Podcast Summary: Gloss Angeles – "The 7 Biggest Beauty Moments of 2025"

Hosts: Kirbie Johnson & Sara Tan
Date: December 16, 2025

Overview

In their final news episode of 2025, beauty journalists Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan break down the seven most significant beauty trends, headlines, and moments of the year. Relying on their decade-long expertise and feedback from fans, they reflect on the industry’s major shifts—from viral TikTok trends and blockbuster business moves to deeper conversations around aging, procedures, and the influence of younger generations. The conversation is lively, candid, and sprinkled with both personal insights and memorable listener contributions.

Main Discussion Themes & Key Insights

1. Buzzword Brainstorm: Defining Beauty in 2025

Timestamp: 03:24–16:08

• Rapid-fire Trend Words: The hosts open with a quick round of beauty buzzwords for the year:
  • Children / Toddler skin care
  • Nitpicky Internet sleuthing (e.g., Ariana Grande’s lashes, Sabrina Carpenter’s wig)
  • Demand for "behind the scenes" content—fans want to see every detail
  • Rise of privacy and elusive celebrity icons (e.g., Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence)
  • "Cunty Bob" haircut trend, DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) drama, Ozempic and related "Ozempic face/vulva" discussions
  • Facelifts, especially Kris Jenner’s—and a new trend of travel facelifts to Guadalajara
  • Cancel culture & brand boycotts (Target, Amazon, Ulta, Sephora)
  • K-Beauty 2.0 and expansion
  • Tariffs, AI, PDRN, and more acquired beauty brands

Notable Quotes:

• "Everyone is an investigative journalist on the Internet." —Kirbie (03:59)
• "Keep a little to the imagination... Where is the magic?" —Kirbie (05:13)
• "Ozempic. Feel like she won Ozempica." —Sara (06:30)

2. The 7 Biggest Beauty Moments of 2025

Timestamp: 17:43–40:06

1. The Acquisition: Rhode by e.l.f. (May 2025)

• Rhode (Hailey Bieber’s brand) acquired for $1.2 billion by e.l.f., surprising the industry with both the scale and the speed.
• The acquisition breaks previous narratives that big beauty buyouts were over.
• "It was so unexpected because of how old Rhode is… a billion dollar word—broke the Internet." —Kirbie/Sara (18:38–19:31)

2. Experts Take the Lead

• Surge in celebrity-adjacent, artist-led beauty launches: Mary Phillips (MPH), Hung Vanngo, Chris McMillan, Sarah Creal, Danessa Myricks, Nina Park.
• Nina Park’s signature makeup aesthetic goes viral; her technique and humility are celebrated.
• "Nina Park is your makeup artist's favorite makeup artist." —Kirbie (21:04)

3. Korean Beauty "K-Beauty Boom"

• Korean brands flood US shelves; All of Young opens in Southern California.
• Major brands and influencers produce "K-Beauty-inspired" products, like POV by Mikayla Nogueira.
• Korean beauty innovations shift from luxury to accessible, wider shade ranges, and skin-friendly textures.
• "Now I’m trying brands and getting on the K-Beauty train." —Listener Kristen Harris (25:32)
• "With Korean cushions, you basically use next to nothing to get the desired coverage." —Listener Christy Roy (25:32)

4. Tween & Children’s Beauty Explodes

• Tween-oriented skin care/tween-targeted brands (Sincerely Yours, ST Cru, Reni). Ever Eden pivots from baby to tween care.
• Ongoing debate about "Sephora tweens" and age-appropriate beauty marketing.
• "Children are the present and the future." —Sarah (26:12)

5. Maha Movement / Ingredient Misinformation

• "Maha" (Modern Alternative Health Activists) fuel beef tallow trends, anti-sunscreen hacks, and widespread misinformation.
• FDA begins to move on new sunscreen filters but "Clean Beauty" term has become nearly meaningless.
• "Clean beauty really did get a makeover... now it sort of means nothing." —Kirbie (29:24)

