Gloss Angeles Podcast Summary

Episode: Pat McGrath Labs: The Warning Signs We Can’t Ignore
Hosts: Kirbie Johnson & Sara Tan
Date: January 7, 2026

Main Theme

Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan, beauty journalists and co-hosts, open 2026 with an episode focused on key beauty news, personal goals, and most notably, a candid discussion of the warning signs surrounding the possible financial instability and uncertain future of Pat McGrath Labs, one of the industry’s most beloved brands. Their conversation blends beauty industry trends, product recommendations, and personal insight, framed by their mission to offer informed, female-forward perspectives at the intersection of beauty, pop culture, and social context.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. New Year Reflections and Goals

[01:00 – 05:00]

• Kirbie and Sara candidly discuss aging in the public eye and embracing turning 39, sharing how 40 is now viewed positively.
  • “Because of the conversation around age that you and I are subjected to on a daily basis, I keep just putting myself in the 40 plus category… You need to live in these ages and enjoy them.” — Kirbie [01:32]
• They underscore their podcast’s lens: beauty as experienced by women in America in 2026, layered with nuance, science, and advocacy for marginalized voices.

2. Goals for the Podcast in 2026

[05:00 – 12:00]

• Dream Guests:

  • Sara’s pick: Connor Story and Hudson Williams from the hit show "Heated Rivalry"—praised for their on-screen chemistry and influence on beauty routines.
    • “They’re so beautiful… when are you gonna have the heated rivalry guys on your podcast? I welcome them.” — Sara [06:42]
  • Kirbie’s pick: Dr. Mike (Russian American family physician & YouTuber), for his science-forward debunking of health conspiracies affecting women.
    • “He is basically debunking every single Maha Maga leaning health conspiracy in the most patient loving way… truly, this man is doing amazing things.” — Kirbie [10:04]

• Industry Predictions:

  • Kirbie: An oral care obsession, with more focus on flossing and gum/bone health, and brands like Cocofloss rising in prominence.
    • “I think that we are going to see an oral care obsession… people are actually going to care about their oral health.” — Kirbie [12:04]
  • Sara: A continued supplement boom, with science-backed, targeted formulas for stress, sleep, and longevity (fewer “gimmicky” gummies).
    • “Supplements to help with longevity… and also like sleep and stress and anxiety, because in case you didn’t know, it’s a very stressful world we’re living in.” — Sara [15:29]

• Personal Beauty Goals:

  • Both commit to prioritizing hair health and scalp care, moving (at least temporarily) away from extensions and investigating minoxidil and scalp massage.
    • “I just need to go grab some Rogaine and start spraying that shit all over my hairline because I can definitely tell my hair is changing...” — Kirbie [18:28]
    • Discussion inserts playful honesty about hair loss, self-image, and the prevalence of hairpieces:
    • “Everyone’s hair is fake. Everyone is wearing a wig. Like, everybody is wearing a wig. It’s crazy.” — Kirbie [19:37]

3. What’s On Your Face? Product Faves

[22:20 – 33:00]

• Biossance Growth Factor Firming Anti-Aging Moisturizer (Sara’s pick):

  • Lush, gel-cream texture with peptides, collagen, and squalene. Loved by their “Glamgelino” testers for bounce, radiance, and deep hydration.
    • Listener review: “It feels great when putting it on… balanced my skin’s texture and even improved some slight redness. No breakouts, more glowy, plump, and juicy.” [24:50]
  • Minor packaging critique: no spatula included for jar use with long nails.

• SUKAS NEOS 2 Toothbrush & Water Flosser (Kirbie’s pick):

  • 2-in-1 gadget that combines electric toothbrush and water flosser for superior oral hygiene.
    • “I personally have become addicted to it because… it’s not spurting the water all over the place… it is 100% less messy than every other water flosser I’ve tried.” — Kirbie [30:53]
  • Praises the impact of diligent brushing/flossing on white teeth and overall oral health, tying back to predictions for oral care trends.

