Breaking Beauty Podcast: "The Brands, Ideas and Products set to Dominate in 2026. Plus: Buffy is Back! Sarah Michelle Gellar On Vamp Nails, Skincare Slays and More 90s Nostalgia"

Hosts: Jill Dunn & Carlene Higgins
Date: January 7, 2026

Episode Overview

Jill and Carlene, longtime beauty editors and hosts of Breaking Beauty, kick off 2026 by peering into the crystal ball to forecast the beauty trends, brands, and ideas poised to dominate the year ahead. The episode is a lively mix of expert predictions, in-depth retail and trend analysis, and a nostalgic yet forward-thinking celebrity interview with Sarah Michelle Gellar—Buffy herself—touching on everything from 90s beauty and fashion to her new skincare partnership with Olay.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Rise of "World Building" in Beauty Brands

• Lifestyle Extension: Brands are moving beyond product into full-on lifestyle, creating immersive worlds their customers want to inhabit.
• Examples:
  • Gucci Westman (Atelier Westman): Known for signature makeup, now expanding into sleepwear ("Italian pajamas"), objets d'art, and accessories. [06:00]
  • Aerin Lauder: Pioneering the lifestyle approach with vanity furniture, dishware, and lighting. [07:10]
  • Summer Fridays x Gap: Sold-out collab moves beyond beauty products to include pajamas, socks, and athleisure. [07:55]
  • Sophie Pavitt: Editor-fave esthetician launches a chic handbag, reflecting founder's background in design. [08:55]

Quote (Carlene, 06:39): "It's going all the way out to, like, fashion and, you know, household living type products that aren't just, like, stuck to grooming or makeup bags."

• Authenticity is Key: Not every brand will succeed—true tastemakers and insiders with genuine taste will set the standard, while inauthentic forays will be quickly spotted and ignored. [11:13]

2. ’90s Nostalgia and Mainstream Comebacks

• Buffy is Back: Hints at a 2.0 reboot, with Sarah Michelle Gellar back in the cultural spotlight as both style icon and "girls' girl" (02:48, 03:08).
• Gap Beauty Returns: The Gap is reviving its beauty line and classic fragrances, aiming to capitalize on the decade’s resurgence and draw in loyalists. [15:07]
• Old Navy’s Entrance: The brand is launching affordable, colorful skincare and bodycare products, embracing youthful, nostalgic packaging. [16:32]
• Possible Brand Ambassadors: Speculation includes up-and-coming talent like rapper Doi, positioning Gap to stand out with fresh, unexpected faces. [17:06]

3. Retail Evolution & New Modes of Selling

• Social Selling & TikTok Shop: Predicted to explode in North America with Gen Z acting as bedroom entrepreneurs recommending products via affiliate links.
• Amazon & Ulta Marketplaces: Both platforms open to small brands; Ulta is focusing on curation, facilitating emerging indie beauty labels to scale without huge inventory. [19:09, 19:31]
• Sephora's Influencer Storefronts: The chain doubles down on influencer partnerships as a dominant marketing strategy. [19:54]

4. K-Beauty & Wellness Tech Convergence

• Beauty-Driven Wellness Tools: Notably, ceramic gua sha tools for the face and scalp and V-line ear seeding kits are trending, blending traditional Eastern approaches with high-tech beauty. [20:43, 22:07]
• "Head Spa" at Home: Editors rave about the ten-prong scalp tool inspired by TikTok's "head spa" content. [21:50]
• V-Line Ear Seeding: Based in TCM, ear acupressure is gaining traction for face-slimming; treatment is becoming mainstream among Korean "girlies." [22:22–24:02]

Quote (Jill, 24:02): "Jello skin, V line ear seed kit—coming in hot."

5. Longevity & Scar Care as the New Beauty Frontier

• Facelift & Scar Care: Major brands like L’Oreal are investing in the booming scar care market, especially for “pat-sumers” (patient-consumers) whose beauty routines cross over into post-surgical and longevity wellness. [25:09–26:54]
• Professional Influence: Skincare educators and derm PAs (physician assistants) are playing a crucial online role, empowering shopper-patients with more sophisticated, treatment-focused routines. [26:54]

Quote (Carlene, 26:07): "Scars are going to become a bigger and bigger issue. And so the Pat Sumer who that who they refer to a consumer who uses their time as an educated medical patient to inform their shopping habits."

