Did This Beverly Hills Esthetician Irreparably Burn a Client? Plus Sephora’s Tween Brand, Ulta Parties & EU’s Gel Ban

Summary

Gloss Angeles Podcast Summary

Episode: Did This Beverly Hills Esthetician Irreparably Burn a Client? Plus Sephora’s Tween Brand, Ulta Parties & EU’s Gel Ban
Hosts: Kirbie Johnson & Sara Tan
Date: September 9, 2025

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Overview

In this episode, long-time beauty journalists Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan dive into a whirlwind of current beauty news and controversies. They bring their signature informed, witty perspective to:

• The viral story of a Beverly Hills esthetician accused of severely burning a client
• Tween and teen trends in beauty retail (Sephora’s new line, Ulta birthday parties)
• The recent EU ban on a common gel nail polish ingredient and its implications
• Rhode’s splashy launch at Sephora
  The conversation is peppered with humor, personal anecdotes, and industry-insider insights, making it both engaging and sharply informative.

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Show Highlights & Key Discussion Points

1. Shart Survival Kit (Icebreaker)

[00:38–05:10]

• Kirbie pitches Sara a hypothetical: Would she agree to be the public face of the “Shart Survival Kit” for a lifetime of perks?
• The “Shart Survival Kit” is a real, trending gag gift from TikTok Shop, featuring items like “Oopsie Poopsie Disposable Undies.”
• Sara reveals she’s almost used her kids’ Baby Bjorn potty in public:

  “I have almost had to use my children’s Baby Bjorn potty that we keep in the front...I haven’t had to use it yet. But I have. I’m not above it.” — Sara [03:45]

• Lighthearted banter about bodily functions, dating, and social media embarrassing moments.

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2. Ulta’s Tween Birthday Party Program

[05:10–09:57]

• Ulta is now offering in-store birthday parties targeting the tween/teen demographic.
  • Includes guided skincare, mini makeovers, games, giveaways, and goodie bags valued at $100+.
  • Base price: $42/guest, minimum 4 guests, some stores allow up to 12.
  • Parents can bring their own cake and partywear; party planner must be 21+.
• Kirbie and Sara see this as smart branding, but wonder about potential impacts on the usual shopping experience (i.e., “Will Ulta stores turn into Chuck E. Cheese?”).

  “I don’t necessarily mind if I see kids there...But I also don’t want it to be like, again, a Chuck E. Cheese environment.” — Kirbie [07:30]

• Reddit feedback: Many like the idea for teaching age-appropriate skincare and preventing misinformation from TikTok.

Memorable Comparison:

• Sara: “It reminds them of the modern age Libby Lou” [08:51]

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3. Sephora’s ‘Sincerely Yours’ – A Skincare Line for Teens

[09:57–15:34]

• Sephora launches its first skincare line for teens: Sincerely Yours, fronted by 15-year-old gymnast/YouTuber Salish Matter.
• Products: Cleanser, serum mist, moisturizer, SPF 30 sunscreen. Packaging is trendy and reminiscent of Touchland hand sanitizers—a nod to what's popular among tweens.
• Kirbie consults cosmetic chemists who are “impressed with the formulations” [11:53].
• The hosts reflect on how teens' preferences in beauty differ from fashion, noting that while fashion tends to segment by age, beauty often strives for inclusion with adult brands.
• Question raised: “Do teens want something made for them, or to be part of the larger beauty conversation?” [12:15]

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4. EU Ban on TPO in Gel Nail Polish

[15:36–22:12]

• The European Union recently banned TPO (a gel polish photo initiator), sparking viral panic and misinformation online (“Gel manicures are banned!”).
  • Clarification: Only TPO, a specific ingredient, is banned—not all gel polish or gel manicures.
• Guest industry experts—including Allure writer Marci Robin and nail artist Fariha Ali—explain:
  • Most high-end and Japanese/Korean salon brands already use TPO-free formulas.
  • The EU bans ingredients based on “hazard,” while the US regulates based on “risk”—the US does not currently ban TPO.
• Kirbie sets the record straight:

  “Chances are, if you are going to a nail salon and getting your nails done, you are probably using a TPO-free gel, according to Fariha.” — Kirbie [17:51]

• Hosts urge listeners not to fall for fearmongering. Most safety concerns stem from ingesting the ingredient or from animal studies.

  “So gel polishes containing TPO will likely continue being available in the US. But that does not mean those who get gel manicures or those who provide them need to panic.” — Sara (quoting Marci Robin) [20:09]

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5. The Beverly Hills Esthetician Controversy: Sonia Dakar

[22:15–34:18]

The Allegation

• Victoria Nelson posted a TikTok claiming that Beverly Hills esthetician Sonia Dakar burned her face during a peel, causing lasting hypopigmentation and scarring.
• Victoria was a long-term, loyal client and trusted Dakar due to past success treating her acne.
• During one appointment, Sonia suggested an unexplained peel. Victoria experienced immediate pain; product spilled on her eyebrow and nearly reached her eye; anesthesia-like white patches revealed actual skin damage.