4. Industry News: Ulta x Rare Beauty

[33:34 – 41:00]

• Rare Beauty (Selena Gomez’s brand) expands to Ulta Beauty after five years of Sephora exclusivity, launching in February 2026 across all Ulta stores.
  • “According to the press release, they will be launching into all 1500+ Ulta Beauty stores and Ulta.com beginning February 1st… their first retail expansion since its 2020 launch.” — Sarah [34:10]
• Discussion:
  • It’s a standard move after five-year exclusivity deals end.
  • Ulta’s accessibility and rewards program have made it the next logical step for prestige brands seeking scale.
  • “High-low” shopping is now normalized; Ulta’s mix of prestige and mass brands makes it appealing to all shoppers.
    • “Ulta has grown so much and become acceptable for the high end consumer as a result of the acceptance of high low shopping… there’s no longer this stigma…” — Kirbie [39:57]
  • Partnership includes guest donation drive: contributions split between Ulta’s Charitable Foundation and Rare Beauty’s Rare Impact Fund.

5. Headline Deep Dive: Pat McGrath Labs’ Red Flags

[41:00 – 47:50] (Core Segment)

• Pat McGrath Labs undergoing “restructuring and recapitalization”; assets, including trademark and logo, reportedly up for potential sale (per Business of Fashion reports).
  • “It was valued at $1 billion when it received an investment… now another investor had marked down its stake… implying a valuation closer to $174 million.” — Kirbie [41:00]
  • Signs of trouble:
    • Trademark and logo sale signals the direst phase for a brand.
    • Recent “odd” collaborations (e.g., Candy Crush) perceived as desperate.
    • Spotting Pat McGrath Labs products at CVS (mass retail) hints at distribution or overstock problems.
    • Pat McGrath’s own pivot as creative director for Louis Vuitton’s beauty push, and loss of personal engagement with her namesake brand.
• Quotes & Reflections:
  • “Listen, I don’t think it’s good news when you’re selling your trademark. What else do you have? That is your brand.” —Kirbie [42:28]
  • “The care for the brand from Pat herself is just no longer there… she is the founder, she is the face, and I don’t see her talking about it… this is, I think, very telling, which is really sad because… we love the brand so much.” — Sara [44:34]
• Contextual insight:
  • Hosts draw parallel to founder departures (e.g., Bobbi Brown), noting that sometimes the namesake persists—though a founder’s passion and influence usually makes the brand.
  • A sense of urgency and mourning about possibly losing one of beauty’s most innovative lines.
  • Pop-culture note: Pat McGrath Labs’ previous bump in buzz from Taylor Swift (due to “the lip”) now overtaken by Smashbox/MAC.
• Memorable Moment:
  • “Dame Pat. We love you, girl. Please come. We please talk. Tell us what is going on. We just want to know.” — Kirbie & Sara [47:41]

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “I think that we are going to see an oral care obsession… people are actually going to care about their oral health.” — Kirbie [12:04]
• “Supplements to help with longevity… because it’s a very stressful world we’re living in.” — Sara [15:29]
• “Everyone’s hair is fake. Everyone is wearing a wig. Like, everybody is wearing a wig. It’s crazy.” — Kirbie [19:37]
• “Ulta has grown so much… there’s no longer this stigma that, quote, I only shop luxury or vice versa. It’s more acceptable now.” — Kirbie [39:57]
• “Listen, I don’t think it’s good news when you’re selling your trademark. What else do you have? That is your brand.” — Kirbie [42:28]
• “The care for the brand from Pat herself is just no longer there… I don’t see her talking about it… this is, I think, very telling…” — Sara [44:34]
• “Dame Pat. We love you, girl. Please come. We please talk. Tell us what is going on. We just want to know.” — Kirbie & Sara [47:41]

Important Timestamps

• 00:59 – Reflections on aging, New Year optimism
• 05:32 – Dream guests for 2026
• 12:03 – Industry predictions for oral care and supplements
• 15:52 – Beauty goals for hair health
• 22:20 – Favorite product segment ("What's on Your Face?")
• 33:34 – Rare Beauty's Ulta expansion
• 41:00 – 47:50 – Pat McGrath Labs: the warning signs and what it might mean

Tone & Language

Conversational, warm, female-forward, gently irreverent, deeply knowledgeable, supportive of science and inclusion, and always honest—often peppered with humor, pop culture asides, and candor about the complexities of women’s experiences in beauty.

Takeaway

This episode sets a notable tone for 2026 beauty reporting with a mix of optimism, realism, and unvarnished commentary. While celebrating industry growth and accessibility (Rare Beauty’s expansion), Kirbie and Sara also sound an urgent, heartfelt alarm about Pat McGrath Labs, blending affection for its founder with tough questions about the future. Listeners come away with timely beauty trends, product picks, and a clear-eyed look at the business realities shaping their favorite brands.