The Glossy Beauty Podcast

• Ulta Beauty CEO Kecia Steelman unpacks her first year in charge and 2026 goals

  In January, Kecia Steelman became one of the most powerful executives in beauty.  After more than a decade at Ulta Beauty in positions like COO and head of international, she stepped into the president and CEO role with an uphill battle ahead of her.  That’s because sales at Ulta tumbled during the 2020 pandemic, and despite an uptick in 2021, year-over-year sales had been steadily falling for nearly three years. She took over as CEO in January, and by March, she unveiled her Ulta Beauty Unleashed comeback plan — and in just 11 months, her strategy has paid off.  As part of her vision, Steelman expanded Ulta’s e-commerce and product assortment with a new online marketplace, led the acquisition of U.K. specialty beauty retailer SpaceNK, expanded internationally into Mexico and the Middle East, and shepherded a shop-in-shop breakup with Target, all while dramatically improving revenue. Sales at Ulta Beauty have been on a continuous upward swing since Steelman took over as CEO in January. In May, the retailer reported 4.5% net sales growth. This doubled to a 9.3% net sales spike, reported in August, and the company nearly tripled that growth in last month’s earnings report.  Host Lexy Lebsack sat down with Steelman to unpack her first year in charge and look ahead to 2026 (16:50). But today’s episode also celebrates Glossy 50, our annual award list honoring business leaders, changemakers and insiders behind the beauty, wellness and fashion industries. Steelman’s interview is a special Glossy50 preview with the full list publishing next week.  But first, Lebsack is joined by co-host Emily Jensen to break down the news of the week. This includes the novel launch of a new "bedtime fragrance" from the U.K. sleep-solution company This Works. The brand is known for its pillow spray and body oil, which include ingredients such as lavender and magnesium, but this week it expanded into fine fragrance designed to be applied before bed to improve sleep. Lebsack and Jensen also discuss the newest spokesperson for Estée Lauder-owned M.A.C. Cosmetics, pop star Chappell Roan, and the mixed response from her fans online. In addition, they analyze an unexpected collaboration between The Gap and beauty brand Summer Fridays, which includes clothing but not beauty. And finally, the duo discusses the latest moves in the supplement space, including Sephora’s rollback of the category from its selection, and a buzzy new launch from the co-founder and former CEO of Allbirds.

  --------  

  53:03

  --------

  53:03
• What beauty products do teens want for the holidays?

  On this week's episode of the Glossy Beauty Podcast, we're exploring what teens are hoping to receive for the holidays. To do so, Sara Spruch-Feiner speaks to 13-year-old Indy (whose last name is omitted for privacy), based in Los Angeles, who shares her full wishlist with us, as well as the picks of members of her volleyball team. But to get a broader look at the gifting landscape in 2025, Spruch-Feiner also interviewed Anna Andreeva, managing director of footwear, beauty and brands at Piper Sandler. Piper Sandler, a financial services company, is well-known for its biannual teen survey, which, this fall, tapped 11,000 teens, most of whom were 15-18 years old and had an average household income of about $70,000. But first, a look at some of this week’s headlines, including results of this year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending, the FDA's decision to withdraw a proposed rule that would have required beauty brands to test talc-based cosmetics for asbestos contamination, and, finally, the news that LVMH Ventures Fund has invested in the niche perfume brand BDK Parfums.

  --------  

  45:34

  --------

  45:34
• Special Crossover Episode: The Shopper’s Black Friday Playbook

  How can shoppers, brands and retailers win Black Friday?  In this week’s special holiday crossover episode, Glossy Beauty Podcast host Lexy Lebsack is joined by Danny Parisi, host of the Glossy Podcast, and Gabi Barkho, host of the Modern Retail podcast, to unpack all things Black Friday.  The three reporters start by sharing their own experiences and plans for navigating Black Friday as a shopper, then unpack some of the buzziest activations and sales strategies today. This includes both discounting and non-discounting strategies, value-focused sales, bundles and collaborations, among other tactics. The trio also walks through emerging and reemerging trends, like catalogs, gift guides and fragrance-focused experiential events.

