From the Counter to Head of Global Makeup for Too Faced with Elyse Reneau

Summary

Gloss Angeles Episode Summary: “From the Counter to Head of Global Makeup for Too Faced with Elyse Renau”

Release Date: May 30, 2025

Hosts: Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan
Guest: Elyse Renau, Career Makeup Artist and Head of Global Beauty at Too Faced

---

1. Introduction of Elyse Renau

The episode kicks off with Kirbie and Sara excitedly introducing Elyse Renau, highlighting her impressive role as the Head of Global Beauty at Too Faced—a position she has held for nearly a decade. The hosts praise Elyse's expertise and personable nature, setting the stage for an engaging conversation about her journey in the beauty industry.

Sara [00:57]: "Career makeup artist, head of global beauty at Too Faced. She's been there almost a decade. Please welcome to Los Angeles, Elise Renau."

2. Personal Anecdotes and Experiences

Early in the conversation, Elyse shares a humorous and relatable story about trying the Botox lip flip after a viral TikTok video, detailing the unexpected challenges she faced.

Elyse [01:45]: "I was like, what could go wrong? Right? It's gonna make your lips look juicy without any, you know, added volume. I'm like, this is great. Two weeks later, I couldn't even brush my teeth."

Sara adds her own experience, reinforcing the relatable nature of the discussion.

Sara [02:53]: "Lip lips do not last that long. No, maybe like two or three weeks, if that."

The hosts also delve into their personal skincare routines, discussing products like the white night mask and red light therapy devices, adding authenticity to their expertise in beauty and wellness.

3. Elyse’s Career Journey

Elyse recounts her early introduction to the beauty industry through her mother's involvement with Mary Kay. This foundational experience ignited her passion for makeup and set her on the path to becoming a professional makeup artist.

Elyse [05:22]: "I've been obsessed from a very young age. Like, I got into this, you know, my mom sold Mary Kay when I was a child."

She emphasizes the importance of hands-on experience, sharing how working behind the counter for Armani provided invaluable skills and opened doors to significant opportunities.

Elyse [12:46]: "I was the counter manager for Armani. Okay. I was obsessed. Okay, girl. Yeah. I loved Armani... Tim Quinn came in and... he got me a job working for makeup.com at the time."

4. Working with Celebrities and Industry Influencers

Elyse highlights her collaborations with renowned figures like Emma Willis, detailing how these relationships have shaped her career and network within the industry.

Elyse [13:41]: "Emma Willis and I work together... she's the one who gave me my first opportunity working for a celebrity."

She shares delightful stories about working on high-profile projects, such as the makeup for the iconic film Love Witch, and the mentorship she received from industry veterans like Tim Quinn.

Elyse [14:14]: "It was like a BAFTA or something... And that is the most iconic movie film makeup looks."

5. Joining Too Faced

Elyse describes her transition to Too Faced, emphasizing her proactive approach in seeking a role that aligned with her passion for product creation and emotional connection with consumers.

Elyse [17:12]: "I have to be your first global artist. And I laid out my plan... Three months later, they called me and they said, hey, we're interviewing for a new role."

Her vision for Too Faced involved not just artistry but also storytelling, ensuring that every product evoked positive emotions and memorable experiences for users.

6. Role at Too Faced and Product Development

In her role as Head of Global Beauty, Elyse acts as the “emotional architect,” bridging the gap between product development, marketing, and retail to ensure a cohesive and delightful brand experience.

Elyse [20:31]: "The first product by myself... the watermelon palette... It smelled, like, really good. It was really cute too."

She discusses the collaborative nature of product development at Too Faced, highlighting how the team focuses on addressing consumer pain points and introducing innovative products that stand out in the crowded beauty market.

Elyse [28:35]: "If we're making something, we always think, is this new, better, different? If it's not new, better, different immediately, no."

7. Highlighting Specific Too Faced Products

Elyse elaborates on several key Too Faced products, offering deep insights into their creation, unique features, and the consumer feedback that has made them staples in the beauty community.

a. Super Coverage Concealer

Designed to address the need for a versatile concealer that offers both correction and hydration without heaviness.

Elyse [29:34]: "We worked on that formula for two years to get it right, to get it hydrating."

b. Foreplay Primer and Ribbon Lash Mascara

Elyse introduces the innovative Foreplay Primer, a black primer that also functions as a mascara, enhancing lash curl and volume without the typical flaking associated with primers.

Elyse [30:58]: "It's a black primer. So you can also use it as an actual mascara if you want to."

Ribbon Lash is presented as a game-changing mascara that offers unparalleled lengthening while being easy to remove.

Elyse [32:00]: "It's the most game changing mascara innovation in the last five years."

c. Pillow Bomb Lip Balm

Originally part of the Hangover Rx line, Pillow Bomb has evolved into a beloved product known for its hydrating properties and delightful scents, making it a favorite for both day and night use.

Elyse [39:07]: "We wanted to create something that would feel like a pillow... So that was the white space. We're like, for me, this is like a weighted blanket for your lips."

The hosts and Elyse discuss their personal favorites, such as Banana Kiss and Ice Crystal Banana, emphasizing the nostalgic and sensory appeal of the products.

Sara [41:46]: "It smells like a pink starburst."

Kirbie [44:01]: "Sleeping on ice. Crystal and banana. And these are my two faves."

8. The Role of Fragrance in Too Faced Products

A significant portion of the discussion centers around the intentional use of fragrances in Too Faced products. Elyse explains how fragrances contribute to the sensorial experience, aligning with the brand's joyful and playful identity.

Elyse [26:01]: "We use it smells edible. Okay. Like, I'm not trying to... I'm giving Jessica Simpson dessert."

She addresses concerns about fragrance-free trends, clarifying misconceptions and emphasizing that even fragrance-free products contain ingredients to mask their natural scents.

Elyse [27:33]: "If you don't put in fragrance, the people who are like, fragrance free... it's still got something in there to make it not smell."

Elyse reassures listeners that Too Faced's commitment to fragrance is integral to their brand and positively received by their loyal customer base.

9. Product Naming and Branding Philosophy

Elyse highlights the creative and playful approach to product naming at Too Faced, which reinforces the brand’s whimsical and approachable image.

Elyse [49:26]: "We're like, lucky bitch. It was a black, sparkly, liquid liner with gold sparkles."

She shares her favorite product names and the stories behind them, showcasing how the names enhance the emotional connection users have with the products.

Elyse [43:36]: "Lucky Bitch was the first day I started at Too Faced... It was the biggest thing ever. She's a lucky bitch."

10. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, Elyse encourages listeners to explore Too Faced's range of products, sharing her personal handles and expressing gratitude towards the hosts for their support and inspiration.

Elyse [51:34]: "You can find me on all of Too Faced socials... eliserenau is my handle everywhere."

The hosts reciprocate the appreciation, emphasizing their mutual admiration and enthusiasm for Too Faced products.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Sara [00:57]: "Career makeup artist, head of global beauty at Too Faced. She's been there almost a decade."
• Elyse [01:45]: "I was like, what could go wrong?... Two weeks later, I couldn't even brush my teeth."
• Elyse [12:46]: "I was the counter manager for Armani... Tim Quinn came in and got me a job working for makeup.com."
• Elyse [20:31]: "The first product by myself... the watermelon palette..."
• Sara [41:46]: "It smells like a pink starburst."
• Elyse [26:01]: "We use it smells edible. Okay. Like, I'm not trying to..."

---

Key Takeaways:

• Elyse Renau’s Journey: From early exposure through her mother's Mary Kay business to becoming a global beauty leader at Too Faced.
• Product Innovation: Focus on addressing consumer pain points with unique, sensorial products like the Foreplay Primer and Ribbon Lash Mascara.
• Brand Philosophy: Emphasis on fragrance and playful product naming to create joyful and memorable beauty experiences.
• Collaborations and Mentorship: Building relationships with industry leaders and celebrities has been pivotal in Elyse’s career growth.
• Continuous Learning: Elyse advocates for honesty and integrity in product development, ensuring Too Faced remains a trendsetter in the beauty industry.

This episode offers a comprehensive look into Elyse Renau’s professional trajectory, her impactful role at Too Faced, and the brand’s dedication to creating innovative, emotionally resonant beauty products.

Transcript

[Ericsson]

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[Elise Renau]

Los Angeles.

[Kirby]

Hi, Kirby.