  “She thought the white spots on her face were cream or lotion...but that was her skin.” — Kirbie [25:04]

• Over two years, Victoria states she spent $40,000 at the clinic for “fixes,” including microneedling (illegally, as Dakar is not a medical professional authorized for this in CA), with no improvement.

Host Investigation & Legal Backdrop

• Kirbie fact-checked with metadata and legal records; confirmed:
  • Victoria filed a medical malpractice complaint in March 2024, dismissed “with prejudice” in May 2024 (likely a legal settlement; Victoria unable to speak further on it).
  • Sonia Dakar has a prior disciplinary history:
    • 2008: Bit a state inspector during clinic inspection (admitted to allegations, served probation to reinstate license).
    • 2020: Employees sued for workplace discrimination; settlement reached 2024.
• The hosts call attention to open questions:
  • What exact peel was used? Was Dakar authorized?
  • Why was Victoria charged further for corrective treatments?
  • What does the legal outcome mean for both parties’ public statements?
• Kirbie’s stance:

  “This is almost a come to Jesus, if you will, for Sonia. Because like we’ve just mentioned, her reputation precedes her.” — Kirbie [33:22]

Context & Community Reaction

• Social media backlash: Yelp posted a “media advisory” for Dakar’s clinic due to review bombing after the TikTok went viral.
• Sara: “We have heard many stories. She doesn’t have the best reputation, obviously.” [32:59]

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6. Rhode x Sephora: Major Retail Launch

[34:18–36:48]

• Hailey Bieber’s Rhode skincare line entered all Sephora US stores with a splashy display and custom “gondola” shelving, causing massive sellouts within 45 minutes at the LA flagship.
• Kirbie notes: Some brands might be “jealous and pissed at how much attention” Rhode receives, but sees the big-picture benefit of increased store traffic for all brands.
• Sara: Placement next to Rhode is “lucky day” for neighboring brands.

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Notable Quotes

• “[Ulta has] really smartly positioned it as a beauty-themed celebration—a party where you learn about skincare, get a makeover, and walk away with $100+ in products as a tween.” — Sara [05:14]
• “Do teens want something that’s made for their generation, or are they wanting to be a part of the larger beauty conversation? I don’t know.” — Kirbie [12:15]
• “Gel manicures themselves are not being banned...TPO will already be phased out quickly with so many alternatives.” — Fariha Ali (via Kirbie) [17:51]
• “If you’re microneedling, where is your medical professional?… If you did get this dismissed and got paid, why bring this up again?” — Kirbie [28:27], [33:22]
• “I would never step foot in her spa having seen Victoria’s face.” — Kirbie [32:43]
• “It does violate the settlement… but I feel like she owed it to [others] to warn them.” — Sara [28:46]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Ulta’s Tween Birthday Parties: [05:10–09:57]
• Sephora’s Sincerely Yours Teen Skincare Line: [09:57–15:34]
• EU TPO Gel Nail Ban: [15:36–22:12]
• Beverly Hills Esthetician Controversy (Sonia Dakar): [22:15–34:18]
• Rhode x Sephora Retail Launch: [34:18–36:48]

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Tone and Style

The episode effortlessly blends facts and industry context with playful banter and candid admissions—they are both beauty insiders and “everywoman” confiding in listeners. Both Kirbie and Sara remain inquisitive, measured, and empathetic, especially when addressing touchy or controversial topics.

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Final Takeaway

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants a well-researched rundown of the week’s beauty hot topics, particularly those who want cultural context, skepticism toward online hysteria, and insight into the rarely-discussed downsides of influencer beauty culture. Kirbie & Sara set themselves apart with their fact-checked approach and willingness to ask uncomfortable but necessary questions.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

G L A M. Los Angeles.

[C]

Hi, Kirby.

[B]

Hi, Sarah.

[C]

Welcome to Los Angeles.

[B]

Sarah, I have a proposition for you.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

You will get five grand spending money every month for the rest of your life.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Child's tuition, both of them paid for in full, including monthly stipends for them, so you and Matt do not have to provide it.

[C]

Love that.

[B]

New cars every two years.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

A pill that will keep you 38 forever.

[C]

Great.

[B]

And a magical serum that will keep your parents alive forever as well.

[C]

Oh, great.

[B]

Okay. All you have to do is recite this exact video and be the public face of this thing for the next 20 years. And when I say the public face of it, I mean billboards, I mean national commercials, at the Super Bowl. I mean all of it. Okay. Are you ready?

[C]

Okay. It's hard to shoot myself in public.

[B]

And not knowing what to do.

[C]

Hello.

[B]

Shark Survival kit chart happens. Be prepared. I didn't even. I've never even seen this.

[C]

Oh, it's for real.

[B]

Kit comes with the Oopsie Poopsie Disposable Undies, the Browntown Tissue Pack Clean Booty Wipes Instructional Care Card. I started. Now what? And then the Shart survival bag. It says, we're number one in number two.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[B]

The Image.

[C]

Chocolate Mudslide.

[B]

Fun fact. I ordered these off a TikTok shop. My first TikTok shop purchase was the Shart attack. For me. Well, for a lot of people, actually. I think it'd be an amazing gag gift for, like, I saw this, and I was crying, laughing, and I don't know if I engaged with it on accident, but every five videos, it's someone saying about these shark kits.

