Shay Mitchell’s Sheet Masks for Toddlers, Dua Lipa’s New Skincare Line, and Skims Beauty’s New Hire

Summary

Gloss Angeles Podcast Summary

Hosts: Kirbie Johnson & Sara Tan
Episode: Shay Mitchell’s Sheet Masks for Toddlers, Dua Lipa’s New Skincare Line, and Skims Beauty’s New Hire
Date: November 11, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this engaging discussion, longtime beauty journalists and co-hosts Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan dive deep into three headline-making stories at the intersection of beauty and pop culture:

• The surprising appointment of Giada (founder of Ami Colé) as the EVP of Beauty and Fragrance at Skims Beauty.
• The launch of Dua Lipa's new skincare line, "Dua," in collaboration with Augustinus Bader.
• Shay Mitchell’s new kids’ skincare brand "Rinny" and the conversation it’s sparked about skincare for children.

With characteristic wit, critical insight, and personal anecdotes, Kirbie and Sara evaluate these developments—questioning marketing trends, celebrity involvement, and the beauty industry’s shifting focus.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. AI Animal Videos & Social Media Brain Rot

(02:02 – 07:32)

• Kirbie and Sara open with a humorous riff on viral AI-generated cat videos overtaking their social media feeds, describing the melodramatic plots and cat-centric soundtracks (including "Meowing Billie Eilish").
• The segment highlights how digital trends shape even seasoned journalists’ attention spans.
  • Quote, Sara (02:02): "You're not sending me these videos of these AI cats... it is the definition of brain rot... but I can't stop watching."
• Sara shares about naming a favorite AI dog "Walter," leading to playful speculation on future pet acquisitions.

2. Skims Beauty Hires Giada (Ami Colé) as EVP

(07:32 – 17:52)

The Announcement

• Background: Kim Kardashian's Skims is expanding into beauty and fragrance, hiring Giada, founder of Ami Colé, as Executive Vice President.
• Both hosts emphasize the strategic PR rollout, referencing Kim’s appearances on other major podcasts and highlight this as Skims’ third beauty rebrand (from KKW, to Skin by Kim, now Skims Beauty).
  • Kirbie (07:49): "She mentioned that they are moving skims into beauty and fragrance... This is a third rebrand for this brand."
  • Sara (09:52): "Those [KKW] were very specific to Kim's, like, you know, esthetic, her vibe. So that felt very on brand... with Skin, it just felt like, yeah, cash grab."

The Industry’s POV

• Hosts critique earlier iterations (KKW, Skin by Kim) for lacking authenticity and innovation.
• Skims Beauty is expected to emphasize Kim’s signature “glam” aesthetic over skincare expertise.
  • Kirbie (10:55): "People know her for glam... Not a skincare routine."
• Hiring Giada, a respected Black woman founder, is seen both as smart business and a potential lightning rod for criticism regarding cultural appropriation and equity.
• They discuss industry speculation about the timeline and behind-the-scenes negotiations, suggesting this was a meticulously coordinated move.
  • Kirbie (12:33): "Things don't move that quickly. That's not how it works."
  • Sara (13:36): "Chad is probably also so tired. Like, it is not easy to run an indie brand... This is a golden opportunity."

Mixed Reactions and Broader Impact

• The co-hosts acknowledge mixed reactions online, especially among Black beauty consumers, who are happy for Giada but see complexity in the optics.
• The financial and career windfall for Giada is framed as a significant positive—potentially enabling generational wealth and more seats at decision-making tables in beauty.
  • Kirbie (15:43): "But Giada... was the All Star selection... she's going to have a huge budget... If she wanted to start another brand in the future, she'll probably be able to."
• Takeaway: While some feel ambivalent about her exit from Ami Colé, Giada’s new leadership could truly shape the next phase of Skims Beauty.

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3. Dua Lipa & Augustinus Bader Launch "Dua" Skincare

(17:52 – 28:44)

The Launch

• Augustinus Bader and Dua Lipa launch “dua,” a science-driven, “accessible luxury” skincare line, featuring new proprietary tech TFC5 (versus Bader’s standard TFC8).
• The hosts note the branding emphasizes “high performance for real life,” but express confusion over the tangible difference between TFC5 and TFC8—and the overall product necessity.
  • Sarah (19:47): "Maybe it's just that simple. Like, TFC8 is higher... TFC5… is not as potent."
• Product lineup: $40 cleanser, $80 glow complex, $75 renewal cream—positioned for a younger demographic, but still at a luxury price point.

Critique of Celebrity Beauty Branding

• Kirbie and Sara express skepticism about Dua Lipa’s authentic connection to skincare, observing that she hasn’t publicly established herself as a beauty aficionado.
  • Kirbie (21:34): "Can we collectively get a grip, guys?... This, to me, is not interesting."
  • Sara (24:20): "If you are launching a celebrity beauty brand, you should never name it after yourself... You have to breadcrumb that you know this stuff and that you care about it."
• Reference other celebrity brands, highlighting Hailey Bieber’s “Rhode” as a model for credibility and authenticity, contrasting it with Dua Lipa’s sudden entry into beauty.
  • Kirbie (24:21): "The reason why Rhode works so well is because Hailey was a beauty girl through and through... I don’t believe that Dua Lipa only uses these three products."
• Suggestions for Better Strategy: Both agree it would've been more strategic for Augustinus Bader to position Dua as a brand ambassador, rather than a founder, for a youth-oriented range that might outlast the celebrity tie-in.
  • Sara (25:27): "I think they should have just called it something else and had her be the face of it..."

