So much to cover this week: A report on holiday beauty trends (including preppy skincare and the evolution of the word “preppy”); Taylor Swift’s glitter freckles; tubing mascaras; a perfume that smells like potatoes; details behind the scenes at Dieux; a color-enhancing shampoo; a calming serum for rosacea; and (in Science Corner!) new information showing that cannabidiol (CBD) does indeed have an anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effect when used in skincare. Episode recap with links: fatmascara...
Oct 23, 2024•41 min
International Flavors & Fragrances master perfumer Stephen Nicoll talks about a side of the fragrance industry that doesn’t get a lot of publicity: scenting household products. He explains how he creates fragrances for fabric detergents, cleaning sprays, and dryer sheets; what encapsulating a scent does for its longevity; why Americans like the smell of apple pie; which aromas connote cleanliness around the world; and why people enjoy the “hot metal” scent that gets released during ironing. ...
Oct 18, 2024•30 min
Brand founder, hairstylist, and hair educator Kristin Ess is giving us (and you!) a free masterclass in all things hair. She explains the secret to making every hair day a good hair day and talks about salons, how to talk to your stylist, managing business relationships, how celebrity-client partnerships actually work, and how to work with the texture and length you have. Plus: her favorite beauty products, her candle obsession, and the one dress that everybody needs in their closet. This episod...
Oct 16, 2024•56 min
YouTube phenom and makeup artist Michelle Phan’s career as a creator spans a revolutionary period in beauty culture, when the forces shaping trends changed, social media democratized the industry, and mergers and acquisitions altered the brand landscape. Now, Michelle is here to talk about all of that, as well as EM Cosmetics and her newest project, The Afterglow Podcast. Plus, she reveals how she’s changed, grown, and worked hard to stay mentally healthy and manage her fame along the way. Episo...
Oct 11, 2024•48 min
Jess & Jenn don’t believe the reports that mascara is becoming less popular. Other things we’re contemplating this week: the whimsical beauty at Paris Fashion Week; whether “skincare skin” is the new no-makeup makeup; what Oak Essentials stands for and if it will make you want to buy a horse; how to apply lotion to your own back; and which setting spray has the best skin-like finish. Plus, beauty founder Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye offers words of advice after her company, Ami Colé, earns a L’Oréa...
Oct 09, 2024•39 min
A good wig is life-changing, says Christina Jones, the education and product development manager for The Wig Company. She’s here to explain wig basics, why people with hair loss or who are undergoing chemotherapy might want to wear a wig, the difference between ready-to-wear and custom wigs, what monofilament and lace-front wig caps are, and how to care for and style wigs, hair pieces, and hair toppers so they look super natural. Episode recap with links & products mentioned: fatmascara.com/...
Oct 04, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Do you know someone who looks different since they’ve been talking a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic or Wegovy? Jenn & Garrett know a few, and they need to discuss. Jenn does a sniff test of Glossier’s two new perfumes, and we’re also talking about Moo Deng blush, Demi Moore in The Substance , the woman who died from a liquid BBL, and a supplement designed to manage the health and beauty side effects of GLP-1s. Plus, Jenn raises a wand to a new mascara that doubles as a lash-lengthening serum (and a...
Oct 02, 2024•59 min
The founder of Summer Fridays and host of the podcast Life With Marianna opens up about the big business of “influencing.” Marianna Hewitt talks to Jess about parlaying her success on social media into a skincare brand and shares her tips for leading a more productive, creative life. Plus, why she’s into lash lifts, brow lamination, and body rolling—and her favorite self-tanner, candle, setting powder, and more. This interview originally aired in the spring of 2022, and we’ll be back with all-ne...
Sep 27, 2024•38 min
The gang’s all here for a special episode! We’re going to catch up after the summer, and then each of us will “Show & Tell” a recent beauty discovery. We also have a passionate debate about the difference between radiance and luminosity (not the same things!), and we answer a bunch of listener questions, including how to prep your skin for big events, where we had our first bylines, and which fragrance we’d wear the rest of our lives if we could only chose one. Episode recap with links: fatm...
Sep 25, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Art historian Elizabeth L. Block shares fascinating stories about hair culture in 19th-century America that she uncovered while researching her new book, Beyond Vanity: The History and Power of Hairdressing . We’re talking about Victorian hair dishes; what shows like Bridgerton and The Gilded Age get right (and wrong) about beauty; the ingredients in early hair products; and what salons in the 1800s really looked like. Plus, you’ll hear the story of hairdresser and abolitionist Christiana Cartea...
Sep 20, 2024•56 min
Jenn & Julee bring you gossip (and some standout beauty looks) from New York Fashion Week. We’re also talking about a less-expensive alternative to epidermal growth factor serums; a dreamy body glaze (different than an oil!); why every fragrance launch is a “collection”; the best and worst celebrity beauty lines; formaldehyde (still!?) in hair straighteners; and a petty, yet supremely fabulous way to get revenge on a cheating ex-partner: launching a perfume and calling it Divorce. Episode re...