[C]

Oh, my God. Answer is yes. Answer is yes.

[B]

But think about, like, your husband taking you to things, and they're like, you look so cool. Are you the shark? You're the shart girl, and you're like, no sharts on my watch. No shart attacks on my watch.

[C]

Seems pretty useful. And yes, sign me up. Are they looking for an ambassador, literally.

[B]

Are they doing paid partnerships? Listen, you might be getting some commission off a TikTok shop. It's called the funny shart survival kit.

[C]

So is it a gag gift or.

[B]

It is, but it's real.

[C]

Oh, it's real.

[B]

And it, like, one of the things is Browntown tissue pack makes me LOL. I'm like, this is crazy. It's 15% off right now.

[C]

Wait, how much is it?

[B]

$33.14.

[C]

That's a little pricey.

[B]

I'm just like, someone decided that we needed a shark kit, and now people are selling this on TikTok shop. And literally, like, I'm not kidding. Videos from creators. This person has 140,000 likes.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[B]

People are loving 180,000 likes.

[C]

I mean, Kirby knows my stories, and I have almost had to use the my children's baby Bjorn potty that we.

[B]

Keep in the front. I cannot believe you're revealing this on the same.

[C]

That's all I'm gonna say.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

I haven't had to use it yet.

[B]

You haven't, But. But I have.

[C]

I'm not above it. Listen, I'll just tell you that.

[B]

Listen, if anybody really wanted to blackmail us, our text message chains are scary. And she knows some things.

[C]

Everybody poops. Everybody poops.

[B]

That's actually what I've been thinking about. I mean, I love that we're now talking about pooping, but, like, I. You know, as I start dating again, I'm like, how do you.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Poop in front of a new person? Or like, where.

[C]

That's probably the most stressful part of the dating experience.

[B]

Okay. Like, I can't eat this. Cause I don't want to be able. You know, I don't want to wake up in the morning.

[C]

Yeah. It's like you sleep over.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[C]

It's like, usually is your bowel movement in the morning. Do you have to get out or.

[B]

No. Right.

[C]

Or are you bringing, like, a little.

[B]

Potpourri spray and, like, a sound machine? What are you doing?

[C]

Turn the water on.

[B]

Totally.

[C]

Hopefully they have maybe two bathrooms.

[B]

You could use the other one. No. Literally, I'm like, I hope this person has, like, a guest bath. Yeah. Like a half bath downstairs or something that I can just, like, creep out to, you know, freshen up. And then I'll come back upstairs and they'll think I just, like, got ready. Yeah.

[C]

You woke up like that.

[B]

Totally. Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

[C]

Well, you'll have to do it on much thing.

[B]

Much to think about. Much to think about. I'll bring the shark kit here for Christmas. We can unbox it together.

[C]

Can't wait.

[B]

Okay, we have a lot of news. I didn't know about this. Sarah, this is very exciting.

[C]

I know. So I just learned about this. You can have a birthday party at Ulta and they're specifically targeting tween and teenage girls. Very smart. So they're positioning it as like fun beauty themed celebration. So think of it as like, you know, you're bringing your girlfriends to like a beauty salon and you get, you know, to play with some new makeup. But it's at Ulta, which is like so much fun. So you get guided skincare sessions, mini makeovers, there's games, giveaways. Each guest gets a party bag valued at over $100.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

And it's curated towards, like, younger attendees. You could do add ons, you know, styling services, getting braids, things like that. And it's. The base cost is $42 per guest.

[B]

Wow. That's pretty good. I feel like that's actually really cool.

[C]

When you walk away with a gift bag of over $100.

[B]

And it says you can do a minimum of four guests. Some locations may be able to accommodate 12. You know that the luxe Rolls Royce option will be someone's parents shutting down after hours.

[C]

The one in Texas?

[B]

Yes, the one with the Chanel wall.

[C]

That's where Kirby's gonna have her birthday party.

[B]

Yes, yes. So it says that guests can bring their own cake, snack, drinks, and party wear. So it's not like Ulta will handle all. It's not like a all inclusive birthday situation. Like a Chuck E. Cheese. Yeah.

[C]

Yes, exactly. But you still get to. I mean, you can bring your own cake and party wear and things like that.

[B]

Great.

[C]

And then you also get 20% off as part of the birthday celebration offer. Amazing.

[B]

Smart.

[C]

You have to be at least. I read that on the website the party planner has to be at least 21 years old. So you can't plan this, like for your friend. If you're a tween, you need an adult.

[B]

Yes. And you have to be of legal drinking age. Apparently. You can't be like an 18 year old college kid planning the party.

[C]

Right, Right.

[B]

Interesting. I wonder how this is going to play out. Do you know how long this has been around?

[C]

I honestly think it's new. Okay. I think that they just launched this program. I think it's really smart. But yeah, to your point, like, is it gonna interfere with like the shopping experience?

[B]

Because I know that there's also a lot of conversation, especially Between Sephora and Ulta about the Sephora tween craze and like, these stores being overrun with children. As an adult, I don't necessarily mind if I see kids there. I think it's kind of funny. But I also don't want, like to be like, again, a Chucky environment or.

