Pat McGrath Labs: The Warning Signs We Can’t Ignore

Summary

Gloss Angeles Podcast Summary

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

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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.

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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]

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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.

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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.

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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]

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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]

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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

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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.

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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.

Transcript

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[Kirby]

G l a m los angeles.

[Sarah]

Hi, kirby.

[Kirby]

Hi, sarah.

[Sarah]

Welcome to los angeles.

[Kirby]

Hello, 2026.

[Sarah]

2026. It's that time of year, Kirby, where I ask you what is your advice for me the one week that you are older than me?

[Kirby]

I'm trying not to curse as much in 2026. Otherwise I would have said you be for even bringing it up.

[Sarah]

You beat.

[Kirby]

But I was gonna ask you what it feels like on your last day of being 38.

[Sarah]

Matt asked me too, if I had any, like, big feelings. And I don't think I do. I think I'll have big feelings next year.

[Kirby]

Yes. Because I feel like because of the conversation around age that you and I are subjected to on a daily basis, that I keep just putting myself in the 40 plus category.

[Sarah]

I know.

[Kirby]

And I really had to be like.

[Sarah]

Kirby, we're not there.

[Kirby]

You're only 38 once. You're only 39 once. Like, you need to live in these ages and enjoy them.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

So this year we'll go through 39, and then next year we still have a who year of being 40. You know what I mean?

[Sarah]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Totally. And everyone I have spoken to who are in their 40s beyond are like, 40 is amazing. It's amazing. It's the best. So, you know, we have so much to look forward to.

[Kirby]

People have been telling me that 40s is the new. Well, they were saying it was the new twenties.

[Sarah]

Oh.

[Kirby]

Because your thirties are technically your teens because you really don't know what the hell you're doing in the real world until your 30s. Yeah.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

So you go through your 30s and you're like, okay, I'm figuring this out. 20s was just a nightmare.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Kirby]

Of.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Kirby]

I have no idea who I am, what I am, who my people are.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Kirby]

And then 30s, you kind of figure out. And then 40s, you really know what you are.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

Yes. And what you're going to put up with and all of that. So I'm very. I already feel that way. So I'm very excited about all of.

[Sarah]

That and every horoscope, tarot, card reader, everything. Maybe I'm just selective listening and watching what I choose to watch. But they say that it's gonna be our year.

[Kirby]

Capricorns deserve it, babes. I'm telling you, we have been through it the past 15 years. Every year I've been in LA, it has been a nightmare, apparently, according to these people doing tarot and astrology on the Internet. And if this is your first time listening to this podc, we are journalists, despite our love of being Capricorns and astrology, and we're here to deliver the news on the beauty front with an entertainment edge. I think that sometimes. And some of the feedback we've gotten, I would say lately when we bring up political things, is stick to beauty. And if we're bringing it up, there is an aspect of beauty to it. So that's the lens through how we see everything on this podcast. So if you're new here, welcome. We are thrilled to have you. We believe in science. We believe in supporting marginalized people. We believe in women above all else.

[Sarah]

I was going to say, I feel like, obviously, this is a beauty podcast and we are looking through the lens of beauty, but we are also looking through the lens of being a woman.

[Kirby]

A woman in America in 2026. A lot comes with that. There's nuance, it's very heavy, there's levels.

[Sarah]

But we're all in this together. We got it all together. We're here. We're here for each other. So.

[Kirby]

So you may get a little product recommendation, and then you may be like, how is the political landscape influencing my trip to Sephora? We got it all.

[Sarah]

My son's come to us.

[Kirby]

Your sunscreen. Your sunscreen. Why does our sunscreen suck? Politics, baby. It's true. It's true.

[Sarah]

It always comes down.

[Kirby]

It's all. It's all true. Okay, now that we've gotten that all out of the way, Sarah, I think we should do three little yes goals, if you will, for the year. I want to know what is one guest that you want on the pod this year?

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

A prediction you think that we will see in the beauty industry.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

We're pretty good with our predictions.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

I won't lie.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And then one beauty goal we have for ourselves.

[Sarah]

Great.

[Kirby]

I'll let you start.

[Sarah]

Okay. So I was very late to the heated rivalry world that everyone has been living in. I guess I'm not that late, but maybe like a few weeks late. And I finally started it. I'm still not finished. Because if you haven't watched the show, it's not safe for children. Not a show that I really want to watch with my husband. It's a show for myself, and I don't really have a lot of time to watch anything by myself, so I'm still. I've still yet to finish it, but it's such an incredible show. And the two men in the show are just cutie puffrickin tooties. And they're so beautiful. And I know that there is a lot of conversation around the two of them. And they're like beauty routines, their bods, their butts, their perfect butts. And people have been asking me, they're like, when are you gonna have the heated rivalry guys on your podcast? And I was like, I welcome them. I welcome them. So my. It's a two for one. I'll have either or, but hopefully both. So we have Connor Story and Hudson Williams. I would love to have the both of them on the podcast.

