

Breaking Beauty Podcast
Dear Media, Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins
Get ready with us! We’re Jill and Carlene, two longtime beauty editors who have seen it all and swatched it all, and now we’re here to tell you what’s good. Whether you’re searching for the latest insider-fave foundation, building a gimmick-free skincare routine, or interested in exploring culture through a beauty lens, tune in every Wednesday for epic guests like Makeup By Mario, Dr. Pimple Popper and Jonathan Van Ness (say what?!) Plus, don’t miss our monthly #DamnGood reviews of trending drugstore and spendy finds that are worth the $$$ – you’re glowing already!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 19, 2025 • 50min
Does Stress *Actually* Age Your Skin? Is Cortisol Face Real? Dermatologist, and Psychiatrist Dr. Amy Wechsler Reveals All. Plus! A Walk-in Clinic for Acne Treatments
Dr. Amy Wechsler, a double-board certified dermatologist and psychiatrist, co-founded Spotless, NYC’s first walk-in acne clinic. She explores the mind-skin connection and debunks the myth of 'Cortisol Face,' explaining how sustained stress can really impact skin health. Dr. Wechsler discusses effective treatments like pimple shots and offers a nine-day plan to reduce stress-related skin issues. Plus, she tackles myths about Accutane and reveals the importance of a holistic approach to acne care.

Nov 12, 2025 • 50min
Meet Emily Wood, 2025's Breakout Makeup Artist and Instagram’s Scribbling "Face Decorator"
Emily Wood, a UK-born makeup artist known for her freestyle 'scribble' and 'smear' techniques, dives into her unique approach to makeup. She shares how her neurodiversity influences her intuitive application style and her love for vibrant colors. Emily discusses her emotional support eyelash curler and the role of makeup as therapy, inspired by Frida Kahlo. With insights into her dream collaborations and makeup philosophy, she offers tips for enhancing looks, like her signature diffused lip-liner technique and layering styles.

Nov 7, 2025 • 42min
Are You Treating Your Pores the Right Way? From Blackheads to Sebaceous Filaments, Extractions and More: We Ask a Derm to Decode
Dr. Whitney Tolpinrud, a board-certified dermatologist and Medical Director at Curology, offers invaluable insights on pore care. She discusses why pore size can appear larger with age due to collagen loss. Debunking common myths, she clarifies the difference between sebaceous filaments and blackheads, and explains how hormones and pollution contribute to clogged pores. Dr. Tolpinrud also introduces DayPrime RX, a customizable treatment that combines skincare with a blurring primer. Tune in for essential tips on maintaining healthy pores!

Nov 5, 2025 • 55min
Hair Extensions 101 with Celebrity Hairstylist Lacy Redway
Lacy Redway, a New York–based celebrity hairstylist known for her stunning work with stars like Tessa Thompson and Michelle Williams, shares her secrets behind hair extensions. She explains how to choose the right extensions and debunks the myth that they always damage natural hair. Lacy offers tips on blending for a seamless effect and discusses easy-to-use clip-ins as a flexible option. She also spills some behind-the-scenes tea about her experience working on a famous reality TV show. Get ready to master hair transformations!

Oct 29, 2025 • 1h 1min
Beauty Math 101: Shop Smarter, Not Harder – How-to Get Real Value from Your Beauty Buys 🎯💄With Investment Banker Turned Beauty Creator Rachel Wiseman
Rachel Wiseman, a former investment banker turned beauty entrepreneur, breaks down the complexities of beauty shopping. She discusses 'sneakflation' and 'shrinkflation', revealing how brands manipulate product sizes and prices. Learn about the importance of anchor prices and how to decode misleading pricing strategies. Rachel recommends value-driven brands and offers insightful holiday shopping tips, emphasizing the benefits of curated gift sets over advent calendars. This episode is all about making smart beauty purchases that won't break the bank.

