Recapping the Top Headlines of the Year, Plus Our Mid-Year Brand Winners

Summary

Gloss Angeles Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: Recapping the Top Headlines of the Year, Plus Our Mid-Year Brand Winners
Release Date: July 11, 2025
Hosts: Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan

In this mid-year special episode of Gloss Angeles, co-hosts and seasoned beauty journalists Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan delve into the most significant beauty headlines of the first half of 2025. They dissect trends, brand performances, controversies, and emerging products shaping the beauty, skincare, and wellness industries. Additionally, they announce their Mid-Year Brand Winners, highlighting standout brands that have made substantial impacts during this period.

---

1. Reflecting on the Past Six Months

Kirbie:
"We have covered every week of this year, so we have a lot to talk about. We're going to do little reminders, then we're going to pick our brand of the mid-year like we did last year."
[00:25]

Sara:
"Who was it?"
[01:02]

Kirbie:
"It was Glossier. It was Glossier. And unfortunately, Glossier is having a hard time. It's a little rough."
[01:06]

The hosts begin by revisiting last year's Brand of the Year, Glossier, discussing its current challenges, including leadership changes and fluctuating consumer perceptions. Despite internal struggles, Glossier's products, especially their lip liners and perfumes, continue to resonate with a diverse customer base.

---

2. The Rise of Facelifts in Beauty Conversations

Sara:
"I feel like everyone's been covering facelifts, and Kirby's been covering facelifts for a really long time now. It's like everyone's been realizing that you can be in your 40s and 50s and that's actually the right time to be getting facelifts."
[02:48]

Kirbie and Sara explore the increasing transparency around cosmetic procedures, particularly facelifts. They highlight a viral TikTok video featuring Michelle Wood from Guadalajara, whose dramatic facelift results have sparked widespread discussion about aging gracefully and the societal pressures women face regarding appearance.

Kirbie:
"The best facelift I've ever seen, ever. They gave you the Kris Jenner special. You look great. But it's not even done cooking."
[05:30]

The conversation emphasizes the importance of skincare maintenance post-procedure and the growing acceptance of cosmetic enhancements as a norm rather than an exception.

---

3. Navigating the Terminology of Aging

Kirbie:
"Val Monroe wrote the story about 'old lady energy' flashing its well-toned arms. People lost their ever-loving minds over this. It really started this conversation about why is old a four-letter word?"
[08:07]

The hosts delve into the cultural stigmas associated with aging, discussing the backlash against terms like "old" and the societal implications of aging gracefully. They highlight the challenges of celebrating longevity in the entertainment industry without diminishing a woman's worth based on age.

Sara:
"How are you supposed to celebrate someone's storied career without saying that they're old? We're just blowing smoke up each other's asses."
[10:26]

This segment underscores the delicate balance between acknowledging aging and combating ageism within the beauty narrative.

---

4. Brand Controversies and Consumer Backlash

a. Tarte Island Incident

Kirbie:
"Tarte Island was around the fires. I think that got us canceled on Tarte's behalf."
[07:16]

The hosts discuss the fallout from Tarte's controversial social media posts, which led to significant backlash and eventual distancing from the brand. They express respect for Tarte's leadership while seeking answers about the brand's future direction.

b. Tariffs Impacting Beauty Brands

Sara:
"People were pissed when SEI announced price hikes due to tariffs. Comments were like, 'Why are you passing this on to the consumer?'"
[13:11]

Kirbie and Sara analyze the consumer frustration over price increases from brands like SEI, Naturium, ELF, and Wheezy. They highlight misunderstandings about business operations and the complexities of international trade affecting product pricing.

Kirbie:
"I've seen some things that I'm just like, is this not common sense that you read a label and see where something is made?"
[14:31]

This discussion emphasizes the need for better consumer education regarding product sourcing and pricing mechanisms.

c. Lashify Legal Drama

Kirbie:
"The biggest drama this year was when Bethenny Frankel called out Lashify, leading to a lawsuit and public apologies from the founder, Sahara Lottie."
[15:56]

The hosts recount the tumultuous events surrounding Lashify, including public disputes with celebrities and allegations of racism, which culminated in Sahara Lottie's public apology. They express skepticism about the brand's future and its relationship with consumers.

Sara:
"Lashify is an invention, and we'll keep protecting it. But not at the cost of community."
[17:33]

---

5. Sunscreen Controversies

a. Tower 28 and Ultraviolet SPF Issues

Kirbie:
"Ultraviolet's Lean Screen sunscreen was tested twice and found to have an SPF of 4 instead of the claimed SPF 50."
[23:29]

The hosts critique the inconsistencies in sunscreen testing standards, spotlighting the alarming discrepancy in Ultraviolet's SPF claims. They call for a restructuring of sunscreen testing protocols to ensure consumer safety and product efficacy.

Sara:
"A lot of them are like both Choice and Ultraviolet have operated in the way that they should. Ava has even said, Becky and I would still put this product on our children."
[23:57]

Despite the controversy, some industry experts defend the brands, highlighting the complexities of accurate SPF testing.

b. Critique of Aerosol Sunscreens

Kirbie:
"One Size launched a setting spray with sunscreen, but it feels like a gimmick. Are you even getting the protection you're supposed to be getting?"
[25:07]

Sara and Kirbie express concerns over aerosol-based sunscreens, questioning their effectiveness and advocating for more traditional, reliable forms of sun protection.

Sara:
"We just need a good sunscreen that has the right protection that we enjoy wearing."
[28:50]

---

6. Brand of the Mid-Year

After evaluating numerous brands and their performances, Kirbie and Sara announce their Mid-Year Brand Winners:

a. Sara's Pick: Dr. Squatch

Sara:
"My brand of the year is Dr. Squatch. They figured out the white space and are expanding their reach effectively."
[32:11]

Sara commends Dr. Squatch for its innovative strategies and impressive sales growth, anticipating a potential acquisition that underscores the brand's success.

b. Kirbie's Pick: Sachu Beauty

Kirbie:
"My brand of the year is Sachu Beauty because they are all over TikTok Shop. Billie Eilish using their lip liner took them to the next level."
[34:36]

Kirbie praises Sachu Beauty for their popular lip stains and strategic TikTok presence, highlighting their product diversification with contour and blush stains. She notes the brand's sustainable growth and strong community engagement.

Sara:
"I bought the three-pack and it's great. I like that they're starting to expand."
[36:03]

The hosts agree that Sachu Beauty's innovative products and effective marketing have positioned them as leaders in the current beauty landscape.