[Kirby]

Preach love.

[Sarah]

Have you watched it yet, Kirby?

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

And I had to stop watching to go to Tahiti with my family. And let me just tell you a story. I was having withdrawals. There was no way for me to watch in a manner that was private in Tahiti with my entire family. Definitely not a family friend. I mean, I guess it depends on your family, but definitely not a family friendly.

[Sarah]

I'm not that close to my mom. I wouldn't.

[Kirby]

I wouldn't be able to watch not that close with. I mean, I am close with my mom, but not in that way. It was.

[Sarah]

It's a show for the girls and the gays.

[Kirby]

The girls and the gays. We absolutely love it for us, but.

[Sarah]

It'S, you know, I mean, we could have a whole conversation on how important it is to have this show on in the year 2026.

[Kirby]

It's going to be such a feel good show. I enjoy watching it. I just. I like him grinning like a little idiot every time something sweet happens. Yes. So steamy. It's hot. It's hot and sweet.

[Sarah]

They have this chemistry and they're just so, so, so cute. And I really, I mean, Connor is just like so beautiful. And then also Hudson, he did that video with, I can't remember breaking down, like his whole beauty routine. And he's half Korean, so he gets a lot of K beauty from his family, all this stuff. So I would love to have them on. That's my pick.

[Kirby]

Okay. Love that. If anyone can make that happen. Hbo, please, would absolutely love. Love. And in person, preferably in person police, because that's how we roll usually. Okay. My pick is dramatically different kind of Related in a way because he's Russian American. So you know, there's the aspect of heated rivalry. You know the Russian hockey player. Yes. Forgive me, I. I don't know their name. Like Hudson.

[Sarah]

Yeah, Hudson is. Yeah, it's Ilya and Shane and.

[Kirby]

Oh, thank you.

[Sarah]

We probably know them better by their last names because that's how they lovingly. Hollander and Ross Knopf.

[Kirby]

Yeah, exactly. When they're saying it in the throes of a sexual moment. Absolutely.

[Sarah]

Love.

[Kirby]

Okay, so the. My pick is Dr. Mike. He is a. Doctor Mike is a Russian American family physician and a YouTuber. He has 14 million subscribers on YouTube, five over 5 million on Instagram. I'm sure many, many more on TikTok. I actually met him at a Bioderma event last year. But this man is doing the Lord's work. He is basically debunking every single Maha Maga leaning health conspiracy in the most patient loving way. Like 99% of the comments on his videos are like, Dr. Mike, I have so much respect for you for leading with grace and patience and true care for the people who truly, truly sound like the biggest dum dums on the planet based on what they're arguing against. Mind you, we are now in this America where experts are considered bad.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

Because they're experts. Yeah, like they're out to get us because they're experts. It's the most bizarre thing ever. But every single video that pops up of him, I like it, I repost it. I truly think this man is doing amazing things and I would be really interested to have him on the podcast to talk about a lot of the conspiracies around women's health that he is constantly having to debunk. Because I think that would be really helpful for our listenership. So totally Dr. Mike and the heated rivalry. Boys, let's. I mean, they're all hot. They're all.

[Sarah]

I think I Now remember him, Dr. Mike, because I sent you a video.

[Kirby]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Sarah]

What video was that? It was. It was debunking some. Oh, it was debunking mommy influencers who have turned to the bad side.

[Kirby]

Yes, yes. And you know what else he does really well? He has his own podcast and he has other experts in different medical related fields. Come on. And he'll press them and say, you know, what does the science say about this? Where are you getting this science? And he does it in a very civil way. It really reminds me of how it used to be when it. When people disagreed and they're trying to get answers on things. Like, it wasn't just incessant name calling. It was having a conversation and really trying to get to the bottom of like, well, do you see why that doesn't make sense? Yeah, he does it flawlessly. He deserves some kind of award. Many of them, actually. So I would love to have him on the podcast.

[Sarah]

Okay, great. We're putting it out there. Our manifestation has been working, so.

[Kirby]

Yeah, putting it into the world.

[Sarah]

We're speaking it. Let's, let's make it happen.

[Kirby]

Okay. Next thing, one prediction we'll see happen in the industry.

[Sarah]

Okay, you go first.

[Kirby]

I think that we are going to see an oral care obsession.

[Sarah]

Ooh. Yes.

