Gloss Angeles Podcast Summary

Episode: Celebrity Ambassadors Galore, Brand Closures, and an Early Halloween Surprise
Air Date: September 30, 2025
Hosts: Kirbie Johnson & Sara Tan

Overview

In this lively and engaging episode, veteran beauty journalists and Gloss Angeles co-hosts Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan delve into major headlines shaking up the beauty industry. The conversation covers:

• The phenomenon of celebrity ambassador overload, with playful and sharp commentary on recent high-profile partnerships
• The spate of celebrity beauty brands either shuttering or showing signs of strain, and candid reflections on why this continues to happen
• An early Halloween treat with an in-depth review and nostalgia trip through Lush’s new Halloween collection
• Discussion of surprising ambassador choices, like Leighton Meester for the Gen Z brand Bubble, plus a behind-the-scenes look at industry events and product launches

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A Car for Beauty Lovers — The Lexus Glam LX

• [00:51–03:46] The show begins with a fun, tongue-in-cheek exploration of a viral concept: a luxury car customized for beauty enthusiasts. With features like a UV LED nail bar, refrigerated makeup compartments, and power outlets for styling tools, Sara shares the link with Kirbie.
  • Kirbie: “Are they living in the car? Is this real?...It’s like a closet, a dream closet with a vanity. And it’s pink!” [02:02]
  • The segment doubles as commentary on the intersection of luxury, beauty, and influencer culture, with musings about collaborations for events like BravoCon, or even an officially branded “Wicked” edition.

2. Lush Halloween Collection & Bath Bomb History

• [03:47–09:24] Sara quizzes Kirbie on bath bomb trivia and they geek out over Lush's annual Halloween product drop (spoiler: Lush sent them the whole line).
  • The bath bomb was invented in 1989 by Lush co-founder Mo Constantine. “It’s Taylor Swift years old!” [04:24]
  • Both rave about “Ghosty” bath bomb (“hand pressed over 270,000 times last year!” [05:53]), the monster octopus shower jelly, the Lord of Misrule collection, and new skincare offerings (blood orange lip scrub, Mr. Pumpkin fresh face mask, Bootiful under eye pads).
  • They praise Lush’s enduring sustainability (“Lush has been sustainable for, like, ever — before it was popular.” [09:15]) and its values-driven business ethics.
  • Kirbie: “Halloween in general is a good gateway to Lush. If you haven’t [tried it].” [07:23]

3. Celebrity Brand Ambassador Explosion

• [09:56–12:26] The hosts dissect the current deluge of celebrity partnerships, especially at MAC:
  • Doja Cat and Kris Jenner are both newly minted MAC faces.
  • Kris’s foundation campaign rollout started in black-and-white—an odd choice.
    • Kirbie: “She was promoting a foundation...babe, I need to see color. I need to see the shade match.” [10:38]
  • MAC shifts under a new creative director, leaning into its classic products and big personalities.

4. RIP: Flower Beauty & Give – The Ongoing Celebrity Brand Shakeout

• [12:49–15:10]
  • Drew Barrymore’s Flower Beauty and Gwen Stefani’s Give are both rumored/finally confirmed to be shutting down (“I was told by multiple people that Give is officially dead.” [13:43]).
  • The hosts discuss why many celebrity brands falter: a lack of ongoing commitment, outsized expectations, and weak alignment between the founder’s persona and branding.
  • Sara: "In order for a beauty brand to succeed under a celebrity, they need to be involved and invested. And it was clear she just had other priorities, and that's fine." [13:29]

5. Who’s Next To Fold? The Celebrity Brand ‘Welfare Check’

• [15:11–18:05]
  • The hosts jokingly run through other celebrity beauty brands with uncertain futures (Ariana Grande's REM Beauty seemingly going strong; Key Soul Care still present but not highly visible; Ciara’s defunct venture) and speculate on industry trends.
  • Kirbie: “Harry Styles came out with the vibrator, ...are you okay?” [15:21]
  • Macy’s Fall VIP sale gets a quick spotlight, with fragrance and skincare recommendations thrown in.

6. New Ambassador News: Miley Cyrus for Maybelline

• [19:11–20:26]
  • Miley’s surprise reveal as Maybelline’s new celebrity face is discussed.
  • The hosts note her relative absence from previous beauty campaigns and reminisce about her earlier MAC partnership.
    • Sara: “I love that...maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s Maybelline!” [19:27]
  • Maybelline’s upcoming product launches and brand preview event are teased.

7. Kim Kardashian’s Beauty Moves: Skin by Kim Sunsets

• [20:26–23:21]
  • The hosts unpack the business saga: Skin by Kim is acquired and shut down; a possible “Skimcare” rebrand is predicted.
    • Kirbie: “If they call it Skimcare, are you going to be like, where is my check?” [21:41]
  • They discuss the Kardashian-Jenner beauty ecosystem, including Skims, Kylie Cosmetics (“Kylie Cosmetics is 10 now. And Kylie’s only 28. Isn’t that bonkers to think about?” [23:17]), and new fragrance brand KAI.