---

7. Future Beauty Trends

Looking ahead, Kirbie and Sara speculate on upcoming trends and products that may dominate the beauty industry in the next six months:

• Increased Popularity of Stains:
  Both hosts predict that lip and blush stains will continue to rise, driven by consumer demand for long-lasting, pigmented products.

• Return of Bold Makeup:
  Despite previous trends towards minimalism, they foresee a resurgence of bold and expressive makeup looks.

• Body Care Innovations:
  Products like body oils and shimmer lotions, exemplified by Fenty's Body Lava, are expected to gain traction, offering versatile beauty solutions.

Sara:
"I feel like stains for sure. We've talked about this, but it's like tinted lip oils... it just takes a lot of work and costs a lot of money."
[40:10]

Kirbie:
"I agree. More makeup is back, and I also think body oils are making a comeback."
[40:12]

---

8. Closing Thoughts and Community Engagement

Kirbie and Sara invite listeners to share their own Mid-Year Brand of the Year selections and discuss any significant beauty news they might have missed. They emphasize the importance of community input in shaping the podcast's content and fostering a collaborative beauty dialogue.

Kirbie:
"Let us know your mid-year brand of the year. Who did we miss? What news items did we miss?"
[40:57]

---

Notable Quotes:

• Kirbie on Glossier's Struggles:
  "I feel like the consumer perception of Glossier is positive. But then when I talk to industry people, they're like, I'm sure Emily Weiss is like, pulling her hair out because the road acquisition."
  [01:19]

• Sara on Aging Terminology:
  "How are you supposed to celebrate someone's storied career without saying that they're old?"
  [10:26]

• Kirbie on Sunscreen Testing Issues:
  "The whole thing needs to be restructured, in my opinion, and refigured out. We need to have some more advancement in this area."
  [24:23]

• Sara on Brand Trends:
  "We just need a good sunscreen that has the right protection that we enjoy wearing."
  [28:50]

---

Conclusion

This mid-year episode of Gloss Angeles offers an in-depth analysis of the beauty industry's current landscape, addressing both triumphs and challenges faced by leading brands. Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan provide thoughtful insights into evolving beauty standards, consumer behaviors, and the dynamic nature of beauty trends. Their selections for Brand of the Year—Dr. Squatch and Sachu Beauty—highlight the importance of innovation, community engagement, and strategic marketing in achieving brand success. As the beauty world continues to evolve, Gloss Angeles remains a crucial source for informed perspectives and expert commentary.

Transcript

[Kirby]

How many discounts does USAA auto insurance offer? Too many to say here. Multi vehicle discount. Safe driver discount. New vehicle discount. Storage discount.

[Sarah]

How many discounts will you stack up?

[Kirby]

Tap the banner or visit usaa.com autodiscounts restrictions apply. GLAM Los Angeles.

[Sarah]

Hi, Kirby.

[Kirby]

Hi, Sarah.

[Sarah]

Welcome to Los Angeles.

[Kirby]

Special news bulletin. It's our mid year report, babes. Okay, it is time to talk about what happens the last six months of the year in the beauty world, which we have covered every week of this year. So we have a lot to talk about. We're going to do little reminders, then we're going to pick our brand of the mid year like we did last year. Our brand of the mid year last year was.

[Sarah]

Who was it?

[Kirby]

Glossier. It was glossier.

[Sarah]

You guys, my memory.

[Kirby]

It was glossier. I can't believe you don't remember that because you literally stole it from me.

[Sarah]

Oh, that's right.

Yeah.

[Kirby]

But it was glossier. And unfortunately, glossier is having a hard time. It's a little rough. It's a little rough.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

They were on the up and up. But the CEO and CMO have both, like, peaced out.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

So I don't know. I. I feel like the consumer perception of glossier is positive. But then when I talk to industry people, they're like, I'm sure Emily Weiss is like, pulling her hair out because the road acquisition. And I'm just like, ugh, this is a really hard spot because, I mean, I literally, if you look at my bag right now, I have like three different glossier lip liners.

[Sarah]

And I think that everyone still loves them. From my sister, who's 52, like, where's the perfume? To my niece who loves them.

[Kirby]

The perfumes are doing well.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Like, I feel like being in Sephora, like, it's just. We were at the glossier store in London. Like, I feel like they're doing great.

[Kirby]

And the glossier stores always bump in here.

[Sarah]

Always. Yeah.

[Kirby]

And I feel like when I go to a Sephora, the glossier section is always, like, pillaged.

[Sarah]

Totally.

[Kirby]

There's like, nothing in stock.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Which I don't know if that means, like, they're not keeping things in stock or, like, people are just buying it, but whatever. Okay, so we will talk about our brand of the year from January to June of 2025.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

Okay. So let's just kick things off with a little rundown.

[Sarah]

What happened so far?

[Kirby]

What has happened so far? Okay. Facelifts. I'm going to go backwards.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

This is not in Any particular order?

[Sarah]

Also, these last two were mine and I just threw them on there.

[Kirby]

Oh, okay. Facelifts are. Yes. It just says facelifts, exclamation point. Have been very big this year, which.

[Sarah]

Like, we've been covering facelifts for a while now when we had Cat Saddler on to talk about her facelift. And I feel like. I feel like ever since then, it's like everyone's been covering the facelifts, and then Kirby's been covering facelifts for a really long time now. But, like, I feel like that was really the start of people realizing that you can be in your 40s and 50s and that's actually the right time to be getting facelifts.

[Kirby]

Okay, so there is this woman on TikTok from Guadalajara. She went to Guadalajara. She's not from Guadalajara. She went to Guadalajara for a facelift and she got a facelift. Okay, why?

[Sarah]

Why Guadalajara?

[Kirby]

I honestly don't know.

[Sarah]

Okay, the.

[Kirby]

The before and after is alarming because I saw a video of her talking about how she went and got a facelift. And initially when I was listening to it, she was. She didn't say, like, I went and got a facelift. She was talking about a facelift. And I was like. I'm like, I'm so confused. Did she get one? And then you find out she's like in her safety 60s. And the before to what she looks like now is, I don't know how you don't have a fucked up perspective on who you are as a person, seeing how dramatically different you look after a facelift. In this case. Yeah, she looked like a grandma. And she. I'm not kidding you. Sarah looks younger than us. She looks like she's in her early 20s.