Broader Takeaways

• The line’s price point doesn’t truly qualify as “affordable luxury,” potentially limiting its appeal to both Dua’s fanbase and young customers.
• The hosts are curious to try the products but remain unconvinced the celebrity connection will translate to lasting sales or brand equity.

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4. Shay Mitchell’s "Rinny": Sheet Masks and Kids’ Skincare Controversy

(28:45 – 39:24)

The Pitch

• Shay Mitchell and friend Esther Song have launched "Rinny," a K-beauty-inspired skincare line for children, with the intention of making skincare fun and safe for kids (not "Sephora tweens").
• Launch products: Three sheet masks (hydrating, after-sun, everyday), animal faces, priced $5.99–$6.99, targeting parents of young children (ages 3–5).

Hosts’ Mixed Feelings & Community Response

• Sara admits initial discomfort with the visuals of toddlers in sheet masks and expresses concern about “teaching” kids they need these products.
  • Sarah (31:05): "Do children need sheet masks? No, they don't."
  • Sarah (32:18): "It feels weird. It feels really weird."
• She receives feedback from her mom community—some find it innocuous for spa nights or stocking stuffers, but most believe it's unnecessary and potentially sends the wrong message to children about their skin needing intervention.
  • Sarah (33:58): "The idea that we might be teaching our children with these masks is that they need it. And they don't... Naming a product an ‘everyday sheet mask’ — you don't need it every day."

Business Perspective & Industry Context

• Kirbie approaches the launch from a business angle, questioning the sustainability of the "mommy and me" sheet mask as a profitable category.
  • Kirbie (34:46): "I almost think that makes their case worse because I think this would be better for Sephora tweens... versus the 3, 4, 5 year olds that they're featuring."
• They critique the “free from” clean marketing, noting how fear-based messages often prey on new or expecting parents.
  • Kirbie (36:03): "The thing that kills me about clean beauty in general is it feels so Maha conspiracy theory adjacent."
  • Sarah (36:11): "The beauty industry loves to prey on [moms]... just fear mongering so much."
• Both feel products like face/body crayons (for removing face paint) would have been a more practical launch focus, as opposed to sheet masks.
  • Kirbie (37:24): "I would rather Esther and Shay have made products that were helpful for moms and started a category that way."

The Verdict

• The hosts agree: children don't need elaborate skincare, and the campaign’s focus feels off—aimed more at the desires of parents than actual child needs.
  • Kirbie (36:46): "I don't think that a child needs to learn how to take care of themselves, because this brand is not for the children, it's for the moms."
  • Sarah (37:20): "They don't need... It's okay to say no."
• Final advice is to stick with fun, safe home-made activities for bonding, rather than introducing unnecessary products or habits.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On industry over-hyping:
  • Kirbie (21:34): "Can we collectively get a grip, guys?... This, to me, is not interesting."
• On clean/’free from’ beauty fear-mongering:
  • Kirbie (36:03): "The thing that kills me about clean beauty in general is it feels so Maha conspiracy theory adjacent."
• On teaching kids about beauty:
  • Sarah (33:58): "The idea that we might be teaching our children with these masks is that they need it. And they don't... Naming a product an ‘everyday sheet mask’ — you don't need it every day."
• On celebrity beauty branding:
  • Kirbie (24:21): "The reason why Rhode works so well is because Hailey was a beauty girl through and through... I don’t believe that Dua Lipa only uses these three products."
  • Sara (24:20): "If you are launching a celebrity beauty brand, you should never name it after yourself..."

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• AI Cat Novellas & Pet Chat: 02:02–07:32
• Skims Beauty & Giada’s Hire: 07:32–17:52
• Dua Lipa x Augustinus Bader Launch: 17:52–28:44
• Rinny (Shay Mitchell’s Kids’ Skincare): 28:45–39:24

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Final Thoughts

This episode captures how beauty’s convergence with pop culture and celebrity continues to fuel debate, skepticism, and occasional head-scratching launches. Kirbie and Sara’s journalism roots are on full display as they probe branding, the motivations behind launches, and the cultural wider context, serving up a recap that’s sharp, informed—and often hilarious.

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For anyone considering a trending product, a celeb collab, or the next “must-have” for themselves or their child, this episode is a must-listen for the real story—and a few good laughs along the way.

Transcript

[Kirby]

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[Sarah]

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[Guest or Contributor]

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[Kirby]

Yes. Hosting season is officially here, and Macy's has every little thing that makes people feel welcome.

[Guest or Contributor]

I have personally been eyeing the whimsical Mackenzie child's checkered teapot for my afternoon tea.

[Kirby]

Ooh. Yes. And my new soup season BFF a la Creusette Dutch oven that goes from stove to table like a champ.

[Guest or Contributor]

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[Sarah]

Will actually want to leave out.

[Guest or Contributor]

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[Kirby]

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[Guest or Contributor]

Get your home holiday ready @macy's or macy's.com.

[Capital One Saver Card Customer 2]

Los Angeles.

[Sarah]

Hi, Kirby.

[Kirby]

Hi, Sarah.

[Sarah]

Welcome to Los Angeles. I have something to say to you. What is it? Meow, meow, meow.

[Kirby]

No, no, no, no, no, no. We're not doing it. We're not doing it.

[Sarah]

You're not sending me these videos of these AI Cats is now infiltrated my feed, and it is the definition of brain rot. I'm just like, what am I watching? But I can't stop watching.