[Kirby]

I think Kendall Jenner and that Moon brand, which I'm not sure still exists or not, I think was maybe she was just ahead of the curve. And yeah, it didn't really catch on.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

But based off of the pitches that I'm getting and the conversation that I'm seeing online, I think that we're gonna have, like, people are actually going to care about their oral health in terms of flossing and plaque.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

And whitening. Not just like, yeah, not just teeth bleaching, but truly, like actual care for your gums and your, the, you know, bones in your mouth and things of that nature. So that's, that's my prediction. I know Cocoa floss is one of these, like, cool brands. And I love cocoa floss. I buy it. It's like a $10 floss, which I don't know if I like that, but I mean, I like the way it feels and I like the way it looks. So I buy it and I use it and I think that's the key. It's like, if you're going to use it consistently and regularly, then it's worth it.

[Sarah]

There are so many studies now that link, you know, regular flossing to your brain health. Like, it's not just for the looks and the health of literally just your gums. Like, this is for your overall well being. So I know it can be a pain. But like you said, there are so many cool brands now that make it sort of more fun, like gadgets, but also flavored floss, like cocoa floss and stuff. So I love that. I hope we see more of that because teeth are really important.

[Kirby]

They are. And it's a shame that dental care is not accessible.

[Sarah]

I know, it really is. Bummer.

[Kirby]

Okay, what's yours?

[Sarah]

Okay, so this is based on sort of anecdotal, based on like, pitches and like, gifting and things. I'VE just been seeing a lot of supplements for sure, are just going to keep continuing to grow. I mean we've seen it. So many people, even when you open up your Instagram, they are, you know, selling some sort of supplement to you. But I think that we're not going to see as many like gummies that have all these like false promises. Like I do think that there will be more clinicals and like science backed supplements that are targeted more on things that are obviously like we have like hair loss and you know, collagen, things like that. But I think we'll see a lot more like one longevity, which I think we'll see in everything. Skincare as well. So supplements to help with longevity, whether that's like, you know, the nads or whatever it may be and then also like sleep and stress and anxiety, like how that all, all three of those. Because I cannot tell you how many people have pitched me like whether it's even cbd still CBD supplements for any of those THC supplements. So many. I have so many, which I'm very grateful for because I love them. It's just like if you were to take like a sip of wine, you know, like it's just going to help you like calm down a little bit. So I feel like I have been seeing so much of that. So I think that the supplements are really going to be targeting, just helping us live better lives day to day.

[Kirby]

Stress relief.

[Sarah]

Stress relief. Because in case you didn't know, it's a very stressful world we're living in. And so we're all just trying to, you know, better ourselves from the inside out. And whether that is to live longer or to just manage our day to day stresses, I think we'll be seeing a lot more of that perf.

[Kirby]

Okay, what is one beauty goal that you have?

[Sarah]

Okay. One that I sort of was like telling myself at the end of last year is to just take better care of the hair that I have on my head, my scalp. And I know that that might be because I'm also being targeted a lot of like, you know, the skinification of hair products and things like that. But I do just feel like my hair has changed and I have all of the things at my fingertips to help myself. So let me do all the things. Whether it is like the minoxidil spray, you know, all the scalp massage, even just massaging my scalp. Oh. I mean we just, we know that not only that feels incredible, but it really does help your hair growth. So that is, that is my Goal. I'm just gonna be a little bit nicer to this. How about you?

[Kirby]

Okay. That's also mine. Oh, is she? Mine is. Yeah. To focus on my hair and my hair health. I. If you do not follow us on social media, no problem. But I've lost £40 in the past year. And definitely there has been this thing with my body where stress, like the first three months that this was happening, just hair all over my bathroom. I've. I've never seen that much hair. And of course, your hair sheds and I have extensions, and so shedding is a natural thing that occurs whether you have extensions or not. But I was used to seeing a certain amount of hair shed. I would walk into my bathroom and I just felt like I was swimming through just globs of hair, realizing that I had more hair fall because of the stress on my body, I guess you could say from, like, losing that much weight. And I wouldn't say it was like a quick loss, but it was definitely enough that I noticed, especially around my hairline. Yeah, hair. Hair shed. And so I also had very heavy extensions at one point that I had removed because I could tell that it was just too much for my hair thickness. You know, I have fine hair. I have a lot of it, but it's fine. And so I got that removed. I still have tape and extensions, but I also had beaded wefts before that. And so overall, in my head, what I would love to do is take out my extensions for the time being, get a half wig that looks like my actual hair that I put in for the podcast and for events.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And the rest of the time just. Yeah, all natural.

[Sarah]

Me.