[Sarah]

Hi, Sarah. Welcome to Los Angeles. Okay, today's guest is so epic. First of all, she's stunning. I hope you're watching this so you can see her in all her pink glory. Amazing jawline, by the way, which we can talk about.

[Kirby]

Snatched.

[Elise Renau]

Thank you.

[Sarah]

Snatched.

[Elise Renau]

So natural.

[Sarah]

Career makeup artist, head of global beauty at Too Faced. She's been there almost a decade. Please welcome to Los Angeles, Elise Renau.

[Elise Renau]

Oh, my gosh. Thank you so much. My darlings. My beautiful darlings.

[Sarah]

We're so glad to Renault you.

[Elise Renau]

Thank. Oh, Renault yourself, baby.

[Sarah]

Renault yourself. Elise, how have you been?

[Elise Renau]

I've been so well. I mean, we're just. It's busy. Working for Too faced is like getting shot out of a pink cannon at all times. I'm just basically imagine it to be. Yeah. I'm just holding up to my knees at this point, you know.

[Sarah]

Elise 1. This is unrelated to what we're talking about today, but Elise got me introduced to the Botox lip flip.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Because she had a extremely viral video on TikTok 2022.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah. It was in, like the. It was in the heart of the koisha.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Elise Renau]

And I definitely, you know, I was visiting someone out of. Out of state, and she was like, hey, do you want to come with me to my Botox lady? That's never a good idea, you guys. You don't. Don't go outside of the person that you know. Right. She was like, I'm just gonna do a little, you know, a little two units here and two units there. I was like, what could go wrong? Right? It's gonna make your lips look juicy without any, you know, added volume. I'm like, this is great. Two weeks later, I couldn't even brush my teeth.

[Sarah]

I was like, she couldn't sip out of a straw. She was, like, trying to show everyone how to drink out of a straw. And I was crying, laughing. But you looked good. They looked amazing.

[Elise Renau]

It looked good until, you know, you're trying to do anything while you're drinking or brushing your teeth or pursing your lips in any way. I couldn't eat soup. I couldn't use a spoon. Yeah, it was. And I remember I got up right up in, like, the sun. You know what I mean? They were like, influencer can't drink out of a straw. She's taking it too far.

[Kirby]

Hey, how long did this last?

[Elise Renau]

You know what? Thankfully. Because, you know, Botox paralyzes wrinkles in motion, so you move your mouth a lot. So thankfully, it wore off very quickly. It only lasted about a month.

[Sarah]

Lip lips do not last that long. No, Maybe like two or three weeks, if that.

[Elise Renau]

But it did. I have this little line that pops up right here and it gets rid of it, but yet you just kind of have to weigh your options. Do you want to drink out of a straw or do you want a little lip line? And I'm committed to the Botox.

[Sarah]

You influenced me to try it, and I did.

[Elise Renau]

Do you like it?

[Sarah]

I liked it. But then again, I would smile. And I did feel like there was something uncanny valley about it.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

And I was like, I think I need to stop this.

[Elise Renau]

Do you know what my new terror is? My Botox lady, once, she's like, oh, you have orange peel skin on your chin.

[Sarah]

Oh, my God.

[Elise Renau]

I was like, oh, another thing to think about that I've never thought about before.

[Kirby]

So.

[Elise Renau]

So when you cry, like when I, like, ugly cry, I get a little bit of orange peel, same, like, texture. And so she paralyzed that, and I'll never do that again. Yeah, that was really weird. It's not weird.

[Kirby]

It looked weird.

[Elise Renau]

It never. Usually when you do your lip, you kind of get over it in a couple weeks, or you get over, like, around your eyes in a couple weeks, but on your chin. I never got used to it. No, it was just uncomfortable.

[Sarah]

It's a very weird feeling.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

I have a dimple in my chin. And I went to.

[Elise Renau]

Oh, you do.

[Sarah]

Cute little cleft.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah, I like it.

[Sarah]

But dimple is way cuter, in my opinion. But I went to an injector before I started seeing my current one, and they kind of, like, analyzed my face and then told me I needed to do all these things, which is like, not really my cup of tea. But they were like, we can smooth out your cleft in your chin. And so they injected it. And literally, I mean, it worked, but it was so uncomfortable to do that. I was like, yeah, I don't think I'm ever going to go back there ever again.

[Elise Renau]

And did you not feel like yourself afterwards?

[Sarah]

Was that like a Jennifer Gray moment? Oh, my God. Jennifer Grey looks amazing. But then it's like something so distinct about your face being completely changed that you're unrecognizable 100%.

[Elise Renau]

100%.

[Sarah]

It's kind of whack.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah. I love your little chin. I love. I love everybody's like, little quirks. That makes you who you are. Yeah, yeah, totally.

[Sarah]

That's what makes you a good makeup artist.

[Elise Renau]

Oh, thank you.

[Kirby]

When I think of you, I think of Too Faced. And even if you are just following you, Elise, on TikTok, like, you can't help but fall in love with the brand if people don't know, you know, I mean, at this point, I feel like everyone knows, but maybe some of the younger generation are not familiar, but, like, you truly are the face. Like, we're just so, so thrilled to have you. But we need to talk about what is on your face right now besides Too Faced.

[Elise Renau]

We know.

[Sarah]

It's okay.

[Elise Renau]

Yes, we know.

[Sarah]

It's all Too faced.

[Elise Renau]

Yes. I am a beauty junkie. I buy everything. I live right next to an Ulta. Okay. So I'm in there every single week.

[Kirby]

And we know you have to try things to develop. I try to develop, you know, Too Faced products.

[Elise Renau]

I've been obsessed from a very young age. Like, I got into this, you know, my mom sold Mary Kay when I was a child. So I was introduced very young to that, like, excitement that you get when you're, like, opening up a new package or smelling something or, like, seeing something. And that's why I wanted to work with Too Faced so bad, because we're so sensorial.

[Kirby]

Totally.

[Elise Renau]

But the things that I love, I'm loving anything that's a lip oil. I am a lip gloss girly to my core. I was a Mac lip glass girl forever. Like, in high school, I was wearing black eyeshadow and clear lip glass. Wow. Yeah. People who are like, take us back. They're like, oh, I don't like sticky lip gloss. No, I loved a sticky lip gloss because I wanted it to be on forever.

[Kirby]

Right? Yeah.

[Elise Renau]

You know, I was to. To this day, I still don't mind. But now, you know, I formulate for people who don't like that because obviously people don't. It's not popular. So you have to put your personal.

[Sarah]

Preferences to the side.

[Elise Renau]

I have to put it aside. So for me, I am so into Korean skincare. I will use anything. I'm really into that PDRN serum right now, that pink serum. So I'm always like, it looks like from Medicube. Yes, yes, yes. I love. And the night. Do you sleep with, like, the night mask that I love?

[Kirby]

The one that you sort of You.

[Elise Renau]

Yes, you peel it off.

[Sarah]

I tried that. It was very interesting. I did like it.

[Elise Renau]

I did on my neck, too. Oh, that's because I always feel like it's my neck. I'm like, my neck, like, I don't know, something. I want to do a little something extra there.

[Kirby]

Do you use the booster? The. The Medicube tool?

[Elise Renau]

Have you tried the one with this? No, I haven't tried that because I'm scared of getting. I don't want to say that it gives you Bell's palsy, but it was on TikTok.

[Sarah]

That was a huge drama.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Elise Renau]

So I'm just not sure. So I just don't tend to use those type. I'm a red light girly.

[Kirby]

Okay, what's your red.

[Elise Renau]

I have three different red lights and I love them all. I have a full body sleeping bag, one that I do for full body anti inflammation. I have psoriasis. I find it helps with my psoriasis too, just a little bit and stress levels. I feel like if I do that before I go to sleep, I sleep so well. But then I have. I have the Omnilux and I think I have the current body one, so I have both of those and I honestly can't tell the difference. Me either.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Elise Renau]

But now there's a new one that's coming out that is like, I saw it on TikTok and this guy was showing, like, how much deeper the lights go. And so now I've been influencing. I have to get that one now.

[Sarah]

Okay, wait, hold on. No, you don't. Because that one. I think I know which one you're talking about. They're claiming it's like a laser and that's why it works better.

[Kirby]

Like Lima laser?

[Sarah]

Kind of. Yes, I would hold off. They're going to charge you an arm and a leg for something that we're not even clear on, like what it's actually doing. And I don't even think it has any clinicals behind it. Yeah, okay. No need.