[Sarah]

What does that look like in real life? Like, in person? Oh, you're saying she looked crazy?

[Kirby]

No, she looked amazing.

[Sarah]

She looked amazing. Okay.

[Kirby]

She looked amazing. And I was getting DMS on Instagram for people like, are you following this woman that went to Guadalajara to get a facelift? And I'm like, yes. It's like my entire feed is the most bonkers ever seen.

[Sarah]

Show me.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Sarah]

Show me I'm Guadalajara. Facelift is what I'm googling.

[Kirby]

Oh, my God. No. The Guadalajara facelift. It's truly. Look, Guada. Look. It's the first thing.

[Sarah]

Oh, my God.

[Kirby]

I'm telling you, no cost. So she charges in pesos. It was 200 down here to. That looks like her mother. How much did it cost?

[Sarah]

So. And like, is that the same? Are we sure?

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

All Right.

[Kirby]

So here I am.

[Sarah]

No makeup.

[Kirby]

This is the one I saw. This is the first one I saw. I think 20. How.

[Sarah]

She's 50.

[Kirby]

So she. So she started and she. Okay, yeah. She's like, in her 50s. She's like, I see this video, okay. And it's let. Her name is Michelle Wood. And she goes, okay, so, you know, this is day. Whatever. I'm not wearing makeup. And so I'm thinking, like, did she get some kind of, like, laser procedure? And then I'm like, oh, the hashtag says facelift. And people are like, in the comments going, this is unreal. You literally look 30. But, like, naturally 30. Never would guess it's a facelift. You just look young and amazing. The best facelift I've ever seen, ever. They gave you the Kris Jenner special. You look great. But it's not even done cooking. That's the crazy part.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

I want to see what it looks like. Like, a year out.

[Kirby]

I'm actually just flabbergasted about how good this looks for her. It's crazy. It is crazy. And granted, if she was in her 50s and she looked like that, she did look older than her face.

[Sarah]

She did look older than 50, but.

[Kirby]

Now she looks younger than what I think she was probably intending to look.

[Sarah]

That's so crazy.

[Kirby]

And her skin also, I think she's taking good care of her skin because her skin is beautiful.

[Sarah]

Which is something that Dr. Karam said.

[Kirby]

Yes. He's like, you have to have good skin care. And like, actually, I talk to Dr. Sam about this all the time. She's like, my clients go get facelifts, and they're still in here getting lasers. Micro needling, like.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

Also, I've seen people that go get facelifts. This is what she said. They go get facelifts and they come and they're like, but I. I still need Botox, which is like, well, yeah, because you, like.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Kirby]

Haven't taken care of your skin.

[Sarah]

Totally.

Yeah.

I feel like, wow, I can't.

[Kirby]

Isn't that bonkers?

[Sarah]

That's crazy.

[Kirby]

So really, I feel like this year we've just seen a lot more facelift content. And I know Kris Jenner.

[Sarah]

Yes.

It's like the transparency of it all and people finally being like, okay, this is it.

[Kirby]

This is what I'm doing.

[Sarah]

And then people creating content around, like, their procedures. Yeah, it's wild.

[Kirby]

It is wild.

[Sarah]

I also put blephs.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

Because I think that also everyone is getting a bleph.

[Kirby]

And I know 10 people have gotten a bleph.

[Sarah]

Oh, my God. I saw Colt yesterday.

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Gay man with a spray tan. His Colt pulsing.

[Sarah]

Oh, my God, his bleph looked so good.

[Kirby]

I know.

[Sarah]

It doesn't even look like. It just looks natural.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Which is what you want.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Which is why you should be doing things when it's not too late.

Right.

[Kirby]

Just, you know, if they interest you and that's something you want to do.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

Right, Right. We're not saying that go out and get facelifts and bluffs. I'm just saying that there's been a lot of conversation around that and the transparency around it, which I appreciate.

[Kirby]

Then we had Tarte Island. That was an early January moment. That was around the fires. I think that got us canceled on Tarte's behalf.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

Unfortunately.

[Kirby]

Have you received any Tarte products recently?

[Sarah]

Uh, no.

[Kirby]

Yeah, same. I think we got booted from those. Those lists. We have a lot of respect for Maureen Kelly and we still welcome her. We still want her on the podcast.

[Sarah]

Welcome you.

[Kirby]

We beg you, Maureen Kelly, come on the podcast. We have a lot of questions for you. Clearly running a very successful business. But we do have a few questions that we just want to like, yeah, pick your brain on.

[Sarah]

And also, we just had a guest that was like, talking about shape tape.

[Kirby]

But that was a moment in time. And specifically the moment in time was them having the giant Ed McMahon check while they're all drunk on the island, like, donating to, like, the lafd. And everyone's like, yeah, everyone's losing everything here. And y' all are like, drunk on an island. Like, just maybe don't post it in real time.

[Sarah]

Just like, wait, okay. Old lady Energy.

[Kirby]

This was top of the year. This was Golden Globes. Val Monroe wrote the story about old lady energy flashing its well toned arms. People lost their ever loving minds over this. And it really started this conversation about why is old a four letter word? Why are people so upset about calling women that are old old? I think it's because old means discarded.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

Like, you're done. It's done. You don't want anything old. Who wants something old?

[Kirby]

And someone made a point to me saying, I would prefer older lady energy.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

But then this got me thinking, which I discussed in a newsletter. But, like, when are we allowed to say someone's old?

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

At this point.

[Sarah]

Right.

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And I know.

[Sarah]

And it's also like, anytime I'm like, oh, I feel old. I'm so old. I guess maybe when I say it, it sounds like I'm disparaging myself and People are like, no, you're not old. Don't say that you're not old. But like, it's such a privilege to age. Right.

[Kirby]

And that's the whole thing, though. It's like, we've been now conditioned. Allure. Literally. They do not allow anti aging.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

Vernacular. They banned the word.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Kirby]

Okay. So we've been taught, okay, you have to embrace your age. You have to embrace being older. You have to embrace the wrinkles. You have to embrace this. That I said, blah, blah, blah.

[Sarah]

Don't dare call yourself old.

[Kirby]

Yeah. No, literally. And I'm like. And then I'm like, well, fuck, I am. I'm older.

[Sarah]

Yeah, we're older.

[Kirby]

But then it's like, if I meet a woman that's in her 60s or 70s, that's an old woman.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And I'm not saying that in a disparaging way, but literally, there are gonna be people in the comments of this going, that's not old.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Okay, then what is old? Is it centurions?