6. Blush Overload

• Blush becomes the dominant color cosmetic of the year (Rare Beauty, Glossier, Saie, Summer Fridays).
• Heavy application and playful color comes back; marks a return to fun in makeup.
• "It’s like the Coco Chanel quote… for me, it’s like I have to look in the mirror and be like—I’m a little bit too blush today." —Sarah (30:33)

7. Facelift Mainstreaming

• Facelifts, deep plane lifts, and facial plastic surgery flood TikTok and beauty journalism.
• Open discussion of procedures (Kris Jenner's transparency, young patients in Guadalajara) challenges old taboos—but opens new ones about aging shame.
• Speculation and accusations from both professionals and fans grow rampant.
• "Now everybody knows what a facelift is… and I hate to break it to you, but 80% of the time when someone looks older, they’ve just gotten older." —Kirbie (32:09)

3. Emerging Themes for 2026

Timestamp: 36:57–40:06

• AI's Advance: AI expands for shade matching, skin analysis, influencer generation; concern about computer-generated models.
  • "It said the photos and the models and everything were generated by AI. Isn’t that crazy?" —Sara (37:36)
  • Listeners have used AI for positive purposes (finding undertones, shade matches).
• Anti-aging Language Update: "Longevity" and "lifting" over "anti-wrinkle."
• Brand Closures: More shutting down—Ami Cole, Flower Beauty, Ren, Youth Foria.

4. Products That Defined 2025

Timestamp: 40:06–44:54

• Sarah’s Top Picks:

  • Mary Phillips MPH Beauty Contour Palette
  • L'Or Disruta fragrance
  • Summer Fridays Blush Butter Balm (notable for innovation & inclusivity; favorite shade: Dusty Rose)

• Kirbie’s Top Picks:

  • Prada Paradox fragrance
  • Too Faced Pillow Balm (Banana Kiss shade)
  • Dibs Double Standard Mascara Duo

• Both praise the rise in refillable packaging, the importance of integrated mirrors, and truly innovative new launches.

Notable Moment:

• "If they sent me [Prada Paradox] as tall as me, I would cry. I’m not kidding. I’m so obsessed with this fragrance." —Kirbie (40:46)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Kirbie on Overexposure:
  "If I could offer any stars advice out there, do not do it… keep a little to the imagination." (04:40)
• Sara on the Effects of Social Media:
  "I just want a man with absolutely no social media presence." (12:27)
• On Beauty Politics:
  "Please stop writing us to say beauty isn’t political. Thank you. Wrong podcast, friends." —Kirbie (06:18)
• On Blush:
  "It was facelift and blush for sure. Lower [blepharoplasty] really had a big moment." —Sarah (12:57, 13:01)
• K-Beauty’s Accessibility Shift:
  "K Beauty brands being available at places like Ulta… now I’m trying brands and getting on the K Beatuy train." —Listener Kristen Harris (25:32)
• On Facelifts and Judgment:
  "You don’t like the way they look because they look older. And that’s a personal problem." —Kirbie (34:03)

Listener Feedback Highlights

• The Gloss Angeles community helped shape the episode via Slack and Instagram, with many submissions aligning with the hosts' takes, especially on K-beauty and the shifting perception of procedures/aging.

Final Reflection

The Gloss Angeles hosts wrap with gratitude for both innovation and introspection, urging more kindness around beauty discussions—especially those involving aging and youth. They invite listeners to share their own beauty-defining products of 2025, hinting at more thoughtful conversations (and celebrations) to come in the new year.

Key Timestamps

• 03:24–16:08: Buzzword Breakdown & Trend Brainstorm
• 17:43–40:06: Deep Dive – The 7 Biggest Moments
  • 18:15: Rhode acquisition by e.l.f.
  • 21:04: Artists/Experts launch brands
  • 24:06: Korean Beauty boom
  • 26:12: Children/Tweens in beauty
  • 28:07: Maha movement & ingredient misinformation
  • 29:53: Blush overload
  • 31:01: Facelifts & aging discourse
• 36:57–40:06: The Next Wave: AI and More
• 40:06–44:54: Top Products of the Year

For those who missed the episode, this summary provides a comprehensive snapshot of beauty’s big swings, controversies, and product obsessions in 2025—straight from two of the industry’s savviest and most relatable insiders.