Fat Mascara

Jess & Jenn discuss how to respond when people comment on your appearance. Plus: the “underconsumption” trend; a growing body of research that shows neurotoxin injections (Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, etc.) may limit your ability to empathize; beauty marketers using Reddit to sell their products; Borghese spa mud; and the science of lip-softening balms (like the new one from Eadem). Episode recap w...

Learn how the U.S. military was involved in the development of hairspray, why redheads are so prevalent in Pre-Raphaelite paintings, and the surprising way women in Renaissance Italy used to dye their hair in this fascinating interview with hair historian Rachael Gibson. We also talk about hair as a symbol of resistance, the evolution of the modern salon business, how technological advancemen...

It’s a very sporty episode with Jenn & Julee: We’re talking about Olympian Suni Lee’s nails, how exercise affects the longevity of neurotoxin injections, the best sports bra for runners (Julee knows— she used to be a track star!), and more. Plus: Elizabeth Banks’s new movie, Skincare , and its real life inspiration; a detailed explanation of fragrance concentrations; beauty products that are b...

…and vice versa. In this collaborative episode, Jess & Jenn get vulnerable with Jonathan Van Ness, the Queer Eye star, host of the podcasts Getting Curious and Pretty Curious, and founder of JVN Hair. We swap beauty stories and discuss what first drew us to the industry. Plus, Jonathan opens up his struggles with social media and the bankruptcy of his brand’s parent company, and we chat about...

First, can we talk about the Devil Wears Prada sequel? After that, Jenn & Jess discuss strawberry perfumes; share tips for entrepreneurs from the Estée Lauder Companies' New Incubation Ventures Symposium; and chat about the Miss AI beauty pageant, Troye Sivan's gig as the makeup ambassador for Rabanne, heavy metals in tampons, and why the young people in old television shows look so…not young....

Futurist, tech CEO, and makeup artist Alex Box, DDes, is working to make sure that as technology continues to evolve, our humanity and creativity isn’t lost. If you feel like social media, AI, and the metaverse are negatively affecting beauty standards, our self-esteem, and artist creativity, Alex offers an alternative: What if we all work together to change the systems? In this interview, she dis...

In this confessional and juicy interview, hairstylist Sally Hershberger takes us back to SoCal in the late 1970s, and shares how she parlayed her rock-star-adjacent life into a full-on creative career, working in salons and then on set as one of the fashion world’s favorite hairstylists. She talks about giving Meg Ryan her famous shag haircut, creating products for John Frieda, launching several o...

Kilian Hennessy, founder of Kilian Paris, talks about his famous last name, the history and semantics of fragrance, and the "potential consequences of making perfumed panties," in this interview, which originally aired in 2019. Plus, he explains why tuberose is better than Cheetos and what it’s like to be part of a big beauty conglomerate like Estée Lauder Companies. Products mentioned in this epi...

Jenn and Garrett discuss their recent travels, including Garrett's spa experience at a Dubai wellness hotel. Then they ask Chat GPT for skincare advice in real time (things do not go well). Plus: Trends from the new American Society of Plastic Surgeons survey; iRoma’s technology that could make movies (and emojis!) smellable in the near future; an in-shower facial; a sunscreen that...

Is blue light bad for your eyes—or your skin? Which lash-growth serums work without harming your eyes? Is it okay to tightline? How do redness-relieving eye drops work, and can you get addicted to them? What’s the best way to remove eye makeup? Ophthalmologist Nicky Shah, MD, cofounder of You & Eye by Dr. Nicky, is going to answer all those questions and talk about lash extensions, permanent m...

Jess & Jenn share highlights from two beauty conferences, and then discuss the copywriting over at Vacation Inc.; the challenges of building a lasting fragrance brand; changes at Space NK; the beauty brands with Olympics tie-ins; new flanker products for Clinique Black Honey; the woman with hyperosmia (a super-sensitive olfactive ability) who can smell Parkinson’s disease; and more. Plus, let’...

Ami Colé founder & CEO Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye went from social media manager (Temptu, L’Oréal) to product developer (Glossier) to starting a beauty brand for melanin-rich skin—and she’s refreshingly honest about what it took to get where she is. We discuss how her personal story is part of (but not the same thing as!) her brand; what it’s like to work with investors; the challenges BIPOC-owned...

Please welcome one more contributor to the Fat Mascara family: Julee Wilson is back and will be joining us more regularly! This week, she and Jenn discuss their shared dislike of rain shower heads; how to choose lip liner based on your nipple color (thanks, Glossier); the best products in the Fenty hair line; Beautyfor, a new organization helping to tackle the industry’s waste problem; sebaceous f...