[Kirby]

They're like little novellas.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

But always.

[Sarah]

And it's always the same. Like, storyline one is the husband leaves the mommy cat because she's fat.

[Kirby]

Yes. Or because she messed up in the home.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

If they either leave her or he kicks her and the child out. Yes. To the streets.

[Sarah]

Yes. Okay. Yes. And then they're like.

[Kirby]

And then Daddy Warbuck's cat, who may not be physically attractive, but is nice and kind.

[Guest or Contributor]

Yes.

[Kirby]

Adopts them from the street.

[Guest or Contributor]

Yes.

[Kirby]

Feeds them. And then they get married and live happily ever after. Or there's. I don't know what you were going to say the other one was, but the. There is a very common one. And it's always a pregnant cat. Well, there is a pregnant cat, but there is a cat on a plane or. No, there is a human on a plane that is going down and they throw their baby cat out of the window and then the cat's like, flailing through the air and lands in the ocean. And they survive. Yes. And then it's on an island deserted and have to survive. Yeah.

[Sarah]

They start a bonfire.

[Kirby]

Starts a bonfire. Yeah. Cries Yes. I actually cannot watch those because it makes me so sad.

[Guest or Contributor]

I.

[Sarah]

It's just crazy. It's like the three same themes all revolving around tragedy and also violence. And then the main theme of it all is the Meowing Billie Eilish song.

[Kirby]

So there's the Meowing Billie Eilish song, which I would pay money to be able to ask Billie Eilish about this. Her and Finneas, I'd be like, how do you feel?

[Sarah]

Are you getting any royalties from.

[Kirby]

No, literally, like, how do you feel that your. Your voice is now a cat meow? And it's the soundtrack of this. AI swap. Hey, B, there's Meow Meow, there's Meow Meow Meow where, you know, things are not gonna go well. Down on their luck, cats. Okay.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Then there's Meow Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow Meow. Want to talk to Rihanna about this? Because she is like the voice of I Will Survive. Yes.

[Sarah]

It's the cats that are thrown out.

[Guest or Contributor]

The.

[Sarah]

The mom's thrown on the streets. They will survive and down on their.

[Kirby]

Luck, has to survive and will find a way to survive. And then there is. There's a Sia song. Oh, yes.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

It's like, Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow.

[Sarah]

Unforgettable.

[Kirby]

And that's where they're like, the fat cat is getting into, like, in a month. Yeah. And I'm like, unrealistic standards. Unattainable. Fat. Phobic.

[Sarah]

Misogynistic.

[Kirby]

Misogynistic. Crazy, like, violent.

[Sarah]

I'm like, let me go back to my dog videos where it's literally the dog taking a drive. A driver's obsessed with this dog.

[Kirby]

She would not stop sending them to me. I'm like, what the hell is I love? She named him Walter. I mean, I was like, if you're going to keep sending me a zoo. Yeah, it's a shit.

[Sarah]

He's a Shih Tzu.

[Kirby]

And I told her, if you keep sending me reactions of this dog face, you're going to have to name it. And she said, his name is Walter. So.

[Sarah]

So.

[Kirby]

Sarah, Matt, and Fam will be getting a Shih Tzu named Walter in the near future. Just saying.

[Sarah]

I mean, actually, I'd be happy with that. Anyways. AI animal videos.

[Kirby]

Honestly, I have converted to team cat. I have always been a dog person, but I grew up with a cat named Figaro. My dad loves cats, and then my parents had a cat when my brother and I left the house named Dolly, after Dolly Parton. And I've never had a cat of my own as an adult, but I have so many cat videos, little kitten videos, too, that I'm like, oh, I think I want a little kitten because they're like, pretty self. I feel like they can handle themselves.

[Sarah]

Yeah, no, totally.

[Kirby]

How will Quinn react to having a cat in the house? I mean, I don't know if she'll be able to.

[Sarah]

I think the kitten would. Would accommodate Quinn. And then, you know, just based on Quinn's personality, whether or not they want to be close or not, the cat will, like, adapt.

[Kirby]

My dream would be that they become best friends. I think they could cuddle.

[Sarah]

I think you could.

[Kirby]

That'd be so freaking cute.

[Sarah]

I feel like you should get.

[Kirby]

Imagine like a little black cat.

[Sarah]

Oh, my God. Okay, anyways, don't, don't. Just don't.

[Kirby]

Don't interact with it at all. Like, don't even like a comment. The comments are so funny because the comments are always like, is this AI like it's so funny or like, wow, I've seen this before. Yeah, it's just like the same story.

[Sarah]

Going to send you this meme. It was like someone that's like me at 3am super invested in the cat story. I'm like, no, literally, it's like, how.

[Kirby]

Did they choose that it was a cat? I don't know. It's very much like the Quinta Brunson thing on Amy Poehler's podcast.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

Where she got everybody hooked on that murderous cat.

[Sarah]

Yeah. No, I don't like it, but I can't stop watching it.

[Kirby]

It. I mean, it's now just served to me on a regular basis. So here we go.

[Sarah]

Billie Eilish, get your money. Okay, Kirby, we have so many, so much news to talk about. Let's start with the exciting news that Giada, the founder of Amicole, is now going to be the EVP of beauty and fragrance at Skims Beauty.