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Like, when are. When are we acknowledging the fact that we are old? Nicole Kidman has a long, storied career that is. Should be respected. She's an incredible actress. She's more than just her age. But the fact that she's still acting at her age is also something that we to highlight because of how the entertainment industry keeps women from her age from acting.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Kirby]

So it's just this constant.

[Sarah]

And it's like, how are you supposed to celebrate someone's storied career without saying that they're old? You know what I mean?

[Kirby]

Like, right.

[Sarah]

We're gonna be like this young. Nicole Kidman has been in all of.

[Kirby]

These movies decades and decades, and it's just like, we are just blowing smoke up each other's asses.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

Like, so I would love to know, like, what is considered old age at 65 plus. Because then I talk to people and they're like, well, you know, being in your 60s is young. And I'm like, in the respect to death. Yes. Like, if dying in your 60s, that is a young age, in my opinion, to pass away.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

But like, you're old.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

You're over the hill for a lot of people.

[Sarah]

By just the numbers of it all, you can feel young. We're not saying that you can't.

[Kirby]

You can look young.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

You can take one of those tests that, you know, tells you what your biological age really is. And it could be a lot younger than you actually are. But due to your birth certificate, I.

[Kirby]

Just felt like all of Those women were old. Yeah, right. All those women that won that night or were nominated that night were old women.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

They were not Mikey Madison.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

And I don't think there's a problem with that. No, but we do. It's like, I can see the comments, like, people are going to feel some type of way about me saying that Nicole Kidman is old, but I'm not saying it in a derogatory way, but it's. It's like, worse than saying fuck or something. It's just a fact of life. We all get old. I'm an older woman. I'm getting older.

[Sarah]

We're older. And again, we are very lucky.

[Kirby]

Someone recently was like, yeah, you know, you and Sarah, like, like, you know, your millennials were like, on the older side. I'm like, well, for fuck's sake, here we go. Now we're really getting into the, like, elder millennial generational trauma of being called an elder millennial.

[Sarah]

It is what it is.

[Kirby]

So this is why I understand, like, it's like, I understand why people get upset, but then it's also, you know, like, but when are we allowed to.

[Sarah]

Say that somebody's old, right?

[Kirby]

Is it 90?

[Sarah]

Is it 80? It's like when someone calls me ma' am at the grocery store when I.

[Kirby]

Was in Texas going to Bahama Bucks, I went every single day. This kid would look me straight in the eyes and be like, okay, ma', am. Thank you, ma'.

[Sarah]

Am.

[Kirby]

No blinking, nothing. And I'm like, I am starting to feel like you are. Like, calling me a name like, this doesn't feel good.

[Sarah]

On dcc, on America's Sweethearts, Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, You have to say, yes, ma'.

[Kirby]

Am, out of respect.

[Sarah]

And one of them, I think, is her name Tori from Ohio. I don't know if it was Tori.

[Kirby]

I can't remember.

[Sarah]

One of the girls from Ohio who's, like, a really incredible dancer, she's like, I'm not used to saying ma' am because I feel like it makes you feel old. Like, you know what I mean? Like, it's disrespectful.

[Kirby]

Ah, yeah, yeah. In Texas, it's a little different. It's the ma' am of it.

[Sarah]

All.

Right, Right.

[Kirby]

But, yeah, that was a whole thing, and people were upset in the comments. And then they finally realized that Val is a WR in her 70s and that she was just kind of, like, reclaiming the word in a way. It was a really well written op ed. And then she had to write a separate one to be like, I Didn't think that calling people old was, like, a bad thing.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And, you know, here it is.

[Sarah]

Here it is. And it'll continue like that forever. Until the end of time.

[Kirby]

Yep.

[Sarah]

Okay. Tariffs. It's ongoing.

[Kirby]

People are pissed. People are. I thought SEI did a really good job explaining that, like, their prices are going to go up. And the comments were.

[Sarah]

Oh, what did they say?

[Kirby]

Very. I was surprised by the comments.

[Sarah]

People were pissed.

[Kirby]

Yeah. A lot of them were like, why are you passing this on to the consumer? Oh, like, why are you guys not taking pay cuts? And I'm thinking in my head, do you not know how a business is run?

[Sarah]

Totally.

Oh, yeah.

[Kirby]

You're expecting people's salaries to get cut back. Like, this isn't like, everyone is a CEO working at, say, like, these are people that, like, are making, like.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

And also, it was. It's like a minimal increase.

[Kirby]

Right.

[Sarah]

It's like, not. It's not like a dollar. Yeah. It's not like, same with natural or elf.

[Kirby]

Naturium and elf.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Yeah.

And I was on Wheezy. They make the really cute towels. I saw that, too. They posted about their price increase because of tariffs, and the comment section was like, oh, well, I didn't know that you were, like, outsourcing to China. I'm going to stop supporting. Supporting you anyway.

[Kirby]

Oh, I saw that comment. I was like, oh, my God.

[Sarah]

I was like, okay, take a look at your house, ma'. Am.

[Kirby]

Read a label.

[Sarah]

Like, I'm pretty sure 90% of the things that you purchased are not from here.

[Kirby]

I am concerned with the people living in this country. Honestly, a lot of you, I am. Because I've seen some things that I'm just like, is this not common sense that you read a label and see where something is made? Like, this is crazy. This is crazy.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

It really is. Like, it's. It's. I don't want to be here.

[Kirby]

But I. But then at the same time, I will say this. A lot of people that do not live in this country see us bitching about living in this country, and they're like, does Donald Trump suck? Yes. You guys have it way better than a lot of us.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And I'm like, fair.

[Sarah]

Totally. I did see a meme that was like, the new American dream is to not be in America.

[Kirby]

Which is, like, sad. Someone commented, like, in the Slack channel being like, oh, the seating isn't for Canada.

[Sarah]

Boo.

[Kirby]

And then someone was like, you've already won. You live in Canada. I'm like, true. I'm like, we Just gotta get through the next couple of years, guys, and we're gonna be okay. We're gonna be okay.

[Sarah]

We're halfway there in year one. We barely made it.

[Kirby]

And we're trying. We're scraping by. Okay. Lashify. Lashify continues to be dramatic. I truly am never. They keep me on my toes. They keep me on my toes. So, fun fact. We have invited Sahara Lottie onto the podcast, and we know that Ri and Silva mentioned that they are close friends. Izamaya stayed with her. Like, she's very beloved.