Oct 22, 2025 • 55min
Makeup Artist Hung Vanngo Shares His Signature Eyeshadow Secrets, How-to Ace Wedding Day Glam and Are You Applying Eyeliner The Right Way?
Hung Vanngo, a celebrity makeup artist and founder of Hung Vanngo Beauty, shares his inspiring journey from a refugee camp in Vietnam to working with stars like Selena Gomez. He reveals his secrets for achieving flawless eye looks with various eyeshadow textures and discusses how to apply eyeliner correctly, emphasizing brown over black. Hung provides essential tips for wedding day makeup and those with mature skin, plus shares his must-have products, including a favorite from Rare Beauty. Tune in for expert advice straight from the glam scene!

Oct 15, 2025 • 39min
How-to Transition Your Skincare Routine to Fall and Winter, According to a Dermatologist: “Short Contact” Therapy, Layering Hacks and Barrier-Boosting Secrets
Dr. Kim Blakely, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Elevate Medical and Cosmetic Dermatology, shares expert tips on transitioning your skincare for colder months. She explains how to recognize and fix a compromised skin barrier, emphasizing the importance of humectants and emollients. Dr. Blakely unveils her 'short contact therapy' for using retinol and benzoyl peroxide without irritation. She highlights must-have ingredients like ceramides and recommends a practical approach to layering products for ultimate hydration this fall and winter.

9 snips
Oct 8, 2025 • 1h 1min
“Life of a Showgirl” Fall! The #DamnGood Finds on our Wi$h Li$t. Plus: The Beauty Products Taylor Swift *Actually* Uses Herself
Get ready for all things Taylor Swift! Explore the glittery world of showgirl-inspired beauty, featuring opalescent highlighters and woodsy fragrances. Discover the must-have perfumes and products Taylor endorses, along with a dive into her connection with Elizabeth Taylor's iconic scents. From the secrets behind Taylor's signature red lipstick to the drama of diss tracks, this discussion is packed with beauty insights and a touch of sass. Tune in for the ultimate beauty wishlist this season!