[Kirby]

Minoxidil it up.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Kirby]

Like. Like, I'm half tempted. I mean, I know every product now a hairline has minoxidil of some, you know, kind. And I've been trying Vegamore. I've been using apres. I've been using all of these different brands, which I'm loving, but I'm. I just need to go grab some Rogaine and start spraying that shit all over my hairline because I. I can definitely tell, like, my hair is changing, and maybe that's just like the age we're at. And of course, you've had two kids, which also is a factor in it. But, yeah, I, I. Hair health is like, a. A true priority for me, and I'm not sure if I'm going to see the results I actually want from some of these products. If I keep getting hair extensions.

[Sarah]

No, I know.

[Kirby]

Then I Also want what I want. You know what I mean?

[Sarah]

It's a very vicious cycle. I also agree with you. It's like the only time I'm really self conscious about my hair is if I'm watching the podcast or if we're, like, at an event, you know, otherwise. Yeah. Like, I don't care what my hair looks like, but it is. Yeah. So you're just like, am I. Do I really need this much hair all the time? But, you know, it's hard because living in this world that we're living in too, in beauty and entertainment, like, everyone's hair is fake.

[Kirby]

So everyone's hairs. Everyone is wearing a wig. Like, everybody is wearing a wig. It's crazy.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

Like, I thought people were just wearing hair extensions. No, everybody is literally wearing a wig.

[Sarah]

No. And when I interviewed Clayton for the story that I wrote for Harper's about hair loss, he was saying that even on his clients who have pixie cuts, there is some sort of added hair piece to. To it. Clayton's quote was, you were born naked and you wear clothes, so literally, this is safe with your hair. He was like, have you seen George Washington on our dollar bill? That's not his hair. So, you know, we shouldn't feel shame about it by any means. But I do think that we are, especially us at this age where, yeah, our hair texture is changing. Like, we're losing it around, you know, our hairline. And so there are so many things that we can do. Have you tried ever oral minoxidil?

[Kirby]

No.

[Sarah]

So a few of the dermatologists I interviewed suggested that, but they did say that sometimes it works so well that, like, you're growing hair in other places.

[Kirby]

No, no, I can't have a mustache. I already have to shave my face.

[Sarah]

Right. And then it's like, I'm going to sev laser to get my armpits, like, lasered off or like, I just. I can't do this. I can't keep doing this. So I think that. I think the minoxidil spray on the toothbrush and you scrub it in. It's like targeted areas. That's what we need to be doing.

[Kirby]

You may recall that we had Tatcha's founder, Vicky Tsai on the show a little bit earlier this year for the second time. And I'm still thinking about how she builds rituals of daily self love, little pauses that restore calm and joy.

[Sarah]

And honestly, the product that nails that feeling for moi is the Dewy skin cream. It is this decadently rich moisturizer that plumps the look of fine lines and seals in moisture for that signature dewy glow.

[Kirby]

I got to say, when you said moi, you said plump, you said glow. There was someone that came to mind. There was someone came to mind. And I'll let y' all figure out who that is. It literally cocoons my skin in a comforting replenishing feeling. And the glow glass, like even under.

[Sarah]

Makeup, it's truly the best. And no wonder. It is their best selling moisturizer. A dewy skin cream is sold every 30 seconds.

[Kirby]

Not surprised though. Ready to join the dewy side? Enjoy. 15% off your first purchase at tatcha.com with code GLOSSANGELIS15.

[Sarah]

That's GLOSSANGELAS15 for 15% off your first [e-mail] foreign.

[Kirby]

Let's kick off the new year with wife what's on your face? Our reoccurring segment where we tell you all what products we are loving and we wax poetic about them. And it's not just products for your face. It can be for your body, for your hair, for your mouth, all, all of the things. So Sarah.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

Why don't you kick things off?

[Sarah]

Okay. So I have been testing a product alongside our Glamos and it is something that I literally, I got through so quickly because I loved it so, so much. It is from Biossance. It is their growth factor firming anti aging moisturizer and it has peptides, collagen and squalene. So what I love about this product is not only does it have all of the ingredients that I mentioned, but specifically the growth factors, which I think is something that we definitely are going to see more of in 2026. But it's just this beautiful cushiony cream. It's almost like a gel and it just absorbs really, really beautifully into your skin. I love a thick and heavy cream, especially for evening. But sometimes if it's too thick, it's too creamy, it's too rich, it's going to break me out or I just feel like I'm wiping it on my pillowcase. So I loved that this one really absorbed quickly into my skin and then over time I really do feel like my skin felt a lot more bouncier and it looked just really like radiant. Texture is really important for me for moisturizers. I think you can probably agree, Kirby. And so I just really think they nailed this and I think that our listeners also agreed and they had a really great experience with this product. So this review that a Glamgelino left, she also left before and after Pictures, which are incredible. Some moisturizers can feel too light or watery, but this one was just right for me. I love the thickness and creamy consistency of it and the long lasting moisture and glow it leaves my skin with after each use. I don't know if I noticed a big difference with the firmness of my skin or the reduction of one line, but those were minor issues for me to begin with. A flex. It really had a dryness issue and that was well taken care of with this product. She said that the only gripe that she had is that she like. Although she liked the glass jar, she would have liked a small spoon or a tool to scoop up with the cream because she has long nails.