[Elise Renau]

So I take one on my face and then I put my other one on top of my head for hair because I've noticed like a little bit of like, I feel I'm like, am I losing my hair? Am I? I'm. No. I could do a bald. Like a baddie baldie, like my husband. I love a baldie. But, you know, I'm.

[Sarah]

You're like, I'm not there yet.

[Elise Renau]

I'm the Disney princess era. So I've been wearing extensions for 20 years. So I'm just Not ready.

[Kirby]

So, you know, I've been doing that recently where I'm, like, zooming in on my hairline in photos, and I'm like, am I balding?

[Sarah]

No, I'm doing that, too. Where I'm looking under mine is, I'm like, wait a minute, Am I.

[Elise Renau]

That leads me to the next product I'm obsessed with. It is the Boldify root powder has changed my life because it has a little sponge in it, and you just dip it in, and you can just kind of fill in the areas that you feel like look thin. And it's. And it looks natural. It's not giving you, like, the Eddie Munster.

[Sarah]

And it's a cosmetic option. It's not like, actually making your hair fuller.

[Elise Renau]

It's not making your hair fuller. It's just like, an instant.

[Kirby]

What about if you sweat?

[Elise Renau]

I don't know. Because your girl doesn't work out.

[Sarah]

I. Did you live in Orange County?

[Elise Renau]

I did just sign up for Orange Theory, but then I promptly fell down the stairs and injured myself. So now I'm waiting for the bruises.

[Sarah]

To heal, but, like, okay. How long have you been using it? Because it sounds like you haven't used it during the Orange county heat.

[Elise Renau]

I haven't. I tend to stay inside in the air conditioning. I like to work out. Like, laying down. Like, you really are a Disney princess.

[Kirby]

You really. You look like one.

[Elise Renau]

Because you know why? I was an athlete. I was an athlete growing up. And I'm done with sweating, and I'm done with running, and my boobs are too big, and there's not a sports bra big enough.

[Kirby]

Okay, wait, what was your sport?

[Elise Renau]

I was a soccer player.

[Kirby]

Of course you were.

[Elise Renau]

Wow. Yeah, it's like, besides makeup, it's the only thing I've ever been good at.

[Kirby]

Oh, my God.

[Elise Renau]

Like, those two things were, like, my thing.

[Kirby]

Soccer players are the hottest.

[Elise Renau]

Oh, my God.

[Kirby]

That makes sense.

[Elise Renau]

She was a striker, honey.

[Kirby]

Wow.

[Elise Renau]

Can you imagine?

[Sarah]

I can, actually.

[Kirby]

Two Face needs to collaborate with the women's soccer team.

[Elise Renau]

I totally agree. I'm like, hello, Megan Rapinoe and all of the ladies. Yes, that would be amazing. But I'm super into pickleball right now. I feel like we need to do pickleball.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Sarah]

Oh, yeah.

[Kirby]

Smart, cute little paddles.

[Elise Renau]

Like, glitter paddles. Yes. Stop.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Sarah]

I love that we can get an all pink team going.

[Elise Renau]

That'd be amazing. Literally. I picture you being very competitive. I feel like you'd be very good at pickleball. Yeah. She's a Capricorn, honey. Okay. She's Gonna win. She's gonna win.

[Sarah]

I am very competitive.

[Elise Renau]

We're. We're exact opposites. Capricorns and Cancers, like, really understand each other because we're opposites.

[Sarah]

My reading is Cancer.

[Elise Renau]

There you go. Yeah, there you go.

[Sarah]

And then we have Capricorn over here.

[Kirby]

And my best friends are all Cancers.

[Elise Renau]

Yes. We feel everything, we listen to everything. And we will definitely, like, answer the phone at 3 o' clock in the morning.

[Kirby]

You won't.

[Elise Renau]

Oh, yeah, I will. If you're sick, I will. I will literally make you soup.

[Sarah]

Or father.

[Elise Renau]

Exactly. You're. Hello, Daddy.

[Sarah]

I'm Dad. O. Okay. Elise, you talked about your soccer influence in high school. You know, wanting to work. Yes. Wanting to work for too faced growing up. But tell us about your beauty journey. How did you actually become a makeup artist? Where did you get your start? I love this, like, cosmetic background from your mom selling Mary Kay. So, like, tell us about all your influences.

[Elise Renau]

Sure. I mean, what I loved about, you know, my mom worked two jobs, so her second job, I would go with her. Right. For childcare. This was my childcare, was going to these Mary Kay parties. And the. To see women that had had a long day just light up over makeup. For me, to this day, it resonates. Like, instead of, like, going out, for me, I like getting ready.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Elise Renau]

It's the getting ready part that I'm always excited about. It was always like that in high school. I'd love getting ready for, like, the prom, but, like, going to prom, I would be like, meh, whatever. It's the moment of transformation. At too faced, we always talk about, like, your two faces. Right. It's like your face you are born with and the face that you put on. And for me, makeup is such a transforming, transformational thing that, you know, I just feel like I. When I put on a red lipstick, I'm a different person than I'm wearing when I'm wearing a new lipstick.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Elise Renau]

You know, so I started out loving makeup. I. I knew I wanted to be a makeup artist very young. Like, I was psychotic. I was like, single minded to a fault. I knew I wanted to be a makeup artist. It wasn't cool. This is in the, you know, the early 2000s, where my mom was like, okay, if you want to be a makeup artist, you need to go to beauty school because you can't just like, be a makeup artist. It wasn't cool. There wasn't like, YouTube yet. None of that existed. So I had to just work my butt off. There were two years that I was going to school and working full time that I didn't have a single day off besides Christmas. But I was like, I'm going to make this happen. I just, you know, when you're young, I wanted to be a celebrity makeup artist, and I went and worked behind the counter, and it was the best. If you are someone who wants to be a makeup artist, working behind the counter is the best thing that you can do. You will work on every type of skin, every age, every so, so much diversity. And you will learn quickly how to apply makeup. And I. When I'm on set, I can see the. The artists who worked behind the counter and the ones that didn't, they're so much faster. You know, it is incredible. So I got, you know, so much of, you know, that education was behind the counter.

[Sarah]

How many counters did you work at?

[Elise Renau]

So I worked. I was the counter manager for Armani. Okay. I was obsessed. Okay, girl. Yeah. I loved Armani, and actually, that was how I got my big break in artistry. It's sometimes not even your talent, it's how hard you're hustling and who you know. And I didn't know a single person. I didn't know anybody. And I remember I was putting together this. This massive event for Armani, and Tim Quinn came in and I. He was such an idol to me, and he still is. He's one of the nicest people I've ever worked with. And Tim Quinn, I did multiple events for him over the years, and finally he said, elise, what do you want to do? Like what? And I was like, I want to be you. I want to do what you're doing. I just, you know, worshiped him. He was working on Megan Fox and all of these amazing celebrities, and he was like, I'm going to make a call for you. And I was just so excited. And he got me a job working for makeup.com at the time, which is where I met Emma Willis.

[Sarah]

No way.

[Elise Renau]

Yes. So Emma Willis and I work together, and she's the one who gave me my first opportunity working for a celebrity.

[Sarah]

Oh, my God. Okay. Emma Willis. Wow. Okay. Because Emma is incredible. We should have her on the podcast.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah. I'm obsessed with her.

[Sarah]

I met her when I was at Popsugar.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

She was the first makeup artist to do my makeup where I felt beautiful.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

I am very particular about my eyes. She made my eyes open. She made them wide. She made sure to layer on the mascara like I wanted. She was so, so amaz. And then what's crazy is at that time, she had just wrapped the Love Witch.

[Elise Renau]

Yes. I worked with her on that.

[Sarah]

I was dying. So she was like, oh, I have to, like, fly back to London for this, like, awards ceremony where I'm getting honored. And I'm like, for what, girl?

[Elise Renau]

It was like a BAFTA or something.

[Kirby]

It was a bafta.

[Sarah]

Yeah, it was a bafta.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

And she said all these people were coming up to her. I think she said, like, Jude Law came up to her. Like, I loved your work in the Love Witch or something.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

And that is the most. One of the most iconic movie film makeup looks. I follow all of these old school film accounts on Instagram and Love Love Witch is always included in just, like, glamorous makeup.

[Elise Renau]

Yes. Didn't Alexa Demi do that Love Witch look for, like, Halloween one year or. Yeah, it is iconic.

[Kirby]

So you worked with her.

[Elise Renau]

Let me tell you, the first day I came to set, I was like, what is this? Is that. This was. It was like, the weirdest.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Because it's like a small independent film.