[Sarah]

They have that collaboration together.

[Kirby]

Yes, she's very beloved within the founder community, but that person is not translating to the public. So the biggest drama this year was when Bethenny Frankel called them out and said straight up, like, you need to get off my ass. Because, like, try me. You don't think I understand how a lawsuit works? Like, what do you think I've been doing with my ex husband for however long? You know? And it was essentially that there is a dupe of Lashify that sent, I guess, Bethany product. Bethany tried it. Sahara mentioned something to her, like, you're now legally involved, blah, blah, blah.

[Sarah]

Which is insane.

[Kirby]

Which is insane. And I think that the problem has just been, throughout Sahara's tenure as a founder of this company is she is so passionate about her brand, and she has all these patents and she is entitled and owed to compensation for those things 100%. But the way she goes about it does not bring goodwill towards her brand.

[Sarah]

Doesn't make you want to support them.

[Kirby]

Right, Right. And now with so many knockoffs at, like, a CVS or a Target where you can pick up an underlash, which is essentially, you know, the technique that she created. There's no reason for people to, like, support a woman who seemingly goes after consumers for no reason. And generally, like, there was something posted recently that I just saw. So Sahara posted an apology. I'm gonna read it. Yeah, it popped up. Joby messaged us and was like, did you see this? Like, what is this?

[Sarah]

Yeah, like, what's going on?

[Kirby]

I saw it and it said to the beauty community, lash lovers, creators, critics, and casual scrollers, we hear you and we want to be real with you. You may never shop with us. And that's okay. You're still part of this conversation. We know how it looked. The legal talk, the sass back, the tone. It didn't land. We fought hard to protect what we built, but it came at the cost of perspective. That's Lashify is an invention, and we'll keep protecting it. But not at the cost of community. The space was built by lash lovers. You're the reason why any of this matters. Whether you're calling us in or calling us out. We're listening, we're learning, and we're shifting course. We're not trying to win you over. Just show up better with love, Sahara. Lottie. So then people in the comments are like, it was a dumpster fire. Then I see this influencer come on and basically say that she's been. Legal action is being taken against her by Lashify because I guess she made a video claiming that Lashify was racist. And there were. It was based off of a photo where it was, like, one half of a person's face, and on one side of that white person's face, her name was Shannon, and she had, like, this beautiful, lush look and, like, really pretty makeup. And then on the other side was Shenane, and she had these, like, really crazy, really egregious, thick lash extensions.

[Sarah]

What?

[Kirby]

Then there was another photo with an Asian woman where they did a similar thing. And it was like, this is giving race racist based off of, like, you changing the name to be like, yeah, Shanay Nay or whatever. And then they have shitty makeup or whatnot. Apparently, also. And I keep on saying apparently because I, like, I'm only seeing what people are posting. Sahara was in the comments of people on TikTok or Instagram saying that they created the spiky manga lashes, which is just like, girl, you didn't. You might have created a version to wear, but you did not create that. And she's, like, going off in the comments about, like, you know, you're saying that these Chinese people created it and they did it. And, like, it's just, like, this whole thing crazy. I'm like, I don't know if this apology came before or after all of that, but. And then.

[Sarah]

Didn't she just have a dinner?

[Kirby]

She had a dinner that Thursday.

[Sarah]

Like, did she?

[Kirby]

I didn't go because I couldn't make it, but I just would. I want to talk to you, Sahara. I want to talk to you. I really do, because I do empathize with, like, what has happened to her brand, but I just do not understand. I don't think she should have access to the socials, and I think she needs to stay off of socials, because right now, like, I think when you launch a brand, like, your end game is, like, to probably sell, Right?

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And make a lot of money. And at this point, she's been knocked off so many times.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And she has such a bad reputation. Reputation that I just don't know consumer.

[Sarah]

What facing not. And that's the crazy thing is that we've only heard of, like, the nicest things about her from industry, like makeup artists. Love her.

[Kirby]

Love her.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

So I'm really curious. I truly. Y' all go message her, like, go on her Instagram and be like, go on Gloss Angeles POD and say your piece. Like, we wanna hear from you. Because I just think it continues. I thought it was gonna die down.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And then it just hasn't.

[Sarah]

I know.

[Kirby]

It just keeps going.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

So, yeah, I feel like it's a.

[Sarah]

Sign when you have to keep issuing apologies that something has to happen, something has to change.

[Kirby]

Like, I think that she has to.

[Sarah]

Just let it go. Let's hear the problem.

[Kirby]

Yeah, she has to let it go.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

She has to let it go.

[Sarah]

Like Rihann Silva.

Yeah.

[Kirby]

I think Rianne is a great example. Even I would say us, but mostly me, like, when we weren't getting paid, like, that was, like, consuming my life.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

It was, like, making me ill.

[Sarah]

Right, right.

[Kirby]

And then one day I was just like, it's never going to happen and I'm just going to move on. And then, like, by the grace of God, we did get paid. But, like, at that time, I remember going nuts.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Being like, no, totally on Instagram. Stories, like, calling out people.

[Sarah]

Yeah, yeah.

So it's like, yeah, we understand, and it is wrong, but you can't. You're taking out on the wrong people.

[Kirby]

And also, like, you're making claims about.

[Sarah]

Things that I'm just like, you shouldn't. It's. No, it's not. It's not good. It's not good sunscreen drama. So this was about Tower 28, right?

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Yeah. Okay.

[Sarah]

Is there something another.

[Kirby]

No. I was just trying to think. I was like, there was drama, and then it, like, kind of created, like. I don't know. Like, I just. I feel like that situation caused, like, a ripple effect of people being like, is sunscreen, you know? Like, are we even using the right amounts?

[Sarah]

Well, I think you're. I think we. On the other episode, we sort of touched on just, like, sunscreen in general and how there definitely needs to be a change whether it is sunscreen being positioned as poisonous and people using beef tallow as sunscreen. Because we know that there are still a lot of people out there doing that. Unfortunately, there are, on the other end, people accusing Tower 28 of not being inclusive because they're stating that their latest sunscreen formulation, it was marketed as being invisible or not leaving a white cast. And obviously that's not true.