[C]

Like, the sampler's gone because they shoplifted them.

[B]

Yeah. So maybe they are sequestering them to a certain part. Well, I'm sure.

[C]

Right, like.

[B]

But I'm just trying to think about where would it be?

[C]

Like, would it be at the. At the salon?

[B]

Maybe it is at the salon and you can reserve a specific time. Also, it's like, how many parties can you accommodate a day, a week? How fast are these going to fill up?

[C]

Let's see. I'm like gonna sign in to book. Let's see if I can.

[B]

Oh, wow. Okay. For Zoe.

[C]

For Zoe. There we go. The party is 75 to 90 minutes.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And I'm sure they space it out, so you probably just have to like, plan ahead.

[B]

This is going to be a core memory for some people.

[C]

Okay. So I looked on Reddit and people, people were talking about this and some people were like, really in favor of it. Someone said, honestly, given all the misinformation for kids, teens on skincare you see on TikTok, I do really like the idea of having a fun little party to promote age appropriate items and how to use them. And then someone said that it reminds them of the modern age. Libby Lou.

[B]

I think that we were too old for Libby Lou.

[C]

Yeah. Were we too old?

[B]

Yeah, I think it was maybe something.

[C]

Like sort of like a justice limited to, but for beauty.

[B]

Yeah. Because I think Libby Lou was after. I mean, Libby Lou is still around, I guess. Oh, it closed in 2009. It said that in August 2000.

[C]

Oh, I mean, I'm looking just based.

[B]

Off something that popped. Yeah. Okay. It was founded 2000 and it closed in 2009. Yeah. So it was definitely something that was like we were basically phasing out of limited to when Libby Lou.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And it was called Club Libby.

[C]

But I think that the difference here is that like a 14 year old probably wouldn't have wanted to have a birthday at Libby Lou. Like maybe Zoe would like a five year old. They wanna have it at Ulta. Yeah, like they wanna show if you're.

[B]

A tween, you're like, adults are shopping. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I think this is very smart. I love it.

[C]

Oh my gosh. I would also then like give the birthday person. Like a shopping spree, you know?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

You're like, you have two minutes to run around the store.

[B]

Everything in your bag. Oh, my gosh, how much fun.

[C]

That would be.

[B]

So fun. Speaking of tweens at beauty retailers, we'd be remiss not to mention that Sephora now has their very first teenage focused skincare line, which has launched officially as of this past Saturday. It's called Sincerely Yours. And we gotta shout out Jovi.

[C]

Our little Jovi.

[B]

Our little Jovi. You guys know we're in lovers. Guess what? She was on the podcast and she got a job at Sincerely Yours from that podcast. So we are looking, we are looking for a new social media manager. If you happen to be a college senior and are looking for opportunities or.

[C]

Maybe you just graduated and you have some experience in social. Who doesn't at this point if you.

[B]

Know how to cut a mean social video? And we don't have to tell you that you got a typo in your caption.

[C]

Yeah. You know what's trending? The sounds come to us. The formats, please.

[B]

We will get you a full time job. We will. I mean, proof is Jovi. So Jovi is working at Sincerely Yours. It is a teen focused skincare brand. They call it Skincare for the Next Generation. It has a face and her name is salish matter. She's 15 years old.

[C]

I was not familiar with Salish Matter.

[B]

No, me either. But she is a competitive gymnast, an Internet personality. Her dad, Jordan matter, has a YouTube presence. And then from his YouTube channel, I think she broke off and started her own. Looking into her. She averages 4 million views per video. So very influential.

[C]

And she has fan base, 4.5 million followers on Instagram alone.

[B]

Yes, like a very, very engaged audience. But she is 15 years old and the brand launched with three core products. A cleanser, a serum mist, a moisturizer and a sunscreen. SPF 30. It looks very cute. I actually had some cosmetic chemists when I wrote about it for my newsletter, write me and say I actually am really impressed with the formulations for this brand.

[C]

Oh, great.

[B]

I guess the brand had reached out to them prior to launch to test them and check them out and they said they were very sophisticated, good formulas for that demographic.

[C]

Nice.

[B]

So we finally have a Sephora tween line.

[C]

We'll see if the tweens want it. That's the question.

[B]

That's the question. So that's how I ended that portion of my newsletter was how do do you want? It's a very hard market. It's a very hard market. I would love to see where this brand lands in a year. Obviously, Sephora is going to be pushing a lot of marketing towards it because it's like, the first of its kind in the retailer. But do teens want something that's made for their generation or are they wanting to be a part of, like, the larger beauty conversation? I don't know.

[C]

It's interesting because I think in fashion, it's different where it's like brands like Addicted or Brandy Melville, like, those are very geared towards, like, teens, tweens and their taste. And their taste. And that's what they're shopping.

[B]

Right.

[C]

They don't wanna shop at. Maybe they're shopping at Gap now, but, like, not really. You know, they're not shopping at the brands that you and I would probably shop at. And they don't necessarily wanna wear the same things that their moms are wearing, but with beauty, it's so different.

