ASCP Esty Talk Ep 374 - "Brand-boozled"

Date: February 11, 2026
Hosts: Ella Cressman & Maggie Stasik
Theme: Understanding "brand-boozling"—when professional loyalty to a skincare brand is betrayed by shifts in ingredients, transparency, or business strategy.

Overview

In this episode, Ella and Maggie unpack the difference between true brand loyalty and being "brand-boozled"—when a brand breaks the implicit pact with loyal estheticians through quiet reformulations, marketing spin, or changes in exclusivity. They share personal anecdotes, discuss industry-wide trends (like direct-to-consumer pivots), identify red flags, and offer practical ways for estheticians to keep professional autonomy and credibility.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Understanding "Brand-boozled" vs. Brand Loyalty

[01:45 - 03:50]

• Brand Loyalty means consistently choosing a brand because it aligns with personal/professional values.
  • Quote:

    “Brand loyalty is when you align with the brand, a brand, and that is your first go to choice for everything. Very common in our industry, wouldn’t you say?”
    — Ella [01:52]

• Brand-boozled occurs when that faith is undermined—often by undisclosed changes, broken promises, or manipulative marketing.
  • Quote:

    “Being brand boozled is when that loyalty changes to where you realize something switched up on me. It's what's happening when trust replaces verification. It's what happens when marketing replaces transparency. It's what happens when loyalty isn't reciprocated.”
    — Ella [02:16]

2. Real-Life Brand-boozling Stories

[03:18 - 05:03]

• Ella describes her early allegiance to a sunscreen brand that demonized chemicals—until the company quietly switched to a chemical SPF for cost and convenience, accompanied by dubious marketing justifications.
  • Quote:

    “They had this whole other reason. Come to find out...the reason that they switched it up like that is because it’s very expensive to suspend a physical sunscreen in a formulation...But then they sold me all this other marketing BS that was just playing on my emotions.”
    — Ella [03:51]

3. Quiet Shifts & Invisible Reformulation

[05:03 - 07:48]

• Brands sometimes make unannounced ingredient tweaks, either to save money or to appeal to a broader audience (like direct-to-consumer), often only technically disclosing these changes.
  • Quote:

    “Formulations rarely change all at once. Commonly it's called a quiet shift... Brands may technically disclose these changes, but not educationally. So, at what point...does transparency become technically compliant but ethically thin?”
    — Ella [06:24]

• Maggie argues that brands have a responsibility to proactively notify pros of any formula changes, as it impacts their reputation and client care.
  • Quote:

    “Even when there's this quiet shift, it’s the responsibility of the brand...to notify all of their brand loyal clients who are the account holders to say this shift has occurred.”
    — Maggie [07:14]

4. Direct-to-Consumer (DTC)—Threat or Opportunity?

[08:50 - 11:25]

• DTC shifts can undermine pro exclusivity, pricing power, and the esthetician's perceived value—but don't always have to be antagonistic.
  • Quote:

    “If your client can buy the same product at the same price with influencer messaging without your clinical context, has your value shifted whether the brand admits it or not?”
    — Ella [10:18]

• Success stories: Some brands maintain pro relationships by only selling select SKUs online, charging a premium to DTC customers, or using referral systems for pros.
  • Quote:

    “One company...sold it for 10% more than the esthetician...and didn’t sell all of their SKUs direct to consumer.”
    — Ella [11:25]

• Ella describes adapting by carrying fewer “commodity” products and focusing on clinical specialties.
  • Quote:

    “I'm going to sell the specialty things...I'm going to pivot in a certain way that is just for them.”
    — Ella [12:55]

5. Red Flags: When to Reevaluate Brand Relationships

[15:06 - 16:25]

• Beware certifications or education more about selling than science.
• Major red flags:
  • Brand reps can’t explain formulation changes.
  • Marketing focus shifts to viral trends, not professional outcomes.
  • Professional support shrinks as brand grows.
  • Quote:

    “Our education becomes more sales focused than science focused. Really important, especially if you’re paying for it.”
    — Ella [15:33]

