Solo Episode: The Devil Wears Lancôme? Movie Marketing Gone Wild, Jo Malone Zara Drama and Can Acne Ever be “Sexy”?

Summary

Breaking Beauty Podcast: Solo Episode

Episode Title: The Devil Wears Lancôme? Movie Marketing Gone Wild, Jo Malone Zara Drama and Can Acne Ever be “Sexy”?
Hosts: Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins
Date: April 29, 2026

---

Episode Overview

In this “catch up” episode, longtime beauty editors and hosts Jill and Carlene dive into the buzziest current events in beauty and pop culture. They share insider insights and spicy takes on major brand collaborations, headline-making legal drama, wild product placements in movies (hello, Devil Wears Prada sequel), the boom in body care, and the “acne can be sexy” conversation. Beauty industry veterans, they offer behind-the-scenes perspective on how these moments reflect larger trends and what consumers should know.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Garnier x Gisele Bündchen Campaign

Timestamps: 01:24 – 03:07

• Gisele’s Return to Campaigning:
  Jill asks Carlene for thoughts on Garnier tapping supermodel Gisele Bündchen as a spokesperson.
  • “She was ripe for the plucking.” (Carlene, 01:24)
  • Gisele hasn’t been widely seen in campaigns and was on a hiatus, but “she looks incredible,” says Carlene (01:44).
  • Gisele represents age inclusivity and wellness—matching where Garnier wants to go: natural, sustainable, and less mass-market.
  • Garnier has launched a hair gloss/straightening treatment, fronted by Gisele, described as a drugstore version of Color Wow Dream Coat.
  • “Who has better hair than the Brazilians?” (Jill, 02:55)

---

2. Pop Culture x Beauty Collaborations

Timestamps: 03:07 – 07:37

• K-Pop Demon Hunter x Anua Sunscreen:

  • Jill explains the collaboration:
    • Anua teamed with the wildly popular K-Pop character “Demon Hunter” to promote sunscreen.
    • Leverages pop culture to make SPF appealing to Gen Z, as “tanning beds are making a comeback” (Jill, 03:49).
    • “If it takes a K Pop Demon Hunter to get people to change their mindset… let’s do it.” (Carlene, 03:52)

• Jo Malone vs. Jo Malone at Zara – The Perfume Lawsuit

  • Jo Malone (the person) has created successful perfumes for Zara, but Jo Malone (brand, owned by Estée Lauder) is now suing her for use of her own last name on Zara products.

  • “Jo Malone the parent company is suing Jo Malone for these fragrances that are at Zara.” (Jill, 05:10)

  • The legal gripe: her name appears on the packaging, causing public confusion.

  • Discussion connects to similar cases, like Bobbi Brown’s launch of Jones Road.

  • “I’m always for the underdog and the indie brand.” (Carlene, 07:03)

  • Notable Quote:

    • “Jo Malone hopes sense will prevail… in the lawsuit over her name.” (Jill citing BBC, 06:19)

  • Estée Lauder is suing for more than £200,000 in damages.

  • Discussion of how consumers and market confusion around legacy founder names in beauty happens frequently.

---

3. Zara Goes High Fashion & Archival

Timestamps: 07:37 – 08:18

• Zara taps John Galliano for “archival Zara”—hosts ask if Zara even has a classic DNA to revisit.
  • “Did Zara ever have its own DNA look? … They were knocking fashion from day one.” (Carlene, 08:05)

