Fat Mascara

Crown Affair’s hair products are in the bathrooms (and kits) of so many people who love and work in the beauty industry. How did that happen? Founder Dianna Cohen is here to explain. She shares lessons she learned working on some of the hottest “millennial” brands of the 2010s (Into The Gloss, Away, Outdoor Voices, Harry’s); why marketing isn’t the most important part of building a brand; the diff...

Lots of new products (Versed, Rhode, Glow Recipe, Naked Sundays, etc.) claim to be your skincare and makeup in one, but do they really live up to the hype? Jenn hashes it out with Julee. Before that, Julee shares the backstory of a recent cover story she wrote and explains how she ended up modeling for InnBeauty Project’s new campaign. Plus, we’re talking about a perfumed computer mouse, essential...

From saunas and jimjilbang to hammams and temazcales, bathing rituals exist in almost every culture around the world—but they’re still not a regular part of many people’s lives. Robert Hammond, the co-founder of New York City’s High Line and president of Therme Group US, wants to change that. He discusses the history of bathhouses in the modern United States, and explains their physical, social, a...

The Fat Mascara family is part of the show this week! Jess & Jenn share listener voicemails discussing Sephora birthday parties and tweens wearing makeup. We also talk about proposed legislation in California to ban the sale of “anti-aging skincare” to children. Plus, why is the FDA insisting that sunscreens in America should be tested on animals? We’ll discuss that, as well as Jess’s recent a...

What do Zendaya, Hailee Bieber, Cardi B, and Sara Sampaio have in common? They’ve all put their faces (and bodies!) in the hands of aesthetician Vanessa Marc, the founder of Vanessa Marc Studio in New York City. She joins us to talk about why models and celebrities love her treatments, the special needs of melanin-rich skin, the benefits of lymphatic massage and Colombian wood therapy tools, and h...

People are distraught about the discontinuation of Biologique Recherche’s P50 Lotion (1970 version), but Jenn & Garrett have some replacement suggestions. We’re also talking about Jenn’s filler (Garrett approves!); how teens feel about celebrity beauty brands; hair trends at New York Fashion Week; why Dr. Bronner’s is no longer a B Corp (and what B Corp status even means); and doctors taking O...

Makeup artist Violette Serrat, the founder of Violette_FR, makes the je ne sais quoi of French Girl beauty and style accessible to everybody. She shares her rebellious approach to makeup, the homeopathic skin drops she uses, why skin needs to rest, the key to good “sex hair,” and why eyeshadow looks better when it’s “slowly dying.” This interview originally aired in 2017 and has been re-edited and...

Jess & Jenn ponder the future this week! We talk more about kids having birthday parties at beauty stores, and then: why beauty shopping at drugstores is so unpleasant; advice for switching hair stylists; layoffs at Estée Lauder Companies; Paulina Porizkova returning to Lauder; navigating trade shows; manicures featuring NFC (Near-Field Communication) chips; glycolic acid as deodorant (and a n...

Are you risking your health at unregulated med spas? Dr. Kate Dee, author of Med Spa Mayhem and owner of Glow Medispa in Seattle, reveals the shocking truth about America's aesthetic clinics. In this episode, she explains how to identify if a med spa is operating legally; the risks of unregulated treatments; and how lasers, cosmetic filler, microneedling, and IV treatments can go wrong. Plus, she...

Garrett joins Jenn to chat about tweens having birthday parties at Sephora and Glossier stores; a Kiehl’s campaign featuring pubic hair (and the history of the merkin!); body scrubs; bathhouses; perfume-longevity hacks; and a deep dive on Renuva, the newish non-surgical volumizing treatment that’s different than cosmetic filler or fat transfers. Episode recap with links:  fatmascara.com/blog/...

Image consultant David Kibbe published his cult-classic style guide in the 1980s, and now he’s updated and expanded his philosophy with a new book for a new generation. In this interview, he shares how he became a “style mentor,” how to think about developing your own personal style, the history of seasonal color analysis, why he thinks his image-identity system is so popular on social media—and w...

Jenn & Jess welcome FM’s intern, Lexi, to the studio to talk about mood-boosting fragrances and whether or not they work. Before that: How do we all feel about the term “dermorexia”? Plus: Jess shares her adventures in a Parisian flea market; we try an AI-powered skin analysis tool; Coors Light enters the beauty game; one of our listeners gives the best trend analysis we’ve heard yet; we learn...

