Host Mimi Banks is joined by Basma Hameed, the Founder of BASMA Beauty. Basma shares her unique background story and journey in the beauty industry. After suffering from a kitchen accident that left her with third-degree burns on half of her face, Basma discovered the power of makeup at a young age. She later developed a scar camouflage treatment and opened clinics in Toronto and Beverly Hills. Basma's passion for inclusivity and authenticity led her to create BASMA Beauty, a cosmetic line with a focus on foundation shades that match every skin tone. 

Jessica Quick, of Buzz Beaute sits down with Amy Welsman, the Founder and CEO of Paume Handcare. Amy shares her journey of starting a hand sanitizer brand and the challenges she faced. She discusses the genesis of Paume and how being a new mom inspired her to create a more luxurious and enjoyable hand sanitizer. She talks about the go-to-market strategy, including focusing on direct-to-consumer sales and building partnerships with retailers.  Amy also discusses the differences between marketing in the US and Canada and the scalability of the US market.

Host April Franzino is joined by Karissa Bodnar, the Founder and CEO at Thrive Causemetics. She shares her journey in the beauty industry and the mission behind her brands. Karissa emphasizes the importance of giving back and creating products that solve problems for consumers. She also discusses the challenges she faced in building her business and the lessons she learned along the way.

Host Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute is joined by Rachel Shallowitz, President of LAWLESS Beauty. Rachel shares her journey in the beauty industry, how she started her career behind the Bobby Brown counter and worked her way up to her current position. She emphasizes the importance of relationships in the beauty industry and how LAWLESS Beauty focuses on creating makeup products that are transformative to the skin.  Also how the brand prioritizes makeup first and then incorporates skincare benefits. Rachel discusses the partnership with Sephora and the strategies they have implemented to grow the brand. 

Host Mimi Banks is joined by Laurie Lam, the Chief Brand Officer of e.l.f. Cosmetics. Laurie shares her journey in the beauty industry, from starting as a teenager working at an Estee Lauder counter to her current role at e.l.f. She discusses the importance of guts, curiosity, and asking questions in her career. She also talks about e.l.f.’s focus on disruption, inclusivity, and community, and she highlights the success of e.l.f.’s recent campaigns and collaborations, including the Super Bowl commercial and the collaboration with Liquid Death.

Host April Franzino is joined by Martina Halloran Joseph, CEO of Dr. Hauschka Skincare USA, shares her unconventional journey in the beauty industry, the brand's unique ethos, and its commitment to community impact. She discusses the brand's focus on natural, sustainable products and the importance of transparency in the industry. Martina emphasizes the brand's dedication to customer care and its ongoing initiatives to create positive impact through the Giving Garden program.

Host Mimi Banks is joined by Leslie Ann Hall, the CEO and Founder of Iced Media. Leslie shares insights on TikTok Shop and live streaming on TikTok. She discusses the democratization of distribution, the potential of TikTok Shop as a sales channel, and the importance of stakeholder involvement for success on TikTok. Leslie also emphasizes the need for consistency and frequency in TikTok Live streaming for optimal outcomes.

Doreen Arbel, General Manager of Charlotte Tilbury North America, shares her career journey and the importance of passion and hard work in the beauty industry. She started her career in advertising and then moved to Paris to work at L'Oreal. She worked on various brands and categories, gaining valuable experience in global roles and in the field. Doreen emphasizes the importance of taking risks and embracing new opportunities. She also discusses the challenges of balancing work and motherhood and the importance of sharing her passion with her children.

Host Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute is joined this week by Carly Broderick, the Founder and CEO of Miles Personal Care. Carly discusses the development and marketing of her brand, which focuses on creating deodorants and personal care products for teens and tweens. Carly shares her background in the beauty industry and how she came up with the idea for Miles, as well as the branding and packaging, including the decision to make it a gender-neutral brand. She shares her go-to-market strategy, which includes targeting parents as the purchasers and using influencers and PR to reach the target audience. Carly also mentions her plans for expanding the product line in the future.