[Elise Renau]

It was so independent. It was shot on film. And Emma is just. What I love about her is she is such a girls girl. She brings all of her friends with her. She gave me so many opportunities. She knew. She knows everyone. I didn't know anyone. And, you know, to this day, we remain really good friends and all love her forever.

[Sarah]

Oh, my God. I had no idea that you two had this connection. You two are, like, from very different parts of my career. But I love that you guys came together.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Kirby]

And tell the listeners who do not know who Tim Quinn is. Who Tim Quinn is.

[Elise Renau]

So Tim Quinn was. Is. I don't know if he still is, but he was the global artist for Armani at the time, and he was, you know, just a really important celebrity makeup artist. And honestly, one of the kindest people I've ever met. And I. One of the things I've always tried to do is be like Tim. So when. When I have an opportunity and someone does something like that for me, I always try to look back and see who I can pull up to, because I cannot tell you the amount of people in my life who have, out of the kindness of their heart, given me opportunities, and it's changed my life. So I. That's the kind of person and kind of leader that I want to be. I always want to scoop someone up, and it's like, you got to pay it forward.

[Sarah]

Totally. I think Tim is now retired in Palm beach, living his best life.

[Elise Renau]

Of course. He always had the best tan. Yeah.

[Sarah]

Amazing. Literally A tan. What dreams are made of. But okay. So you meet Emma.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

You work with Emma on Love Witch?

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

How did you make your way to too faced?

[Elise Renau]

So I started. Emma connected me with a lot of different celebrities. We started working together, and what I noticed what was for me was when I worked behind the counter, I loved spending time with people who weren't confident. You know, it can be very intimidating going into a makeup counter, especially, like, years ago. Right. Because all the cool girls worked at the makeup counters. And, you know, if you didn't know how to do makeup, it could be really intimidating. So I loved seeing someone come in that, like, wasn't so confident. And I would just scoop them up. I would teach them how to do their liner. I would, like, teach them how to tightline, teach them how to do their eyebrows. And there was this kind of magical moment where they would lift up the mirror and, like, and just feel, like, maybe beautiful, possibly for the first time. Right. Confident for the first time. I have been chasing that high for the rest of my life. And I always thought, oh, I want to do celebrities. And when I would do celebrities, it would be so fun. But celebrities, they're so beautiful. They are used to feeling gorgeous.

[Sarah]

Everyone tells them it's not transformative.

[Elise Renau]

There's no mere moment they might like it, you know, but it wasn't. It wasn't. I was. I was missing that connection. And I was like, wow, maybe this isn't for me. And my other passion is, you know, creating. I'm a really creative person. I come from an artistic background. I love to paint. I love art. That's just, like, part of my soul. And I'm like, well, maybe I can get into the other side of it. I would love to be able to create products. And so I remember I went to, like, you know, this, like, self help, like, seminar, and I wrote down a list of, you know, who are the brands I want to work with? And then I started thinking about them every night, every morning, like. Like, it was already happening. And strangely, within, like, three months, I got a call from my number one on my list, which was too faced. And my friend Kim was like, hey, they're hiring for the pro squad. And I was already working with another brand as a global artist for the brand, I just didn't feel an emotional connection to that brand. And I was like, oh, my gosh, I'm gonna go interview for this job. And so when I went and interview, offered me the job on the spot, but I said, hey, I'm actually not here. For this job, I want to be your first global artist. And I laid out my plan. I was like, this is what I want to do for you. This is where I see that you guys aren't doing anything. And I want to work with you, make videos for you, and teach your field team how to do it too. And they were like, oh, that's very interesting. We don't have that role, but, you know, we'll keep you in mind. Three months later, they called me and they said, hey, we're interviewing for a new role. It's our first ever global artist position. And I came in, and I met Jared, and he told me that I reminded him of Candy Johnson. And we just hit it off. And that was the beginning.

[Sarah]

Okay. And for anybody not familiar, Jared Blandino, founder.

[Elise Renau]

Yes, 2Face co founder of 2Face. Jeremy and. Yeah, yeah, Jeremy and Jared. And they, you know, started the brand in 1998. And what I loved about working with them is that Jared always gave me a seat at the table. He always asked me, hey, from your artistry perspective, what do you think of this? And if I can give any advice to anybody starting out in this industry, it is give honest advice. Don't just be a yes person. Everything needs to be delivered with respect, because obviously, people are creating. This is our art. And it's very sensitive, but I would always give an honest feedback. You know, I wanted. I wanted our products. I was so invested from the beginning, you know, making our products really not just beautiful, but really, you know, useful. And I think that's something about too faced products. Not everybody knows how incredible our products are. They might just think that we're cute until they find super coverage concealer or better than sex mascara. You know, those are things that really have stood the test of time. And, yeah, that's how I got my start. I remember he came upstairs when I worked in global education, and he said, hey, I need you to pack up all your stuff right now. I thought I was getting fired. Yeah, I thought I was getting fired. And I was like, okay. And he's like, you're coming with me. And he took me downstairs, and I sat next to him. He taught me how to make every eyeshadow palette. He taught me how to make an eyeshadow palette sing. You know, it's. You know, we used to blare George Michael. And I will always be thankful to him. He taught me so much about product development.

[Kirby]

Okay, what was the first product that you helped create?

[Elise Renau]

The first product by myself. You won't remember it because you Know, it wasn't like a smash hit or anything, but it was the watermelon palette. I don't know if you guys remember that. It was like a breakaway palette and had some face and eye, and it was really. It smelled, like, really good. It was really cute too. Yes, yes. So it was super cute. But, you know, I've been lucky enough to work with. I just think that we have such an incredible product development team, and what I do at Too Faced, it's kind of different than what they have at other brands. I always think of myself kind of as like the emotional architect, where I want to make sure that our marketing team, social, our field team, and our retailers are all telling the same story. Because at Too Faced, we're not just making products. We're trying to make molecules into memories. There's a reason why we put, you know, scents in our products is because we want it to be joyful to you. We want you to open up a palette and have a moment to yourself where you're like, why am I smiling right now? Is it because my bronzer smells like chocolate? So I am storytelling. I'm also in charge of, you know, really designing the direction of our artistry for our global campaigns. So working really closely with product development and marketing, I kind of like. I'm like. I'm like a little flow, you know, she. She's. I'm like a little magical unicorn. I wear many hats, but the emotion is such a big part of it. I'm always like, two face is a water sign. Okay. We're emotional. We're emotional, baby.

[Sarah]

Extremely emo. When was too Faced founded? The date. Do you remember?

[Elise Renau]

Oh, you know what? I can look it up. It was in 1998. But I need to know. We should chart.

[Sarah]

No, we should chart. What's the astro chart of this? Yes. Do not ask. ChatGPT will 100% get it wrong. Okay, I have two follow up questions to that.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

What is the best piece of product development advice or what is the best thing you learned from Jared during his time at the company, in your opinion?

[Elise Renau]

Jared is a really staunch advocate for pushing back. So when the lawyers say you can't say this, or, you know, cost of goods or, you know, when Jared. We didn't have, like, cost of goods issues. We were just like, shooting for the stars. Right. So now I'm kind of grounded more in like a corporate world where I have to think about those things. But what I do is he has taught me to use my voice. I speak up if I'm really passionate about something. I speak up. For instance, you guys know that I'm obsessed with our chocolate bronzing sticks. Those almost didn't happen because we were told they were too artistry for too faced. And I was like, no, a too faced product is a product that's meant to be easy to make your life easier and not complicated. And when I was trying the stick bronzers, they felt really waxy. They felt very hard to blend. I'm like, my mom couldn't use this. Like, she couldn't use this. So what's really special, special about our chocolate bronzers is they're like 20% water, which you think, oh, it's going to evaporate. But no, because it's got like 18 emollients. So the emollients keep, like bind that water into your skin. And that's why you'll notice when you use it, you can just tap it. We always say, when in doubt, tap it out. If you just tap it or spank it, we're a little cheeky. We say like funny stuff like that. Give a little spank. It just melts. It just melts into your skin. You don't have to blend. You never have to blend again. And it's just, and it looks like skin. But you know, a lot of people, a lot of our retailers weren't so sure about it and I wouldn't let it go. I'm talking three years it took me because another one of my jobs is to sell our products into our retailers to sell them that story. Right. And our product development worked so hard on it and we believed in it so much. And now it's one of the best selling bronzers on the market.