• Ella urges estheticians to be diligent and not conflate personal identity with a single brand.
  • Quote:

    “Stop, look, listen, think, stop, listen. Pay attention to what they’re really giving you. Because if the brand evolves but your education doesn’t, that’s not growth, that’s just a shift or a drift away.”
    — Ella [16:30]

6. Practical Safeguards Against Being Brand-boozled

[16:52 - 18:25]

• Always read the ingredient list ("Inkey") when you reorder.
• Use AI/scanners if it’s too time-consuming.
• Directly ask brands about recent changes.
• Diversify your back bar (don't invest emotionally or financially in just one brand).
  • Quote:

    “Diversifying your back bar is super important. Not saying to just one brand.”
    — Ella [17:52]

• Maggie: Regular brand re-evaluation (every 12-24 months), including your spa's philosophy and menu.
  • Quote:

    “Every 12 to 24 months you should be reevaluating your brand for your business...Looking at your menu as well, that’s part of it for sure.”
    — Maggie [18:01]

7. Evolving with the Industry: Professional Identity > Brand Affiliation

[18:25 - 24:35]

• Don’t build your business or social identity on a single brand.
  • Quote:

    “Stop building your identity on one brand. That’s for your social media, that's for your services, that's for everything.”
    — Ella [19:16]

• Seek educational opportunities that teach critical thinking and clinical reasoning, not just scripted protocols.
  • Quote:

    "Invest in the education that teaches you critical thinking and clinical reasoning, not just what to sell. I think that's a huge disservice."
    — Ella [19:25]

• Brand loyalty should be earned—and regularly re-examined.
  • Quote:

    “Professional loyalty should be earned, not inherited forever too.”
    — Ella [21:38]

• Ella describes making business pivots, communicating transparently with clients, and turning industry shifts into leadership opportunities.
  • Quote:

    “Move from brand based facials to skin based strategies. That’ll free you up. That also sets you forward for the future.”
    — Ella [22:35]

8. Normalizing Brand Breakups and Honest Client Communication

[23:15 - 24:38]

• Changing brands as your standards grow isn’t failure—it's leadership.
  • Quote:

    “Outgrowing a brand doesn’t mean you were wrong before. It just means that you learned...that your standards evolved.”
    — Ella [24:18]

• Clients appreciate transparency—and it increases trust when pros explain the reasoning for change.
  • Quote:

    “Being transparent with those clients to build trust, not doubt.”
    — Ella [24:28]

• Conclusion:

  “Being brand boozled isn’t the failure step. Staying silent once you see clearly is.”
  — Ella [24:38]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It's what happens when marketing replaces transparency.”
  — Ella [02:16]
• “Formulations rarely change all at once. Commonly it's called a quiet shift.”
  — Ella [06:24]
• “Outgrowing a brand doesn't mean you were wrong before. It just means that you learned that the industry might've shifted, that your standards evolved.”
  — Ella [24:18]
• “Being brand boozled isn’t the failure step. Staying silent once you see clearly is.”
  — Ella [24:38]

Important Timestamps

• 01:45 – Introduction to "brand-boozled"
• 03:18 – Real-life example of brand-boozling via silent reformulation
• 06:24 – Quiet shifts and ethical transparency
• 10:18 – DTC selling’s impact on estheticians’ roles & value
• 15:06 – Red flags: when to reevaluate your brand loyalty
• 17:52 – Safeguards: reading Inkey lists; back bar diversification
• 22:35 – Leadership opportunity: move from brand-centric to skin-centric practice
• 24:18 – Normalizing breakups and building client trust through transparency

Takeaways & Action Items for Estheticians

• Be vigilant for subtle changes in brand behavior or formulas.
• Diversify both your professional investments and emotional focus.
• Communicate changes with clients honestly, positioning yourself as a knowledgeable and adaptive expert.
• Invest in ongoing, science-driven education.
• Regularly re-evaluate brand partners to align with your evolving standards and client needs.

To share your own stories or connect with Ella and Maggie, reach out via Instagram, Facebook, or email as noted in the show.