This episode is about so much more than makeup. Celebrity makeup artist and brand founder Laura Mercier shares the story of how she found her purpose and the lessons she learned along the way. We talk about her childhood in France; New York City in the 1990s; her work with Steven Meisel and clients like Madonna and Julia Roberts; the iconic makeup products she’s created; dessert; Buddhism; and so...

Jenn & Julee share their latest beauty adventures: A variety show about bathing culture, meeting Ilana Glazer, and dinner with Dr. Augustinus Bader. Plus: Sephora’s store redesign and new Hulu series; research showing how age affects the way we feel about our beauty products; the scientist turning fatbergs into fragrance; the Beauty Together coalition helping those impacted by L.A. wildfires;...

Dermatologist Rajani Katta, MD, explains how vitamins are (and aren’t) regulated, how to judge the safety and efficacy of skincare supplements, and the truth about collagen powders, biotin, vitamin A, and other hair, skin, and nail vitamins. Plus, we learn how your diet affects your skin and hair, which supplements can alter results of medical tests, and how certain foods can help neutralize free...

A bride sparked debate online for washing off her makeup artist’s work, and Jess & Jenn think there’s something bigger going on. Let’s discuss! Plus: Jess’s facial that doubled as an astrology reading; Jenn’s chrome nails; Ariana Grande thanking Botox; Armani Beauty’s new spokesman; a scientist calls in to teach us about botanical oils in hair care; heated socks for people with Raynaud's syndr...

Seoul-based beauty journalist Jenny Jin joins us with a full report on 2025 K-beauty trends and the latest in South Korean beauty culture. We’re talking about her favorite products at Olive Young; Ultherapy, Thermage, Rejuran (and the Skin Botox and Winback treatments she tried); Chahong’s hair perfume; 5X5 Nail Studio; and the Miffy nails she got from Unistela. Plus: Torriden masks, Nonfiction pe...

Jess & Jenn are talking about “one and done” facelifts, makeup with personality (is Messy Girl the new Clean Girl?), skin tightening, the Lyma at-home laser, the next big fragrance trends, new beauty newsletters, the urban legend that Pantene is bad for hair—and how Alix Earle may have finally put it to rest.  Episode recap with links:  fatmascara.com/blogep-560 Products mentioned in...

The founder of the Anastasia Beverly Hills has plucked the eyebrows of Jennifer Lopez, Naomi Campbell, and Michelle Obama, but Anastasia Soare’s biggest success is her brand, which is estimated to be worth $500 million. In this interview (which originally aired in 2020), she tells us why she considers herself an example of the “American Dream” and shares how she built her brand, what she wishes mo...

Learn how to decode a cosmetic ingredient list, which skincare ingredients actually work, and how not to waste money on ineffective products in this interview with Victoria Fu, the co-founder of Chemist Confessions. Plus, she tells us about an AI-discovered molecule that improves skin elasticity and explains how social media causes skincare misinformation to proliferate online. This interview orig...

In this interview (our most popular of 2024!), we talk to celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg, a mom of three, about a timely topic: How young is too young for makeup and skincare? How can parents encourage self expression without glorifying consumerism? Should adults talk to kids about the downsides of plastic surgery and photo filters? Plus, she shares her makeup tricks for hooded eyeli...

We’re lighting up the holiday season with candlemaker Louis Hotchkiss, the former president of KOBO candles. Here’s here to answer all our candle questions. Which wax burns the cleanest? How do containers, wicks, and fragrances affect burn rate? Why do some wick tips form a mushroom shape after they burn? How can you tell if a candle with have a good scent throw? All that and more. This interview...

It’s impossible to listen to Nikki Nelms share her story and not be inspired! The celebrity hairstylist—who’s worked with Beyoncé, Bjork, Janelle Monáe, and others—explains why she doesn’t need mood boards to create hair magic and never “looks to the side” for her ideas. She talks about how she got her start styling hair, the surprising tools and accessories in her kit, how she continues to innova...

Jenn & Jess reveal the year’s biggest moments in beauty culture—what we loved (nice), hated (naughty) and loved and hated with caveats (but, but, but!). We’re talking about contrast makeup theory; Pantone’s next color of the year; the beauty industry’s use of artificial intelligence; the TikTokification of makeup trends; everybody’s obsession with Lindsay Lohan’s face; influencers making their...

Creative director Douglas Little, the perfumer and founder of Heretic Parfums, explains how he taps into his shadow self to fuel creativity. He tells us how the new Nosferatu perfume came to be and shares stories from his collaborations with Gwyneth Paltrow and Dita Von Teese, the lessons he learned from the folding of his first brand, D.L. & Company, and why he’s drawn to “things that go bump...