6. Sports, Beauty & Athletes as New Muses

• Olympics & Women's Sports: With the 2026 Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup in North America, and WNBA expansion, major beauty brands are collaborating with female athletes and women's teams.
  • Brand Involvement: Sephora with Toronto's WNBA club, Maybelline flying influencers to events, ELF and Revlon with pro women's hockey. [27:54–28:54]
• Empowering New Beauty Icons: Sporting stars like tennis player Victoria Mboko and the push for authentic partnerships are paving the way for more inclusive, strength-focused beauty stories.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• World Building:

  “What I feel cuts through the space right now is building a world that consumers want to be a part of… what used to be merch with beauty brands is now world building, creating more lifestyle products.”
  —Carlene (04:45)

• On Trends Becoming Inauthentic:

  “Do I think that brands are going to try to pretend they’re in this world? Yes, I do. And that’s what I think—it’s going to be a trend.”
  —Carlene (12:01)

• On Mentoring Women:

  “If you have knowledge, then the whole point is to share it and to help people achieve their dreams and figure out what their goals are and how they can achieve them… specifically women to women.” —Sarah Michelle Gellar (36:56, 37:35)

INTERVIEW: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Starts: [36:10]

1. On the Buffy Reboot

• Sarah is playfully tight-lipped about details, sparking excitement about what’s to come.

  “Absolutely nothing. That podcaster’s favorite answer. The answer is always the same. I can tell you nothing.”
  —Sarah Michelle Gellar (36:21)

2. Mentorship & Evolution as an Actress

• She stresses the importance of mentorship on set, especially for younger actors and particularly “women to women.”

  “I had a tougher time when we were coming up because you kind of were on an island. And now the whole idea is to mentor and to share and to support, specifically women to women.”
  —Sarah Michelle Gellar (37:16–37:35)

3. Skincare, Olay Partnership & Routine

• Sarah discusses Olay’s upgraded Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream (now with triple collagen peptide), how it addresses visible aging, and her approach to skincare both at home and on the go.
  • “I've been doing a lot of flying. So I keep it in a little jar that is airplane approved because I don't want them to take away my creams.”
    —Sarah Michelle Gellar (41:31)
  • “You're not going to have the reaction to the active ingredients where you have to use it minimally. You really can bathe your face in it when you need it.” (41:49)
  • Best routine advice: Don't stop skincare at your chin—always include your neck and décolletage (39:36).

4. 90s Beauty Faves & Wildest Trends

• Brows: “The 90s eyebrows. But I didn't know it was a wild trend. It was just—you had thin eyebrows. That's what the 90s were. And now since the 90s, I've been slowly growing them back.” (42:17)
• Nails: Chanel Vamp nail polish as her 90s go-to (47:33)
• Accessories & Bags: Still rocks her original Louis Vuitton Murakami (47:45)
• Headbands: Her favorite accessory, not chokers! (47:14)
• Fragrance: Discovered Parfum de Marley Delina Exclusif from her daughter—now her signature scent. (43:56, 46:04)

5. Fitness, Friendship, & Adult Wellness

• Finds joy and community in fitness classes and at the “Aloe Gym”; credits her evolving wellness routine for both mental and physical health. (37:53–39:14)
• Advocates electrical muscle stimulation for efficient training. (38:24)

6. Approach to Makeup & Motherhood

• Prefers sheer coverage that lets skin show through (“I have little freckles. I want you to see them.” [45:23]).
• Microblade brows; even tried Rogaine for regrowth post-90s trends. (45:33)
• Discusses educating her daughter on skincare—right products for the right reasons—and suggests Olay should do a line for younger girls. (46:08–46:52)

Quote: “I always want to be the best me. I don't want to put pressure with a specific goal. For me, it's just always being open to learning and being present.”
—Sarah Michelle Gellar (48:40)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:44 – Hosts intro/episode premise & 2026 forecasting
• 04:05 – World building and lifestyle expansion in beauty
• 07:55 – Merchandise, collaborations, and authenticity in trends
• 15:07 – Gap and Old Navy launching/reviving beauty products
• 17:06 – Dream ambassadors for Gap Beauty (e.g., Doi)
• 19:09 – Social selling, TikTok Shop, and beauty retail marketplaces
• 20:43 – K-Beauty, at-home wellness tech, V-line ear seeding
• 25:09 – L’Oréal and the growth of the scar care/longevity sector
• 27:54 – Olympics, WNBA, female athletes as beauty partners
• 36:10 – SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR INTERVIEW begins
• 39:25 – Sarah’s detailed skincare routine and Olay insights
• 43:56 – Signature scent; fragrance and red carpet prep
• 47:01 – Rapid-fire 90s favorites round
• 48:40 – Sarah’s mantra and goals for 2026

Tone & Style

The episode balances witty banter and industry gravitas, with plenty of nostalgia for 90s beauty and a palpable sense of anticipation for what’s ahead. Sarah Michelle Gellar’s segment is candid, fun, and personal, reflecting the relaxed yet expert-driven vibe of the hosts.

Summary Takeaways

• 2026 will see beauty brands building worlds, not just products—only authentic, tastemaker founders will succeed.
• ’90s nostalgia and return of retro brands/products will fuel the year.
• The lines between beauty, wellness, and lifestyle continue to blur—expect more at-home pro tools, longevity treatments, and care for surgical/invasive trends.
• Social and digital selling will democratize beauty entrepreneurship, and athletes will be the new beauty muses.
• Sarah Michelle Gellar remains a timeless icon, embracing both classic 90s beauty and today’s most innovative formulas, all while mentoring the next gen—on screen and off.