The Glossy Beauty Podcast

What does it take for a beauty campaign or brand to cut through the noise in 2025?  Our second-annual Glossy Pop Awards is one place where our team recognizes the best and most culturally relevant beauty and fashion campaigns, people, products, and brands.  In today’s episode of The Glossy Beauty Podcast, we welcome three esteemed beauty executives to discuss the secret sauce behind their Glossy Pop Award-winning campaigns.  These winning campaigns drove audience engagement, generated buzz and successfully met their set business goals.  To start, host Lexy Lebsack welcomes Leslie Ann Hall, founder and CEO of Iced Media (18:50). She and her team partnered with hair-care brand Moroccanoil to launch the brand’s first fine fragrance. The teams at Iced Media and Moroccanoil executed a campaign that levered social media for awareness and sales. They took home the Glossy Pop Award for "Best Use of TikTok." Next, Lebsack sits down with Dana Paolucci, head of PR and influencer at Unilever-owned Dove North America (30:02). Paolucci and her team worked with communications firm Edelman to take home two Glossy Pop Awards for its Dove x Crumbl cookies body-care collaboration. They won "Best Product Launch Campaign" and "Best Community Engagement Strategy." In our final mini interview, Lebsack welcomes Nilofer Vahora, Amika’s CMO, to discuss the hair-care brand’s "Best Use of Video" award win for its Superfruit Star Lightweight Hairstyling Oil launch with marketing company January Digital (40:03).  But first, Lebsack is joined by host Emily Jensen to discuss this week’s top beauty and wellness news.  Squishmallows, the TikTok-famous plush toy brand launched in 2017, made headlines this week for its foray into fine fragrance. Squishmallows parent company Jazwares, a Florida-based toymaker that was purchased by Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway in 2022, has tapped longtime beauty executive Joel Ronkin, current founder and CEO of Jennifer Aniston’s LolaVie hair care, to lead the project. The scents launched at Ulta Beauty this week in two sizes, priced $38 and $58.  Lebsack and Jensen also discuss rumors that beauty conglomerate Coty is looking to sell heritage mass color cosmetics brands CoverGirl, Rimmel and Max Factor.  Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop is also in the news this week for the closure of its 2-year-old mass beauty experiment, Good Clean Goop, which sells under-$40 skin care through Target and Amazon. The duo discusses the closure and what it means for masstige skincare.  Finally, the hosts walk through Amazon’s new ambitions in K-Beauty with this week’s launch of a dedicated storefront. It's a smart move considering the rise in popularity of K-Beauty products and the stunning sales on the channel. To wit: K-Beauty is growing three times faster than Amazon’s average beauty category. 

Executive coach Angela Bennett knows a thing or two about the unique needs of beauty and wellness industry leaders. She spent more than two decades working across L’Oréal and Estee Lauder brands like La Roche-Posay, Maybelline and Clinique in roles like vice president, general manager and svp of talent acquisition. "The subjective nature of [the beauty industry] requires an art of balancing data points, intuition and conviction [while] becoming your own leader to navigate the decisions that need to be made on a daily basis," Bennett said. But today, Bennett is part of a growing number of certified professional executive coaches who help individuals and organizations to build stronger teams. She also works one-on-one with executives who need help getting to the next level in their careers.  This often entails a rigorous strategy that includes reflection, learning and planning in an effort to become a better leader with more long-term career direction. Much of this process starts with developing communication skills to suit the workplace environment and culture. “Communication coaching is really going to be about developing the skills to be clear, concise, convincing and motivating, and to really master the art of what we call ‘influencing for results’,” she said. “[That means] influencing others, influencing management toward making decisions on specific strategies that, as a leader, you are recommending and wanting to push through.”  In today’s episode of the Glossy Beauty Podcast, Bennett introduces us to the world of executive coaching and shares her top three universal tips for executives.  But first, hosts Lexy Lebsack and Emily Jensen discuss the biggest beauty news of the week.  First up is wellness investment news from Oura Health Oy, the makers of Oura, the wearable health tracking ring that launched in 2015. The Finnish company is reportedly closing in on a $875 million Series E investment round that will undoubtedly impact the industry. The company could soon be valued at around $11 billion.  The hosts also break down the latest influx of celebrity endorsement deals including Kris Jenner for Estée Lauder-owned MAC, Leighton Meester for indie darling skin-care brand Bubble, singer Ciara as the new face of Thorne’s Creatine products, Miley Cyrus for Maybelline, and Dua Lipa’s new deal with pilates reformer company Frame Fitness.  Lebsack and Jensen also unpack Hailey Bieber’s splashy Rhode launch with Sephora, which brought in $10 million in sales in just two days, according to Yipit, an alternative data provider and analytics firm that utilizes web and in-store receipt data.  Finally, the duo discuss the closure of Kim Kardashian’s 3-year-old skincare line, SKKN by Kim, including Coty’s $71.1 milliones loss from its 2021 investment in the now-shuttered brand. 