[Kirby]

Yes, that was a common response. In terms of the packaging, they said that because it comes in a jar, they would have loved to have some type of tool to help them easily get it out without it getting underneath their fingernails.

[Sarah]

Do you use the spatulas that come with your moisturizers?

[Kirby]

Actually, I have a little pile of spatulas that I use for my eye creams and now that I think about it, like my jars, my jar, moisturizers. Yes. I don't.

[Sarah]

I probably. I'm like, I'm probably contaminating, but I really just. I always lose them and then I just continue to use the product. I don't know. But that's good feedback. It is good feedback. Okay. This other glamgellino said I have combo skin that is more dry in winter, but still, still with a persistent oily T zone as the day goes on. And so products are often difficult to find that address both. And I have to say I love this moisturizer for all my skin issues. It feels great when putting it on, but also has staying power for hydration, absorbs well so that it doesn't disrupt my makeup and has balanced my skin's texture and even improve some of my slight redness on my cheek area. She did not experience any breakouts and her skin is more glowy, plump and juicy. Her fine lines were less pronounced and she said it was such a good moisturizer for her mature skin. And she also included before and afters that are again, so great.

[Kirby]

Okay, so if you want to read more about this new Biossance moisturizer that launched at the end of December, go to Biossance website and look up our Glamlino reviews. They will have said that they reviewed this product through Los Angeles Confidential, which is our seating program. It's totally free for you if you would like to be a part of it. Find our Slack link at our link in bio on our socials and join the group. We have signups for a variety of different products and we seed a ton of different brands from too faced to rare Beauty day, Hair Oribe in beauty project noise. What else? K18 we just did biossance K18 so a variety of different brands. They partner with us to get these products to you and then depending on the type of partnership they have, we talk about it with you guys and share your reviews on the podcast. And they are authentic, they are unbiased. We even tell people you don't have to be positive. It just has to be your accurate and real experience using the product. So check out all of those reviews on Biossance's website.

[Sarah]

Okay Kirby, what is on your face?

[Kirby]

Okay, it's not on my face and it kind of goes back to what I said. We'll see more of in 2026. It's the Sucas NEOS 2. And if you're wondering what the hell is Sucus, it is a toothbrush and water flosser combined. So I recently went and got a teeth cleaning and I had noticed that there was plaque buildup on my lower teeth and I had never really seen that or experienced that before. And Charlene, our cosmetic queen, cosmetic dental queen, she's the best, who we love dearly. I asked her, what do I do about this? This is not normal for me. And she said, do you have a water flosser? And I was like, yes, but I frickin hate it. It gets everywhere because you have to keep your mouth open so that like the water can drain out.

[Sarah]

It's like a whole.

[Kirby]

If you've ever tried a water flosser, it's everywhere.

[Sarah]

And then it's like your mirror gets like, yes, dirty.

[Kirby]

Yes. It's really not the best experience, but the clean you get from a water flosser is truly unparalleled. Yeah, so I had a meeting a few weeks ago with this brand, Sucus and I was like, okay, I'm going to give this a go. I'm not a big fan of water flossers, but like this is a two in one, so at least I'm not having to use two different devices to get the clean I want. And Sucas has coined this term multi clean. So they consider just your toothbrush with your toothpaste a singular clean. This particular product that they're putting out there really going hard with marketing, quote unquote, multi clean. And According to the ADA, leaving food debris between your teeth for over 48 hours can significantly increase plaque buildup and neglecting the clean these areas can nearly double your risk of periodontal disease. It can also cause bad breath which they say on the worst nightmare. Yeah. Could impact your social interactions which truly Sarah and I are like crazy people about bad breath. Like I'm so, so scared to get up close to someone out of fear that my breath smells bad. That's why I'm so addicted to flossing.

[Sarah]

Yes. No, I need to try this.

[Kirby]

Yes. So anyways, this one thing that I wish Sukas would do on their website is be very, very plain and clear that this is a multi use device and that it's not just a toothbrush, it's also a water flosser. Like they mention flossing but they don't explicitly say so like how does it on the marketing? Okay, so I've been using it and I, I love it. I, I'm using it day and night. It's great. I also am still regularly flossing though.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

This is not replacing my, my normal flossing. Okay. Cocoa floss. You will always be in business because of me. So it's 80 seconds. You started off. It has like the, it's basically like your Philipsonic care.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

It's like going through the motions. You're, you're brushing your teeth and then at a certain point in the process it starts water flossing and you fill up a little bank with water prior to brushing your teeth. And then once you turn it on, it has three different speeds, three different intensities of how fast or how intense the flossing will go. And then after you're brushing your teeth, after they've decided your teeth brushing is over, then it just goes into this spurting of water and it will alert you with a little alarm like okay, here we go. So it basically saves you time. It's like one of those.