Cassandra Thurswell, Founder and CEO of Kitsch, shares her journey of building a successful beauty brand. She started with hand-making knotted hair elastics and selling them door-to-door, eventually expanding into other hair accessories, satin pillowcases, and haircare products. Kitsch's focus on sustainability and small behavior changes has resonated with customers. Cassandra discusses the challenges of transitioning from a founder to a CEO and the surprises along the way, such as the success of their shampoo and conditioner bars. She also shares her excitement for future expansions, including a shower filter and partnerships with Charity Water.

Jamie Greenberg, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Jamie Makeup, shares her journey in the beauty industry and the process of getting celebrities ready for the red carpet. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration and authenticity in creating the perfect look. Jamie also discusses her own beauty line and the challenges of product development. She values her community and aims to create a safe and non-judgmental space for women to be themselves.

Jesse Bartley, Chief Commercial Officer of Scent Beauty, discusses the evolution of the fragrance industry and the unique approach of Scent Beauty. The company initially focused on direct-to-consumer fragrance but later pivoted to become an omnichannel company. Bartley emphasizes the importance of partnerships with retailers and the need to create emotional connections with consumers. He also highlights the trends of luxury fragrance, celebrity brands, clean fragrance, and innovative product formats. Bartley discusses the challenges of retail, supply chain, and data management, and the importance of agility and risk-taking in the beauty industry.

Host Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute is joined by Alicia Grande, the CEO and Founder of Grande Cosmetics. Alicia discusses the beginnings of Grande Cosmetics, starting with the discovery of a lash-enhancing product and the journey to bring it to market. Alicia talks about the strategic moves and milestones that propelled the company's growth, including expanding into different channels and markets. She emphasizes the importance of safety and efficacy in their products and the challenges of combating counterfeits. 

Host Jessica Quick of Buzz Beauté is joined by Angela Caglia, the Founder of Angela Caglia Skincare. Angela discusses the journey of building her luxury skincare brand.  She shares the influence of Barbara Streisand and the importance of utilizing her clientele base, and she introduces the Cell Forté serum and the science behind it. 

Kate Foster, co-founder and CEO of The Outset, shares her journey in the beauty industry and the building of her brand. She discusses her early career working at CEW and Victoria's Secret, her transition to fashion and return to beauty, and the inspiration behind The Outset. Kate also talks about the challenges faced during the pandemic, the brand's focus on minimal and gentle skincare, and the future of the brand. 

Host Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute is joined by Jessica Stevenson and Jayme Jenkins, the Founders of Everest. They discuss their category-defining innovation in the beauty industry. They share the genesis of Everist,  the competitive landscape and the surprises they encountered as beauty founders, and what is next for the brand.

Host April Franzino sits down with Sarah Potempa, a celebrity hairstylist and the CEO of Beachwaver Co. Sarah shares stories about her career as a celebrity hairstylist, and working on photoshoots. She also discusses how she came up with the idea for the original Beachwaver and the challenges she faced while getting it produced. Sarah also tells us what’s next for Beachwaver Co.

Host Mimi Banks is joined this week by Julien Bouzitat, the General Manager at LaNeige & Innisfree. He discusses coming to the United States from France, and some of the differences in the business culture that he encountered, and how he adapted. Julien also discusses the role that social media has played in building global brands.

Host Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute is joined by Kamal Kaur, the Founder and Principal Regulatory Consultant at The Cosmetic Regulator. Kamal breaks down some of the confusing regulatory points for consumers when it comes to beauty products and brands. She talks about the differences between EU regulations and state and federal regulations in the United States.

Host Mimi Banks is joined by Injector Chris Bustamante, the Founder of Lushful Aesthetics. Chris talks about opening his own practice two years ago, the growth the business has experienced and how he displays his work on  social media to target a niche audience.  

Host Mimi Banks is joined this week by Chris Payne, the CEO of Jane Iredale. Chris discusses his career path, including his days at L’Oréal. He also discusses how he fell in love with the professional channel because of the ability to discover products and techniques.

Host April Franzino is joined this week by Carolyn Aronson, the Founder of It’s a 10 Haircare. Carolyn discusses her early career behind the chair where she found herself frustrated by how she had to use multiple products to get the result she desired. And how that inspired her to set out to create a product that was multifunctional.

