Gloss Angeles Podcast Summary
Episode: Celebrating Aging in a Youth-Obsessed Beauty Industry With Julee Wilson
Date: March 3, 2026
Hosts: Kirbie Johnson & Sara Tan
Guest: Julee Wilson (Today Show, Editor, Beauty Expert)
Episode Overview
This episode welcomes influential beauty editor Julee Wilson for a candid, joyful, and deeply insightful discussion about aging in the beauty industry, representation, product obsessions, professional journeys, and the complex cultural narratives around age and beauty. The hosts and guest dig into how beauty professionals are navigating a youth-dominated industry, what “anti-aging” and “longevity” messaging mean (and how they land differently across communities), and celebrate the value, expertise, and power of women in their 40s and beyond.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Julee’s Experience on Michelle Obama’s Podcast
[03:05 - 06:26]
- How Julee Got Involved: Received a mysterious, brief, confidential email—initially suspecting it was a scam—inviting her to chat with Michelle Obama on her podcast.
- Preparation & The Day: Full of emotion, overwhelmed, crying in public from gratitude and nerves. Brought her sister as an assistant.
- On Meeting Michelle: “She’s just everything that you would think...so kind...She walked in and said, ‘Hi Julie’...She’s like, call me Michelle. And I was like, that’s kind of crazy.” (Julee Wilson, 05:37)
- On Industry Sisterhood: Shout out to the beauty editor “blueprint” and mutual respect among seasoned journalists.
2. Current Beauty Product Favorites & Routines
[06:32 - 10:21]
- Julie’s Go-To Products:
- Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm (“Every day.” – 07:02)
- Clean Skin Club cloths: “It’s just more gentle. It's clean.” – 07:30
- Shark Beauty CryoGlow: “I like the aging one and I like the skin clearing one...I will do like three or four [cycles].” – 07:53
- Tool Consistency: The struggle (especially with beauty devices) and praise for Dr. Dennis Gross LED Mask and the Lima laser for visible improvement.
- Trending Ingredients: Manuka honey products, e.g., Activist (“...literally straight Manuka honey. I put it on my face at least two to three times a week and it's really made a difference.” – 15:24)
3. Navigating Beauty, Time, and Spending
[16:25 - 18:57]
- Julie on Spending: “Thankfully, I don’t have to spend much money because [products] gets sent to me...But it’s mostly smaller brands or Black-owned brands. I spend stand 10 toes down on making sure Black and brown, like, brands and founders are celebrated.” (Julie Wilson, 16:33)
- Testing Routine: Constantly AB testing—different mascaras, moisturizers, etc. “I’ll moisturize half of my body with one moisturizer and another with another...I’m AB testing all day.” (17:26)
4. Press Trips and Beauty Industry Friendships
[19:03 - 21:17]
- Industry Adventures: Recounting memorable press trips—Amsterdam, helicoptering to an Icelandic glacier, fancy Paris events (“I’ve not done any of these things with my husband!” – 19:51).
- On Beauty Community Bonds: Real friendships form over these shared professional (and glamorous) experiences.
5. Supermodels, Wellness, and Brand Messaging
[22:10 - 25:04]
- Gisele Bündchen for Garnier: Shift from younger spokespeople (Becky G) to Gisele, with the brand pivoting to wellness and a more mature demographic.
- Industry Worries: “Wellness...tends to lean super conservative. Everything is ‘toxic’ if it’s not clean and white...A little worried about that.” (Sarah, 23:49)
- Longevity vs. Anti-aging: "Longevity feels weird because we don’t have longevity in this life. We will die." (Sarah, 24:41)
6. Aging Narratives – Anti-aging, Longevity, and Cultural Differences
[25:12 - 28:17]
- Black Community’s Take: “We don’t fear age in a way...Black don’t crack. It cracks later and it gets saggy and all of those things, but we don’t fear it...Aging is the goal.” (Julie Wilson, 27:04)
- Role Models: In Black beauty, muses are often older (“You don’t hear our white counterparts being like, ‘Helen Mirren is my muse.’” – 26:06)
- Resisting Ageism: "No, you will see me. Our generation is like, you will not forget us. We're fabulous. We're not going anywhere." (Julie Wilson, 27:29)
7. Language Around Aging in Beauty
[27:44 - 28:22]
- Preferred Terms: Hosts prefer “maintenance” and “prevention”; dislike “pro-aging,” “longevity,” and “mature.”