[Sarah]

So the water just like shoots out from the toothbrush?

[Kirby]

It shoots out from the toothbrush? Yes.

[Sarah]

Oh yes.

[Kirby]

I personally have become addicted to it because I'm like, okay. I now know, I feel almost like because it's coming out of the toothbrush head, it's not spurting the water all over the place. And then I now just like keep my mouth open and everything like drains out. And granted it like kind of gets on your chin but like that's just what happens with water flossing. It is what it is, but it is 100% less messy than every other water flosser I've Tried because I tried a water flosser years ago and I was like, f this, I can't do it. Then I bought a new one that I thought was like state of the art and was going to change the game. And it was still a nightmare. It was huge. I was going to say taking up all the space.

[Sarah]

That's the big bummer too is that you're like, it already is like annoying to have your electric toothbrush on the counter because it. With the charging and the base, it takes up space. So then having the water faucet, it's like double the size. No one wants to look at that.

[Kirby]

No. It's so ugly. It's too many devices. In this case, I will say that this particular toothbrush is larger than your normal electric toothbrush for obvious reasons. You have to have a bank to hold the water in. And you can choose to do brush and floss or just floss if you would like. If you really like, love your toothbrush that you currently have, they have that option.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

But they have two different varieties available on their site, 150 to 199. So I would say it's like, you know, you can get an electric toothbrush for like $75, $60, whatever. But then if you want like the big daddy version of your favorite electric toothbrush, it's like closer to 200. Right. So I feel like this is, you know, equivalent to what you would normally be paying for something like that. So you're. But you're getting two devices, one multitasking. And then also if you are privileged enough to have an FSA or hsa, you can buy it with those funds.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Smart. So smart.

[Kirby]

So one thing I do get complimented a lot about are my teeth and how white they are. And I have obviously bleached them in the past, but I think I'm able. I drink coffee, I drink soda. I don't have staining of any kind. And I truly think it is a result of me being diligent, obviously brushing my teeth twice a day, if not more flossing regularly.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And now this water flosser has totally changed the game for me.

[Sarah]

Also, when your teeth feel that clean, it's like hard to go back, you know, like, it totally just feel like, like I need to use. I need to use this toothbrush again. Well, I really need this. So I will.

[Kirby]

Yes, you do.

[Sarah]

I will be sucas. I will be googling sukhas after this.

[Kirby]

Google sukhas and we will link it in our shop. My should you need help Finding it perfect. Okay, we have two news stories to discuss with the people. Was there a lot happening around the holidays, beauty wise? I was totally checked out, so. I was too.

[Sarah]

I don't think. No, I think everyone was sort of taking a break and then like come Monday, January 5th, they're like, release the press releases.

[Kirby]

Right. Okay. And that's how we found out about this first piece of news. Sarah, take it away.

[Sarah]

Okay, so Rare Beauty is now officially in Ulta Beauty, which is huge news, I think. You know, Kirby and I were talking about this earlier and we're saying it's not a huge surprise, but it definitely is a really, really big feat for a brand. It's obviously something that like a lot of brands think about. Especially when you launch in a Sephora or a retailer, you know, you have exclusivity for a certain amount of time. And in this case, it's been five years, right, Kirby, Since Rare Beauty launched. So that's usually when the contracts end for brands. And so it makes complete sense then that Rare Beauty decided they wanted to be in Ulta. So according to the press release, it said that they will be launching into all 1500 plus Ulta Beauty stores and Ulta.com beginning February 1st. And this is the first retail expansion for the brand since its 2020 launch. And Selena said, I'm so excited to bring Rare Beauty to Ulta Beauty. I started Rare Beauty to help people feel seen and celebrated as they are. This brand is about accepting yourself fully and embracing all the things that make you you. Expanding means we get to share that mission with even more people. And that makes me really proud.