[Kirby]

Wow.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

What's the feedback you've gotten?

[Elise Renau]

People are obsessed. Also what's really fun and something that's very two faced, we took it smells like a chocolate covered orange or like a creamsicle. So we took all of our favorite, favorite scents of chocolate and like creamsicles and we sent that to the lab and we were like, make it smell like this. So we sent like Terri's chocolate oranges and like different creamsicles and all of those things that smell so yum yum. And they made it smell exactly like that. Have you guys?

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

Oh my gosh.

[Sarah]

Oh my gosh. Yeah, yeah, we use it.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah. It just smells so good.

[Sarah]

It does.

[Elise Renau]

It's just. And it reminded me of that before I worked for the brand, like I would put on the chocolate bronzer and I would like, I'm like, do I taste chocolate right now?

[Sarah]

Oh, my gosh.

[Elise Renau]

I'm like, this is like Willy Wonka.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Elise Renau]

And I, like, was. Was obsessed with that movie. So I love that sensorial aspect of Too Faced.

[Sarah]

Do you feel like having fragrance in your products now has been a detriment at all? I only ask because in skincare, people are so crazy now about being fragrance free. I personally, and we talk about this a lot, we love the sensorial experience of using a skincare product with, like, a little bit of a fragrance. When it comes to makeup, I don't care. I want my lipstick to smell like vanilla or whatever. I love that my bronzer smells like chocolate. The peach palette, eyeshadow palette.

[Elise Renau]

Oh, my gosh.

[Sarah]

I still have it.

[Kirby]

I should have taken a picture of my eyeshadow palette collection. It's literally all Too faced, and I just cannot part with it.

[Elise Renau]

No, no, I can't either. Especially the peach palette. That's iconic.

[Sarah]

I will never get rid of any of the peach products. The peach blush.

[Elise Renau]

Yes. Oh, my gosh. The peach blush. The three one or the. Or what is the blush?

[Sarah]

It was a little peach.

[Elise Renau]

It was Papa dome peach.

[Sarah]

Yes. Papa dome peach. And it was a little pop open peach.

[Elise Renau]

Yes. And the little tin.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Elise Renau]

Oh, my gosh.

[Kirby]

Is just. Chefs, why can't they bring that back?

[Elise Renau]

I think we should. I think you should never see next.

[Sarah]

Summer, like, a summer or spring moment. So then when it comes to fragrance, fragrance is a huge part of Too Faced. How have you guys been kind of navigating that?

[Elise Renau]

So I. I do get that in your skincare. You know, when I'm using, like, my Korean skincare, of course I don't want it to be fragranced, but I'm the same way. And I think the people who love Too Faced, they love us for our scents. It's just part of our journey. It's part of who we are. And it's so core to our. Who we are is like, that joyful aspect. Right. We use real cocoa pow powder. It's not like, you know, it's not crazy bad for you or anything. I don't see us going away from that.

[Sarah]

Yeah, I can't either.

[Elise Renau]

I can't.

[Kirby]

It's just such a part of who you are and so fun. That's why people are drawn to Too Faced.

[Elise Renau]

Right. We are the girls and the boys and the baes that want to smell edible. Okay. Like, I'm not trying to.

[Sarah]

I'm giving Jessica Simpson dessert, Dessert beauty honey.

[Elise Renau]

And you know that I was up in the Club wearing, dessert, beauty.

[Sarah]

I wish I had access to it.

[Elise Renau]

But I can still feel the stickiness on my skin.

[Sarah]

Off edible stuff on your skin. But how many retailers come to you and you know you're responsible for like selling things. Have they been like, can y' all like, cut down on the fragrance? I'm just curious because I love that I think of fragrance when I think of Too Faced. Yes, this smells good. I enjoy putting it on because it's going to smell good.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

And I just have to imagine that maybe some retailers have been looking like their feedback from mom or gender. Yeah. Like the general beauty community. Community.

[Kirby]

Because as we know on, you know, social media, there's a lot of misinformation that's floating around.

[Sarah]

Like you go to ewg, which by the way, we don't support or yucca or whatever I call it. It's yucca, but I call it yucca.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

I'm telling you that like fragrance is inherently bad.

[Kirby]

Right.

[Sarah]

Which is like a false.

[Kirby]

There's just so much fear mongering. So I'm sure, like Kirby said, that there are retailers that maybe push back a little bit.

[Elise Renau]

Well, it's interesting when you talk about Fragran too, because if you don't put in fragrance, the people who are like, fragrance free. Well, you have to put in a chemical to make it not have a fragrance because the base will smell like something. It'll smell like, you know, chemicals. So even when it's fragrance free, it's still got something in there to make it not smell. So, yes, it's like one of those things. It's very interesting marketing, but for us, I feel like we actually kind of get a pass. We're lucky we kind of get a pass from our retailers because it's so embedded in who we are as a brand. But they're many other brands out there who, you know, do put. Are putting scents in their lip products and are doing the things they're like. Well, Too Faced is doing it. You know, like, people love it. So it's, you know, it hasn't really been an issue. I think, I think, I think we technically get a pass because it's who from day one, it's who we've been. Yeah, totally. That makes sense. Yeah.

[Kirby]

Too Faced has been a huge player in shaping beauty trends. We know this obviously, like, better than sex. Like, yes. Unbeatable lip injection, way ahead of its time. So how do you approach launching a product that stands out in a crowded market when you're trying to shape these trends and maybe like, like with lip injection, it's like a little bit ahead and maybe you still have to, like, educate the consumer. So what are you thinking about?

[Elise Renau]

It's the biggest challenge. So when we're creating products, we usually create them based on pain points. Like, what is a pain point in my makeup that I cannot get anywhere else? So if we're making something, we always think, is this new, better, different? If it's not new, better, different immediately? No. Okay. We, we're not trying to be a dupe brand. You know, we don't. We want something new and we want something white space, and we want something that's going to spark that joy. But we also work on, you know, a longer pipelines. It used to be like a two year pipeline. So to try to, like, think about what those trends were going to be in two years was. It's just impossible.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Elise Renau]

So, like, for instance, with super coverage, when we were creating super coverage, there wasn't anything on the market that we felt was really going to cover, like be a corrector and a concealer in one, but also be hydrating and not move. Everything at the time was maybe a little bit pasty or maybe a little bit heavy or you could. It would go into fine lines. So we really worked on that formula for two years to get it right, to get it hydrating. And if you guys, I'm sure you guys know super coverage. I mean, you get like, in this economy, it's so good because you get like double the amount that everybody else is doing.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Elise Renau]

But I also use it as foundation when I'm traveling. You can use it to sculpt. It has that big wand on it that makes it amazing. But I think pain points are really important. Like, what is it that's going to change the game? What is it that's going to be different? How is this going to make my life easier? How is this going to make me feel more beautiful? For instance, foreplay. I am president of the straight lashes committee. I have the straightest camel lashes that you can ever imagine. They are like.

[Kirby]

I don't believe you.

[Elise Renau]

No, no. It feels like they're permed downward. Okay.

[Kirby]

That's how my real lashes are.

[Elise Renau]

Well, when we created foreplay, I feel like people still don't know about. This is the most slept on too faced product. It's Foreplay primer. It's a black primer. So you can also use it as, as an actual mascara if you want to. But it curls your lashes 132% and they do not drop they do not drop.

[Sarah]

I mean, I'm looking at your lashes right now.

[Kirby]

That's what I'm saying. I don't believe you.

[Elise Renau]

So I curl my lashes first. I have to, no matter what. If someone's like, oh, you don't even have to curl your lashes. Yes, you do. If you have straight lashes. Asian lashes, straight lash profile. My lash profile. So straight.

[Kirby]

What curler do you use?

[Elise Renau]

I use. I have them all. I have the Shiseido, Kevyn Aucoin. I even have the Seurat. I really like the Seurat.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Sarah]

If you travel to Asia, get Shu Umara.

[Elise Renau]

Okay. I need to get it. That was like the og.

[Sarah]

That is what I stocked up on when I was in Singapore.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

And I'm obsessed.

[Elise Renau]

I. I need it. I. I cannot live without an eyelash curler.

[Sarah]

It's on my person right now.

[Elise Renau]

So I curl my lashes first, then I put that on. You really start at the base and, and swipe through. And it is a waterproof formula. That is the one thing. If you're someone who cannot find a mascara that works for you and you have straight line lashes, you need to do waterproof. Waterproof is just better. I don't make the rules. It's going to hold your curl. But this especially, it literally almost curls my lashes more throughout the day. 132%, 100% more volume. And then you can put any mascara you want on top of it. So I put our newest one, our ribbon lash.