Sep 18, 2024•48 min
The perfect serum drizzle, the fluffiest body-cream whip, the straightest arm swatches—prop stylist Kounthear Kuch has done it all. In this episode, she takes us behind the scenes of a beauty photo shoot, discusses the latest color and photo trends in beauty, and demystifies the very ASMR world of making beauty products look delicious. Episode recap with links: fatmascara.com/blog/kounthear-kuch Products mentioned in this episode: shopmy.us/collections/804168 Sponsor links & discount codes: ...
Sep 13, 2024•56 min
Jenn & Jess welcome intern Ellie Dixon into the studio to chat about why you may want an aluminum-free deodorant and which ones are best. Plus: students hiring makeup artists for the first day of school; why facialists are focusing more on clients’ necks; organizing tricks; a new chypre scent from Hermès; vanilla perfumes; water-based scents; e.l.f. Beauty’s album; shower caddies; and lots more. Episode recap with links: fatmascara.com/blog/ep-547 Products mentioned in this episode: shopmy.u...
Sep 11, 2024•49 min
Francisco Costa looks at beauty through a different lens. One of the biggest forces in fashion, the former women's creative director of Calvin Klein Collection speaks to Jess about his evolution from designer to beauty founder, with the launch of Costa Brazil, and shares his creative process around product development. He also gets candid about the realities of acquisition: The brand was acquired by biotech firm Amyris in 2021, but it shut down the brand in 2023. Now that Costa bought back the b...
Sep 06, 2024•38 min
Let’s dig into some fall beauty trends, like bow nails, soft baddie and Igari makeup, “fox” hair color—and whether or not Jess should get bangs. Plus: lookism in the news, the couple who pioneered cosmetic Botox, bridal beauty, rediscovering Pillow Talk, and a lip gloss that tastes like Haribo peach gummies. And, in a special segment brought to you by Acast Creative and our sponsor Shiseido Ginza Tokyo, we talk about all the ways eyes change as you age (Jenn’s eyes are getting “cozier,” Jess say...
Sep 04, 2024•49 min
Get to know Rihanna-approved facialist Sean Garrette. He shares his story, and we talk about skin barrier repair, facial percussion, his favorite at-home skincare devices, the best treatment for keratosis pilaris, why he puts retinol on his hands, and the three things you need for a “moisture sandwich” that will make your skin plumper and more hydrated. This interview originally aired in the summer of 2022, but we’ll have a bunch of fresh content and new interviews as soon as we’re back from the...
Aug 30, 2024•46 min
We took a field trip to a New York City head spa, and we’ll tell you all about it. Then, Jess asks graphic designers why we’ve been seeing so many big, round, “wavy gravy” fonts in beauty packaging. Plus, we’re talking about executive changes at Estée Lauder Companies; an Anna Sui laptop with built-in perfume pods; the hot back-to-school beauty item; a surprising trick for getting rid of bumpy skin; and why a good shower caddy is so hard to find. Episode recap with links: fatmascara.com/blog/ep-...
Aug 28, 2024•42 min
What is a non-surgical facelift? Plastic surgeon Kimberly Lee, MD, explains all the cosmetic treatments it can entail: injections of fat, filler, or neuromodulators; PDO threads (aka, “thread lifts”); radiofrequency skin tightening; and lasers. Plus, she talks about the long-term effects of filler, Botox, and Micro-Coring; details her approach to facial rejuvenation and how she helps patients decide if they’re ready for cosmetic surgery; and shares her advice for what you can do to “stop time,” ...
Aug 23, 2024•54 min
What ridiculous beauty treatments are celebrities promoting this week? Jenn turns that question into a game for Garrett. Before that, Wolfgang test-drives Dolce & Gabbana’s perfume for dogs; we explain what’s going on with Avon and the talc lawsuits; and we look into the ingredient story behind Dyson’s new hair line. Plus: the beauty and wellness products to buy if you’re visiting Germany and the story behind water-based colognes, including the new alcohol-free Dior Sauvage Eau Forte. Episod...
Aug 21, 2024•47 min
Ellen Atlanta, the author of Pixel Flesh: How Toxic Beauty Culture Harms Women, explains how the digital age has amplified pressure on women, girls, and marginalized genders to meet increasingly unnatural beauty standards. We talk about the cultural phenomenon of the Kardashians, the Love Island aesthetic, whether the body-acceptance movement has stalled, and more. Plus, Ellen, Jess, and Jenn discuss what we can do to help girls and young women navigate beauty culture safely so they feel healthy...