---

4. The Devil Wears Prada Sequel: Movie Marketing Gone Wild

Timestamps: 08:18 – 11:47

• Blatant Product Placement:
  • L’Oréal and Lancôme basically bought the rights for product placement; “it’s just a L’Oréal takeover.” (Carlene, 08:33)
  • Lancôme’s new “Absolue Longevity MD” line, featuring the mito pure ingredient (from Timeline), is prominent in film and in 360º marketing around the premiere.
  • “They are doing beyond product placement… it’s on the red carpet… in the movie… however they can.” (Carlene, 09:46)
  • “If you read the press release… the executive VP marketer… is talking about how exciting… this big three.” (Carlene, 10:16)
  • Notable visual: iconic Devil Wears Prada “devil heel” merged with Lancôme.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “The complaints that we’ve had about literally the actor is holding the product… this is getting even more blown up.” (Carlene, 10:32)
• Cultural Shifts Since the Original:
  • The role of Runway magazine in 2026, and how Anna Wintour and Vogue have embraced the once-satirized Miranda Priestly persona: “Miranda and Anna are on the cover [of Vogue]… playing right into it.” (Jill, 11:22)
  • “Guess what probably the first ad is when you open it? Lancôme or L’Oréal, baby.” (Carlene, 11:31)

---

5. The Skinification and Explosion of Body Care

Timestamps: 11:51 – 17:54

• Rise in Body Care:
  • Category has boomed with “skinification”—premium body washes, oils, scrubs.
  • Luxury pricing is out of control (e.g., $90 US for body wash).
  • Dove’s New Launch:
    • Dove’s Serum + Oil Body Wash position as affordable luxury.
    • “With these prices going on, we need to talk about what’s happening in this new category—that’s premium accessible beauty.” (Carlene, 13:02)
    • Features: gold cylinder bottle, peekaboo amber fluid, 50% glycerin, foams into a nourishing cleanser.
    • “A perfect example of this is Dove’s new Serum Plus Oil Body Wash… brings a luxury body care ritual into your everyday.” (Carlene, 13:33)
    • Scent varieties: Radiance (jojoba, monoi) and Soothing (almond oil, sandalwood).
    • “Glycerin is actually the number one ingredient.” (Carlene, 16:18)
    • “They are developed with dermatologists as well.” (Carlene, 16:59)
    • “$14.97 Canadian… like 10 bucks American… massive bottle.” (Jill, 17:13)
  • The mass market’s answer to indie body care “It’s great… you can discover the new Dove Serum Plus Oil Body Wash at dove.com…” (Carlene, 17:54)

---

6. Book Rec & French Pharmacy Skincare Decoded

Timestamps: 17:54 – 20:18

• “The French Skincare Bible” by Dr. Maureen Vincent:
  • “What a genius idea—everyone loves French pharmacy skincare, but not everyone can read French.” (Carlene, 18:25)
  • Explains history, principles, and how to build a skincare routine.
  • Features blurbs from Nadine Baggott and Matilde Thomas (Caudalie founder).
  • UK release April 23; North America May 5.
  • “I’d love to have her on our show… one day.” (Carlene, 20:08)

