Fat Mascara

Patrick Ta went from bankruptcy at age 21 to having his own makeup line just seven years later. In this episode, the celebrity makeup artist (clients include Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Joan Smalls, Chrissy Teigen—and some Hadids, Jenners & Kardashians) shares the lessons he’s learned along the way, including how to highlight like a Hadid, which bronzer makes the best eye shadow, and why a fan sho...

Helena Bonham Carter calls perfume designer Azzi Glasser a “white witch” for her uncanny ability to transform personalities into scents. Learn how she develops custom fragrances to help actors like Jude Law, Alicia Vikander, and Orlando Bloom get into character for their movie roles and how she creates bespoke perfumes for private clients such as Kylie Minogue and Cindy Crawford. Plus, she talks a...

We’re in a festive mood, Tom Ford is feeling f*cking fabulous, and Jess is taking us through a new beauty trend report that’s (unintentionally) laced with gallows humor. Anti-aging is out! The “me mentality” is in! We’ve all got “hyper fatigue,” and the Kardashians are alienating fans with their talk of dieting. There's also been an uptick in contact dermatitis recently, and experts say natural sk...

Writer, actress, and (super)model Paulina Porizkova—whose memoir, No Filter, came out this week—has a lot to say about our society’s fixation on youth and its fear of nudity. We talk about that, plus so much more: beauty culture under communist rule, navigating dating apps as a (very tall) 57-year-old woman, how the #metoo movement affected the modeling industry, and how her honesty has gotten her...

We’re answering so many pressing questions this week: Are beauty subscription boxes still worth getting? Why are interior designers offering scent-styling to clients? What does the EmFace treatment feel like? (Jenn tried it.) And, most importantly: Do people look like their dogs? Plus, Jess may finally convince Jenn to watch Real Housewives , a listener raises a wand to a hand cream, and we share...

Our interview with journalist Amy ODell, creator of the Substack newsletter Back Row and author of Anna: The Biography , brings together several themes that have been top of mind on Fat Mascara lately: trend saturation in fashion and beauty; the evolution of media; individual action vs. public policy when it comes to sustainability; and—of course!—the celebrity infiltration of the beauty industry....

Why is hyaluronic acid in pretty much every skincare product—and is it always helpful? Plus, the trend report that predicts virtual influencers will replace humans by 2027; how the scent of flowers is changing as the climate warms (and what that means for perfume); the first hair-relaxer lawsuit related to uterine cancer; and why Liquid Death (the water that murders your thirst) is so popular. We’...

Makeup artist and filmmaker Marcelo Gutierrez does sexy, expensive, and sometimes controversial work, but never without sensitivity. Jess talks to him about his serendipitous start in the business, his celebrity clientele (Dua Lipa, Lily-Rose Depp), his influences, and how his identity informs his art. Sponsor links & discount codes: shopmy.us/collections/31511 Episode recaps with links: ...

Filmmaker and actress Olivia Wilde is here to talk about her beauty growing pains, adventures in hair dye and microblading, raising her daughter to have a healthy relationship with beauty, and more. Plus, she tells Jenn how and why she became a "brand activist" for True Botanicals (Jess was busy with all things Fashion Week when we recorded). FYI: This interview originally aired in September, 2018...

We’ve got the details on a new study that found a connection between hair relaxers and uterine cancer, plus an update on the makeup-free Miss England contestant and some thoughts on Jared Leto. After that, we’re talking about current trends in cosmetic injectables with Samantha Kerr, PhD, the chief science officer of Merz Aesthetics, in a segment sponsored by Xeomin, an FDA-approved treatment used...

Anxiety? Stress? Aromatherapy can help with that—and also pain management, lack of energy, and so much more. Certified aromatherapist Denise LaPalm, the founder (and Chief Stress Officer!) of L'Beauxtique is here to talk about the difference between essential oils and carrier oils, share some of her favorite oils and tips for getting a better night’s sleep, and explain why not all aromatherapists...

You know we love a quiz, so indulge us while we discuss our recent seasonal color analyses and how much we learned (there's also a Color Guru discount code if you want to get your colors done!). Then, let’s discuss the beauty industry’s dirty secret: Many unused cosmetic formulas get thrown out. Now, one company may have a solution to the problem. Plus, we share the Top 10 perfumes in the U.S.; ta...