[Sarah]

Ribbon Lash.

[Elise Renau]

Ribbon. Red lash.

[Sarah]

Like the ribbon. Like the ribbon dancer 100. I always say ribbon dancer. I think of like that in my head.

[Elise Renau]

The fact that we didn't have that for the campaign will kill me forever. You know what?

[Sarah]

There's still time.

[Kirby]

Yeah, plenty of time. Plenty of time.

[Elise Renau]

Next time. Next time. But that is our brand new lengthening mascara. Obviously, everybody knows us for better than sex. It's been the number one selling prestige mascara for like almost a decade. It's incredible. But I love a lengthening mascara. So one caveat is it is tubing. So if you do put it over foreplay, it will no longer be tubing. But I don't care because I want the length. I want people to think that I have false lashes on. You're lashes look incredible too. Like, ever.

[Kirby]

I mean, well, yeah, I pay for mine.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah. But they look so good.

[Kirby]

Thank you.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

It's convincing me almost that I could possibly quit and use this primer.

[Elise Renau]

You have to try it. It's in your Elise's favorite things. So you definitely have to try the bag that I brought you.

[Kirby]

Oh, we have to go through this before the end of the episode.

[Elise Renau]

To me, it's the most game changing mascara innovation in the last five years and a lot of people don't know about it.

[Sarah]

Yeah. When you were saying foreplay, I was, I was like, what are you talking about? It sounded like something that would come before something else, but it does. I was like, but what is that something else?

[Elise Renau]

And I think that's what people think. They're like, oh, it's a mascara because it's black. Well, we made it black because the problem, the pain point with primers is the little white dots.

[Sarah]

100%.

[Elise Renau]

Who wants little white dots all over your lashes? It's awful.

[Sarah]

I totally agree. I actually want to ask about Ribbon Lash because this is my favorite too. Faced mascara. I can't use Better than sex. Better than sex. I have naturally very long lashes. They just clump together.

[Elise Renau]

What?

[Sarah]

I can't do it. And so there was another mascara that launched Damn Girl. Damn Girl.

[Elise Renau]

Yes. I remember you at the Damn Girl party, baby.

[Sarah]

Oh, my God. It was on the universal backlog. Oh, my God.

[Kirby]

Okay, let me put name the help, name the products.

[Elise Renau]

Yes. And it's my favorite part of my job. Okay.

[Sarah]

Okay. Well, Damn Girl, if it's Damn, it was me. Does Damn Girl still exist?

[Elise Renau]

Damn Girl still exists, but I think she might be going away.

[Sarah]

Okay. I did.

[Elise Renau]

She's retiring. She's had a good life.

[Sarah]

So I was really into Damn Girl. Okay. And I met Erika Jane at that party.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Sarah]

So very excited about that. But then Ribbon Lash comes out. You guys obviously send it to us ahead of time to test it. I really. This is such a beautiful, beautiful formula. And especially if you're listening or watching and you deal with transfer, you deal with flaking, you deal with sensitive eyes because it's tubing. It really, really gets the job done. But why were you like, okay, we need you. It was simply just for lengthening. It wasn't for.

[Elise Renau]

No. So it's one of those things, like we. We saw the trend of tubing. We wanted a piece of the. Because people are loving it. And it's so completely different than what we have. Whenever you're creating a product, you also don't want to create a product that's gonna be too like the product that you have because then it just divides your business. Right. So we're like, okay, we already have the. In my opinion, best volumizing mascara on the planet. So now we need something that's gonna give you super long length. And what are the pain points? Well, I don't want my lashes to drop. I don't want it to transfer. I don't want it to crumble, and I want it to be easy to take off.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Elise Renau]

And also, also with the wand with Better than sex. She's thick.

[Sarah]

She's a very thick wand. That's the other thing.

[Elise Renau]

She's a thickie. Okay. She's a thick girl. I wanted something that was really gonna get in every teeny tiny get. No lash left behind. And that's why you see that little party tip that's like at the top.

[Sarah]

That's why I like it. I think that's the selling point for me with ribbon lash because I can get so close to the base of my lashes. Like, because I want to add a little volume down there. And then I get the length as well. By combing it upwards.

[Elise Renau]

Exactly.

[Sarah]

That's the reason why I think I gravitate.

[Kirby]

So what do you use?

[Elise Renau]

So this is foreplay and ribbon wrapped that I have on right now. I am obsessed with ribbon wrapped. I couldn't talk about it for like, obviously like a year and a half. And people would be like, what are you wearing? And I was like, I don't wanna lie.

[Sarah]

It's a live sample.

[Elise Renau]

Ask me no questions. I'll tell you no lives. But it was. It's. It's incredible. And what I love about it And Daniel Chinchilla, who is our in house celebrity makeup artist, we love him. He's so incredible. He was like, listen, Elise, when you put on Better than sex, you wiggle it for volume. But with a tubing mascara, you need to apply it straight. Like, straight. You never wiggle.

[Sarah]

You don't wiggle at the base at all.

[Elise Renau]

You bump the base, you bump the base.

[Kirby]

The lash.

[Elise Renau]

Correct. So that you can tube.

[Kirby]

Okay. Otherwise it's like, correct.

[Elise Renau]

You're going to get the longest tube. So I do. I go up, in and out. And then once I've got a good base, you have to go back and tip. And as soon as you start just tipping, you'll build it longer, longer, longer. But once it's dry, you're done.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Sarah]

This is great information for tubing mascaras because I did not realize that because I'm literally going in there like, like.

[Elise Renau]

I was doing it.

[Sarah]

Base and then going upward. Okay.

[Elise Renau]

He gets them. Double the length.

[Sarah]

Wow.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Okay. I can't wait to try this.

[Elise Renau]

Oh, my gosh, I'm so excited. Please call me with my ribbon wrapped. And then. And then with our removal, it kind of dissolves. It doesn't come off in, like, rubbery tubes. It's more like, if you've seen those Tiktoks where, like, the women give their husband and, like, the Speedo that, like, dissolves in the water, it's kind of like that. It kind of just dissolves.

[Sarah]

You're not gonna feel them come off. Like some tubing mascaras.

[Elise Renau]

Exactly.

[Sarah]

It just kind of washes away.

[Elise Renau]

So I always do the warm water on my eyes and take it off first, and then I go in with my cleansing oil, do my little double cleanse.

[Sarah]

All right. We are here, though, to talk about another product which Sarah and I love so dearly, and so do the Glams. Yes. We. We love this product so much. And initially, when Too Faced came to us and they said, we want to be a part of Los Angeles Confidential, they do ribbon wrapped, and Sarah does not wear mascara.

[Kirby]

Sorry.

[Sarah]

So it was kind of in my own hands.

[Kirby]

You really have sold me.

[Elise Renau]

I feel like you have to try it with foreplay.

[Kirby]

You sold me.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

Okay. I kind of think now we need to do a seating of foreplay, but that's like a whole other discussion.

[Kirby]

I know. Okay.

[Sarah]

Okay. So then we were talking. We were going back and forth with Elise, like, what product do we think? I'm like, I have this pillow balm literally on my nightstand. I use it all the time. When it comes to, like, an actual moisturizing lip product, I think this is my. I don't think it is my number one. It actually works.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

I have struggled with many, many a lip product, and the listeners, they know we have some of our favorites as well. But this, I think there's just such an ease of use because it comes in a tube. First of all, it has a doe.

[Kirby]

Foot, like, so many.

[Sarah]

And you don't have to, like, scoop it out.

[Elise Renau]

You don't have to scoop it.

[Kirby]

That's my issue with so many lip treatments.

[Elise Renau]

It's got to be long, nail friendly.

[Kirby]

And also, at the end of the day, especially before bed, you just keep this on your nightstand. You don't have to, like. You're like, oh, God, what am I like my pajamas.

[Elise Renau]

I know. And also, we're cruelty free, and a.

[Sarah]

Lot of the popular ones are not. And we said it, not you.

[Elise Renau]

Thank you.

[Sarah]

We had the glams test out the Too Faced pillow balm. This has kind of gotten a little bit of a makeover because initially it was part of the hangover Rx line, right?

[Elise Renau]

Yes. And nobody understood what that meant. You know, they were like, what is this? I don't understand.

[Sarah]

I have the OG Still. I won't get rid of it. It's, like, so old. I have it.