[Kirby]

Yes. So this was a huge announcement. It was posted everywhere, written about everywhere. Obviously a big PR rollout. If you listen to Call Her Daddy with Alex Cooper, Kim Kardashian was on. I'm not an avid listener of that podcast, but I did listen to it to hear what Kim had to say. And she mentioned that they are moving skims into beauty and fragrance. And I think I mentioned this on a different podcast, but they also. She mentioned Press on Nails as well. And Skims is co founded by Emma Greed, Jens Greed, which are a husband and wife duo, and Kim Kardashian. And they hire Giada as EVP of beauty and fragrance, signaling that they want Skims beauty to have real beauty credibility, not just a celebrity cash grab. A lot of people before this news came out were asking me, does anybody really want a skims beauty? This is a third rebrand for this brand. Remember we have kkw, then we had Skin by Kim and now we're going back to Skims Beauty, which not back to skims Beauty, but it should have always been skims.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

Skin care.

[Sarah]

And Kim has mentioned how she wants to bring back like what did well at KKW into skims Beauty.

[Kirby]

Yes. I don't think that people look at Kim for skincare advice. They look to her for treatments. They look to her for potential plastic surgery recommendations. But I think that's where Skin by Kim went wrong. They saw that skincare was rising and they thought they needed to go that direction. But Kim doesn't really have authority there. Also, it was like this nine piece line of products with really bulky packaging, greenwashed. Ultimately no true innovation or hero skew.

[Sarah]

Or just no pov. It didn't feel like there was anything special or unique about it. Versus I remember when she launched kkw, those contour sticks.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

Were so good. And then obviously the body makeup, like.

[Kirby]

I love the body makeup.

[Sarah]

I still use it. I used it recently.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Like those were very specific to Kim's like, you know, esthetic, her vibe. So that felt very on brand. But then, yeah, with skin, what it was called skin, I get with skin, it just felt like, yeah, cash grab.

[Kirby]

Yeah. And again, like you said, really no pov. So then with skims Beauty, people are like, well, is this really warranted? Why don't, why doesn't she just let Kylie have the beauty? And KKW was a huge beauty brand. People loved it.

[Guest or Contributor]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And so the lips products. Yes. I mean, like you mentioned, I loved the body makeup and I also felt like it made the most sense for her because she has psoriasis. I was like, I trust her to provide something that will, like, not budge. Matches skin tones. Like, I'm all in on that. Yeah. So with Skims Beauty, I think people are kind of like, well, what is this going to look like? I think it's going to be a full return to Glam. People know her for glam. They know her for Mario. They know her for this very heavy makeup aesthetic. Yeah. Not a clean girl.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

Not a skincare routine. That's what it is. And there are criticisms of the Kardashians that they are culture vultures, that they appropriate different cultures for their own personal gain. Yep. And whether you feel that way or not, I think hiring Giada was a smart move for them, specifically.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Which I think is also why I've seen a lot of criticism about it.

[Sarah]

Yeah. I think it was maybe the only person that they could have hired that would make sense for this role, and that would get anyone excited about Skims Beauty. I think it was a genius move.

[Kirby]

Yes. And there have been conspiracies. I have been sent by a variety of people, from just people that work at brands to C Suite executives, saying, the math isn't mathing. Was this the plan all along that Emma went to Giada and said, listen, like, we have this opportunity. We think you would kill it. Come and work with us. Because some people pointed out to me specifically last year, there was a story. I believe it was in the cut, that. Or maybe it was in the cut, so don't quote me on that, but I was reading it. They were planning on growing 75% this year. They had a huge cash infusion from the capital company that l' Oreal owns called Bold. And so they were on track for growth and for expansion. And then the news comes out that not only is Ami Cole going to shut down, but Skit Skin by Kim also was quietly coming to a close. Then we get this interview with Giada on Emma's podcast. Then Kim goes on to call her daddy and announces Skim's Beauty.

[Guest or Contributor]

And.

[Kirby]

And then this big announcement comes out. A lot of the conversation is, things don't move that quickly. That's not how it works.

[Sarah]

Right. If we had one of those, you know, bulletin boards with the different dates and pins, we'd be like, hmm, this is like, yeah, the timeline is not really lining up.

[Kirby]

And there is a substack named Slutty founder. She had founded her own brand at one point, a black woman. And she said, you know, this is a good thing for Giada which I totally agree 100%. Not only going to give her endless possibilities in the future, again, she's coming in to work on a brand that has been through three rebrands. So clearly they think she's capable of taking it to the next level. After this, she can go anywhere and do whatever she wants, not only from her resume, but she's probably getting some type of equity in the company.

[Guest or Contributor]

Exactly.

[Kirby]

And she's going to be set up financially for the rest of her life. Generational wealth.

[Sarah]

Yes. I think that that's a point that a lot of people who are like, upset by, you know, this decision of hers needs to remember, especially during this time. And like, Chad is probably also so tired. Like, it is not easy to run an indie brand the way that she did. She's probably just exhausted. She's also, like, she has two kids. Like, she, you know, like, this is a golden opportunity for her.

[Kirby]

I also think too, there has been criticism of, okay, well, why didn't Kim just invest in Ami Cole? That had a built in audience.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

And I think it's a moot point because when you read any of the interviews that Giada did about her decision to close the brand, she did say she was tired.