[B]

They do, yeah.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's the Juicy Tubes thing.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Lancome made a Juicy Tube, which catered to a younger demographic. But then our mothers were using the mascara and, you know, the makeup remover, so we felt like we were adult.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

But then again, I used Clearasil.

[C]

Right. And clean and clear and like hard candy. I don't think, like, my mom was using hard candy at all.

[B]

But I also didn't feel like those brands were, like, actually catering to us. It was just what was available and fun at the drugstore or the Target or Walmart or wherever. And I needed something to help with my acne.

[C]

Totally. And it was not as oversaturated as it is now.

[B]

Right.

[C]

And also with social media and all these influencers and creators and celebrities using these other brands, obviously, like, that's influencing them. So I don't know, it's. We'll see.

[B]

We will see. We'll have to do a check in in a year.

[C]

It looks very cute.

[B]

It does. I think the one really smart thing they did is their serum mist that they have. Looks like a Touchland hand sanitizer.

[C]

Oh.

[B]

The way that the packaging is and the way it spritz. So it's not a P that you would put on. It's literally something you spray on love. So I think that they were smart to, like, go that angle, because apparently Touchland. Remember how when Touchland sold, we were like, is this, like, really that big of a brand? Yes, because the children are obsessed with it.

[C]

Oh, my gosh. Huge deal.

[B]

They have them on their backpacks.

[C]

Have they done any paid partnerships with, like, tween creators.

[B]

No, I haven't seen any yet. I think Salish is. For instance, this past Saturday, Salish went to American Dream Mall in New Jersey. I think they're really banking on her, obviously. And it's hard to launch a brand these days without a face, without an expert or celebrity or an influencer of some sort. So it was smart that they partnered with her.

[C]

But I wonder, like, what influencers they invited to this event.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. And I know because, I mean, when you see Salish's videos, she looks so, so young to me.

[C]

So young.

[B]

And even the campaign imagery, I'm like, she's a baby. She's 15, you know?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

She looks like a child. She is. She is. I mean, she's still a child.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So it'll be interesting to see how this is covered and how people. Yeah, I mean, maybe it's just gonna be like the tween brand and maybe.

[C]

Yeah, maybe they are the ones who finally crack the code on it.

[B]

Interesting.

[C]

Cool.

[B]

Okay. Love that.

[C]

Okay. Okay, we have some other news that I feel like I've been seeing all over the Internet. The EU has recently banned tpo, which is a common gel nail polish ingredient. So of course this, like, made every headline and fed into all the fear mongering that we see on social media where everyone was like, I knew it. Gel manicures are bad. It causes infertility, all these things. Marcy Robin, our friend, she writes for Allure, wrote a story and was like, no.

[B]

She goes, this is why I'm still getting gel manicures. And I said, I am seated, and I would have read this story, but I like watching Marcy more than I like reading, actually. So it was a very informative video. What did she say?

[C]

So basically, like, the too long didn't read of it is like, yes, they are banning tpo, but they're not banning gel manicures or gel polish as a whole. It's this specific ingredient, which is a photo initiator used to cure gel polish under UV or LED light. So the band took immediate effect on September 1, making it illegal to sell or use any gel polish formulations containing TPO across all EU member states. So again, like, gel manicures themselves are not being banned.

[B]

I of course, went to my girl, nail job, Fariha Ali, and I said, I need your thoughts on this. And she said, yes. People have been messaging me, Abi. I looked into it. So a lot of the good gels that are at high end salons or independent nail artists who do nail art already mostly use brands that are TPO free.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

I checked in the base and builder I literally use on everyone. They use a different kind of photo initiator. And basically all the Korean and Japanese brands I use do as well. I was just sitting with a friend and double checking all the major products we use and discussing the board meeting frenzy that's happening with companies that are no longer compliant. And I just was like, okay, so do I need to worry?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And she said, not really. I honestly think that all the companies are going to phase that ingredient out as soon as possible since there are already alternatives out there. So chances are, if you are going to a nail salon and getting your nails done, you are probably using a TPO free.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Gel, according to Fariha. Of course. If you are like really worried about this, ask, look into it. But I think Marcy actually makes a really great point when it comes to the EU versus the United States. She said that the EU tends to operate based on somebody she interviewed on a risk based.

[C]

Yes, like an abundance of caution they usually act versus us, which is.

[B]

Well, they say that they. The EU operates on a risk basis. The United States operates on a hazard basis. Okay. So. Hi, it's Kirby. I am chiming in because I actually flipped these. So the EU operates on a hazard basis. The United States. States operates on a risk basis. What I was trying to say remains the same in that if there is a even minor possibility of any type of issue, that's how the EU operates. But the United States operates on like, verified and actually reported risks. Just wanted to clarify that. The EU is like, we've banned jet fuel in your skin care. When, like, jet fuel contamination. And adding jet fuel to your skincare is like literally slim to none.

[C]

How many ingredients was it where people.

[B]

Oh, they banned like 1300 ingredients. And you're like, none of those were.

[C]

Ever in the products I was using.

[B]

Pat on the back. Like, these were never going to be in our products anyways. But you just put them in there to what, like, puff your chest out?

[C]

Exactly.