After starting as a brick-and-mortar nail salon in Los Angeles in 2013, Olive & June closed up shop in 2020, with founder and CEO Sarah Gibson Tuttle pivoting her focus to DIY manis. By November 2024, Helen of Troy had acquired the brand for $225 million in cash and a $15 million earnout subject to performance over three years. Helen of Troy's beauty portfolio also includes Drybar, Curlsmith and Hot Tools, among others. But Gibson Tuttle was intent on remaining involved in her brand's operations — operating essentially as it did prior to the acquisition, but with greater support. Now, nearly a year post-acquisition, Gibson Tuttle joins the Glossy Beauty Podcast to discuss life after selling her brand, why an obsession with the customer can almost guarantee product success and how the nail category differs from other beauty categories. But first, co-hosts Sara Spruch-Feiner and Emily Jensen discuss industry news, including Sephora's announcement that it will launch its own affiliate platform, the recent acquisitions of Nudestix, Byoma and Cos Bar, and Gap's increased investment and new hires as it looks to grow its beauty offerings.

When it comes to innovation in the beauty industry, few wield more power and influence than Guive Balooch, L’Oréal Group’s longtime tech leader.  “In the last three or four years, [we’ve seen] this incredible shift in the speed of innovation,” Balooch told Glossy. “It feels great to work on things that are shaping the future of our industry.”  Since Balooch last joined the Glossy Beauty Podcast in 2021, his team has released a light-powered blowdryer called the AirLight Pro; an in-store skin diagnostic device called Cell BioPrint; Water Saver, an in-salon water reduction tool; a home hair-color application tool called Color Sonic; and many more innovations. He’s also taken on an expanded role as global vp of tech and open innovation, where he now oversees the partnerships driving L’Oréal’s future innovation. This includes investments in Swiss longevity biotech company Timeline and San Diego-based Debut Biotech. In today’s episode, Balooch shares insights into the future of beauty innovation, which includes further exploration of the skin’s microbiome, ingredient creation through biotechnology and beauty at the intersection of longevity. He also shares details on his team’s use of AI, the latest shift in consumer desires, and the unexpected inspiration behind L’Oréal’s new 3D printable eyebrow technology called 3D shu:brow.  But first, Lexy Lebsack is joined by senior reporter Emily Jensen to walk through the biggest beauty and wellness news of the week. To start, the hosts discuss a new $28,000 fragrance from LVMH-owned Maison Francis Kurkdjian. The new 10-year anniversary edition of the brand’s Baccarat Rouge 540 comes with many perks for the investment, including access to events and a members-only club. Jensen and Lebsack also dive into the latest earnings at Puig, which saw 7.7% like-for-like sales growth driven primarily by fragrance sales, which made up 73% of the quarterly sales. And they discuss Macy’s Inc., which saw its best comparable sales growth in 12 quarters, thanks to boosts of 3.6% at Bloomingdale’s and 1.2% at Bluemercury. Finally, everything you need to know about the influx of lawsuits in California courts challenging “made in America” marketing claims by top beauty brands including Unilever-owned Paula’s Choice and It’s a 10, which is privately held. 

What does it take to successfully reinvent a heritage beauty brand? Industry veteran Dawn Hilarczyk is on a mission to completely transform Borghese, the 68-year-old heritage brand famous for its Italian skin care and Fango mud masks — and it’s working.  In today’s episode, Hilarczyk dives into the nitty-gritty of her brand turnaround efforts. She breaks down her strategy in great detail, from cleaning up the brand’s Amazon presence and expanding into Ulta Beauty, to reestablishing a social presence and reducing the brand's SKU count from 87 to 27.  But first, host Lexy Lebsack is joined by Glossy senior reporter Emily Jensen to walk through the biggest news stories of the week.  First up is specialty beauty retailer Violet Grey’s acquisition of clean beauty retailer The Detox Market. The deal was reportedly quietly closed earlier this year. Founder Cassanda Grey purchased Violet Grey in September of 2024 from Farfetch alongside private-equity investor Sherif Guirgis, who later transitioned into its CEO.  Lebsack and Jensen also discuss the latest GLP-1 news, including a possible new pill form of the drug and the rumored connection between the rise of GLP-1s and gourmand fragrances.  Finally, the duo discuss changes at Estée Lauder Companies-owned Tom Ford, including new spokesperson Tilda Swinton and new creative director Haider Ackermann, and what it all means for luxury fragrance. 