[Guest or Contributor]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

I think it doesn't matter how well your brand is doing if you're not in it anymore.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

And exits are not as big these days. Like road is the exception.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

But you're not getting these huge exits like we were maybe 10 years ago of 800 million, 900 million, whatever. If she's thinking, okay, it's going to take me another three to five years to exit or maybe never exit at all. I don't have the heart to do this anymore. Again, this is all speculation. We don't know what exactly happened, but I think that there, there are conversations we're seeing online where I have seen the black community say, this is huge and we're happy for her, but it doesn't feel like a win.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

And I get that perspective, but at the same time, in my point of view, she has a taste level that this brand needs to take it, like to the next stratosphere.

[Sarah]

Taste level, experience. Like, again, she is the right person for this job. If anyone's going to save it, it's going to be her.

[Kirby]

Yeah. And I think that she ultimately has the perspective that this brand is like, is needing. Yeah. And also we talk a lot about how so many of these brands do not have decision makers at the top that are black women. So I mean, they could have Chosen anyone, to be quite frank. But Giada, in my opinion, was the All Star selection because everything we've already said.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

But then also I think the fact that she is a black woman, it's like, okay, put your money where you're like, yeah, she's going to have a huge budget. Like, she's, she's getting like all the things you can only dream of when it comes to starting a brand. And while it's not her own, if she wanted to start another brand in the future, she'll probably be able to.

[Sarah]

She's. She's only in her 30s. This is just a stepping stone for her. There's so much more to come from Jada, so I feel like it's just one of those opportunities you cannot say no to.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

We should all be excited and happy for her. And honestly, I am more excited. I know you are too, about what Skims Beauty is going to be because of her.

[Kirby]

Yeah. I am, though, a little curious about the timeline because, you know, I mean, typically when brands shut down.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

When brands shut down, they don't get as much press as Amicole did.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And I'm not saying that they weren't deserving of it, but there are other huge brands that have shuttered that don't get an exclusive pre planned interview with, you know, and there's. There was a whole rollout behind it.

[Sarah]

The PR was. Yeah.

[Kirby]

And so when you master class in pr, it's very much a Kris Jenner PR rollout. If you look at it from the lens of was this, was this something in the works for a while. So all that being said, I think it's. I do want to just very much clarify. I think it's valid to have mixed feelings about it, but I've been seeing a lot of very harsh criticism of people who have never run a business and who have no idea what they're talking about, saying that she's essentially helping a culture vulture profit off of black, you know, inspiration, black intellect, style, all those things. And I think that this is something that's only beneficial. Like, everyone was so upset when Giada said she was shutting down Ami Cole because it was like, she doesn't deserve this, you know, like she deserves to thrive. And now she's thriving. So I think that should be like the.

[Sarah]

What we should be focusing on. Totally. Exactly.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Okay. This was a little bit of a head scratcher for me personally. I'm. I haven't really figured out how I feel. I also haven't tried the products, so. Agustin S. Baader and Dua Lipa are launching a high performance skincare line together. It's called dua. So according to the press release, it's made for real life and built on real science. And it is powered by TFC5 which is a proprietary technology owned and created by Botter. And it's different than what's in their other products?

[Kirby]

Yes, because in the original Augustinus borderline it's TFC8.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

And that's a complex of amino acids, vitamins and synthesized molecules designed to support the skin's natural renewal process. I am a little unclear based off of the marketing around this new launch what the main differences between TFC5 I'm reading off of Instagram, it says introducing TFC5, our proprietary technology from AB Science exclusive to do about AB TFC5 marks AB Sciences expansion into skin smart preventative care, bringing high performance innovation to a new generation. Tailored to skin with minimal to moderate damage, TFC 5 delivers renewal signals in a measured, targeted way, supporting the skin's natural barrier and enhancing long term elasticity. Okay, it says it has biomimetic peptides, proteins and protective antioxidants to provide essential nourishment while promoting the renewal aligned. Okay, so this sounds almost identical to what TFC8 is. Just like a lesser version.

[Sarah]

They're angling it to a younger audience, which again to your point, the price point is also lower than what you would typically pay for a butter cream.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

So maybe it's just that simple. Like TFC8 is higher.

[Kirby]

TFC5, yes.

[Sarah]

Is not as potent like they said. For minimal to moderate. Moderately. What was the term that they used? Like normal to minimal changes in your skin or whatever. Just basically for younger skin that doesn't have as many fine lines and wrinkles or you know, I don't want to say problems, but issues perhaps. Okay, maybe that's it. I don't know. I'm not sure that would make sense to me. So they are launching with three products. They have the balancing cream cleanser at $40, the supercharged glow complex at $80 and the renewal cream which is $75. And Dua has a quote. She said, I created the skincare line to be my everyday essential. A skincare routine that's clean, effective and effortless. It was incredibly important to me to work with a team who values the use of clean formulas and high quality ingredients. And I knew I could trust Augustine Spotter and to help bring this to life. Based on their attention to detail and the level of importance they place on the science that goes into each product. I'm curious, who came to who do you think Vader reached out to? Dua.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

I don't see this woman talk about makeup. I don't see her talk about skin care.

[Sarah]

I mean, we heard from Katie Jane Hughes. She has, like, perfect skin.

[Kirby]

Yes. And also now I realize that's why Katie Jane Hughes could not tell us literally anything about her makeup routine or skin prep.

[Sarah]

Mm.

[Kirby]

Because we tried. And if you notice, in that episode, we did not have anything about Dua. Really. And that was why.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Made sense.

[Kirby]

Can I just read some of the headlines around this?

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

Because this is kind of what grinds my gears. Dua Lipa is making accessibly priced luxury skincare for the booked and busy girl. Dua Lipa and Augustinus Botter just dropped a new skincare line. Every product is destined to sell out. Dua Lipa just reinvented the celebrity beauty brand.