Oct 3, 2025 • 37min
Bonus! Dissecting Timeline's Very Un-Biotech-Like Rebrand, Why “Longevity Science” is Here to Stay and What Exactly Is Mitochondrial Health?
This uninterrupted episode is brought to you in partnership with our friends at Timeline. Meet Timeline Chief Brand Officer Jaimee Holmes, whose resume reads like a wish list of dream gigs, with prior roles at Benefit, Ole Henriksen, Too Faced, Marc Jacobs Beauty and Goop. Today, Jaimee tells us everything there is to know about the Swiss biotech company she’s proud to lead into the next era in longevity science. Plus, we spill the tea on beauty rebrand hits and misses, including how to know when it’s time for a refresh from the Master of the Rebrand herself.You’ll learn about:Now backed by L'Oréal's Bold Ventures, why Timeline is poised to become the next big thing in longevity skincareEverything to know about the Swiss biotech company’s breakthrough ingredient, Mitopure – powered by Urolithin A and 56 patents – and how it aims to target cellular aging from the inside and outInsider insights on biotech beauty pricing, marketing truths and where the future of the industry is headedPlus, industry hot takes! The CBO offers her opinion on which brands are tops in her books and what it takes for a brand to master its own longevityPssst! Look out for Timeline’s first ever, immersive pop-up “Longevity Lab” in SoHo this monthGet social with us and let us know what you think of the episode! Find us on Instagram, Tiktok,X, Threads. Join our private Facebook group. Or give us a call and leave us a voicemail at 1-844-227-0302. Sign up for our Substack here For any products or links mentioned in this episode, check out our website: https://breakingbeautypodcast.com/episode-recaps/ Related episodes like this:Skincare School in Session! Hollywood Facialist Gina Mari On What You May be Getting Wrong in Your Skincare RoutineFresh Beauty co-founder Lev GlazmanCortisol Face, Fascia Care and How-to Brow Lift At Home With The Facialist’s Facialist, Maria Cristina BrunoPROMO CODES: When you support our sponsors, you support the creation of Breaking Beauty Podcast! Timeline:If you’re curious about Timeline, we have a very special promo code just for our audience. Visit timeline.com/breaking and use the code BREAKING at checkout to get 20% off your entire order. Shop everything mentioned in this episode here: TIMELINE | Mitopure Softgels TIMELINE | Mito-Biotic Eye CreamTIMELINE | Mito-Biotic Dewy CreamTIMELINE | Mito-Biotic Barrier Cream TIMELINE | Mito-Biotic Gentle CleanserTIMELINE | Mito-Biotic Firming SerumTIMELINE | Mito-Biotic Resurfacing Exfoliator *Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, all products reviewed are gratis media samples submitted for editorial consideration.* Hosts: Carlene Higgins and Jill Dunn Theme song, used with permission: Cherry Bomb by Saya
Produced by Dear Media Studio See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 1, 2025 • 42min
Carlene Introduces Her New Skincare Brand, Cassatt Beauty, With “La Pommade” Retinoid Ointment – Inspired By a Beauty Editor Cult Fave
A new retinoid ointment is here! In this week’s *exclusive* episode, Carlene leaps into the founder role with the launch of her debut skincare brand, Cassatt Beauty. Listen in as Jill interviews Carlene about the making of Cassatt “La Pommade” Retinoid Skin Ointment - a modern, barrier-supporting update on a French pharmacy classic. From the science behind the low-and-slow retinoid “bio-ointment” to the realities of bootstrapping a beauty brand, Carlene shares what it really takes to bring a dream product to life. In this episode, you’ll learn:“This one’s for my peeps.” – Why Carlene created Cassatt La Pommade as an ideal barrier repair retinoid balm for addressing signs of inflammaging in 40+ skinWhy this next gen retinoid for sensitive skin was created for the beauty editor girlies, too – and how French pharmacy, the slugging movement and jewel box hotels inspired what may be the next instant classicThe unique way Carlene’s chemist formulated a form of hyaluronic acid in oil for infusing moisture while trapping transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in Cassatt’s retinoid for mature skin 40+, to help prevent retinoid dry-out How to use retinoid ointment nightly in your routine, whether you’re new to retinoids or already a total pro – hello, skin cycling fans!Why skincare messaging needs to stop being confusing – and how Carlene designed her retinoid ointment product box just like a beauty editor wouldSupport our girl!Pre-order “La Pommade” at www.cassattbeauty.comSubscribe to Carlene’s Substack: The ElevensFollow @cassatt.beauty on Instagram and TikTok for campaign visuals and behind-the-scenes contentFor any products or links mentioned in this episode, check out our website: https://breakingbeautypodcast.com/episode-recaps/ Get social with us and let us know what you think of the episode! Find us on Instagram, Tiktok,X, Threads. Join our private Facebook group. Or give us a call and leave us a voicemail at 1-844-227-0302. Sign up for our Substack here *Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, all products reviewed are gratis media samples submitted for editorial consideration.* PROMO CODES: When you support our sponsors, you support the creation of Breaking Beauty Podcast! MARAMARA’s best-selling, award-winning Algae Enzyme Cleansing Oil is the ONLY way to wash your face. Powered by fruit enzymes like pineapple and pumpkin to gently exfoliate skin. It’s also multi-use - can be used on damp or dry skin, as a light peel, to gua sha or dermaplane! Head into your local Sephora to shop MARA, or head to Sephora.com – and don’t forget to wash your face! More episodes like this:Bobbi Brown on Her Memoir “Still Bobbi” Reveals and Jones Road’s Keys to SuccessDieux Skin Co-Founder Charlotte Palermino on Quitting Clean Beauty, Dupes and SPF DramaVictoria Beckham and CEO Sarah Creal on Building the Victoria Beckham Beauty Empire Hosts: Carlene Higgins and Jill Dunn Theme song, used with permission: Cherry Bomb by Saya
Produced by Dear Media Studio See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.