[Kirby]

I forgot there was another piece to this. So Ultraviolet has had a huge drama, and it's from this company called Choice, I believe. And they tested a bunch of sunscreens, and a lot of them came back less than the sun protection factor that they claimed. And the most surprising one was Lean Screen Ultraviolets mineral sunscreen. I guess they tested it twice. They decanted it and put it in a different package and tested it and said that it was supposed to be SPF 50, but it was actually SPF 4. And they came back with that number twice. So SPF 4. Yes. Okay. So then Ava got online and explained. You know, we were notified of this. We immediately started retesting. We asked them a million questions. And from what I can gather from, like, the cosmetic chemists that have been covering this and talking about this, a lot of them are like, both Choice and Ultraviolet have operated in the way that they should. Like, I think they're ever. Everyone's taking the same precautions. Ava has even said, beck and I would still put this product on our children.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

We don't know what happened with this.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

But it is very shocking. Like, we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year testing these products. And I think that kind of makes me, like, reminds me of how I would get messages from people being like, so we were, like, testing our sunscreen against these, like, other people's to, like, see how it fared. And their SPF rating was, like, 8.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

When they claimed to be an SPF 30. And I remember asking a lot of people that work in sunscreen, like, well, what do you think about this? And a lot of them are like, it's just very hard with sunscreen because you don't know if they're testing it the same way. Which, again, I think it boils back down to there's a sunscreen problem. The fact that it's like, you can't measure it back exactly the same way unless you use the same testing facility. The whole thing needs to be restructured, in my opinion, and refigured out. Like, we need to have some more advancement in this area. Dr.

[Sarah]

Size, can you please come up with a solution for this?

[Kirby]

Yes. I mean, and I honestly love Julian, but I don't even know if he can do it. Like.

[Sarah]

No, I mean, it definitely, like, you.

[Kirby]

Know what I mean?

[Sarah]

To be. Yeah. Like, whether it's, like, one lab that is testing all, but that's, like, that's not going to it's impossible.

[Kirby]

Then One Size launched a setting spray with sunscreen in it.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And Aditya, who I love, one of my favorite people to follow for makeup advice. And I met him, and he's just an angel. He appeared in this campaign for it, and I was like, I love him. And obviously, this is not a shade to anybody that was in that campaign, but it's an SPF 28. It's an aerosol spray. And I think you and I have been pretty vocal about, like, when you're using an aerosol spray, like, you have to be so careful because you need.

[Sarah]

There's no way that you're applying enough sunscreen.

[Kirby]

Right. The dispersion in the air, like, you're probably not applying enough.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

Like, people use it like it's a perfume.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

Right, Right.

[Kirby]

And so my whole thing. And I saw Dermi Angelo post a video about this, and I was like, I agree. Like, I like this brand. I like these people, but this product feels like a gimmick to me. Then Charlotte Palermino makes a video being like, well, if I was going to market this product, this is how I would do it. I would say, you have to literally spray your face for 10 seconds straight, and the finish is not going to be matte. It's going to be dewy.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

Which. Yes. But then I commented, and I was like, okay, that's great. But, like, nobody is spraying that much. Not for 10 seconds much.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Nobody's doing that. Of that product. Like, maybe when we talk about setting sprays, like, we're talking about, like, the pumps. Right. Like, I will drench my face in that bottle. I am not spraying that one size.

[Sarah]

Especially the one size one.

[Kirby]

No, I gotta.

[Sarah]

I can't hold my breath for that long.

[Kirby]

No. And. And. And to that point, though, you know, she's saying, this is how I would have marketed it. But I'm like, but they didn't create the product to be used in that way because she was saying, like, she'd been using it for a week and it was almost already gone.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And I'm like, yeah. Because they're not expecting people to use that much.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Again, but they're saying it's an SPF 28. So they're saying that you should get this type of protection from spraying it on your face.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

But then they're not spray. You're not spraying enough.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

So I'm just like, hello. Hello. Clearly we have a problem. Like, I. And I was like, not, you know, I'm not disparaging. Charlotte for, like, explaining this is how you should use this. This product. But then I was like. But literally, you're saying, like, you sprayed this on your face and your face was dewy, and this makes a claim that it's gonna leave you matte.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Clearly, this product was not made to be used in this way.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

So then are you even getting the protection that you're supposed to be getting?

[Sarah]

And so are they also suggesting that that should. Can be your only form of sunscreen?

[Kirby]

No, no, no. It's like, you know, you put it on and you spray it. Maybe it's like a reapplication or something like that, which I get it. But Also, I'm like, SPF 28 in an aerosol. Like, is that really giving you as much?

[Sarah]

Right. When all. Yeah, no, I just.

[Kirby]

Yeah, for me, it's a no. And I know that people are, like, constantly talking about using a compact to, like, you know, dip in. You can buy those on Stylevana and stuff like that. But then it's like, how does it disturb your makeup? We're really in, like. I know that we're in good times with sunscreen because, like, things have advanced so much, but it's also just like.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Does it even mean anything right at this point? I don't know.

[Sarah]

It's too much.

[Kirby]

I don't know.

[Sarah]

It's almost too much that you're like, I don't wanna wear sunscreen.

[Kirby]

Right. But then you're like, no, I've been wearing sunscreen since I was, like, 12 years old on my face, literally, because Allure magazine said to. So it's never gonna stop for me. But I. I'm just like.

[Sarah]

I think we're, like, just trying to, like, do too much. It's like we're being like. Not that it's good to reinvent the wheel, because we do need to create, like, you know, we need more filters, all those things. Yes. If there is a better product, people really keep trying to make that invisible mineral sensory. And you go for it, girl. But at the end of the day, we just need a good sunscreen that has the right protection that we enjoy wearing.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

That feels good on our skin. It's not gonna break us out.

[Kirby]

Right.

[Sarah]

Layers beautifully under makeup. That's all I want. Am I asking for too much?

No.

[Kirby]

But again, we're just, like, in this circle of hell of, like, nobody knows what they're doing, saying, like, everything can be this or that or this or, you know, it's just like.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

So I honestly think this Year has been a bad year for sunscreen. From that primally pure billboard to all this drama around, like, white casts and, like, how people are articulating things and whether you're getting the protection you need. I'm just like. I'm so over it.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

I don't wanna hear about sunscreen unless you're telling me you're putting it on your face.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

And shutting the hell up about it for the rest of the year. Please, no more. Okay, this next one is.

[Sarah]

Where did we land on this Caveman skincare Did this. Is this person still continuing?

[Kirby]

No, no, she got a sponsorship.

[Sarah]

She did.

[Kirby]

I think it was. It was Acetaphil or Cerave, I can't remember.

[Sarah]

And she finally washed her face.