[Sarah]

No.

[Kirby]

Can we collectively get a grip, guys? Love y' all dearly. And I am like, no shade to any of these writers or editors. But I'm like, this, to me, is not interesting.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

I don't think.

[Sarah]

I really am so. Just so confused by it.

[Kirby]

And also, it says so. The only. The only article that I'm like, thank you. It's an allure story. And I'm actually surprised they wrote this. Augusta Augustinus Botter lost the plot with its new Dua Lipa line.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Guest or Contributor]

Glams. You know how much Kirby and I love Tatcha and the founder, Vicky Sai. If you haven't heard our interviews with her, do that after this. On the show, she's shared how Tatcha is all about building tiny rituals that restore joy, which is very much needed.

[Sarah]

In the year that is 2025.

[Guest or Contributor]

The dewy skin cream is that feeling in a jar. It's a luxuriously comforting moisturizer that plumps fine lines and seals in moisture for Tatcha's signature dewy glow. Fun fact. It is the brand's best seller. A dewy skin cream is sold every 30 seconds. In a clinical study, 100 of the panelists showed immediate improvement in plumpness, suppleness, and radiance in just two weeks. It is transformative Japanese skincare that nurtures the skin and the mind, and it's why we love it so, so much. The best part is you can enjoy 15% off your first purchase at tatcha.com with code GLOSSANGELIS15.

[Sarah]

So to me, what I. I think should have happened, and you know, this is Just me. Based on me being me and my knowledge. I would have. If I were Augustinus Botter and I wanted to target a younger audience, I would have launched this line with TC, what is it? TFC 5. And I would've hired Dua Lipa to be the ambassador or the face of it so that it could live on beyond Dua. And I would focus on more of that conversation around, like targeting younger skin, a younger audience. I think that is more exciting and the more accessible price point, I think that to me would have been more exciting than to pretend like this was something that Dua Lipa has been dreaming of doing.

[Kirby]

I just her entire career.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

I think that if you are going to align yourself with a celebrity beauty brand, Charlotte Palermino mentioned this in a recent video. Something that you and I talk about all the time on this podcast. If you are launching a celebrity beauty brand, you should never name it after yourself. No number one rule. Sorry. JLo Beauty, and now Dua Lipa. But B, you have to breadcrumb that you know this stuff and that you care about it. You can't just be like, surprise, I'm launching a skincare brand and then start doing the work afterwards.

[Guest or Contributor]

Right.

[Kirby]

The reason why Rhode works so well is because Hayley was a beauty girl through and through. And people believe that she knew her stuff because she was using other brands that beauty girls knew about and loved. And she's constantly giving shine to other brands.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

I don't believe that Dua Lipa only uses these three products. I just don't, you know, like, do I love Dua Lipa? Hell yeah. I think she's a cool chick.

[Guest or Contributor]

Right.

[Kirby]

But there's nothing that she's done in the past year that made me think, oh, she knows what she's talking about. You know who I think could be a brilliant brand founder if she kept talking about stuff like this? Jennifer Lawrence. Did you listen to Las Coltristas this week?

[Sarah]

No, I didn't.

[Kirby]

She's on it.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Verified that I need to be in her life.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Jennifer Lawrence have always left her personality, her sense of humor. Have always thought she was stunning. She like goes on a five minute detail of her melasma.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

On Lost Culture this week and talks about what you can do for it, what you can't do for it. Like all of these things that I was like, oh, she actually knows what she's talking about.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

If some brand doesn't swoop in to try to work with her in some way, she would never do it.

[Sarah]

Yeah. But she doesn't need to do it.

[Kirby]

That is the type of thing I'm talking about.

[Sarah]

And that's not to say that Dua is not a beauty girl. Maybe she is. And she, you know, she is just very private. Like, you know, we don't really hear her like, you know, posting about her life. We just see like paparazzi shots of her and Callum Turner. But like, and then we see, you know, we follow Katie Jane Hughes for like the tips because she obviously is Dua's makeup artist. But like, I think that I love Dua and I think she's beautiful. I do think to your point, like if they would have just been more strategic about this leading up to it, then maybe it would have made more sense. I think they, again, they should have just like called it something else and had her be the face of it for six months to a year, whatever it is the contract is so that the brand can live on after. Because I just, I mean, what is the lifespan of this? Let's be honest, I don't know that Dua Lipa's fan base is rushing to buy this product.

[Kirby]

An $80 product is not affordable luxury. I don't think that that is like a, that's conscious. That's luxury. Yeah, that's not a conscious headline. Like that's not a headline that makes sense to me. I also have this thing where, okay, if TFC5 can do the job, are you devaluing the original line? And granted it's only three products and three different ish products from the traditional rich cream and stuff like that, but I think they also should have done a better job of. And maybe this is to come really explaining the difference between TFC8 and TFC5.

[Sarah]

Right. Like if they really are gunning for Gen Z, Gen Alpha, then they should have thought more about that in their strategy, their launch strategy.

[Kirby]

Right.

[Sarah]

Because I think that could actually be really smart. I would like to try the product obviously. Like I, you know, Kirby and I haven't tried it, but I just, yeah, it doesn't really. I'm still confused.