---

7. Alex Earle’s Skincare Brand: “Sexy” Acne & Influencer Launches

Timestamps: 20:18 – 23:26

• Alex Earle’s “Real Active” Skincare & Marketing Tactics:
  • Launched with “Make Acne Hot Again” messaging—hosts critical.
  • “I think that was a mistake… she needed before and afters. That would be difficult with herself—she’s already in the ‘after’… thanks to professional treatments.” (Carlene, 20:29)
  • Jill notes the dermatologist partnership and Earle’s adaptation—responded directly to criticism on socials with transparency.
  • Sales hit $5 million on launch day—regardless of controversy (Jill, 21:46).
  • “The numbers don’t lie… that is why these celebrity brands will persist. Because you guys are out there buying them.” (Carlene, 22:44)
  • New Gen Z transparency: “She can handle herself… That is the new age of these Gen Z influencers…” (Jill, 23:05)
• Other Brand Flubs (Lipstick Lesbians):
  • Ongoing issues with transparency and launch execution—“Lessons learned probably for them on their rollout…” (Jill, 23:27)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “She was ripe for the plucking.” (Carlene on Gisele x Garnier, 01:24)
• “If it takes a K Pop Demon Hunter to get people to change their mindset… let’s do it.” (Carlene, 03:52)
• “Jo Malone hopes sense will prevail… in the lawsuit over her name.” (Jill via BBC, 06:19)
• “It’s just a L’Oréal takeover.” (Carlene on Devil Wears Prada/Lancôme product placement, 08:33)
• “The complaints that we’ve had about literally the actor is holding the product… this is getting even more blown up.” (Carlene, 10:32)
• “A perfect example of this is Dove’s new Serum Plus Oil Body Wash… brings a luxury body care ritual into your everyday.” (Carlene, 13:33)
• “I think that was a mistake… she needed before and afters.” (Carlene on Alex Earle’s acne campaign, 20:29)
• “The numbers don’t lie… That is why these celebrity brands will persist. Because you guys are out there buying them.” (Carlene, 22:44)
• [On Gen Z influencer resilience] “She can handle herself… That is the new age of these Gen Z influencers…” (Jill, 23:05)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Garnier x Gisele Launch: 01:24 – 03:07
• K-Pop Demon Hunter x Anua Sunscreen: 03:07 – 04:32
• Jo Malone/Zara Lawsuit Drama: 04:37 – 07:37
• Devil Wears Prada x Lancôme Movie Marketing: 08:18 – 11:47
• Premium/Mass Body Care Shift: 11:51 – 17:54
• French Skincare Bible Book: 17:54 – 20:18
• Alex Earle, Skincare, and “Sexy” Acne: 20:18 – 23:26

---

Tone & Style

The hosts keep the banter lively, opinionated, and insider-y—mixing sharp critiques, honest endorsements, and pop-culture savvy references. Their collaborative dynamic invites listeners to comment and participate, making the episode conversational and warm, with playful jabs at industry absurdities and a passion for genuine expertise.

---

For product links and more information, visit the Breaking Beauty Podcast website.

Transcript

[A]

The following podcast is a Dear media production. Welcome to Breaking Beauty the podcast, all about the breakthrough people, products and moments in beauty. We're your hosts, Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins.

[B]

Welcome back to Breaking Beauty Podcast, everybody. I'm one of your co hosts, Jill Dunn, and I'm here with Carlene Higgins.

[A]

Hello.

[B]

And today we're really excited because we're doing sort of a catch up episode. Episode. We haven't done these in a hot minute.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I think January was our last one and here we are, it's, you know, the end of April, but there is a lot of news that we want to catch people up on.

[A]

Yes, absolutely.

[B]

And as two longtime magazine beauty editors turned beauty podcasters, people want to hear from us. I think some of our hot takes on the news. And as we know, in beauty, there's never a shortage.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

Things to talk about. So today we're going to talk about some pop culture meets beauty moments.

[A]

We're going to talk about a book that I'm very excited about.

[B]

Going to talk about some of the latest influencer and celebrity beauty launches that are making waves and maybe even some headlines that have been circulating online that I think all of you will want to hear from us on. So where should we start, Carlene? I would like to start with what your thoughts are on Garnier working with Giselle.

[A]

Garnier. Giselle. I think that she was ripe for the plucking.

[B]

Oh, interesting.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Contract is done or something?

[A]

Yeah, I mean, she hasn't really been modeling for a while.

[B]

Really?

[A]

No, I don't think so. I, I mean, I haven't seen her in many campaigns or anything. I think she was on a bit of a hiatus.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

But I do follow her on Instagram and I've seen her from time to time and I mean, she looks incredible. I don't know her age is right now. It just seems like she's barely changed. And I think with the, you know, the whole movement toward more age inclusivity, more interest in people who are. I doubt she's Gen X. Maybe she is.

[B]

She is.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. But by the way, she is the face of the Chanel J12 currently.

[A]

Okay. Yeah.

[B]

The watch.

[A]

Yeah. But obviously not as much. She used to be everywhere.

[B]

True, true, true.

[A]

And so I think it's great that they picked her up. And of course, we also know that her lifestyle is very, very wellness oriented. And I think. I don't know what she's the face of for Garnier, but I do know that they have a big environmental, kind of natural Slant.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And they're really trying to lean more into that wellness sustainability.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Than their drugstore positioning. So. Yeah, I think it makes sense.