[Kirby]

She said she was finally going to get water on her face and do it right with.

[Sarah]

And how's her skin? Do we know?

[Kirby]

I just fell off. I stopped hearing.

[Sarah]

I don't even want to talk about this because I. But it was a thing.

[Kirby]

It was a thing.

[Sarah]

Go look at. Listen to our. Listen to our other episode. Kylie's boobs.

Kylie's boobies.

[Kirby]

Yabos. What do you call them? Max Yabos. Kylie's yabos. They are. I mean, Kylie's boobs are massive.

[Sarah]

Oh, wow.

[Kirby]

Like, when I see her posting, I'm just like, those are some knockers, babe. Those are some knockers. But she really kind of was, like. She started a trend. Everyone started telling them. Susan Gara was like, these are my breasts. I was like, girl, I know you've gotten plastic surgery. I didn't know you had breast implants too.

[Sarah]

I know, I know. The transparency around literally everyone posting their, like, what they do to their face.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Like how.

[Kirby]

Aaron Parsons.

[Sarah]

Yes. Yeah.

I love it. Keep it coming. I love that energy.

[Kirby]

Yeah. Because I'm, like, looking at these people, like, oh, wow. They've, like, really held up well. And then it's like, nope. I got a neck lift. Rhinoplasty made my Philtrum smaller.

[Sarah]

Do this three times a year.

Yeah.

You're like, oh, it just takes a lot of work and costs a lot of money.

[Kirby]

Yeah. Yes.

[Sarah]

That's all it is.

[Kirby]

A lot of money. A lot of money. Drunk elephants down. The drunk elephant stock is down. We're hoping for a turnaround.

[Sarah]

Sad.

[Kirby]

But they're in a hard. They're in a hard spot. And we've talked about this at length, so we won't go any further.

[Sarah]

Yeah, this.

[Kirby]

This is the biggest.

[Sarah]

Yeah, this is the biggest news. And I think we can, like, segue into Brand of The year. And I know people are gonna, like, be like, hailey Bieber's paying you.

[Kirby]

Stop. Stop kissing Hailey Bieber. Hailey. Actually, Hailey, if you do want to pay us, I will accept. I will accept. Honestly, at this point, like, we've not.

[Sarah]

We have not received a draw.

[Kirby]

Throw me a bone and I will. I'll do whatever. I don't care.

[Sarah]

If this happens and I say this.

[Kirby]

People are gonna say it regardless.

[Sarah]

I literally shared a screenshot of a DM someone sent me. I showed Kirby and Jovi of some woman being like, hailey Bieber, stop kissing her ass. I'm like, oh, okay. But.

[Kirby]

I'm just laughing that.

[Sarah]

That's my segue into she's my brand of the year. Rhodes. My brand of the year.

[Kirby]

Rhodes sold for over a billion dollars.

[Sarah]

I don't know how you can top that. I'm sorry.

[Kirby]

Okay, wait, hold on. I actually heard this is. Sorry to steal roads Shine, but I heard that Dr. Squatch is gonna be acquired by somebody. This is according to Rachel Strugotts at puck for a $2 billion. Two billion.

[Sarah]

These numbers are. These are just getting ridiculous.

[Kirby]

I'm like, if Elizabeth Holmes could get, like, millions of dollars for her fake company, tech company, why can't we get like, $100,000 to open up our own podcast?

[Sarah]

Well, we haven't tried. We haven't tried.

[Kirby]

We actually haven't. That's a great point. So that's the. That' you can't get if you don't do.

[Sarah]

Exactly. Wow. Dr. Squatch. Really, though?

[Kirby]

They figured out the white space?

[Sarah]

No, they did. Like, they were like Old Spice. Take a seat.

[Kirby]

They're like, let's get some hot girl involved.

[Sarah]

Sydney Sweeney, Bathwater.

[Kirby]

That girl is, like, pumping out partnerships.

[Sarah]

Baskin Robbins. I saw her at the get in Venice at the Sanchez business.

[Kirby]

If anybody is an agent or a publicist or works in influencer marketing and has intel on how Sydney Sweeney performs for these brands, will you please just anonymously message us? I need to know.

[Sarah]

I don't.

[Kirby]

I'm not going to Baskin Robbins because she has, like, a thing.

[Sarah]

I think laneige sells fine without Sydney Sweeney, to be completely honest.

[Kirby]

The same with, like, Tory Burch and Mew Mew. I would. I really would love to know, like, amazing actress. Do not fancy her as, like, someone pushing the needle, causing me to buy something.

[Sarah]

Yeah, yeah.

But who knows? Maybe we're just old ladies.

[Kirby]

Listen, I don't care. Someone message us. I know someone out there knows this information.

[Sarah]

Okay. But yeah, my pick of brand of the year Is road. I don't say it.

[Kirby]

And it's just because of the billion dollar baby.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Okay. I was also gonna say that the lip shape was great. The lip shape was like. It was such a controversial launch, but.

[Sarah]

Like the pop up.

[Kirby]

The pop up got people going. Okay, well, my brand of the year is actually different. Ooh.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

And I am saying, and maybe this is premature, but I think that they have a lot going for them. And this might be surprising to you based off of something that we've been going through, but my brand of the year is Sachu Beauty.

[Sarah]

Oh, yeah.

[Kirby]

And I think it's because they are all over TikTok Shop. Billie Eilish, using their lip liner, took them to the next level.

[Sarah]

Totally.

[Kirby]

And now we are seeing so many staining lip products before when I think, like, really there weren't that many that were very super popular.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

And they were more of a traditional stain in that, like, it was a brush and you wiped it on and that was kind of it. There wasn't a variety of shades, like nudes, pinks, reds. It was mostly like in the red family. First you thought like, of like a Popsicle, right?

[Sarah]

Totally.

[Kirby]

You thought of, like this red stain, like benetintent or whatever.

[Sarah]

Which, by the way, Benettit is like having such a moment.

[Kirby]

It is.

[Sarah]

Which is great because that's like one of the best products from them and it deserves all the shine. But it's crazy that the young people have finally discovered it.

[Kirby]

I just think statue. So statue has a blush now. They have a contour.

[Sarah]

More blush.

[Kirby]

Yes. They are, like, expanding the statue universe. And when I was in Alaska, all I wore was the statue lip liner. I think that the Doe footage being flat is perfect if you just want to do your liner. But then I also will put it all over my lips and it's so, so pretty. I just think that they keep doing the right thing. And the founder, Sarah, is stunning.

