bod Brigade SPF 50+ Sunscreen 500 Ml

VACATION | Classic Lotion Sun Jug SPF 50

PAULA’S CHOICE | Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

PAULA’S CHOICE | Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50

Virtuosa Weekender

SAMSONITE - Better Than Basic Drop Bottom Weekender Duffel

Plush Makeup Case Open Flat Travel Toiletry Accessories Organizer Bag

STEVE MADDEN - Women’s Tracie-J Jelly Thong Sandals

KIPLING - Sabian Mini Crossbody Bag

PRADA - Beauty Reflection Glossy Liquid Lip Balm

CHANEL - Hydra Beauty Micro Serum Levres Intense Replenishing Hydration Tendre Tube

Steve Madden Bgummy Small Satchel Bag

Baggallini Clear Stadium Crossbody

RAY-BAN | Unisex Mega Wayfarer Sunglasses

RAY-BAN - Unisex Polarized Sunglasses, RB3757

CHANEL - Ultra Wear Lip Colour

URBAN DECAY - 24/7 Liquid Stick Eyeliner, 0.04 Oz.

Desigual Women’s Raffia Backpack

Sam Edelman Laylah Extra-Large Tote Handbag

Palm Braid Wide Brim Panama Fedora Sun Hat With Chin Cord

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This week we sat down with Allison Statter — LA native, talent strategist, co-founder and CEO of Blended Strategy Group, and yes, daughter of music industry legend Irving Azoff. She spent 17 years in talent management working with artists like Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera before launching her own female-founded agency, and she knows exactly how the sausage gets made when it comes to celebrity partnerships, influencer campaigns, and brand launches.

She also smells incredible, which — you’ll see.

Keep reading for highlights!

Starting a Brand Is Easy. Staying in Business Is Hard.

One of the biggest misconceptions in beauty right now is that launching a brand is the hard part, but surpriseee, it’s not. The hard part is waking up every day for the next five years and continuing to run it, according to Allison. She has worked with enough celebrities and founders to see the same pattern repeat itself over and over again. The excitement of launch day, the press hits, the retailer partnerships, the campaign imagery, the social media support — but then comes the hard part: inventory planning, retail meetings, product development, hiring, managing people, fundraising, and then doing it all over again.

We spend a lot of time talking about celebrity brands that succeed, but Allison pointed out something we’ve observed too: the founders who win are the ones who continue to show up — Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Hailey Bieber. Building a brand isn’t a side project. It becomes your main job (hence why Rihanna hasn’t released music in forever!). An important lesson every celebrity or influencer should consider before launching something on their own!

Consumers Know It's an Ad, But They Don’t Care (As Long As It’s Done Well)

Allison wants brands to know that consumers are far more media literate than marketers often give them credit for. People often know when an influencer got paid, when a celebrity partnership was negotiated, or when a post wasn’t just “organic.” In Allison’s opinion, the only thing people care about is whether the partnership makes sense.

The example that stuck with her was Charli XCX. Allison worked on Poppi’s Super Bowl campaign with Charli and Rachel Sennott, and one thing became immediately clear: Charli knows her audience better than anyone else. Instead of forcing a brand message onto her, the team trusted her instincts and let her creative team help shape the rollout. That’s often where the best partnerships happen — when brands stop trying to control every detail and let the people they’ve hired take the wheel.

She Made Her Own Fragrance and It Smells Like a Sprinkles Cupcake

When Kirbie ran into Allison at an event, she demanded to know what fragrance she was wearing. At the time, it wasn’t out yet. Now it is.

XOA is Allison’s very own fragrance — named for how she signs every single email (no exceptions, even the formal ones). Vanilla is the biggest note (the “elevated cupcake” effect), with apricot and a hint of floral.

Allison is offering the Glams a little discount code. Use code GLOSSANGELES for 15% off your order.

Do you think consumers are smarter about influencer marketing than brands realize? Has social media made celebrities more powerful or less powerful?

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Xoa Fragrance: USE CODE GLOSSANGELES FOR 15% OFF

CIELE | Prime Protect Spf 30

CIELE | Blush & Protect SPF 50+ Liquid Cheek Blush Paint

CIELE | Tint & Protect SPF 50+ Tinted Serum Foundation with SPF 50+ 1.28 Oz

CHARLOTTE TILBURY | Airbrush Bronzer

NATASHA DENONA | Eye Sculpt Texture and Tone Eyeshadow Palette

ONE/SIZE BY PATRICK STARRR | On ‘Til Dawn Setting Spray

ONE/SIZE BY PATRICK STARRR | Powder Melt Glass Setting Spray

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS | Brow Freeze Applicator

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS | Brow Wiz Eyebrow Pencil 0.085g

ONE/SIZE BY PATRICK STARRR | Oil Sucker Liquid Blotting Paper Spray

Xoa Fragrance

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This week, we’re talking about two things that made us stop mid-scroll: the FDA’s approval of a new sunscreen filter for the first time in what feels like forever, and the absolutely bonkers amount of money beauty brands are making on TikTok Shop.

Keep reading for highlights!

The Sunscreen News We’ve Been Waiting Decades For

Every beauty editor, cosmetic chemist, dermatologist, and skincare obsessive seemed to be talking about the same thing this week: the FDA has approved bemotrizinol (better known globally as Parsol Shield), marking the first new sunscreen filter approved in the U.S. in decades.

If you’ve ever come back from Europe, South Korea, or Australia wondering why their sunscreens feel infinitely better than ours, this is why.

@janethechemistA new sunscreen filter is upon us…👀 #cosmeticchemist #sunscreen #filter

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For years, American formulators have been working with a much smaller toolbox than many other countries. That’s why so many international formulas feel lighter, more elegant, and manage to disappear into the skin while still delivering incredible protection.

What’s especially exciting is that this isn’t just a cosmetic upgrade. Bemotrizinol is known for being photostable, broad-spectrum, and effective at lower concentrations, which could mean better protection with less irritation. We’re especially curious to see whether this changes the experience for consumers who have struggled to find formulas they actually enjoy wearing.

Of course, now we have approximately one million questions. Does this mean we’ll finally get PA ratings in the United States? Will international favorites suddenly become available here? How quickly can brands reformulate existing products? And are we actually entering a new era of sunscreen innovation, or is this just one small step?

Either way, it’s the most hopeful sunscreen story we’ve heard in years.

The Beauty Brands Selling Millions in One Month on TikTok Shop

We played Data Girl with Business of Fashion’s latest ranking of best-selling beauty brands on TikTok Shop (shoutout to Liz Flora), and the numbers left our jaws on the floor.

Medicube is dominating the category outright — $19 million in May alone, nearly $7 million clear of its closest competitor. Dr. Melaxin took second with $12.1 million, propelled almost entirely by hyperpigmentation and melasma content, which makes sense: that corner of TikTok runs on before-and-afters.

Tarte rounded out the top three, which isn’t a huge surprise. They were among the first mainstream brands to commit fully to TikTok Shop bundling, long before it was the obvious move. The real plot twist was BASED at number four: a men’s body care label pulling $5 million a month that neither of us had clocked before this list. (Think: Axe for the younger generation.)

The larger story, though, is the platform itself. TikTok Shop beauty sales have now crossed $4.4 billion, making it the fourth-largest beauty retailer in the country.

Are you excited about the new sunscreen filter approval? Do you buy beauty products through TikTok Shop? And what international sunscreen would you love to see become available in the U.S.?

You can watch and listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.