[B]

I think it does too. Why I think they signed her on is we know hair is huge. Hair is having such a huge moment. Who has better hair than the Brazilians? And so they partnered with her on this, like, for the first launch. Like this gloss. This hair gloss straightening treatment. Kind of. Yeah. Like the color. Wow. Dream coat. But for the drugstore.

[A]

Yes. I tried that one. It's quite good.

[B]

And I just love that she looked like obviously a movie star. So I thought that that was a really interesting collaboration. Speaking of collaborations, that K Pop Demon Hunter, did you tell me about this?

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

The K Pop Demon Demon Hunter sunscreen.

[A]

No, I don't know about this. Tell me about it.

[B]

Well, it's with the brand Anua, who we ran into at the American Academy of Dermatology. We, Carlene and I, we've been here, there, and everywhere over the last, like, couple of months. And I actually think it's brilliant because it excites young people about wearing.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Sunscreen, which you and I have been talking about. That. That's challenging.

[A]

Yes, absolutely.

[B]

Like, most of them are trying to go to tanning beds.

[A]

Yeah, they are. There's a resurgence in tanning. We know this. Young people are going to tanning beds. So I. I agree that if it takes a K Pop Demon hunter to get people to change their mindset.

[B]

Yeah, let's do it. So have you seen K Pop Demon Hunters? No. Okay. Okay. So your kids are too old for this, but they. It's like every kid was K Pop Demon Hunter for Halloween. The purple hair, it's. It's that song Golden. I'm going up, up, up, whatever. That's everywhere now. That was Oscar. Nominated.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So I just think it's really brilliant that they are leveraging that in the skincare world, but specifically for sunscreen. Yeah, it's really cool.

[A]

Yeah, that's great. We got to do something.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Any other collabs I need to know about?

[B]

Well, one thing. A collab that I want to talk about that I have mentioned before on the podcast, but it's gotten a little more interesting of late because Jo Malone herself has created perfumes for Zara.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

For many years, and she's made tiktoks about these fragrances, and they are beautiful fragrances. Like, really nice.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So the head honchos, the powers that be at Jo Malone, the fragrance brand that's owned by Estee Lauder. Now they have a bone to pick.

[A]

Oh, dear.

[B]

So there has been, like, lawsuits coming out. Jo Malone, the parent company is suing Jo Malone for these fragrances that are at Zara.

[A]

What are they called? The fragrances at Zara.

[B]

There I can get the exact name, but they do have her name on the box.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So that's probably why. But you would just think that she would sort of be in the clear after this many years.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like she sold her company to them back when Bobby Brown sold her company.

[A]

Yeah. It reminds me of the Bobby Brown story. Yeah. So she started a new fragrance brand called Joe Loves.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And so that is why she called it Joe Loves. She probably was not allowed to use the name.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Joe Malone.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

So it all depends on when this Joe Malone collab with Zara got started.

[B]

It was a few year. It was like maybe a year ago.

[A]

Okay. Yeah.

[B]

But the. The p. Particular problem that they have with it, apparently, is the fact that it says her last name.

[A]

Yeah. Of course she's not allowed to use her name, which is such a strange thing. It's like Bobby Brown was why she started Jones Road Beauty with that name. She can't use her name anymore.

[B]

Yeah. So she's embroiled in this right now. Jo in. In the BBC, they recently wrote Jo Malone hopes sense will prevail and not sc. She's talking logical sense will prevail in the lawsuit over her name.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And so they. Estate Lauder Co. Launched a high court proceedings over a collab between Joe Loves and Zara over the use of Malone's name on the packaging and is seeking more than £200,000 in damages.

