A Beautiful Breakdown with James & Suzy

This week we’re joined by the iconic Amy Huberman — actress, writer, entrepreneur, comedy genius, and all-round national treasure. 💫 We chat about her very special New Year’s Eve with baby Ted, her unforgettable debs tanning disaster , and the wild story of how she handed nepo baby BOD his big acting break… but did he take it? Amy also opens up about the beauty treatment that left her traumatical...

This week’s Beautiful Bonus flips our usual question on its head - instead of talking about the trends we want to disappear, we’re confessing the make-up trends we secretly want to come back . Suzy (woman of the people, as James insists) makes a passionate case for big bouncy hair and even box dyes making a comeback, while James derails himself entirely by revealing how many pairs of jeans he owns...

This week is extra special — James’ sister Vanessa joins us for a full Malahide deep-dive, and it is chaotic, nostalgic and emotional in all the best ways. 💕 We chat about the inner workings of life in bustling Malahide — from the legendary Hillhoppers to the Balrags — and why the Butlers kept getting phone calls meant for the golf club (and how they handled them with absolute style). Vanessa als...

This week’s Beautiful Bonus comes from Lorraine — a fellow spectacle wearer who wants to know how to make her eyes look bigger behind glasses. 🤓✨ Both of us wear specs too, so we’ve got plenty of tried-and-tested advice — from the magic of nude eyeliner to mastering a softer smoky eye that won’t get lost behind the lenses. It’s quick, practical, and perfect for anyone who wants their eye make-up...

This week we’re joined by Irish TV royalty — the fabulous Karen Koster ! 💫 Karen tells us about that “zzzzzap” moment when she first locked eyes with her husband John McGuire, the hilarious campaign to reclaim the name Karen from the meme, and how she’s learned to handle the harshest kind of criticism — comments about her appearance on screen. We also chat about the A-listers she’s interviewed (f...

This week’s Beautiful Bonus comes from Katie — a self-confessed DIY beauty queen who’s approaching 35 and wants to finally treat herself to a proper treatment. 💆‍♀️✨ She does her facials and brows at home, so she asked us: what’s actually worth going out for? James reveals his ultimate go-to treatment (no downtime, no regrets), and Suzy shares the pro-level experiences that really deliver. If yo...

This week we’re joined by PR director, beauty influencer and OG glam queen Mark Rogers — and he did not come empty-handed. 💅 We chat about the time he discovered how Charlotte Tilbury speaks so well off the cuff on her legion of products (icon behaviour), his literally full-body tanning routine and the hacks he swears by, and James admits Mark may know more dirt on him than anyone else alive… 👀...

How to stop eyeshadow creasing, and how to make brown mascara or liner work over black. James and Suzy share eyelid-prep tricks, shade-layering tips, and Suzy’s genius “I’m-in-a-rush” hack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re joined by Irish broadcasting and beauty icon Miriam O’Callaghan — and yes, it’s her first ever podcast appearance ! 🎙️ We chat about her signature look (that famous fringe that hasn’t budged in over 25 years), the wisdom that’s kept her calm through every live show and family drama, and the powerful story of when she says she felt most beautiful — right after safely welcoming her y...

This week’s Beautiful Bonus poser comes from Naomi, who asked the ultimate question: if you could only pick three beauty products for the rest of your life, what would they be? 💄 James and Suzy each narrow it down to their holy grail favourites — from cult classics like Sculpted Second Skin and MAC Studio Fix, to Suzy’s all-time go-to... There’s eyeliner, powders, and even a little chocolate-rel...

This week we’re joined by Ireland’s number one beauty entrepreneur — the stunning and brilliant Aimee Connolly . 💄✨ We chat about the secret to her incredible business success, how long a marathon actually is (James feels very attacked), and the most extreme thing she’s ever done to feel beautiful. Spoiler: if you think you know Aimee, you’re about to have your world rocked 😂… in the most perfe...

This week’s Beautiful Bonus comes from Louise — a new mum (and total makeup lover 💕) who’s noticing fine lines under her eyes and finding her makeup settling into them. We’ve all been there, so we’re sharing our best tips for keeping that under-eye area smooth, hydrated, and bright. From the products that actually work (hello, RoC 👀) to why burgundy is the colour of the season, we’ve got you cov...

This week we’re joined by the gorgeous Charlene Flanagan — co-founder of Ella & Jo Skincare and certified glow goddess. 💖 We chat Botox and the pressure to look good as a skincare founder, and how her mam somehow managed to make even her driving test glam. Then there’s the glory of the Girls Aloud lashes (and Suzy’s ongoing identity crisis over which one she actually is 👀). Suzy shares all a...