[Kirby]

Do you think it was smart of them to roll it out now ahead of the holidays because they could get this big influx of sales ahead of gift giving season.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Where you give Dua by AB to a massive Dua Lipa fan.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

But I would be curious to see if that will develop into a repeat customer and maybe this brand is going to completely surprise us maybe. And they're going to come out with some insane innovation and product and we're Going to be eating our words. But right now, I just remember seeing all of the headlines from, you know, our cohorts in the editorial world, and I was like, not one person was just like, so, you know, like, what's your favorite? You know, like, like really trying to talk insider baseball Beauty.

[Sarah]

Oh, were there interviews with dua?

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Oh, I see.

[Kirby]

Anyways, we'd love to know what you guys think.

[Sarah]

Yeah. And, you know, obviously, like, again, like, we haven't tried the products, and maybe we will eat our words in the future.

[Kirby]

We've gotten a spotter. Maybe that's just truly what they want. They want an entry point for. For somebody to be able to say, okay, I tried. Is it TC TFC? I'm always TFC 5. TFC 5.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

And now I need to get the TF C8 on my face.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

Maybe. So I can. I can understand that.

[Sarah]

I get it.

[Kirby]

All right.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

Wow.

[Sarah]

We have so much to rant about this episode.

[Kirby]

Oh, wow. Oh. Oh. Ooh.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

Ooh. Okay, I'll let you take the lead on this one.

[Sarah]

I've had some time to think about this. Okay, so Rinny is a new brand that is launched by Shay Mitchell and her friend Esther Song. Rinny means child in Korean and the brand is made for children. Essentially, it was inspired by their daughters wanting to do what moms do in quotes with skincare. So I read their interview on Elle and I'll just tell you what they said. So the origin story for them is, you know, they were friends and they had a moment where they couldn't get tough face paint off of their kids after camp and they realized there weren't many gentle kid safe options. So they wanted formulas that were made for young skin. It's K beauty influence because Esther Song is Korean and then Shay is Filipino. Although I will say she up to until last year was claiming she was Spanish. So glad to have you back in in our circle, Shay. They said that the line is all about hydration, soothing and barrier support, not anti aging or actives. They are launching with three masks. So there's a hydrating pink hydrogel, an after sun, and an everyday sheet mask. They have cute animal designs on them. They are priced at 5.99 to 6.99 and they're made with ingredients like vitamin B12, aloe beta glucan, very gentle, nothing like harsh. They stressed in the interview that this is not for Sephora kids. They framed it as teaching their kids basic hygiene and making it fun bond, a fun bonding experience and not giving 3 year olds retinol or pushing beauty insecurity. Okay, so when they tease the launch, they shared a photo of it was Shay Mitchell's daughter, correct?

[Kirby]

I believe so.

[Sarah]

Atlas wearing the hydrogel mask. And I think that that really ruffled everyone's feathers and I, I think that there's been so much criticism around the launch the past. I mean, what. It launched yesterday as of our recording and there's been so much chatter on the Internet and people are understandably very upset because. Do children need sheet masks? No, they don't.

[Kirby]

They don't.

[Sarah]

Do they need skin care? No. Like, I am feel very lucky because Zoe and Kate have really great skin. But literally, like they could have a blemish one day and overnight I don't have to put anything on it, the next day it is gone. Like kids, for the most part, unless you are here experiencing eczema, like your skin is very resilient, you don't need anything. These kids don't need anything. Maybe some lotion, definitely sunscreen. But like for the most part, there are already in existence so many amazing skincare body care brands for children. Do we need more? I mean, I think we could say that for anything in beauty, right? Do we need more beauty? I don't think so. Do I think Rinny is a good idea? Okay, so first when it launched I was really like annoyed because I'm like, I just, I don't like these visuals of these children wearing sheet masks. Right? Like it felt. And the comments were like, this feels very dystopian. Why are we preying on children? Why are we.

[Kirby]

I had a hard time even wanting to feature a photo of them in my newsletter about it because I felt weird, right?

[Sarah]

It feels weird. It feels really weird. So, you know, I was very upset and then I took like a day to chat with like other mom friends. I did a poll on my Instagram, which actually overwhelmingly was like over 300 people were like, no, children don't need this. But then I got a lot of messages from people that were like, you know, this would be really cute for like stocking stuffers or like if you do like mommy daughter spa night or you know, just like if you had a party with your girlfriend or with your kids girlfriends and they wanted to do like a spa theme thing, like, great. I was like, yes, I totally agree with that. If they sent me this, I would probably let Zoe use it. Right? Like, but I think the idea that we might be teaching our children with these masks is that they need it. Right? And they don't like naming a product an everyday sheet mask. You don't need it every day. And so I do think too, like, there is something to say about drawing the line when's like, of course Zoe sees me doing my makeup all the time. Like, I have an internal struggle every day with her, like, seeing me get my lashes done, my brows done, watching me do my makeup. And she's like, I want to play with your makeup too. I want to put lipstick on. And I'm like, having to tell her, like, no, you know, like, when you're older, like, you can do this, like. But, you know, I also want her to be able to explore and play with it. So I definitely struggle with that. So I understand why they did it. And, you know, Esther and Shay have daughters who are always asking questions, but I just don't know that it feels right right now, especially also to launch with the sheet mask. Like, I don't think they should have done that.

[Kirby]

Yes, I understand why they did, though, because they knew it would be controversial.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

A. I'm just going to take this from the business side of things because I'm not a mom, so I don't feel comfortable speaking on that. But I think hearing now, I didn't realize that they said they were trying to wash face paint off of their kids. That was hard to come off. I understand face paint is different from like a cosmetic product or a skincare product. So they are launching with face and body crayons that I think are cute.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Right.