Aug 16, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Summer nights in New York City, perfume parties, new beauty commercials, Blake Brown Beauty, plastic surgery complications, a plumping blush (and where to put it), and tweezers for your pets…Jess & Jenn have a lot to discuss. Plus, in a special segment brought to you by Shiseido Ginza Tokyo and Acast Creative, we’ll introduce you to our new favorite eye cream. Big thanks to Shiseido for sponsoring this episode! Episode recap with links: fatmascara.com/blog/ep-543 Products mentioned in this e...
Aug 14, 2024•41 min
We’re getting into the not-so-glamorous details of building a beauty business with Maria Hatzistefanis, the founder & CEO of Rodial and Nip + Fab. We talk about contact manufacturing vs. white labeling, cost of goods, supply-chain issues, how to grow a brand without investors, and why there are so many celebrity lines. Plus: The surprising secret to creating a beauty product that goes viral. Whether you work in the industry, are thinking of starting a brand, or just want to know what happens...
Aug 09, 2024•54 min
A listener called in with questions about the new whole-body deodorants, and Jenn & Garrett are here to help. Plus, we’re discussing at-home sleep apnea testing; why more men are using prestige skincare; some highlights from Cosmoprof (including a waterless shampoo and conditioner); Auntie Anne’s new perfume; and—in Science Corner!—a study explaining why explosive visuals and language are so effective in fragrance advertisements. Episode recap with links: fatmascara.com/blog/ep-542 Products ...
Aug 07, 2024•54 min
#cleantok star Vanesa Amaro explains exactly how to organize your beauty products and keep them clean. What’s the best way to remove lint and dust from a hairbrush? How do you get the inside of your makeup bag clean? Which cleaning products should you use if you’re sensitive to fragrance? Vanesa—a pro housekeeper and the Queen of Clean on TikTok—has all the answers. Plus, she shares her hair-growth secret, why her manicure doesn’t chip, and the technique she uses for makeup that lasts 18 hours. ...
Aug 02, 2024•52 min
Jess & Jenn discuss how to respond when people comment on your appearance. Plus: the “underconsumption” trend; a growing body of research that shows neurotoxin injections (Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, etc.) may limit your ability to empathize; beauty marketers using Reddit to sell their products; Borghese spa mud; and the science of lip-softening balms (like the new one from Eadem). Episode recap with links: fatmascara.com/blog/ep-541 Products mentioned in this episode: shopmy.us/collections/7023...
Jul 31, 2024•41 min
Learn how the U.S. military was involved in the development of hairspray, why redheads are so prevalent in Pre-Raphaelite paintings, and the surprising way women in Renaissance Italy used to dye their hair in this fascinating interview with hair historian Rachael Gibson. We also talk about hair as a symbol of resistance, the evolution of the modern salon business, how technological advancements inspire new looks, and why hair trends often come back around. Episode recap with links: fatmascara.co...
Jul 26, 2024•47 min
It’s a very sporty episode with Jenn & Julee: We’re talking about Olympian Suni Lee’s nails, how exercise affects the longevity of neurotoxin injections, the best sports bra for runners (Julee knows— she used to be a track star!), and more. Plus: Elizabeth Banks’s new movie, Skincare , and its real life inspiration; a detailed explanation of fragrance concentrations; beauty products that are better together; and the only hair gel that will keep your edges smooth and your style slicked-back w...
Jul 24, 2024•48 min
…and vice versa. In this collaborative episode, Jess & Jenn get vulnerable with Jonathan Van Ness, the Queer Eye star, host of the podcasts Getting Curious and Pretty Curious, and founder of JVN Hair. We swap beauty stories and discuss what first drew us to the industry. Plus, Jonathan opens up his struggles with social media and the bankruptcy of his brand’s parent company, and we chat about the beauty trend cycle, Y2K hair looks, what makes beauty products so nostalgic—and mukbangs, Fortni...
Jul 19, 2024•59 min
First, can we talk about the Devil Wears Prada sequel? After that, Jenn & Jess discuss strawberry perfumes; share tips for entrepreneurs from the Estée Lauder Companies' New Incubation Ventures Symposium; and chat about the Miss AI beauty pageant, Troye Sivan's gig as the makeup ambassador for Rabanne, heavy metals in tampons, and why the young people in old television shows look so…not young. Then, let’s Raise A Wand to Makeup By Mario’s universally flattering blush extensions and the new S...
Jul 17, 2024•43 min
Futurist, tech CEO, and makeup artist Alex Box, DDes, is working to make sure that as technology continues to evolve, our humanity and creativity isn’t lost. If you feel like social media, AI, and the metaverse are negatively affecting beauty standards, our self-esteem, and artist creativity, Alex offers an alternative: What if we all work together to change the systems? In this interview, she discusses “digital dignity,” how virtual spaces can inspire real-world connections, how to avoid echo c...
Jul 12, 2024•1 hr 1 min