[A]

This is quite the pickle.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Because I can see it from Joe Malone, the company's point of view, where publicly it looks like they are doing a collab with Zara.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Whereas they don't have their hands on it at all.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So they're probably like, well, that's confusing and that's a trademark issue. I know that. Is that to use the same name, it's. It's considered confusion in the market and that is a trademark infringement. So I can see it from their point of view, but I'm always for the underdog and the indie brand. So I also see it from her point of view where she's probably like, how dare you?

[B]

Right.

[A]

I already gave you my name, but I don't know that that truly will stand up in court. Yeah, I know. Unfortunately.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So, yeah, you guys weigh in, in the comments. What do you Think.

[B]

And have you tried any of the Zara and Joe Malone collabs? And Zara right now is so interesting to me because they've just tapped, you know, John Galliano to do archival Zara.

[A]

Right.

[B]

You know, so it's like, what. First of all, what's archival Zara?

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

What are we tapping into? What are the designs? Are they really unique or. He's going to be re inspired from the house of Zara from 20 years ago.

[A]

Did Zara ever have its own DNA look? I mean, it's not like. It's not like Coco Chanel with her

[B]

jersey story and beige and the color.

[A]

You know what I mean? It's like they were knocking fashion from day one.

[B]

Yeah. And then we need to talk about Devil Wears product, too.

[A]

Yeah, we do. So I did some research to try to figure out what makeup they used on set, all of that. And apparently, it's just a l' Oreal takeover.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Yeah. So l' Oreal and Lancome, they almost, like, bought the rights. I think that this is a sign of our times because we've talked about the product placement in these movies, right? The fact that we've. They've become super, super blatant where you see the product in the. In the frame. And so l', Oreal, I think that they first started doing ads in during the Oscars. Kendall Jenner was in it. There was another character from Devil Wears Product Story. And then Lancome, they are doing, you know, the new line that we were introduced to at the American Academy of Dermatology.

[B]

It's called the Absolute Longevity MD line.

[A]

That's right. And so they're using that mito pure ingredient that was in timeline, or that is in timeline. And so they basically bought that company, Timeline, and then took that ingredient and put it into this new line from Lancome. So that is like the star line in. In this movie. And so I read that they are. They actually partnered with Ryan Reynolds Company, which I forget the name of now, to do all of the promotion around.

[B]

He is kind of like a guerrilla marketing.

[A]

Almost exactly. So what they're trying to do now is like this, right? So there's like this 360 approach now where they're doing beyond product placement, where it's like, it's on the red carpet at the premiere. It's in the movie. Like, however gorilla, they can find ways to make this happen. It's like, look, see this poster that I'm showing you? Everybody wants this. And it's like Lancome And Devil Wears Prada within the same poster.

[B]

Iconic heel with the devil for.

[A]

With the devil heels. And, like, if you read the press release, it's like the head executive, vice president, marketer who's like. They're talking about how exciting it is that they're doing this big three. So basically, it's the idea that they're going even further. Like, these complaints that we've had about, literally, the actor is holding the product is. This is getting even more blown up.

[B]

They have Miranda Priestly go. That's all. Yeah, that's all.

[A]

Exactly. That's the news on Devil Wears product.

[B]

Yeah. Well, I just. I'm very curious to see. I haven't seen it yet. To see how it will hold up 20 years later. And this really was the golden age glory days of magazine. So what is Runway magazine in 2026? Right. I'm curious to see how they play that out. And the fact that Anna Winter, 25 years ago. Sorry, whenever the movie came out, initially, she was like Lauren Weisberger, who, like, pretended she didn't know her.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And now it's a cover opportunity with Vogue. Did you see that?

[A]

No.

[B]

Miranda Priestley.

[A]

Oh, right. Yeah.

[B]

And Anna are on the COVID of Vogue.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

Playing right into it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Did you ever think, guess what probably

[A]

the first ad is when you open it? Lancomer. L', Oreal, baby. Yeah. This is what I'm talking about. They probably bought that cover.

[B]

Of course, it's a bit bastardized. But I'm curious to. I'll still go watch it. I'll absolutely still watch it. To see what. What they're talking about.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

At Runway magazine. So. Very interesting.