  --------  

  45:57

  --------

  45:57
• T3 founders Dr. Julie Chung and Kent Yu on creating the luxury hair tool category

  Few beauty executives currently compete in a category they created, but that’s the case for Dr. Julie Chung and Kent Yu, the married co-founders behind T3 hair tools (19:00).  The duo created the luxury hair tool category back in 2004 when they launched T3 with the first lightweight, sleek and quiet blowdryer that delivered smoother, faster results. T3’s Featherweight model was the first luxury dryer on the market and the most expensive at the time, priced at $200. Dr. Chung and Yu quickly found a consumer, and before long, T3 was the first hair tool sold in stores like Sephora.  Fast forward 21 years, and they still own and operate 100% of their Los Angeles-based business. The success of T3 created a runway for a category now filled with brands like Dyson and Shark Beauty.  So what is it like to compete in a category you created? Host Lexy Lebsack sat down with Dr. Chung and Yu to learn about their journey to becoming beauty founders, including making time for Dr. Chung’s first career as an eye doctor. They also discuss how they're navigating their biggest challenges, balancing retail and DTC, maintaining NPD standards in a faster-is-better world, and competing within the category.  But first, Lebsack is joined by co-host Emily Jensen to break down the news of the week. This includes the controversial launch of Rini, a line of skin-care products made for kids aged 2-12 and sold DTC. The line was launched earlier this month by actress Shay Mitchell, boyfriend Matte Babel and Esther Song, and received immediate backlash.  Lebsack and Jensen also discuss the launch of Dua by AB, a diffusion line from skin-care founder Augustinus Bader and fronted by singer Dua Lipa. Unfortunately, diffusion lines — defined as secondary, lower-priced product lines from a higher-end brand — rarely find success in the beauty industry. Finally, the duo discusses L’Oréal Group’s new investment in Chinese mass clean beauty brand Lan and Estée Lauder Companies’ investment in Mexican niche fragrance brand Xinú.

  --------  

  1:03:59

  --------

  1:03:59
• Bansk Beauty’s Reuben Carranza on building a distinct brand that lasts

  Reuben Carranza knows a good brand when he sees it.  Bansk Beauty, where he serves as executive chairman, made headlines in September after acquiring the buzzy, clinical skin-care brand Byoma. It’s part of the late-stage private investment firm’s growing beauty roster, which includes Amika, Eva NYC and Ethique.  “No. 1, they're on a tear, right? They're growing rapidly. But I think what we loved about them was the story,” he told Glossy on stage at this week’s annual Glossy Beauty and Wellness Summit about its Byoma acquisition. “It's the story: they've de-complicated complicated skin-care routines.”  Carranza kicked off the Summit with a special live podcast recording, where he shared insights into the firm’s investment philosophy and growth plans for its brands. He also shared career advice from his stacked CV, which includes more than two decades at P&G and leadership roles at R+Co Hair, Kate Somerville skin care, and more.  This special session is ahead, but first, hosts Lexy Lebsack and Emily Jensen share highlights from the Summit and dig into the news of the week.  First up, the hosts break down the latest from Tylenol- and Neutrogena-owner Kenvue. Kimberly-Clark Corp. will acquire Kenvue Inc. in a deal valued at $48.7 billion. Kimberly-Clark's portfolio includes consumer brands like Huggies, Kleenex and Cottonelle. Next up, a look at Skims’s buzzy new hire. Diarrha N’Diaye was named evp, beauty and fragrance of Kim Kardashian’s upcoming Skims Beauty. N’Diaye has worked in marketing and branding for the likes of Glossier and L’Oréal, and was most recently the founder of Ami Colé, which shuttered in July. She will lead product development, innovation and brand strategy for Skims's upcoming beauty launch.  Finally, an analysis of a hefty investment in Blueprint, the supplement company from American entrepreneur and biohacker Bryan Johnson. The company has taken on $60 million in funding from investors like Kim Kardashian, Ari Emanuel, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and many more big names. Johnson is best known for documenting his quest to age in reverse on YouTube and through the Netflix film “Don’t Die.” Blueprint currently offers a variety of products DTC, including drink mixes, supplements and skin care.

  --------  

  40:20

  --------

  40:20

More Arts podcasts

Trending Arts podcasts

About The Glossy Beauty Podcast

The Glossy Beauty Podcast: Podcasts in Family