[Elise Renau]

It's Pillow Bomb. We know it's Pillow Bomb, but I want to tell you why we created it.

[Sarah]

Okay, tell me.

[Elise Renau]

So obviously we are so well known for our plumping products, right? But the last thing you want to do when you're going to bed is put on, like, a lip injection plumper and have, like, a spicy plump. You're like, oh, let me just, like, make out with someone right now and burn their face alive, right? No. So we wanted to create something that would feel like a pillow. We were like, what is something that's comforting? So that was like, the white space. We're like. For me, this is like a weighted blanket for your lips. Right? It's so comforting, and it even feels cushiony when you put it on. It's so weird to have that texture that feels so plush and so. So hydrating right away. It's got, of course, it's got amazing ingredients. It's got, like, you know, the avocado oil, all the. The shea butter, all those things that put that protective barrier on your lips. But really where it came from is we wanted something at night, but then people started going crazy for it during the day. But the. The shades that we had were kind of milky because we didn't expect people to go so insane. Do you guys know this is actually like, our number one most loyalty product? If you buy this product, you're very likely to come back and buy it again. That we're like, the number one lip plumping people. Come back for this product. Nope.

[Sarah]

I believe in our slack group, people are like, I actually went and picked up a few more of these because I love them so much.

[Elise Renau]

Yes. I.

[Kirby]

We were saying that we think this is the highest rated, most positive seating we've ever done.

[Elise Renau]

Yeah. You have your water bottle and you have your emotional support lip balm.

[Sarah]

No, no. And I. So my favorite's Banana Kiss.

[Elise Renau]

It's yellow.

[Sarah]

And it's my favorite too.

[Kirby]

I don't know, like banana I on me.

[Sarah]

I was telling them that it reminds me of my childhood getting a snow cone because apparently I was weirding up banana snow cones with, like, cream on top.

[Elise Renau]

Well, now I want one.

[Sarah]

Really delicious, by the way. Now I want one.

[Kirby]

That sounds really yummy. You should try that.

[Sarah]

It was delightful. In our group, some people were like, yellow. Who's gonna wear. And I'm like, it's translucent, baby.

[Elise Renau]

It's translucent.

[Sarah]

It's a little milky.

[Elise Renau]

But, like, your lips look. And it's very glossy.

[Sarah]

It is so glossy.

[Elise Renau]

We actually use it a ton in campaigns for the gloss effect.

[Sarah]

I use this as a gloss, like, at night, obviously, to, like, plump and moisturize my lips and keep them from looking decrepit when I wake up in the morning. But then carry it in my purse, put it on during the day, and I get asked a lot like, oh, what's your lip combo? And they're always surprised when they're like, oh, it's yellow. This is crazy. Okay, so explain.

[Elise Renau]

Yes, there's a story behind the reason why it's yellow. But also, real quick, if you are sleeping next to a man, I put that on my husband every night. Or a woman. It doesn't matter who you're sleeping next to try putting it on your person, because it is. He loves it. He's like, where's my. I actually do have him on. I do have him on, like a 10 step, like, Korean skincare routine now. But he loves that, especially because you can put it on and it's clear. So he's like, you know, and we.

[Kirby]

Have to talk about the blue one.

[Elise Renau]

And the blue one. Yes, we'll talk about that. That is an exclusive to Ulta. And if you'll remember, do you remember unicorn tears, the lipstick?

[Sarah]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Elise Renau]

So that is kind of like a nod to that.

[Kirby]

Ooh, A little throwback.

[Elise Renau]

It's a little throwback to that.

[Sarah]

Wow. Unicorn tears.

[Elise Renau]

Yes.

[Kirby]

I know.

[Elise Renau]

When I first started at Too Faced, that was actually the number one selling lipstick. And it was. It was blue, y' all. If you don't know what it is, it was like a blue shifting to purple lipstick. And it was always sold out at Ulta.

[Kirby]

I mean, during that time, that's what you wanted.

[Elise Renau]

I know. It was a. It was a good time. Yeah, it was a good time. But the story of the. The shades. Well, so actually Jared was still with us before he left the company when we created these. And he was. It was Easter. And he wanted to create things that were like, Easter colors. Because he's like, who cares? We're. We're creating them for nighttime, so it doesn't matter. So we had. He picked up the cap, so before we even saw the bulk. So we had to match the bulk to the cap.

[Kirby]

Oh, my gosh.

[Elise Renau]

So of course, they came out to be like Easter shades. Totally, totally. So we had. But of course, my favorite is watermelon it smells like a watermelon candy. It smells so good.

[Kirby]

It's super nostalgic.

[Elise Renau]

Yes. So last year we redid them. We were like, hey, people are not just using these at night. We need to make wearable colors. And my favorite is the berry. I love the berry jam. It smells so good. It smells like frickin. And then the watermelon, because I'm a winter, so I like to wear my berry. And then we have the watermelon, which is a gorgeous pink. And then we have a beautiful. It's like a mango papaya scent. We call it pink pineapple.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Elise Renau]

And that is so mouthwatering delicious that I can't wear it because it makes my mouth water too much.

[Sarah]

It's so beautiful on. But then. Smells incredible.

[Elise Renau]

It smells so good.

[Sarah]

There's even a brown shade.

[Elise Renau]

Oh, yes. And we have our chocolate. It's like a true deeper chocolate. Like, our first chocolate was way too light. So this one actually gives you. You know, brown is such a transparent, trendy color right now. So if you're into nudes, that's gonna be the color for you. And it smells like a fricking chocolate cake. Like, are you kidding me?

[Ericsson]

I have.

[Elise Renau]

So good.

[Kirby]

So you all gave our glams the opportunity to pick a shade. And I think everyone. I mean, everyone picked, you know, whatever shade they wanted. But the most requested was, I think, the pink pineapple.

[Elise Renau]

Yes, the pink pineapple is delicious. I think it's yummy.

[Kirby]

And then it looks good on everyone. But honestly, hot cocoa Kiss, like you said, very popular hot Coco Kiss. Not a lot of bananas. Y' all are sleeping on the bananas.

[Sarah]

Yeah, Sleeping on ice. Cryst and banana. And these are my two faves, so.

[Elise Renau]

Get with the program. And the ice crystal banana smells like. I can't say what it is, but it to me. Doesn't it smell like a very pink, famous candy?

[Sarah]

It does. It does smell like. Are we allowed to say it? I mean, yeah, it smells like a starburst.

[Elise Renau]

It does. I'm sorry.

[Sarah]

It smells like a pink starburst. And then.

[Kirby]

And then this smells like a Jolly Rancher to me.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Elise Renau]

So. And. And that's what we love. We love nostalgia. We want you to pick up your A lip gloss and be like, wait, why does this smell like my child but look like the most beautiful thing ever?

[Sarah]

And it feels great. Can you run us through the claims that this particular product makes? Because it's very specific.

[Elise Renau]

So super, super hydrating. It's like, we don't have, like, a ton of, like, scientific claims, but we have a lot of claims that are like, you know, we. We. It's. It's 18 different emollients. Normally in a product, you have a few. Right? So it's so many different emollients. It's. It's all of the shea butters. It's the avocado oil. It's the. You know, we even have coconut. Coconut extract in it, which is amazing.

[Kirby]

And there's hyaluronic acid in it.

[Elise Renau]

And of course, hyaluronic ac. Everything. Hyaluronic acid has to be in everything, especially in anything that's hydrating. Right. Because it's such a greedy acid. It's going to pull that moisture into your lips. So, yeah, it's just so hydrating, so cushiony and so delicious that you just. Like I said, it has become my emotional support. I always have, like, three with me at a time.

[Kirby]

Also, like, look at all of our lips, you guys.

[Elise Renau]

Are we.

[Sarah]

They look juicy.

[Elise Renau]

So good.

[Sarah]

But that's the thing. This is a very small, specific product. I think what I love about it is that it comes in the tube with a doe foot.

[Elise Renau]

Me too.

[Sarah]

But then I think people think, oh, this is going to be, like, a traditional gloss or something. And then they get. Put it on. They're like, wait. But it feels more cushiony. It's not.

[Elise Renau]

It's not sticky at all.

[Sarah]

Not sticky. And I don't get the weird, like, little. Do y' all ever get, like, pilling or, like, weird little.

[Elise Renau]

100%.

[Sarah]

And it's because of the ingredients, obviously, in some products where I'm like, why do my lips look like they're actually shedding after putting this on? It's actually the ingredients, like, balling up.