[B]

So, yeah, I think that's why there's so much frenzy and concern, because of the EU and their stance on the risk versus hazard. Yeah, the only concern I have when it comes to gel nail polish is just making sure my hands don't get.

[C]

Too much exposure and that I don't develop an allergy to them.

[B]

Right, exactly. Like making sure that they are completely cured before moving on to the next step. I think that if you're listening to this podcast, you probably take a lot of the fear mongering with a grain of salt. Anyways, that's how we operate. And Allure has a very strenuous fact checking policy. So we're gonna link Marcy's video because I thought she did a great job. Also, her story, like support Allure's website, go read it. Cause she did work hard on it. But yeah, I'm personally not freaking out right now.

[C]

Yeah. She says here. So to sum up, you know what Kirby was saying, what we were saying. So gel polishes containing TPO will likely continue being available in the U.S. but that does not mean those who get gel manicures and those who provide them need to panic. The experts we spoke to believe it's unlikely that a harmful concentration of TPO would ever get into the bloodstream when used as intended. As in not eating it.

[B]

Oh, right. Because the testing was on animals that were ingesting it. This is the majority of the problems we have. When they're like, it gave this rat breast cancer. And you're like, because you fed it, they ate it. You ate it.

[C]

They're also like this small. Yeah. So I always get questions about it, especially when people are pregnant. And I, I still got child manicures when I was pregnant with both. Well, maybe not with Zoe. Cause that was during COVID but with Kate, it was like I was like, I feel safe. Like I'm going to someone I trust. It did not affect my fertility. Like it, you know, like I trust the experts. And all the experts told me it was safe.

[B]

I just think people want to feel like they have control of something. And especially when you're pregnant and if you're trying to get pregnant, there's so many factors as to how a woman can or cannot get pregnant. So 100% you're thinking like, okay, if this is even a chance, I don't.

[C]

Want to cut it out. Right.

[B]

Which is why a lot of this fear mongering upsets me. Because it's like there are women out there that truly believe that they can't get pregnant because of gel manicures.

[C]

Right. Or because of chemical sunscreens or things like that.

[B]

And that really is upsetting to me because it really does hit women and minorities the most. So I will continue.

[C]

If you go somewhere where you trust them, it's good, clean, you know, if you, you do care about what polish they're using, ask the questions. I do feel like sometimes there's not a lot of communication. If you're going to specific salons where you don't feel comfortable. But, like, just ask.

[B]

Just ask.

[C]

Look it up. We all have, you know, Google now. Everyone just needs to take a deep breath, and it's going to be okay.

[B]

Yes. And I'm very grateful that Allure.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Was really quick with it.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Because it was very. Thank you, Allure.

[C]

Thank you, Marcy.

[B]

Okay. We've been getting asked a lot about this.

[C]

Taking a deep breath.

[B]

Deep breath. We almost covered this when it initially came out, but we had not heard from one of the parties involved, and we didn't feel like that was a fair thing to do. I will say this. We still haven't heard from that party, despite outreach.

[C]

You reached out for comments.

[B]

Yes, we did. So we're going to talk about it. Sonia Dakar is a longtime esthetician based in Beverly Hills. When I first learned about her early in my career, she was known for doing Gwyneth Paltrow.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And even at Popsugar. I went and filmed a video at her salon on the corner of Little Santa Monica.

[C]

Right. I was gonna say, if you're ever driving through Beverly Hills, you know exactly where Sonia Dakar's clinic is. It's right smack dab in the middle.

[B]

Totally. So a woman by the name of Victoria Nelson posted a TikTok video about two weeks ago at this point point, and explained that she went in to see Sonia Dakkar, a woman who she considered a mom in la. That Sonia helped her clear her acne. And she, I think, went to go see her for the first time in 2019, had been seeing her, cleared her acne, was using her products, True Believer in her. And then she went in for a routine facial with Sonia, and Sonia said she was going to administer a peel. I asked Victoria this. Cause I interviewed her. Like, why did she say she was going to give you this peel? Victoria said that she did not. There was no real explanation. It wasn't like, you have this, and we need to clear this up.

[C]

It was just like, why don't we try a peel?

[B]

Why don't we try a peel? And she had gotten peels with Sonia before, which, of course, when you get a peel, there's a little bite. Nothing to write home about, but it seemed routine. So Sonia administered the peel to Victoria. And Victoria said that she felt like she was in pain. And at one point, a little bit dropped on her eyebrow. And she.

[C]

It was like, almost got into, like.

[B]

Almost got into her eye. And because of that, she teared up and it basically moved the peel, like, down her face. There was also Drops of it here, here, and then on her forehead.

[C]

So she said, like, right after Sonia applied it, she took her ph and, like, looked at her face. Right. Took a picture.

[B]

And I confirmed the metadata on the photo. It is from what she says. April 4, 2021. She is at that location of Sonia's spot. So she tells us.

[C]

I love Kirby's court. Slash investigative Kirby.

[B]

Watch out, Judge Judy. Watch out, Judge Judy. Kirby's court's in session.

[C]

I looked at the metadata.