Lip blushing, lip neutralization, restorative lip color, powder brows, microblading, how to remove permanent makeup—we’re going to learn about all of it with Christine Hwang (@newfacebychristine), a permanent makeup artist in New York City. She shares how to find a PMUA you can trust, how licensing works, the difference between regular tattoos and cosmetic tattoos, and so much more. If you’re even...

Jess shares the gossip from two hot fragrance events in New York City. Then, we discuss Epcot’s Norwegian perfumer in residence; Fenty Hair; Sarah Creal’s new line; Olaplex skincare (is it happening?); Tweezerman tools for pet owners; powdered shampoo; buttercup-yellow nail polish; and the delightful Bask sunscreen that will keep you protected even if you’re on a boat. Plus, in Science Corner: The...

Actress, author, and entrepreneur Brooke Shields talks about an inherent tension in her life: She knows beauty is power and yet she struggles with that very idea. In this podcast exclusive, she discusses growing up on camera, how she wants her daughters to approach social media, our culture’s obsession with image and beauty—and Commence, her new hair line for women over 40. Yes, she’s a celebrity...

An eye cream that actually does something! Teenage boys buying $300 cologne! And more: The new hair-thinning clinic where Garrett got PRP therapy, prestige beauty brands on Amazon.com , a listener’s request for an all-in-one night cream for “people in their 30s,” and a review of Makeup by Mario’s new Multi-use Bronzing & Shaping Serum.  Products mentioned in this episode: shopmy.us/collec...

Consider this podcast a masterclass in makeup brushes—even if you’re a makeup artist, we promise you’ll learn something new! Anisa Telwar Kaicker’s company, Anisa International, has been manufacturing brushes for top beauty brands since 1992, and its innovations in cruelty-free fibers have helped to make the industry more ethical. Anisa is also the founder of Anisa Beauty, her own line of res...

We’re kicking off summer with Jess, who's back from her “sabbatical” to tell us about her beauty adventures with Moda Operandi and discuss the latest: Grown Alchemist bumps Kiehl’s out of Equinox gyms; fragrances of the future (will they smell like butter or body odor?); the blush boom; a listener’s discovery of GirlCult cosmetics; a solid shampoo that’s actually moisturizing enough for thick hair...

Hairstylist Jawara is one of the most in-demand creatives in fashion today. He’s worked with artists like Beyonc é , Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and his longtime collaborator Solange, and created images for Off-White, Gucci, Hermès, Vogue, and i-D (he’s currently their senior beauty editor at large). We met Jawara in 2018 (when this interview originally aired) and invited him to the FM studio to discu...

In honor of Skin Cancer Awareness Month, we’re replaying this interview with dermatologist Orit Markowitz, MD, a skin-cancer specialist and the founder of OptiSkin. She’ll explain why regular skin checks are more important than monitoring your moles and age spots, the latest ways to treat skin cancer without scarring, and how to protect your skin from damage. This interview originally aired in 202...

Photographer and host Amanda de Cadenet has made a career of passing the figurative and literal mic to women, letting them share their stories and shape their own images. Now, it's her turn: The founder of The Conversation and GirlGaze talks about why women's stories are often minimized, our culture's endless obsession with youth, and the taboo topics we should be talking about more openly. Podcas...

Erica Metzger—founder of the Beauty Loop and Virtual Beauty Closet—is here to play Beauty Detective for listeners, tracking down replacements for products that have been discontinued, including a Clinique mascara, Urban Decay perfume, and RMS Beauty nail polish. Erica also has tips for how you can find a replacement for products you still miss. Plus, we chat about why lip gloss sales are booming,...

Aesthetician Shani Darden stopped by the morning after the Met Gala to talk about all the celebrities she prepped for the red carpet—and chat with Jenn about fashion’s biggest night. After the celebrity gossip, Shani shares her suggestions for getting your skin in its best shape ever for a big event (wedding, reunion, vacation, etc.). She explains the benefits of vibration therapy, microcurrent de...

Who remembers Intern Tiff? Tiffany Sukhnandan is no longer our intern (she’s a marketing manager in the beauty industry!), but she’s back to hang out with Jenn and talk about sun visors; what she’s learned being behind the scenes at a dermatologist skincare brand; how badly Youthforia missed the mark expanding its range of skin tints; Charlotte Tilbury’s new fragrances; and—in Science Corner—scary...