8. KVD Beauty’s Acquisition & Revival

• [23:21–26:22]
  • Windsong Global acquires KVD Beauty, with Teresa Low named president.
  • The hosts reflect on the brand’s viral hits (like Good Apple Foundation) and what’s next, pitching the return of cult-fave products:
    • Kirbie: “Tlo, please...bring back the Cake eyeliner pencil from KVD!” [23:43]
  • Teresa’s plans to double down on eye products in 2026 are previewed.
    • Sara, reading Teresa’s quote: “Next year will be the year of the eye...We know it’s been lit for the last few years with brands leaning into lip gloss bombs...we see trend back into bold artistry.” [26:01]

9. Celebrity Ambassadors Gone Awry: Bubble Skincare Taps Leighton Meester

• [26:56–38:11]
  • Perhaps the episode’s most contentious topic: Bubble, a Gen Z-focused skincare line, names Leighton Meester (age 39, best known as Blair Waldorf) its first celebrity ambassador.
  • Both hosts question the logic of the move:
    • Sara: “Do they know who she is?” [27:12]
    • Kirbie: “I do think it’s really odd that you have a celebrity that’s almost 40 as the first face of your brand...I don’t even think it’s five years old, and already you’re kind of, like, abandoning ship and moving upwards.” [31:29]
  • They examine Bubble's founder’s defense of the strategy (appealing to a wider age range, signaling clinical efficacy to skeptical older consumers).
  • The tension between packaging, generational targeting, and authenticity comes up repeatedly:
    • Kirbie: “This is giving: we’re trying to be something to everyone...I want them to just stick to it and let me find things [I like].” [34:01]
    • Sara: “I guess we’ll see if this partnering with Leighton attracts a newer audience.” [35:09]
  • Both hosts brainstorm more on-brand choices (e.g., Brenda Song, Ashley Tisdale, Miranda Cosgrove) that might better resonate with aging Gen Z.

10. Luxury Partnerships That Do Make Sense: Nicole Kidman for Clé de Peau Beauté

• [35:23–36:06]
  • Reflecting on a recent gala event, Kirbie and Sara contrast Bubble’s strategy with the elegance and alignment of Clé de Peau Beauté’s Nicole Kidman partnership:
    • Sara: “To me, a luxury skincare brand of that caliber partnering with Nicole Kidman — that makes sense to me.” [35:45]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s Taylor Swift years old, and it was invented by Lush’s co-founder, Mo Constantine.” – Sara, on bath bombs [04:24]
• “Halloween in general is a good gateway to Lush. If you haven’t [tried it].” – Kirbie [07:23]
• “She was promoting a foundation…babe, I need to see color. I need to see the shade match.” – Kirbie, on Kris Jenner’s campaign [10:38]
• “In order for a beauty brand to succeed under a celebrity, they need to be involved and invested.” – Sara [13:29]
• “Harry Styles came out with the vibrator… are you okay?” – Kirbie, about Harry’s beauty/lifestyle brand’s odd product drop [15:21]
• “If they call it Skimcare, are you going to be like, where’s my check?” – Sara, about Kim Kardashian's beauty pivot [21:41]
• “Tilo, please… bring back the Cake eyeliner pencil from KVD!” – Kirbie [23:43]
• “Do they know who she is?” – Sara, on Bubble choosing Leighton Meester as ambassador [27:12]
• “This is giving: we’re trying to be something to everyone…” – Kirbie, on Bubble’s shifting target customer [34:01]
• “To me, a luxury skincare brand of that caliber partnering with Nicole Kidman—like that makes sense to me.” – Sara [35:45]

Episode Highlights by Timestamp

| Timestamp | Topic / Quote | |---------------|-----------------| | 00:51–03:46 | The Lexus Glam LX “dream car” for beauty lovers — a luxury meets beauty moment | | 04:24 | Bath bombs: invented in 1989 by Mo Constantine (“It’s Taylor Swift years old!”) | | 05:53 | “Ghosty” bath bomb: hand-pressed 270,000+ times last year | | 09:56–12:26 | Celebrity ambassador surge — from Doja Cat and Kris Jenner at MAC to wild campaign choices | | 12:49–15:10 | Brand closures: farewell to Flower Beauty and Give; celeb brands need deep involvement | | 15:21 | “Harry Styles came out with the vibrator…” — Kirbie | | 19:11–20:26 | Miley Cyrus named new Maybelline ambassador | | 20:26–23:21 | Skin by Kim’s shutdown and speculation on “Skimcare” rebrand | | 23:21–26:22 | KVD Beauty acquired; calls for return of beloved discontinued products | | 26:56–38:11 | Deep dive: Bubble Skincare’s “off-brand” choice of Leighton Meester (39) to target teens/tweens | | 35:23–36:06 | Clé de Peau Beauté × Nicole Kidman: a perfect luxury ambassador matchup |

Final Thoughts

This episode is a must-listen for anyone following the ongoing shakeups in beauty from the vantage of both business and pop culture. Kirbie and Sara blend insider knowledge, sharp wit, and deep love for the industry to deliver astute analysis—whether poking fun at bonkers concept cars or holding brands accountable for odd ambassador choices. Their conversation is peppered with quotable insights, genuine product recs, and the kind of “behind-the-gloss” perspective that makes Gloss Angeles a favorite among beauty insiders and fans alike.