What are the skintellectuals putting on their faces? Why is the “clean girl” aesthetic problematic? Is Beauty (with a capital B) becoming more democratic? Marina Mansour, vice president of beauty and wellness for the Gen Z entertainment company Kyra, guides us through the state of beauty for Gen Z (teens and young adults ages 13 - 25 in 2022). Enjoy the sharp trend analysis and helpful beauty advi...

What does seeing our own faces all day long mean for the future of makeup application, our mental health, and more? Let’s talk about it. Plus: passport photo makeup; Dove’s study of toxic beauty standards; how perfume made its way into video games; why Dua Lipa is investing in a beauty brand instead of starting one; Ozzy Osbourne’s limited-edition makeup. And thank you to all the listeners who are...

Actress Naomi Watts wants to have a conversation about menopause—and we are here for it! We chat about cultural attitudes toward aging, whether the “last f**kable day” is still a thing, why menopause was a taboo topic for our moms and their moms, and why that needs to change. Plus, she shares the secrets she’s learned to living her best half (aka, the second half of her life); how she’s dealt with...

This podcast is for “all the beauties,” as Olivier Rousteing likes to say. We’re talking about his Balmain beauty play; the Gen X and millennial natural brands staging comebacks; Beauty Pie’s new refillable Unlipstick; and our dislike of foundation that’s too sheer (flesh-colored water) & lipstick that’s not comforting (lip-colored water). Plus, let’s raise some wands to two amazing fall fragr...

What’s the difference between gua sha, face-rolling, lymphatic drainage, face massage, and facial exercise? And what can these techniques actually do for your skin? Acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist Sandra Lanshin Chiu is here to tell us. Plus, she explains some of the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), tells us about the cultural history of facial gua sha, and shares her fav...

Jess’s co-working space smells like Le Labo, Jenn tried a “body-remodeling” treatment, and evolutionary scientists learned some fascinating things about why humans beautify themselves (e.g., apply makeup, bathe, etc.) from a huge global survey. We’re also talking about the viral post from a hair stylist who was fed up with know-it-all clients; a stinky perfume factory in Florida; Danessa Myricks's...

Board-certified dermatologist Shereene Idriss, MD, is here to share everything she learned about beauty industry B.S. while she was creating her new skincare line, PillowtalkDerm. She explains how product development usually works (and how it should work), why the language on skincare products is so confusing, the reason she decided to focus on melasma and discoloration, and how to find other #ski...

Should you be cycling your skincare? And is it just a fad or actually good for your complexion? We discuss! Plus, let’s talk about the first Miss England contestant to compete without makeup; the cosmetic injectable Daxxify; water-based perfume; Emface (a non-invasive facial tightening treatment); and why ColourPop Cosmetics thought a collaboration with J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter was a good idea....

Sexologist Emily Morse, host of the Sex With Emily podcast, is here to talk about body enjoyment . She explains how to feel more confident naked (her tips are helpful, we swear!), the truth about why porn stars in XXX films look the way they do, why there’s a stigma around using lube, and which beauty products can actually make people feel sexier. Plus, there’s lots of great sex advice, like how t...

We’ve got a full recap of New York Fashion Week and all the latest beauty trends—and by “full recap” we mean a summary of the one party your intrepid Fat Mascara hosts attended together. Plus, we’re talking about Kate Moss’s new line; Gwen Stefani’s brand, Gxve, and its decision to use a social-selling format; Amorepacific acquiring Tata Harper; and the end of Allure ’s print magazine. We’ll also...

There was a time when makeup artists wouldn’t think of showcasing their work on their own faces, but Katie Jane Hughes helped to change that. In this wide-ranging interview, she shares how she went from aspiring singer to manicurist to makeup artist to creator and—by next spring, if all goes according to plan!—founder of her own line. Plus, Katie, who works with celebrities like Ashley Graham and...

Dermatologist Estee Williams, MD, is here to answers all your questions about rosacea. We discuss how much laser treatments for rosacea cost (and how they help), which skincare ingredients cause rosacea flare-ups, why topical green tea and azelaic acid might help, which prescription rosacea treatments actually work, how diet changes can reduce rosacea symptoms, and how the bacteria in your small i...

Comedian Whitney Cummings is her to discuss how she makes decisions about her appearance and who has a say in what women do to their bodies when it comes to things like plastic surgery, cosmetic injectables, and even birth control (she’s a spokesperson for Annovera). In this wide-ranging chat, she and Jenn discuss topical colostrum, nose filler, Ulthera, Botox, whether she should get corrective pi...