Pretty Hard

Erika & Ellen discuss the series ahead, the current state of the industry, the current state of their personal lives, and what the future of beauty looks like, right now.

Ziggy is a yoga, philosophy and meditation teacher and guide, bridging disciplines from the East and West. Having studied extensively in India, as well as his current Psychology studies in Melbourne, he’s also played semi-professional soccer for the last decade, giving him a unique insight into team success and performance. In this chat we explore identity through the lens of spirituality. We disc...

Zac Waters has been a touring musician for the last 11 years. In 2019 he started Adult Art Club which blends music and art in immersive exhibitions. Zac opens up about the role of ego in identity and creativity, and the importance of appreciating the small moments. Zac turns the questioning on us about Fluff’s origins, our growth over time, and our evolving, personal relationships to beauty. Find...

Robyn Morrison (Bobby Clark) is an artist, creative director, interior stylist and creative consultant. She speaks openly about her experience growing up in Scotland, how her art has been the truest expression of her identity, how becoming a mother has influenced her perception of self, and the positive and negative impacts of social media in her life. There is a beautiful moment where we discuss...

In season 3 we’re discussing beauty under the lens of career and community: everything from societal expectations to how your work can be the truest expression of your identity. (For some, not everyone). As a tangent, we discuss the evolving (and debated) definition of self-care and how the beauty industry continues to exploit it; and the responsibility of having a platform (in this case podcast)...

Avigon Paphitis is a Beauty industry marketing consultant, and founder of Paphitis Advisory. She previously worked at Beautycounter and Youth To The People, and has a wealth of knowledge across global makeup and skincare brands, and the changing consumer landscape over the last 10-15 years. We discuss the expectations of beauty brands vs the reality, and the ugly side of the beauty industry as she...

Soumeya Beeow is a professional runner and model who recently featured in Fluff’s Lip Oil campaign. We were drawn to her willingness and openness to discuss the cultural differences surrounding beauty, growing up as a West African women in Australia, the growing number of people using skin bleaching creams, and the expectations, crossovers, and contradictions of the professional sporting and model...

Caroline Moreau-Hammond is many things - relevant to this conversation, she is host of The Philosophy of Sex podcast and founder of Becuming, the online sex toy retailer. She has an incredible knowledge across different and often esoteric modalities, histories, and individuals within the sex space, and we discuss the evolving and nuanced world of such, including a sense of spirituality around beau...

Marc is a Creative Director and founder of Happie Holl, a modern wellness brand, centred around promoting better butt care. We discuss his relationship to beauty under the lens of sexuality and identity, and his experiences as a new founder within our industry. Find Marc via @ marky_makes_ and @happieholl happieholl.com.au

Yoko is an author and the founder of organic raw food and living food cafe, Shoku Iku. In this episode we discuss Yoko’s cultural background and influence on beauty and identity, as well as her work in the world of raw and living foods. Find Yoko via @inoue.yoko and @shokuikuA quick note on content - this conversation covers a range of topics including disordered eating and experiences of racism.

Zoe is a Nike yoga teacher and integrative psychotherapist. She is the founder of Loop Wellbeing, which aims to bridge the gap between between the current system and the demand for a new approach to mental health care. We discuss her own journey through therapy and understanding her internal family system, and how it has impacted her perception of self and definition of beauty. Find Zoe via @zoekl...

Mon is founder of Sabi the label. She’s also a writer, model, and casual advocate for all things sexual wellbeing, which we get stuck into - no filter.  Find Mon via @mons.monday @sabi_thelabel @nakedhungry A quick note on content - this conversation covers a range of topics including sexual assault, rape, pornography, and issues relating to body image. If you find these topics triggering we recom...

Chantelle is a Psycho-Sexologist whose work is centred around empowering people to feel good about their sexual health, self-esteem, communication and education. We discuss the impact of having one’s private life so public, the expectations of a professional within the sexology space, and the issues that come up in a session for many clients - spoiler, it’s so much more than sex. A quick note on c...

Ellen and Erika discuss how the last five months have been, and our theme for season 2: beauty under the lens of sexuality and identity. It's everything mating, monogamy, masculinity, matriarchy, and meaning, as well as talking to the highs and lows of running a business in the ever-evolving sex space. As a tangent, we discuss current influencer pricing models and whether it’s possible to cal...

We discuss how growing up in Australia in the 90's and attending an all girls school drove a certain kind of defiance against convention. We look at the differences between teens now and 15 years ago, going grey at 30, seeing ourselves the way other people see us, and the conflict of feeling comfortable internally but not in front of a camera. We talk to her role as designer of Jewellery bran...

We discuss growing up in Germany without access to a shade range, the pros and cons of having an internet persona, the stereotypes and systems at play for women and queer individuals in comedy, and the joys of a simple makeup and skincare routine.

We discuss the influence of an anti-beauty mother, the physical and emotional journey of experiencing cystic acne and using makeup as a crutch, how dating in your 30s impacts your sense of self, interrogating why we consider anti-wrinkle products in our 20s, and the exciting but exhausting role of being a fashion editor and writer. 

We talk about the importance of personal values and being stubborn in the beauty industry. How no product is a must-have, Gemma’s reputation for being difficult, and accepting you can’t make everyone happy.

We discuss the concept of choosing when to blend in or stand out, the pressures of conventional beauty vs natural skincare (is it all just a lie?), whether trends becoming mainstream are in fact a good thing, and the impact of a mother's projection of beauty.

We talk about the magic of our industry, or lack thereof at present. Does meaning matter anymore? How the business of beauty is as interesting as the expression of identity, and the often exhausting expectations of being a founder.

We discuss the influence of growing up in a Christian family, how beauty can feel artificial especially when comparing yourself to everyone else, why we ultimately have the choice to choose our own unique expression of self, and the internal debate of whether or not to start an only fans account.

We discuss the journey of exploring, finding, losing, and reconnecting with your highest, evolving self. How relational support and being your own healer requires being brutally honest with yourself, and why sometimes you need to look in the mirror and be your own therapist.

We talk with Jenna Holmes, Founder of Plant Mama, Pasta Club, and P Mami, about her casual approach to beauty: her mother's influence, her experience with getting older, her challenges with being in the public eye, how her ADHD diagnosis has helped her understand herself,  and finally, accepting the evolving parts of herself with and without makeup.

We chat openly with Erin Deering, Co-founder of Triangl, about her relationship to beauty: her exploration of injectables and the process of altering and undoing it all; as well as her experience and learnings across business and motherhood.

Ellen and Erika discuss the year that’s been: one of experimenting, learning, growing, tiring, and ultimately feeling energised for what’s next. What exactly is that for Fluff? Listen and find out.