- On Procedures: “I don’t knock any of these deep plane facelifts...But let's all just calm the fuck down.” (Julie Wilson, 28:18)
8. Visibility & Power of Experienced Beauty Editors
[29:03 - 33:35]
- Owning Age: Julee openly shares her age (mid-40s) on public platforms—pushing back on industry pressure to hide it.
- Demanding Representation: Calls for experienced beauty editors to serve on paid boards of big brands: “We are the true anthropologists that know your brand...If you have 15 people on your board, why aren't at least two or three seats given to people like us?” (Julie Wilson, 32:21)
9. Pat McGrath Labs’ Business Struggles
[33:47 - 41:15]
- Brand Update: The brand has been through bankruptcy and ownership changes; there's concern and hope for its future.
- New Innovations: Excitement about a new liner/lipstick launch from Pat herself (“She’s still out here innovating...her formulations are going to slap.” – 36:06)
- Recent Stumbles: Criticism of odd partnerships (e.g., Candy Crush) and unclear strategy. Hosts want strong business guidance so Pat can remain a visionary.
10. Luxury Beauty and Product Pricing
[41:05 - 43:26]
- Louis Vuitton x Pat McGrath Lipstick: An example of ultra-high price ($160), prompting discussion on value and status in luxury beauty.
- Beauty Archivist: Julee admits she keeps “untouched” beauty products as part of her personal archive, possibly for future generations or posterity.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Representation in Aging:
“Aging is the goal. Do I want to die? It’s a privilege. I want to get old. I want to be old and playing with my grandkids...I want us to celebrate it instead of being like, ‘I guess I got to wrap it up now. I’m not relevant.’ No, you will see me.”
– Julee Wilson (27:04) -
On Inherited Power and Boards:
“If you have 15 people on your board, why aren't at least two or three seats given to people like us?...We are the true anthropologists that know your brand. They can’t tell you what the future of mascara is going to be. We can.”
– Julee Wilson (32:21) -
On Professional Validation & Confidence:
“If you think I’m washed up now, I know more about beauty, about the industry, about how to tell a story than I did 10, 15, 20 years ago. To think about us being over now...I’m at my peak. This is when you want me.”
– Julee Wilson (30:18) -
On Press Trips:
"We have helicoptered to the top of a glacier in Iceland together, and we have stayed at the Ritz together in Paris. Like, I’ve not done any of these things with my husband!”
– Julee Wilson (19:50) -
On Testing and Job Realities:
“I walk around with one mascara on one eye and another on the other...I’ll moisturize half of my body with one moisturizer, another with another. I’m AB testing all day.”
– Julee Wilson (17:26)
Key Timestamps
- [03:05] – Julee tells the Michelle Obama outreach story
- [05:37] – First impressions of Michelle & bringing her sister
- [06:32] – “What’s on your face?” discussion
- [10:21] – Product tool talk and device struggles
- [16:33] – How much time & money Julee spends on beauty
- [19:13] – Most memorable press trips
- [22:10] – Gisele Bündchen as Garnier ambassador & brands' shifting focus
- [25:12] – Language around anti-aging, longevity, and pro-aging in different cultures
- [29:03] – Julee on aging publicly, representation, and campaign experiences
- [32:21] – Experienced editors on corporate boards
- [33:47] – Pat McGrath Labs bankruptcy, business update & product innovation
- [41:05] – Pat McGrath Labs x Louis Vuitton, luxury pricing discourse
Flow and Tone
The episode is a dynamic, honest, and laughter-filled conversation between longtime industry friends. The camaraderie is evident, and the overall tone is celebratory, wise, and occasionally irreverent—especially regarding industry jargon, trends, and the pressures of aging. Storytelling and transparency prevail, giving listeners a behind-the-scenes look at both the business and emotional sides of being veteran beauty editors.
Conclusion
This episode is an essential listen for anyone interested in the intersection of beauty, culture, representation, and the realities (and rewards) of aging in an industry dominated by youth. It highlights the importance of diversity in age, race, and perspective while championing the enduring influence and expertise of women over 40 in shaping beauty’s future.