[A]

Okay, so, Jill, as we all know, the body care category has completely exploded in the past year. I feel like I'm getting a press kit a week about a new body care brand that has launched. And we know that this is really being driven by the skinification of body care trends.

[B]

Well, we have skin from head to toe.

[A]

Exactly. And I think that's the whole idea is, like, why does our body need to be left out from textural innovations and, like, the sensorial gorgeousness and the benefits that we get. There was actually a headline in business of fashion the other day. Who will be the next asap?

[B]

Ooh.

[A]

Talking about how there are so many challenger luxury brands now, and they're vying for space at Luxury Hot to try to, you know, get their buy in and all of that, but the prices are over the top now. So, like, a luxury body wash, maybe you'd pay $50.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And these days, like, I don't know if you've seen it is $90 U.S. wow. Like, in this economy, what is happening? So Dove asked us to talk about their new serum plus oil body wash. I'm holding it here.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And I was like, heck, yes. Because with these prices going on, we need to talk about what's happening in this new category that's, like, premium accessible beauty. So it's mass brands that are basically just stepping it up because they have been doing body care for so long, and they're like, wait a minute. All these brands are stepping in. We have the R and D. We've been doing this for so long. So I feel like they are now rising to the challenge, rising to the occasion.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

A perfect example of this is Dove's new serum plus oil body wash collection. It really taps into that idea of bringing a luxury body care ritual into your everyday routine.

[B]

Oh, yeah, absolutely. It even looks more premium. The bottle, if you want to hold

[A]

it, if you're just listening and not looking at it. The biggest difference here, Jill, it's a cylinder. It's not one of their rectangular bottles. And then it has the gold ring around the top, and at the bottom, you can kind of see through it, and you see this. This beautiful amber. It's like peekaboo fluid inside. So when you. I'm gonna demo it here, Jill. It's.

[B]

I shower. I'm obsessed.

[A]

It's really kind of like a. A thicker version of a body oil, which we all love because it's so nourishing. But what they've done is they've made it kind of like the North American version where it foams up. So it starts out this piece. Beautiful oil, like a serum oil.

[B]

And little goes a long way, by the way.

[A]

Yeah. And it does foam up. So I don't know if you remember this, Jill, but, like, 18 months ago, Tower 28 came out with their cleanser that was an oil to foam.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Remember?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And then a whole bunch of brands did that afterwards, and I was like, this is so genius.

[B]

And in my head, I was like, face cleanser, right?

[A]

Yeah. And I was like, this should be a body product. And I feel like Dove is now doing it with this right.

[B]

We.

[A]

Where you get that luxury. And of course, the thing with a cleansing oil is it's getting. It's moving around. On your face, it would be makeup, but on your body, it's great for sunscreen.

[B]

It's my fave, which is hard, so

[A]

it kind of loosens it. But then as you work it in, it actually lathers up into a foam so that it rinses off without any grease or oil.

[B]

But even if you don't have that on, I've tried this product, and just because I. We're coming out of winter, it's like. It's so scaly. Like, my skin has been so. It's so scaly. And Dove, you know, they're going to be, like, very moisturizing as well. And I definitely get that from this product.

[A]

Yeah. Because it is that oil. So in my hotel room, I was using this in the bath last night because my. My room was so dry.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

My. I could not even wear the silk skirt I wanted to wear. It was stuck to me everywhere.

[B]

Static.

[A]

So I was like, I need to get in the bath and get this oil going. So I was lathering this all over. It is brilliant to shave with.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because it's just like, so. So soft, love. And then it just gives you that radiant look. And part of the reason is it's 50% glycerin in there.

[B]

That's. I'm obsessed with that. We don't see that a lot.

[A]

And it's also, again, another skincare trend. We've been talking about how glycerin is the ultimate humectant, like hyaluronic acid. Who.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Right. So when you look at the inky list, the ingredient list on the side, glycerin is actually the number one ingredient.

[B]

Yeah. Can I say it again?