[Sarah]

I think, like, those would have been really fun to launch with.

[Kirby]

I think if they highlighted those versus a sheet mask. Right. You know, they say this is not for the Sephora tweens. I almost think that makes their case worse because I think this would be better for Sephora tweens. 11, 12, 13 year olds versus the 3, 4, 5 year olds that they're featuring in their imagery.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

Category wise. I mentioned this in my substack, but it's almost like I'm trying to think of investment wise. How did they pitch this? Yeah. And where did they get the idea that a category should be created based off the niche of I saw mommy use a product and now I want to try it.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

That's a once. To your point with Zoe, that would be a fun stocking stuffer.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

Stocking stuffers are once a year.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

Or parties once a year. It's not something that I think is a huge growth opportunity. And I don't think it's a category in itself. In my mind, did they go and say k Beauty is huge.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Kirby]

Sephora tweens are a big thing. Yep.

[Sarah]

Everyone's gonna go after Gen Z or sorry, Gen Alpha. Next Gen Beta.

[Kirby]

Yeah. Gen Alpha and Gen Beta. And then also the idea of just children's products in general are a huge market.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Kirby]

And they combine some kind of stat with all three of those things in a bucket and had a baby with it, if you will. In turn, I saw the deck for this particular brand before the announcement was made. And they were really pushing, like the. Made without ingredients.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And I think the thing that kills me about clean beauty in general is it feels so Maha conspiracy theory adjacent. It is.

[Sarah]

We've talked about this before. Like pregnant women and moms in general. Like, the beauty industry loves to prey on them.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

Like just fear mongering so much. And so now people are gonna be like, oh, my God, what have I been putting on my kids?

[Kirby]

Yes. Shay specifically says Atlas wanted to wear a sheet mask. And I go to put it on her and I read the ingredients and they were crazy. It feels very much. I couldn't read or pronounce the ingredients on the package. Therefore that must be a bad chemical.

[Sarah]

Exactly.

[Kirby]

And it's probably things in there to stabilize it, make sure that it sits correctly, that it doesn't harm you.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

A variety of other things. So that really kind of drives me nuts. Where to jig up.

[Sarah]

Yeah. We've gone too far.

[Kirby]

Peak consumerism. And I. I don't think that a child needs to learn how to take care of themselves because this brand is not for the children, it's for the moms.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Guest or Contributor]

Totally.

[Kirby]

They can. They don't have purchasing power.

[Sarah]

No.

[Kirby]

They don't know what money is.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

So you have to tell them what to do.

[Sarah]

They're already learning by seeing.

[Kirby]

Right.

[Sarah]

Don't have to actually do it.

[Kirby]

Right.

[Sarah]

Someone left a comment on the diet product post about Renny and they were like, oh, so what's next? Making, like, kid friendly wine because you want them to.

[Kirby]

Like, that is a perfect example. Exactly. They don't have something for when you grow up.

[Sarah]

Right. They don't need. They just. They. It's okay to say no. It's okay to say no.

[Kirby]

I would rather Esther and Shay have made products that were helpful for moms and started a category that way that included like, the. I think the face and body crayons. Cute.

[Sarah]

Totally cute.

[Guest or Contributor]

Love it.

[Sarah]

The wipes to remove face paint. Great. Last week I was using like micellar water and Zoe and there was a piece of Me that was like, is this going to irritate? Of course it's not. It's not going to irritate your skin. But like that would be helpful.

[Kirby]

Right?

[Sarah]

I know lots of moms who would buy that.

[Kirby]

Right.

[Sarah]

I also have to Wonder what under 10 year old child is going to sit still and wear this face mask?

[Kirby]

No, no. I was like, I would love to have been a fly on the wall for that shoot because how did they put a face mask on children that can't even verbalize.

[Sarah]

No. And they're not going to keep it on. And then at that point you're just, it's a waste of $6. And. And then again it's just too much. It's too much stuff. It's too much stuff.

[Kirby]

I almost wonder if they saw those viral videos on TikTok of estheticians giving their toddlers facials and it's like a cute moment. They're just doing face massage with an oil and that's it.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And they said, yeah, that's it. Exactly where we go. I just, I don't understand this brand and I think overall it's like the wrong message.

[Sarah]

And from a business standpoint, I just don't know. I don know if it's a smart business. Like she's so smart. B.A. is amazing.

[Kirby]

Yeah. She has founder does.

[Sarah]

Doing great.

[Kirby]

Being a great founder.

[Sarah]

Yeah. I just don't know that this is, this is it. I also just want to shout out like Tubby Todd is a great kids line. Love their products. Use their products all the time. Pipette. We talk about pipette all the time. There's so many amazing kid products that already exist. So. Yeah, I don't know. Again, another head scratcher.

[Kirby]

Also, if you, your kid really wants to wear a sheet mask, it's not going to hurt to put it on for two minutes. I guarantee you they will not keep it on any longer.

[Sarah]

Two minutes is long.

[Guest or Contributor]

A minute.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

They're probably going to be like, okay, bye. Gone are the days of making homemade avocado sheet or gone are the days of making avocado masks. Cutting up little cucumbers.

[Kirby]

Tell them you have something better with some cucumber eye mask, yogurt honey. A yogurt honey moment and call it a freaking day.

[Sarah]

And that's like an activity you can do together.

[Kirby]

Ready to order?

[Sarah]

Yes.

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