[Kirby]

Okay, so why Ulta? Obviously Sephora and Ulta, direct competitors. If you, if you were in this world, if you shop beauty at all, you know this.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Kirby]

It's like they're both constantly fighting for brands and Sephora typically has the upper hand on new brands because Sephora is a marketing machine. They know how to sell, package, and get people to try your products. So that's why you see a lot of brands launching at a Sephora versus an Ulta. However, at the beginning of 2024, we talked about this because several brands like Sol de Janeiro, Ola Henriksen and Charlotte Tilbury announced that they were headed to Ulta. And this was kind of groundbreaking news at the time because it was all within a couple of days that they were like, surprise, we're going to Ulta Milk went to Ulta. Pat McGrath, Fenty. I mean, and in relation to Rare, I think Fenty is the closest comparison because they're both celebrity owned brands, they both launched in Sephora, they both have incredible teams behind them. And I think Fenty, it had been like seven years when they ultimately went to Ulta. Yeah, but this is pretty standard five year mark. I mean, Rare just celebrated their five years in September of 2025. So this is not a surprise. And I wrote an article for my substack a few years ago at the beginning of 2024 about why Ulta is the next move for brands who are really looking to expand. And it's because quite frankly, they, they need to grow, they need to get out there. And when I had talked to some of these brand founders behind the scenes, they had said that Sephora is sexy, but Ulta is easy. So you're able to get to a strip mall.

[Sarah]

Yeah, I mean there are more walk into an Ulta. Yeah. Than there are Sephora's. And I do think that the Ulta shopper is different. There's definitely overlap with Ulta shopping at Ulta and Sephora. Like Kirby, you and I are at both all the time, but I do think there are people that prefer one or the other. And like you said, it is more accessible for, for a lot more people to just pop into an Ulta. So I mean it's, it's the dream to be in both.

[BetterHelp Ad Narrator]

Totally.

[Kirby]

Also, several people mentioned to us when we brought this up in 2024 that Ulta has an incredible rewards program. And this is good news for these brands as well because a lot more people are converting from Sephora to Ulta because of their rewards program. So as they start to bring in brands that maybe they could only get at Sephora, it's just another feather in Ulta's cap in a way. But yeah, if you're, if you're marketing and you're really focused on brand building, you go to Sephora if you want to expand and grow and continue to build sales. Yeah, yeah, you, you gotta go into Ulta. Yeah, a hundred percent.

[Sarah]

Another thing I want to call out is that in addition to the rollout, this is Ulta's first guest donation partnership with a brand. So, you know, Rare has their Rare Impact fund. So from February 1st to the 28th, when guests make a donation in store at checkout, 50% of their contribution will be directed to the Ulta Beauty Charitable foundation. And then 50% will support their Rare Impact Fund. So that's pretty cool.

[Kirby]

That is cool. And it makes sense for Rare because they are so focused on the Rare Impact Fund and making sure that they give back. So I can't see them having expanded to Ulta without some type of give back in that manner. I also just wanted to say that I think sometimes people see Sephora as prestige or luxury shopping and then Ulta is kind of like the mass. Because there's. There are more mass options at Ulta. There are mass options at Ulta. I think the only really affordable brand you can get at Sephora is Sephora Collection.

[Sarah]

Yeah, right, Totally. Yeah.

[Kirby]

Like everything else is a pretty high price point. And someone had mentioned to me, a founder had mentioned to me and said, Ulta has grown so much and become acceptable for the high end consumer as a result of the acceptance of high low shopping. It was in fashion first and it has come into beauty. I can now go into Ulta and find a $35 mascara and a $10 mascara. There is an appeal to that because there's no longer this stigma that, quote, I only shop luxury or vice versa. It's more acceptable now. And we've seen this with Ulta as we often mention the Chanel at the Frisco.

[Sarah]

At the Frisco Ulta. When are we going to have. When are you going to have an event there?

[Kirby]

Kirby, honestly, fly us to the Frisco Ulta. Let us do a takeover. Let us be Ulta. What are they called? The Ulta employees are. They're not cast members. That's Sephora.

[Sarah]

I don't know Ulta.

[Kirby]

Ulta. I know this. It's on the tip of my tongue. Someone's going to tell us in the comments.

[Sarah]

Someone is listening to this in their car and yelling at us right now.

[Kirby]

But I would love to be one of those people. I actually would love to be a cast member at Sephora for a day. Because literally when I'm shopping in there and I hear people asking questions, I'm.

[Sarah]

Like, I know that you want to jump in. Totally.

[Kirby]

I want to help, but I have to have to restrain.

[Sarah]

Yep. It's not your job.

[Kirby]

You didn't ask me. It's not my job. Okay. I quickly wanted to touch on this before we wrap up this beginning of the year episode. This was brought up several times to us and our DMs and we just felt like we wanted to address the fact that we, we know about it and we've seen it. Pat McGrath, it was reported, is putting assets up for sale and Business of Fashion reported in December, right before Christmas, that Pat McGrath Labs is going through, quote, a restructuring and recapitalization process. It says that it's reviewing Its assets and some of them, including its trademark and logo, may be sold. This is on top of the fact that Pat McGrath Labs turned 10 this past October. It was valued at $1 billion when it received an investment from Eurazeo in 2018, soon after its launch in Sephora. Business of Fashion reported in 2021 that Eurozeo had quietly exited an investment. And reported earlier this year that another investor, Sienna Investment Managers, had marked down its stake in the brand by 88%, implying evaluation closer to 174 million.