[A]

Yeah. There's two different versions you can get. There's the Dove Serum plus Radiance oil body wash. And then there's the Dove Serum and Soothing Oil body Wash. That one comforts the skin with almond oil and sandalwood. Whereas the radiance has jojoba and manoi flower.

[B]

The Manoi flower is one of my favorite scents.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Like Tahitian Manoi is in a couple of perfumes that I used to wear constantly.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And it's just, like, very nostalgic for me.

[A]

I'm a sucker for almond oil.

[B]

Oh, interesting.

[A]

Soothing. But they are developed with dermatologists as well. So this is where it's like you get these big brands. Yeah. We have the R D. It's clinically backed, and they are 1497 Canadian for this.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Massive.

[B]

How big is it? Let's see.

[A]

Bottle. So I think it's 500 milliliters.

[B]

It says on the front it's 452.

[A]

Okay, great. So it's like 10 bucks American. So I think that this is the direction where we've seen all these indie body care brands that are, like getting all of the attention. And now what we're seeing is these more accessible premium formulas that are kind of following suit now. So it's great. And you can discover the new Dove Serum Plus Oil Body Wash at dove.com ca now available on Amazon and in stores nationwide. That's www.dov.com ca.

[B]

I love it. Well, we're going to close it out, Carlene, because you talked about a book. Pardon me, I'm the reader of this duo, but what do you. By the way, I'm reading Strangers. Is anybody reading that? The scandalous memoir by Belle Burden. I feel like it's. Every female is talking about it, but what is this French pharmacy book you're talking about?

[A]

So I am so excited to get this book. I have the PDF version. The actual book is on its way to me. It's called the French Skincare Bible.

[B]

Okay. Fantastic.

[A]

What a genius idea this is. Everybody loves French pharmacy skincare, but not everyone can read French. Yeah. To figure out what these things do. So it's like, you know, you look at Tick Tock, you go and do your French pharmacy haul because so and so bought it and it's cool, but you don't really know if it's right for you. So this is really a decoder that explains everything. It explains, like, the history behind French pharmacy products, how they're unique in the market, what have the core principles are. And the best part is that it's written by Dr. Maureen Vincent, who is legitimately a French pharmacist.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And she's the founder of the French pharmacy, which is what? Which is based. It's a store and it's in Marylebone in London.

[B]

Yeah. Okay.

[A]

And so you actually can go and shop there. And now there's an online version as well. So she wrote this book and I think in the UK she's very well respected. She is interviewed a lot. She has blurbs for this book from Nadine Bagot. Oh, yeah, Fantastic Times beauty journalist, she says, super chic, elegant and cram full of beauty expertise and knowledge. She also got a blurb from Matild Thomas, the founder of Coda Le. And so if you want to understand the difference between Larosh Pos and Bo Derma, she really teaches you how to build your skincare routine according to your skin type using French pharmacies.

[B]

And it just launched April 23rd. So hot off the press.

[A]

Yes. Although that was in Europe, the North American version will launch May 5th.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

In the US and in Canada. And I think it's really long awaited and I'd love to have her on our show.

[B]

Yeah. One day. One day. We need to get to London. One final note that I want to end on is just the Alex Earl launching her real active skincare brand. Do you have any. Any thoughts on that?

[A]

Not a lot. I mean, the skin care again, the kaching of it all, like when there's money to be made, they're going to do it. I think that she had a very organic story when it comes to acne because of her journey, but I think the fact that she launched with this whole sexy marketing thing make acne hot again. I think that was a mistake. I think that what she needed to come out with was before and afters. That would be difficult with herself because she's already in the after life, sure of her acne thanks to probably professional treatments and lasers and things like that.

[B]

She did partner with her dermatologist on these formulations, so I think it's brilliant. That's smart.