The beauty industry had an eventful summer marked by changing retailer strategies, stark revenue tumbles and a flurry of pricey acquisitions.  In this special episode of The Glossy Beauty Podcast, reporters Lexy Lebsack, Emily Jensen and Sara Spruch-Feiner walk through the stories that defined the season.  This includes strategy shifts within retailers like Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Target, plus a look at disappointing revenue at conglomerates Shiseido and Estée Lauder Companies. The team also discusses the biggest acquisitions of the season — including Rhode, Dr. Squatch, Space NK and Touchland — and the tariff-related topics we’re watching as fall approaches.  To start (0:53), Glossy’s beauty team digs into the industry’s biggest summer investments, led by E.l.f. Beauty’s May purchase of Hailey Bieber’s Rhode for $1 billion. The team also walks through CPG company Church & Dwight’s $700 million purchase of trendy hand sanitizer brand Touchland in May and Unilever’s June purchase of digitally-native men’s care brand Dr. Squatch for $1.5 billion.   Beauty’s top specialty retailers also had big summers. Sephora (8:37) is leaning deeper into a tried-and-true brand launch playbook: the celebrity artist. In the past few weeks, the retailer has rolled out new lines from celebrity makeup artists Hung Vanngo and Mary Phillips, plus hairstylist Chris McMillian.  Meanwhile, Ulta Beauty (18:17) had a whirlwind summer as new CEO Kecia Steelman executed her “Ulta Unleashed” comeback plan. Steelman, who was appointed CEO in January after more than a decade with the company, announced her plan in March as a response to the company’s 1.9% year-over-year holiday sales tumble. Glossy’s team unpacks all the changes, including the acquisition of U.K. retailer Space NK, international expansion into Mexico and the Middle East, and the end of Ulta’s shop-in-shop with Target.  Finally (25:37), Glossy’s team walks through can’t-miss beauty conglomerate news: LVMH’s splashy Louis Vuitton Beauté launch and Shiseido’s sales tumble caused by Drunk Elephant’s poor performance, plus turbulence at Waldencast and Estée Lauder Companies. Finally (36:27), team Glossy ends with a few autumn tariff predictions. 

Host Lexy Lebsack is joined by reporter Melissa Daniels from Glossy’s sister publication Modern Retail and co-host of the Modern Retail Podcast, to walk through this week’s biggest beauty news stories.  This includes a brief analysis of E.l.f. Beauty’s response to consumer outcry over casting controversial comedian Matt Rife in its latest campaign, a topic Lebsack and Glossy reporter Emily Jensen discussed in last week’s episode.  Next, Lebsack and Daniels discuss the likely voluntary recall of mousse sunscreens, which includes offerings from Vacation and Supergoop sold through Sephora, Target, Nordstrom and more retailers. Its part of the FDA’s crackdown on the unapproved sunscreen format. Finally, the two hosts break down the announcement that Target and Ulta Beauty will dissolve their shop-in-shop partnership, which was launched in 2021 but has been far less successful than similar partnerships between Sephora and Kohl's.  Then (23:30), to discuss what makes a successful retail pop-up, Glossy is joined by three powerhouse executives in today’s roundtable episode: Jacquelin Barrett, Patrick Ta Beauty svp of marketing; Matte Projects president Neda Whitney; and Michelle Lee, chief brand officer at Front Row Group, fractional CMO of Landing International and former editor-in-chief of Allure magazine. 

Dr. Thomas Sterry, a renowned plastic surgeon from NYC with a vibrant social media presence, joins the conversation to reveal how pop culture influences cosmetic surgery trends. He discusses the growing acceptance of procedures fueled by social media and celebrity endorsements. The talk also touches on the complexities surrounding backlash in beauty marketing, including a controversial ad campaign by E.l.f. Cosmetics. Sterry emphasizes the importance of individualized care and navigating patient-surgeon dynamics in this evolving landscape.

On this week’s episode of the Glossy Beauty Podcast, co-host Lexy Lebsack interviews co-host Sara Spruch-Feiner about her recent reporting on the topic, diving into what’s fueling K-beauty’s renewed popularity, what trending ingredients are capturing attention and how affordability continues to play a key role in the category’s appeal. But first, Lebsack and co-host Emily Jensen discuss Martha Stewart’s incoming new beauty brand, Elm Biosciences, which was developed with past Glossy Beauty Podcast guest Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali. They also talk about Bath & Body Works’s push into college bookstores and Dyson’s new styling collection, designed to work alongside its heat styling tools.

Liah Yoo, CEO and co-founder of Krave Beauty, dives into her journey from battling acne to launching a skincare line that champions simplicity and ethical practices. She explains the thoughtful sourcing of tamanu oil for her popular Great Barrier Relief Serum. The discussion also touches on the rise of minimalist skincare amidst industry changes, the impact of tariffs on K-beauty, and the evolution of fragrance in beauty, featuring Rare Beauty's new perfume. Yoo emphasizes the importance of sustainability and responsible ingredient sourcing in her mission.