This week’s Beautiful Bonus is one for all the glow-getters ✨ — a listener who loves her spray tans wants to get better at doing her own. Suzy shares why she’s team liquid over mousse, and the products and techniques she swears by for a flawless finish. James insists there’s only one real way to nail your tan — good old-fashioned trial and error — and spills his own tips from experience. Plus, th...

It’s our bestie episode ! We’re joined by the fabulous Clémentine MacNeice — fashion and beauty queen, stylist to the stars, and one of our dearest pals. 💫 We chat about why she’ll always choose fake tan over a winter jacket, the best advice she ever got from a make-up artist (that changed her eye make-up forever), and the infamous piss-coloured blonde dye fiasco. James is convinced Clém did ombr...

This week’s Beautiful Bonus is all about one of the biggest questions we get: hooded eyes. 👁️ Suzy’s asked about it constantly, and she’s sharing her go-to tips and product picks for making hooded eyes pop. James has hooded eyes too, and when he’s in drag it’s always a battle to make them look bigger — so he’s spilling his own tricks of the trade. If hooded eyes are your nemesis, this one’s packed...

This week we’re joined by genuine Irish broadcasting royalty — the absolutely QWEEN herself, Elaine Crowley 👑. We chat about the nation’s obsession with the iconic news anchor power trio (Elaine, Grainne Seoige and Colette Fitzpatrick), relive the glamour and sheer madness of the Celtic Tiger years, and Elaine gives us the inside line on the treatments she’s tried. It’s fabulous, funny, and full...

This week’s Beautiful Bonus comes from a listener who’s struggling with patchy foundation — we’ve all been there! Suzy dives deep into different skin types, from dehydrated to oily, younger and older, and shares how to tweak your base to make it last. She even calls back to Katie Jane Hughes and the techniques she uses on Dua Lipa. James and Suzy also chat through their own approaches — because as...

This week we’re joined by the one and only Jonathan Van Ness — yes, actual beauty A-lister Jonathan Van Ness! ✨ We chat about their last trip to Ireland (which nearly got them kicked out…), some of the most extreme treatments they’ve ever tried, and the story of how they ended up eating sashimi off Tan France’s beautiful face. It’s fabulous, it’s outrageous, and it’s everything you’d hope from JV...

In this Beautiful Bonus , we’re taking on Kelly’s beauty dilemma: dark circles and dry skin. 👀 Suzy’s in her element here - she’s dealt with this herself, so she’s got the real insider tips. From the right hydrating concealers (and why peachy shades matter), to eye creams, budget-friendly options, and whether “baking” your under-eye is genius or a disaster, we cover the lot. It’s practical, it’s...

This week we’re joined by the incredible Katie Jane Hughes — make-up artist to absolute A-LIST STARS (yes, Dua Lipa and Hailey Bieber included 👀). She gives us her pro advice on how to nail the perfect eyebrow pluck, and spills the smoking hot tea about the hilarious white lie that led to a first date with her now-husband, Tarek. And James finally gets the answer he’s been dying for: Katie’s pick...

Welcome to A Beautiful Bonus! ✨ In these bite-size episodes we take on the beauty dilemmas you’ve sent us — from make-up mishaps to skincare secrets — and share our best tips, tricks, and advice along the way. Think of it like a beauty clinic with your pals: James (drag queen extraordinaire with serious make-up chops) and Suzy (has she mentioned she’s a qualified MUA? 👀). Quick, fun, and full of...

This week we’ve got a first for A Beautiful Breakdown — our very first male guest, and none other than Ireland’s sexiest man himself, Daithí Ó Sé! 😍 We were honestly shook by his surprisingly impressive make-up knowledge, and he spills the beans on surviving 25+ years on Irish television. And yes, we even got him to reveal the special name he’s called by his nearest and dearest — his wife, his so...

This week we’re joined by the fabulous Keilidh Cashell — makeup artist, creator, and the brains behind KASH Beauty. 💄 We chat about her quest to crack the formula for the perfect mascara, and how she went ahead and launched a makeup brand even when her parents weren’t quite sure it was the right move. She tells us about the scariest moment she’s faced on her beauty journey, the secret behind buil...

Gals, we are BACK for Season 2 and our first guest is the fabulous Doireann Garrihy! In this episode, we get into the highs (and lows!) of bikini waxing, Doireann chats about the unsolicited pregnancy advice that lands in her DMs, and we nearly fall out over which shopping centre is the ultimate Irish mecca — Dundrum, Liffey Valley or Blanch, you decide. And of course, we couldn’t resist sharing o...