The Glossy Beauty Podcast

Kecia Steelman, CEO of Ulta Beauty, shares insights from her transformative first year in charge. Leading initiatives like Ulta Beauty Unleashed, she discusses the importance of agility and cross-functional collaboration that propelled net sales growth. Steelman outlines plans for international expansion into Mexico and the Middle East, the launch of a curated online marketplace, and the role of wellness in beauty. She believes in empowering store associates as brand ambassadors and emphasizes using AI to elevate guest experience.

Sara Spruch-Feiner, a senior reporter, dives into the teen beauty wish lists with insights from 13-year-old Indy from LA. Indy shares her favorite brands like Glossier and Rare Beauty, revealing how her friends influence her beauty purchases. Anna Andreeva, managing director at Piper Sandler, discusses their teen survey, noting a shift towards in-store shopping and the rising popularity of fragrances. The episode highlights how budget-conscious teens are shaping their holiday gift preferences and the impact of influencers on trends.

How can shoppers, brands and retailers win Black Friday?  In this week’s special holiday crossover episode, Glossy Beauty Podcast host Lexy Lebsack is joined by Danny Parisi, host of the Glossy Podcast, and Gabi Barkho, host of the Modern Retail podcast, to unpack all things Black Friday.  The three reporters start by sharing their own experiences and plans for navigating Black Friday as a shopper, then unpack some of the buzziest activations and sales strategies today. This includes both discounting and non-discounting strategies, value-focused sales, bundles and collaborations, among other tactics. The trio also walks through emerging and reemerging trends, like catalogs, gift guides and fragrance-focused experiential events. 

Few beauty executives currently compete in a category they created, but that’s the case for Dr. Julie Chung and Kent Yu, the married co-founders behind T3 hair tools (19:00).  The duo created the luxury hair tool category back in 2004 when they launched T3 with the first lightweight, sleek and quiet blowdryer that delivered smoother, faster results. T3’s Featherweight model was the first luxury dryer on the market and the most expensive at the time, priced at $200. Dr. Chung and Yu quickly found a consumer, and before long, T3 was the first hair tool sold in stores like Sephora.  Fast forward 21 years, and they still own and operate 100% of their Los Angeles-based business. The success of T3 created a runway for a category now filled with brands like Dyson and Shark Beauty.  So what is it like to compete in a category you created? Host Lexy Lebsack sat down with Dr. Chung and Yu to learn about their journey to becoming beauty founders, including making time for Dr. Chung’s first career as an eye doctor. They also discuss how they're navigating their biggest challenges, balancing retail and DTC, maintaining NPD standards in a faster-is-better world, and competing within the category.  But first, Lebsack is joined by co-host Emily Jensen to break down the news of the week. This includes the controversial launch of Rini, a line of skin-care products made for kids aged 2-12 and sold DTC. The line was launched earlier this month by actress Shay Mitchell, boyfriend Matte Babel and Esther Song, and received immediate backlash.  Lebsack and Jensen also discuss the launch of Dua by AB, a diffusion line from skin-care founder Augustinus Bader and fronted by singer Dua Lipa. Unfortunately, diffusion lines — defined as secondary, lower-priced product lines from a higher-end brand — rarely find success in the beauty industry. Finally, the duo discusses L’Oréal Group’s new investment in Chinese mass clean beauty brand Lan and Estée Lauder Companies’ investment in Mexican niche fragrance brand Xinú. 

Reuben Carranza, Executive Chairman of Bansk Beauty, shares his extensive experience in the beauty industry, including his time at P&G and Kate Somerville. He discusses Bansk's strategy in acquiring Byoma, highlighting its unique story and approach to simplifying skincare. Reuben also delves into the importance of aligning marketing strategies with brand purpose, how consumer expectations are reshaping the market, and the exciting trends in wellness and scalp care. Plus, he offers invaluable career advice for those aspiring to lead in the brand world.

Allison Kent-Gunn, an aesthetician-turned-packaging consultant and social media influencer, shares her expert insights on beauty packaging, categorizing hits and misses. She discusses the bold design of Isamaya's phallic lipstick and critiques MAC's compact redesign. Kent-Gunn highlights sustainability challenges, like oversized refills, while championing Crave Beauty's eco-friendly airless pouch. Accessibility is also a focus, commending Tilt Beauty's intuitive design and pointing out deficiencies in Isamaya's Braille misstep. A must-listen for beauty enthusiasts!

The Glossy Beauty Podcast is back with its second of three deep dives into beauty packaging. Today, our guest is Helen Steed, a veteran in the field, whose resume includes a 10-year stint leading creative at Bumble & Bumble, and a gig as Glossier's founding creative director before striking out on her own. Now, she helms Steed & Friends, which has worked with brands including Rhode, Lore, Sakara and Ursa Major. On today's episode, she takes listeners through mini case studies, examining her work on products like Rhode's iconic phone case, Glossier's first foray into body care and Merit's logo. But first, a look at some of this week’s headlines, including the news of L’Oréal's biggest acquisition ever, which broke on Sunday — it is purchasing all of Kering's beauty holdings for $4.6 billion. Kering owns brands like Creed, and the deal will grant L’Oréal 50-year exclusive licenses for Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga's beauty ranges.

This week’s episode of the Glossy Beauty Podcast introduces a three-week series dedicated to beauty packaging. Despite daily interacting with beauty products — including face wash, body wash, lipstick or shampoo — consumers rarely spend time thinking about the countless decisions that go into a brand’s packaging. From sustainability (Are refills offered? Is the plastic PCR?) to color (think: the pull of millennial pink) to font, every packaging element is carefully considered. As our first guest in the series, FIT Professor Sebba Alqetrani, said, “The first thing the consumer sees, touches and interacts with is the package. [It] is your first opportunity to have a first impression.” Over the next two weeks, we will explore just why packaging is so important and what factors can make it impactful, whether it has to do with a product’s efficacy, branding or deeper emotional resonance. But first, a look at some of this week’s headlines including the launch of Ulta Beauty’s UB Marketplace, a curated third-party marketplace that will allow the mega beauty retailer to integrate many new brands into its existing e-commerce site; Sephora’s growth, bolstered in part by Rhode’s buzzy launch, according to LVMH’s recent earnings; and The Body Shop’s return to U.S. sales , launching online through a direct-to-consumer site and Amazon.

Explore the rise of Gen Alpha as a formidable consumer force in the beauty market. The hosts discuss Sephora's launch of brands like Sincerely Yours, created by a father-daughter duo, aimed specifically at tweens. They highlight the impact of younger shoppers on retail trends and product design, including brands tailored for boys and youth culture. Additionally, learn about Coperni’s innovative probiotic-infused athleisure line and CeraVe's partnership with the NBA, making strides in the world of beauty and wellness.

Leslie Ann Hall, Founder and CEO of Iced Media, shares her insights on the successful TikTok strategy behind MoroccanOil’s fragrance launch, emphasizing social commerce dynamics. Dana Paolucci, Dove's Head of PR, discusses the impactful community-driven approach of the Dove x Crumbl Cookies campaign, which generated substantial user-generated content. Lastly, Nilofer Vahora, CMO at Amika, reveals how their Superfruit Star launch blended cultural storytelling and professional credibility, driving impressive engagement and awareness.