[B]

I looked at the metadata. So she tells Sonia that this hurts.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And she takes it off, and she snapped a photo to send to her friends. And she said that she thought that the white spots on her face were cream or lotion.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

But that was her skin.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

She left. And listen, I'm not going to judge anybody, but she did not go to a dermatologist. She did not go to the emergency room.

[C]

Whatever.

[B]

Yeah, nothing. But she has explained to me, at least, that she trusted Sonia implicitly. She had no reason to believe that she would do anything to be detrimental to her skin, given she had cleared up her acne and that Sonia didn't say, hey, you need to go see a specialist right now. Like, this did not work out the way I thought it was. Long story short, she spent about 40 grand going back to Sonia to fix her skin. And her skin, she not only had these burns that were scabbing over and healing, but she eventually had hypopigmentation, and she has some skin missing from, like, her forehead area. There is severe damage done to her face. She was going back to see Sonia, and Sonia was charging her to essentially, quote, unquote, fix her skin by administering microneedling treatments, which in the state of California, you cannot, as an esthetician, administer microneedling unless you were under the supervision of a medical professional. So I have a few questions. Namely, what type of peel was Sonia administering? If you read the comments from other estheticians, they believe it was a TCA peel, which is like, a very, very high concentration peel that only, like, doctors.

[C]

And dermatologists have access to.

[B]

Yes, pretty much.

[C]

When would they even use it?

[B]

If you're trying to resurface your skin and you have to be very specific with it. If you look at Victoria's skin and what she says in her video, which, again, this is all alleged, she said that there was just, like, droplet everywhere.

[C]

Like, it wasn't with a brush applied evenly, thinly across the face.

[B]

Right. So I want to know what type of peel Sonia was administering to Victoria and why she felt the need to use that peel.

[C]

And had she ever used it before on previous clients?

[B]

Right. Was she under medical supervision to administer micro needling on her clients? And then a third thing, which I think is important to note. So a lot of people are asking her why she hasn't sued the Daylights out of Sonia Dakar.

[C]

And.

[B]

And she hasn't really responded to that. But if you look up Victoria and Sonia Dakar, there is a complaint that was filed last March from Victoria against Sonia and her clinic, basically saying it was medical malpractice. In May of 2024, that complaint was dismissed with prejudice, which means that it's over and done with once and for all, and it cannot be brought back to court. And I spoke to a few attorneys and was asking, what does with prejudice mean if you're dismissing a claim that you filed? And they said either both parties came to an agreement, somebody settled, that's it. I reached out to Victoria to ask her about the status of this complaint and why she decided to dismiss it after all of this. And she said she couldn't speak on it right now. So I just. I have a million questions, like, if you did get this dismissed and then you were maybe paid and you said, why bring this up again? Surely there were some kind of contract, contractual agreement.

[C]

Yeah. That prohibited you could not. Yeah. I feel like what happened was she just started to see a lot of people, younger people, posting about going to Sonia's clinic again on social media and, like, just felt it. She owed it to them to warn them. But it does violate the settlement.

[B]

I mean, we don't know, though. We don't know because the settlement could have left it out.

[C]

Right, Right.

[B]

So we don't know these things. But those are, like, the three outstanding questions I have. If there was a settlement, why was she able to talk about it now? Why did she dismiss the original complaint last year?

[C]

Right.

[B]

I know that she.

[C]

When was it? May.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

May have been.

[C]

She had to wait like a year or something. I don't know. There's like, so many questions.

[B]

Right. Also, she had mentioned to me that when this happened to her, she was in a legal battle with an ex boyfriend. And so she was just like, I cannot have another. Another thing.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

She also said that she just believed that Sonia was going to help heal her skin. But then it became very apparent that, like, this was a permanent problem.

[C]

And then she finally went to a dermatologist.

[B]

That's kind of when she was like, okay, so I guess this is not going to be fixed. With, like, microneedling. She eventually spent an additional 20 grand, she says, on outside treatments to help with her skin and stop seeing Sonia, I believe at the beginning of 2023.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Now, Sonia has a history of legal workplace.

[C]

Yes. Workplace discrimination and other lawsuits.

[B]

Yes. So in 2020, two former employees filed a discrimination lawsuit in LA against Sonia and her company with allegations of racism and homophobia and other workplace violations. And they reached a tentative settlement last year in August. Prior to this, one of the biggest headlines about sonia was in 2008, she was disciplined by the State Board after she bit an inspector during her routine visit. Yes. Bit. She bit the inspector. Okay. And she got taken to jail and she got released on $20,000 bail, according to TMZ. And initially she did not. She said she was not guilty of these things. However, she was disciplined by the board and they were going to revoke her license. And according to a court document that I looked at, it says that she did agree and admitted to all the allegations brought against her, and she was offered probationary terms in order to reinstate her license. Now, a lot of people were like, when Victoria made this video and she screenshotted Sonia's license, it was delinquent. And a lot of people, I think, misinterpreted that. Delinquent does not mean it was revoked. It just means that she essentially did not pay dues to be kept current, and it wasn't canceled either. Since then, it has been brought up to current status. But if you go and look at her license, it does have. She has prior discipline on her record. I've reached out to the board to get more information. If you have ever reached out to the California State Board, you know that they are not very forthcoming with information and very slow to get back to you, which is unfortunate, but I haven't. I haven't heard anything else. If you go to Sonia's Yelp, they have put in a essentially media advisory because so many people are visiting the page and giving poor reviews based off of Victoria's video. And Yelp, of course, is a place where you go give reviews of places you've actually been. It's not a place for you to go and, like, gossip about something you saw on the Internet. So they have made a little disclaimer.