[Elise Renau]

That happens to me all the time. There's so many products out there that make my lips peel.

[Sarah]

Yeah, same.

[Elise Renau]

And I'm like, why are my lips peeling?

[Sarah]

Totally.

[Elise Renau]

That does not happen. You also don't get that creamy weird thing, like, when you're talking too much, where it, like, does the line on the side.

[Kirby]

So you know who she needs to send this to? Amy Poehler.

[Elise Renau]

Oh, my gosh. I would love to please send this.

[Sarah]

To Amy Poehler so she can talk about it on our podcast.

[Kirby]

Because she uses a competitive competitor that you. That does not come with an applicator that you must use your finger.

[Elise Renau]

Yes, I can.

[Sarah]

She, like, digs her. How she'll dig her finger in there. I mean, truly, this is my favorite too faced product.

[Kirby]

Everyone needs this.

[Elise Renau]

They do. Everybody needs this. This Is gonna make your lips feel amazing. Well. Cause now it actually looks like a gloss. It's like, gives you the treat, the treatment, and then also it's serving looks.

[Sarah]

And in the group chat for the testing group, so many people are coming out going, I put this on. My lips feel moisturized. However many hours later, I do feel like, yeah, if you can pull it up. I don't have it on my phone right now.

[Elise Renau]

It's true. When I put it on at night, when I wake up in the morning, my lips still feel hydrated.

[Sarah]

Yes. And I think that's why I keep going back to it. I mean, truly, even before we were having this discussion about y' all coming on and working with us on this, I was using this every night before bed. And then you were like, no, we gotta get you the new shade. Like, we gotta get you the shades you can wear during the day.

[Elise Renau]

Which one do you wear during the day?

[Sarah]

Banana Kiss.

[Elise Renau]

You just. You are just Banana Kiss girl, through and through.

[Sarah]

Like, I don't even care about the other shades. Like, I mean, they smell great, but I'm literally like these two ice crystals and banana kisses. But banana kiss is like, yes, my girl.

[Kirby]

Okay, there are so good. There are no negative comments. I have the driest lips ever. And these bombs actually help for a longish period of time. I got the berry jam kiss, and I love it. Usually glosses are and bombs are disappointing. I wear this daily to work. Amazing pop of color. Have even layered over lipstick. Very moisturizing and doesn't cling to. To dry skin and making lines. I'm. I'm loving these. Actually picked up another shade already. What I love most is that even after the gloss has worn off, my lips still feel nourished and hydrated. Really is a great balm gloss hybrid. Bought another one. People are obsessed.

[Elise Renau]

Yes, I know. I love it.

[Sarah]

They got two already. So, like, I got two, like, acquiring them also.

[Kirby]

Can I just say there we have, like, such honest testers. Some people have messaged and they were like, I think I accidentally got two. Should I send the other one back?

[Elise Renau]

Oh, my gosh. That's so sweet.

[Sarah]

I'm like, I think they're good. I think they're good.

[Elise Renau]

Aw.

[Sarah]

I think they'll be okay.

[Elise Renau]

That's just. That's just called thank you from the universe. Yeah.

[Kirby]

They're afraid to be kicked out of the.

[Elise Renau]

Kicked out. Yeah.

[Kirby]

So how much is this?

[Elise Renau]

It's $26, right? Worth every penny.

[Kirby]

And I mean, just addicting. Addicting.

[Sarah]

And I can testify I Have the original hangover RX pillow balm. And it took. I mean, I'm still trial. It's, like, basically expired at this point, and I had not gotten through all of it, and I was addicting.

[Kirby]

That you don't need a lot. No, I just want to put it on.

[Sarah]

No, I keep putting it on because I like it.

[Elise Renau]

Have you reached the level, though? I have one in my car. I have one in my nightstand. I have one in my kitchen table.

[Sarah]

Like, I have one Originals by my bedside.

[Elise Renau]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Sarah]

I love it on my person and in my heart.

[Elise Renau]

Oh, my gosh. I love it. I'm so glad we kept it.

[Sarah]

No, it almost went away. I will be devastated if it ever gets taken.

[Elise Renau]

No, no, no.

[Sarah]

That's why everyone needs to go buy Banana Kiss right now.

[Elise Renau]

No, we're gonna call it Kirby's Banana. Okay, that didn't hit.

[Sarah]

Kirby loves a banana.

[Elise Renau]

Kirby loves a banana.

[Kirby]

We are good at his naming product names.

[Elise Renau]

No, it's my favorite thing. Naming products is the best because we kind of get to try turn off, like, our corporate self. We're like, okay, this is a safe place, because we know. I mean, when you have a mascara called Better than Sex, you're like. And summer will just reign us in.

[Kirby]

So wait, what's your favorite product name, would you say, if you had to pick?

[Elise Renau]

Okay, so we used my favorite thing that. And this was. I think this was pre elc, but we named a lip liner or an eyeliner Lucky Bitch. And I was just so excited to say it. I mean, we just had, like, a whole reel of me being, like, lucky bitch.

[Kirby]

What color was it?

[Elise Renau]

Lucky Bitch. It was a black, sparkly, liquid liner with gold sparkles. Ooh. I was like, this is the biggest thing ever. She's a lucky bitch.

[Sarah]

Do y' all have a black liner with silver sparkles?

[Elise Renau]

We need to. Because, you know, I'm a winter, so I need silver. I don't even wear gold. I know.

[Sarah]

I like more silver. You're a winter if you like silver.

[Elise Renau]

Yes, I'm a winter if you like silver. You have got to try our Disco Crush sparkles. You know that Alex French is my girl, and she does a lot of our campaign makeup, and she tells me all the time. She's like, this is so good. I use it all the time, and she taught me how to use it better. She. Oh, you only have to press your face finger. You just press, press, and apply. You do not swirl.

[Sarah]

Okay. No swirlies.

[Elise Renau]

No swirl and pat. Touch, touch, press, press. Okay. I'm wearing it right now. Just a little bit.

[Sarah]

So gorgeous. What shade is that?

[Elise Renau]

This is the white. I think it's magic sprinkles or fairy sprinkles? Yes. Yeah, yeah, that's the one. Do you see the sparkle?

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Elise Renau]

I feel like it's not a too faced product. Unless you want to squeal when you see it.

[Sarah]

Oh, I.

[Elise Renau]

You swirled.

[Kirby]

Yeah, you swirled.

[Elise Renau]

It's hard. It's like people. I always try to teach people not to like lick their lips.

[Sarah]

Oh my God. That is crazy. I love it.

[Elise Renau]

You can put it on body, you can put it.

[Sarah]

It blends beautifully too.

[Kirby]

But it looks really elegant.

[Sarah]

Elise, I cannot wait.

[Elise Renau]

People are sleeping on this product. But I'm telling you, when you put it on your eyes. Alex taught me this. You just press, press and then press it with your finger. She has the most sparkly looks on her socials. You know, she's the euphoria queen.

[Sarah]

But that blended gorgeously too.

[Elise Renau]

She's very expensive.

[Sarah]

I mean clearly, like if Zoe got.

[Kirby]

A hold of this, her game over.

[Elise Renau]

She needs one. She needs one. She'd be like this is the beginning.

[Kirby]

I mean just look how cute this is too.

[Sarah]

I love it.

[Elise Renau]

She's a little diamond.

[Sarah]

Okay. This was amazing. Elise, we adore you. Thank you so much for coming on telling us all about pillow Bomb. Truly just, we love it so, so much. Where can everybody find you? Online.

[Elise Renau]

So I am. You can find me of course on all of too faced socials. Like I'm like I have not aged out. They're still on my TikTok and I'm always doing something. The Gen Zs are keeping me young. But you can also find me at eliserenau and that's my handle everywhere. It's good luck to you. It's lot of vowels. She's French.

[Sarah]

We will.

[Kirby]

Link it.

[Elise Renau]

Yes. I just love you both and you guys both inspire me so much. And seeing your guys success. I've just been cheering for you for years. I could cry. I just love what you're doing. You're so. I'm so proud.

[Sarah]

Thank you, Elise.

[Kirby]

Thank you. We love you. We love too faced.

[Ericsson]

When it comes to your business, every second counts. From mega factories to mom and pop shops, Ericsson helps tens of thousands of companies around the world build powerful connections every day. Power your business with our connectivity and communication solutions. The invisible advantage driving your growth. Visit [e-mail] Power that's E R I C-S-S O-N.com Power.