[A]

I mean, that is. I feel like that's honestly a given at this point.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

If you're going to be a celebrity in 2026 and come out with a skincare line. I think it was unfortunate that she didn't launch with the science first because there's so much skepticism. Like the before and after would have been the thing to do.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Make herself vulnerable and show those befores and the after and then maybe just like talk about the sexy later. If that's your vibe.

[B]

Yeah. I think. Well, she clearly resonated with. With her fans because sales reached the 5 million dollar mark in the first day. So it is absolutely massive. And I personally think that, yes, maybe the imagery and the creative around it wasn't really speaking to me, but she got out in front on social, where it really counts and said, this is why it has shea butter in it. I already knew you were going to say that. And here's why. And then here's my skin journey and here's my skin in 20. Like green screen, March 2021.

[A]

She did a timeline.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Trying to explain when she got off her meds.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Again, it. It was a bit like me think thou dost protest too much. It's like she was ready with that. That the receipts, she knew that they were going to ask because. Yeah, they're going to ask.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I just think it's not a strong way to come out when you're backed into a corner.

[B]

Right.

[A]

That's not the best way to come out. Having said that, as you said, the numbers don't lie.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And that, that is why these celebrity brands will persist because you guys are out there buying them.

[B]

Yeah. Or her fans are. Yeah.

[A]

She's a business person. She's like Kim Kardashian esque. Right.

[B]

Yeah. Dancing with the Stars. They have their own show coming out. I would love to have her on the show. I've talked about her for years.

[A]

Well, then I take back everything that I said and you're welcome.

[B]

I think we could say it. That's the thing about her is I truly do think she can handle herself and she would sit right here and tell you that. Right. And I think that that is the new age of these Gen Z influencers where the knee jerk reaction of a millennial or Gen X, let's let it die down. Not gonna talk about it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Right. We've seen that on our show. People don't want to touch it. If, if like maybe the launch didn't go so well. And then, you know, the lipstick lesbians as well. We talked a little bit about the launch on our show and I just can't believe how this has been so fumbled since we initially talked about it. They are, they're actively real time changing on their website, what their products do, what they're about. No, you do pay. No, you don't. Whatever. So it has been, I think a lot of lessons learned probably for them on their rollout and including they launched a brand and then they went to Korea.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

On a press trip and they, they weren't really like boots on the ground.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

To. And they had this reaction video. They took it down so well.

[A]

If you want to hear the original, we will link to our episode where we talk about that so you can have the backstory. If you love this episode and you want more of these point of view episodes where we get a little bit spicy, we bring you up to date, please let us know. Let's keep it going, you know, let's do it.

[B]

Okay. Well, thank you everyone for tuning in and we will see you next week. Be sure to tune in. And every single thing that we mentioned today we will link to on our website, which is Breaking Beauty podcast dot com. See you next week.

[A]

Thanks for listening. You can find details on every product mentioned in today's episode along with our exclusive promo codes on our blog @breaking beauty podcast.com.

[B]

while you're there, be sure to sign up for our newsletter. Every episode will be delivered directly to your inbox so you won't miss a

[A]

single thing and get social with us. Let us know what you think of the episode. Episode. You can follow us on Instagram at Breaking Beauty Podcast and did you know

[B]

we also have a private Facebook group? Just search Breaking Beauty Podcast chat room.

[A]

You can even leave us a voicemail at any time with questions or feedback at 1-844-227-0302.

[B]

And don't forget to subscribe to us wherever you get your podcast fix. Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts where you can show us some love by R.A. writing a review.

[A]

See you next Wednesday. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

[C]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.

[D]

Whether it's a birthday trip, a family reunion or just a fun getaway, booking a VRBO vacation rental means no worrying about surprises, verbo Care and 247 Life Support. Have your back if something's off. The Loved by guests filter helps you find top rated homes and verified reviews mean real feedback from real VRBO guests so you know exactly what you're booking.

[B]

Honestly, I just booked my VRBO because

[A]

there was a sweet wine fridge.

[D]

Hey, we all have our reasons. Don't walk into a surprise if you know you VRBO terms apply. See vrbo.com trust for details.