[C]

Unusual activity alert.

[B]

Yes. Sonia Dakar and her company and her team have not said anything about this situation. I think that going to have to at some point. We need to know what's going on.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Because this is her livelihood. It doesn't matter what I've heard from a variety of people in the industry. At the end of the day, this is between her and Victoria. And I would never step foot in her spa having seen Victoria's face.

[C]

No.

[B]

And if it's something that you can see on an Instagram video where you can put a Paris filter, you can blur your camera lens and. But you can still see indentations on her face and she's showing you the hypopigmentation a lot of people feel for her.

[C]

Yeah, no, definitely. I feel so, so sad for her. But I will also say when people were sending me this video, sending us this video, I wasn't surprised. Kirby and I have been in LA in beauty for a very long time. We have heard many stories. She doesn't have the best reputation, obviously, even just based on these other allegations and lawsuits.

[B]

This is almost a come to Jesus, if you will, for Sonia. Because like we have just mentioned, her reputation precedes her. That's all we know about this. But again, what was the peel. Why does she even. Is she supposed to be even administering that pill? If you're microneedling, where is your medical professional? And lastly, I want to know why Victoria dismissed with prejudice and what happened there because I do think, like, if you're going to say all these things and then there is just a glaring what if and like what happened here on her side that I need more information about.

[C]

Right.

[B]

And she did say that she's been instructed by her legal team not to say anything, which I get. So I am waiting on that. But I do think it's important to bring up because I would think that if this happened to me, I would not be dismissing for any reason.

[C]

Oh, 100%. Yeah.

[B]

So I'm curious what happened there?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay, that's it. Last thing I guess we can just shout out is road finally is in Sephora. And oh my God, like they really went all out. I got told that the big Sephora that they did the launch at, where they dragged down the big curtain. So cute that it was pillaged and completely gone in 45 minutes after two restocks. Wow.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

Then we have people in our Slack group that are like untouched. So I'm like, where are you? Where are you based? But I was messaging with a contact at Sephora and ask them, is it in every Sephora? And it is, it's in every Sephora.

[C]

Amazing. I was speaking to Kelsey who's at Rhode, and she was saying. Cause I was like, oh my God, it's so pretty. Like, and it's Like a full wall or whatever you would call gondola. Like, it's. I don't know. I haven't been to a Sephora to see where it is. And she said that they really wanted to make it feel like you were at their pop ups.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Like, it's a very special, very intentional design, but I think it looks beautiful.

[B]

I think that there are probably brands that are jealous and pissed at how much attention. Attention. And also not even attention, but how much Sephora has put into this.

[C]

Yeah. I mean, however, the drop was like. I was like, no.

[B]

And also, just someone is the favorite child. No, even. Even the gondola. I mean, like, some of these big brands would die to have a gondola like this with a mirror in the middle. You know what I mean? And then also a little setup at the front of the store too.

[C]

Like, y.

[B]

There's so many touch points for Rhode in the store. However, I do want to say I think that this is going to benefit all of these Sephora brands 100%. So much. So much more foot traffic. And whoever is flanking the Rhodes section.

[C]

Oh, lucky day.

[B]

I hope that you are sleeping well because you will get some kind of.

[C]

Right. It's not like if you think about it as, like, competition. Yes, of course. But like, I think you're right. Like, people will then be more introduced to your brand. Maybe they've never heard of it, more likely to pick it up and swatch and sample. So I think it's all good. Yeah, it's all good.

[B]

I still need to go check it out. I'm gonna go see it irl. But yeah. Congratulations to Haley and the road team. Big deal. Big deal. Let us know.

[C]

Swag two.

[B]

Oh, Swag two. Swag two is like Barbie.

[C]

It's super cute.

[B]

And Swag one is like Oppenheimer.

[C]

Oh, yes, Totally the pink. Yes. Yeah, really cute.

[B]

Welcome back, Michael Jackson. Have you listened?

[C]

Yes, I have.

[B]

No, there's one song that I like also. I was like Justin MJ Bieber. Here we are. Acast powers, the world's best podcasts.

[C]

Here's a show that we recommend.

[D]

We're reconsidering everything right now. What is time post Covid? What is truth in Trump's America? Is you've got mail secretly a movie about a creepy, gaslighting stalker. We can't answer the first two questions, but we have opinions about the third. We on Hot and Bothered are revisiting romance movies of the past and asking, what were these movies teaching us? What did we not even realize they were teaching us Hot and Bothered is me, Vanessa Zoltan, a pop culture critic and nice lady with opinions, and Hannah McGregor, a bonafide professor of media studies. Loving love stories and also just a little bit concerned. Come listen to Hot and Bothered.

[B]

ACAST helps creators launch, grow and monetize their podcasts everywhere. Acast.com.