[Sarah]

Yeah, stunning.

[Kirby]

I saw that they did a whole thing with TikTok Shop. I just think that they're starting to expand. Like, you can get a three pack at Ulta now.

[Sarah]

Yeah, yeah.

I bought the three pack and it's great.

[Kirby]

Like, I love pinked. I love Mob. I want to get more shades, but. But I just think that this brand, it may not have been like gangbusters by any means, but I have to imagine that they are absolutely killing it in terms of sales and they're building.

[Sarah]

In a very sustainable way.

[Kirby]

Yes. And I just, I love that they, like, have like a contour Stain and, like, a blush stain. They've really kind of like, figured that out.

[Sarah]

Ooh. So with their stains. That's smart. I wore the lip when I ran my half marathon, and I feel like it's. It, like, for the most part, it stayed.

[Kirby]

It's so nice.

[Sarah]

Yeah, very nice.

[Kirby]

It's so nice to have that just underneath.

[Sarah]

Totally.

Yeah.

I feel like I was, like, thinking about the stains. I have so many stains in my purse right now.

[Kirby]

Oh, do you?

[Sarah]

But it's different. It's, like, not, like.

[Kirby]

Oh, like the violette and the colourpop. Yeah, I love that.

[Sarah]

And then Nyx has one, too.

[Kirby]

I saw the Nyx one pop up when I was searching for them.

[Sarah]

I love the Nyx one. It's a matte lip balm stain.

[Kirby]

Lip balm stain, yeah.

[Sarah]

Ooh. So. And I like that it's matte because, like, we have so many glossy ones. It's really good. Nyx apparently doing great.

[Kirby]

I mean, they could they not. I mean, like, they're available everywhere. They're affordable, you know, every, like, you.

[Sarah]

Know, speaking of data. Data Girl, like, they're always in, like, the top 10 brands.

[Kirby]

Good for them.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

I mean, I love Nyx, but.

[Kirby]

Yeah. I think Statue has helped with this stain narrative that we're seeing a lot more of.

[Sarah]

Are they only in Ulta?

[Kirby]

I believe so. And then they do TikTok Shop.

[Sarah]

Oh, right, right, right. For Ulta.

Yeah. Wow.

Yeah, I like that pick. I was also gonna, like, shout out Naturium, but I feel like I always talk about them too. But I feel like they had a really strong 2025 as well.

[Kirby]

Oh, really? Like, what do you mean?

[Sarah]

I don't know. I just feel like I still see people talking about their products all the time, and I feel like, you know, over. Like, they launched overseas.

[Kirby]

Yes. You know, so it was a hard one because I was just like. I felt like when we chose Glossier, we were just like, they're doing, like, the WNBA stuff. I thought about Charlotte, but I think Charlotte, even though they've had, like, you know, they're doing F1 and they're doing.

[Sarah]

Oh, Charlotte.

Yeah. Yeah.

[Kirby]

They just. I don't know if there's been, like, a product recently that's, like, really gone like, crazy that people are obsessed with. So it's been hard because I felt like last year, Glossier had, like, all of the check boxes marked in terms of, like, Persona and then product. Like, they brought back black balm.com original, and this year it was a little harder for me because I'M like, I love Prada beauty, but, like, I don't know if, like, the banana lip balm is, you know that, like, crazy and interesting to people.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Yeah.

Like, it's like.

Yeah.

I wonder what we'll feel like in six months from now.

[Kirby]

I know. What if something just absolutely crazy happens? Good.

[Sarah]

Anything is possible in this world that we live in.

[Kirby]

I wonder what there's, like, what's gonna be, like, the milk jelly tint of this year. Like, the product that people were just like, what the hell is that? And I need it.

[Sarah]

Okay.

I feel like the. I know I was just talking about this, but I feel like the new summer Fridays blush bomb. It got me excited.

[Kirby]

Oh, really?

[Sarah]

Yeah. It feels really different.

[Kirby]

Ooh. Okay. I have it at home, so I need to try it.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

Try it and report back to me. But I feel like they've sort of struggled a little bit. Summer Fridays.

Yeah.

In recently since, like, you know, it's just everything's always a lip butter, and someone told me that that's, like, the number one, like, most stolen product at Sephora.

[Kirby]

I mean, I'm not surprised.

[Sarah]

All these tweens, they're just, like, shoplifting lip butters.

[Kirby]

When we shoplifted, it was like, a dollar three Burt's Bees.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

Oh, my God.

[Kirby]

Or Chapstick.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Now they're stealing, like, a dollar 24 lip butter.

[Sarah]

Crazy.

Wow.

[Kirby]

Tons of change.

[Sarah]

But I'm really excited about this blush.

[Kirby]

It's.

[Sarah]

It's, like, really nice. I like it a lot. So maybe that.

[Kirby]

Okay, so what do you think we'll see trending in the next six months? Like, what do you.

[Sarah]

I think I mean, stains for sure.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Sarah]

Like, we've talked about this, but it's like tinted lip oils. There's just too many. Too many lip butters and too many glosses. Like, we need stains. I need pigment, and I need it to last, and I think that's where we're going.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Sarah]

What about you?

[Kirby]

I agree.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Yeah. Just more.

[Sarah]

More.

And I do think, like, someone asked me, and I think we said this, but last year, hair really big.

[Kirby]

Yeah. I think makeup's back.

[Sarah]

Makeup is back. But I also think body oils.

[Kirby]

Oh, yeah. Body.

[Sarah]

Body care.

[Kirby]

Body Lava from Fenty is back. Do you know this?

[Sarah]

Yes, I got it. Thank God.

[Kirby]

Thank God. This is my absolute favorite shimmer. Had the old product one. Same. I was literally trying to get anything I could out of it. I'm so glad it's back and it's in these bigger bottles. Yeah.

[Sarah]

And the video of Rihanna with the brush sitting on her shoulder.

[Kirby]

I'm so excited.

[Sarah]

I hope she does one with her on her belly press.

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Okay, that's it. We want to know what and it's the mid year. What is your mid year brand of the year? Who did we miss? What news items did we miss?

[Sarah]

What product did we not talk about that you think had a really big 2020?

[Kirby]

I know. I keep. I'm really blanking on this one. I was like going through all my notes, all of our docs, all of our episodes, and I was just like there wasn't like a product.

[Sarah]

I think it's been a stressful six months, so.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Yeah, that's why.

[Kirby]

Okay, let us know.

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