[Sarah]

Crazy.

[Kirby]

Pat McGrath Labs spokesperson said that sales have improved, quote, unquote, significantly since the beginning of the year, according to Business of Fashion. Listen, I don't think it's good news when you're selling your trademark.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

What else do you have?

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

That is your brand. I mean, I know the products are your brand, but your trademark and your logo. The way that this is being reported by our friend Brennan Kilbane at Business of Fashion, you know, like, there's not a flattering component to this type of reporting.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

On top of all of this, we also saw that There was Pat McGrath Labs products at like a CVS.

[Sarah]

Right. There's so many red flags that we have seen and talked about, like the cvs, the really weird collaborations that they have been doing, like with Candy Crush. Candy Crush, she made a separate Instagram account for herself Kings. Yes. Outside of the Pat McGrath account. So, like. And then Louis Vuitton.

[Kirby]

I would say the biggest red flag was the Louis Vuitton thing.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

Like, how are you going to be creative directing for an entire other makeup brand that's also considered luxury? I mean, I know the price points are different for Pat McGrath Labs versus Louis Vuitton. And we say this as die hard Dame Pat McGrath fans. We've met her, we've interviewed her many a time. We adore her. She is a literal genius. Her products are incredible. I use the powder every single day, the under eye powder every single day, the foundation.

[Sarah]

Incredible. Incredible.

[Kirby]

So many amazing products from that brand. The mothership palettes. I mean, I could go on and on, but I mean, it's hard to deny that. Seems like there's trouble in paradise here. And I'm, I'm trying to figure out what it is, like, what happened where this brand has just been ridden with bad news year after year.

[Sarah]

And I just feel like the care for the brand from Pat herself is just no longer there. And I, I, and I could be completely wrong, but I just don't. You know what I mean? It's like she is the founder. She is the face. And I don't see her talking about it. I don't. There haven't been any new, exciting launches. This is, I think, very telling, which is really sad because like you said, we love the brand so much, but I'm very curious what's gonna happen.

[Kirby]

They need somebody who knows what the hell is going on to swoop in and whether that's like, Pat, walk away. Walk away. Hang out with the Louis Vuitton crew. Like, do your thing over there. We gotta save this brand. Because while the brand. And I would literally never say this otherwise, the brand's products are so incredible, I don't want to see them disappear. No saying, I don't know. So if. If it's an issue between the founder and the people keeping the brand afloat and, like, needing to come up with innovation or strategy or a different pov, that makes sense. And it's just. It's not, you know, because I think a lot of people are thinking probably internally, I don't know. Okay, but how does Pat McGrath Labs exist without Pat McGrath? Well, guess what? Bobby Brown still exists.

[Sarah]

I was gonna say. Yeah. Lots of brands.

[Kirby]

I mean, lots of brands, unfortunately.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Exist without the people who. That.

[Sarah]

Who created.

[Kirby]

It's their namesake.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Kirby]

For me, I. I love these products so much that I want them to stick around because they are amazing products. They. They are amazing because she made them amazing.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Kirby]

But it kind of like. And I think we. You hit the nail on the head. Sarah. We've mentioned this before. It seems like she's totally checked out. Like, she just does not.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Something's happening. Something happened, and something is happening.

[Kirby]

And also, she can't ride the Taylor Swift wave anymore because we've since learned that the lip that she uses on Tour is not elson4smashbox and Mac. I need to see some stats after that revelation. I mean, Smashbox is probably kissing Taylor Swift's feet.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And I love Smashbox. I use their Cali contour palette every single day. But, like, the fact that they needed that applying. They needed that nub applying a nubbin size of their lip liner.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

I was like, there is no better endorsement, babe.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

They're hit the freaking jackpot. Taylor Swift's red lipstick. Smashbox and Mac, she loves oldies but goodies. She loves Legacy, man.

[Sarah]

She's just. She's just a normal, regular beauty girl.

[Kirby]

Just like, using Lorraine dry shampoo.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Lnet hairspray. She's like, give me the 90s model makeup. Like, that's what we were using when.

[Sarah]

We were in high school.

[Kirby]

I know. And they're great and so great. So Pat, Dame Pat. We love you, girl.

[Sarah]

Please come.

[Kirby]

We please talk. Tell us what is going on. We just want to know.

[Sarah]

Yeah, we love you.

[Kirby]

We love the products. Help us.

[Sarah]

Your lips.

[Kirby]

From your lips. From your beautiful lips, darling.

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[Kirby]

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