Host Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute is joined this week by Philip B, the Founder of Philip B. Hair Care. Philip discusses what motivated him to start formulating products over 30 years ago. He talks about the personal relationships he has formed with his clients and his he passion to provide healthy scalp solutions to those who suffer from afflictions like psoriasis and dandruff. 

Host Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute is joined by Priyanka Ganjoo, the Founder of Kulfi. Priyanka discusses her early career working in the corporate beauty industry, and how that experience shed light on the lack of representation for the South Asian community in the beauty industry. She tells us how she launched Kulfi to reframe how makeup is viewed in the South Asian community, and how that message has resonated with their audience. 

Host Mimi Banks is joined by Derrick Booker, the Senior Vice President and Head of Brands for Thayers Natural Brands at L’Orèal.Derrick discusses his career and his journey of discovery, from starting in microbiology to ending up in brand management.

Host April Franzino is joined by Aya Kanai, the Head of Editorial and Creative at Google Shopping. Aya discusses a new project called the Google Holiday 100, a list of gift ideas based on Google search trends. She also shares some of the trending gift ideas in the beauty category. 

Host Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute is joined by Oliver Garfield, the CEO of Cos Bar. Oliver discussed the history of Cos Bar, how he decided to get involved with the company, and the process of going from brick and mortar to omnichannel.

Host April Franzino is joined by Bee Shapiro, the Founder of Ellis Brooklyn. Bee talks about how her career covering beauty for the New York Times helped her fall in the love with the beauty industry. She also discusses how having her first child led to her cleaning up her beauty routine, and in doing so, made her realize that there were not enough options for clean fragrance. So she set out to create her own, and launched Ellis in 2015.

Host David Pirrotta is joined this week by Erin Kleinberg, the Founder and CEO of SIDIA. Erin discusses her journey as a serial entrepreneur and her latest venture SIDIA. She talks about how SIDIA was built to honor her Grandmother and use her generational lessons to create this lifestyle brand.

On this weeks' show, we take a listen to a conversation that David Pirrotta had with Sasha Plavsic, the Founder of Ilia Beauty.  Sasha discusses the value and importance of providing clean makeup to the masses. You can also hear more of David on his podcast, Living in a Materiae World, where he interviews established beauty icons and industry leaders: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/living-in-a-materiae-world/id1582082562

David Pirrotta hosts this week’s episode of Beauty is Your Business. David is an industry veteran that has helped build numerous brands, and is the Founder of Materiae. David also has his own popular podcast, Living in a Materiae World: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/living-in-a-materiae-world/id1582082562 He is joined by Alicia Yoon, the Founder and CEO of Peach & Lily. Alicia discusses her path from the world of finance to the beauty industry. She shares how her passion for skincare started with a childhood battle with eczema, and how she attended skin school in Korea to discover the knowledge, techniques and Korean beauty products that allowed her to transform her skin. And how that has led to Peach & Lily’s mission to empower people on their own skin care journey.

Host Jessica Quick is joined by Wene Zomnir, the Founder and CEO of Caliray. Wende cofounded Urban Decay in 1996 and helped turn it into a legacy brand. After that success, Wende discusses her next chapter, and why she decided to launch her new beauty project, Caliray.

Host Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute is joined by Tamara Bakir, the Founder and CEO of Manifest Beauty. Tamara discusses why she saw a need for a natural, clean lip plumping product. She talks about the journey of going from a concept to delivering a final product that won the 2023 Cosmo Trends Award.

Host Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute is joined by Nicole Frontera, the CEO of Nicole Frontera Beauty. Nicole talks about the massive growth the last few years in the MedSpa industry. She discusses how the industry has changed, how it has become more accessible, and what brands can do to build a successful partnership with MedSpas. 

Host April Franzino is joined by Kristen Kjaer Weis, the Founder of Kjaer Weis. Kristen discusses her career working for some of the most renowned fashion magazines and what made her decide to launch her own brand. She talks about her experience with natural environments and her knowledge of beauty that she used to  become a pioneer in organic, luxury beauty.

Host Mimi Banks is joined by Maria Dempsey, the CEO of Love Wellness. Maria talks about her career in the beauty industry and her new role as CEO of Love Wellness. She also discusses the mission of the brand to provide accessible, safe and effective products for the gut, brain and vagina. Areas that have typically been either overlooked or stigmatized. 

Host April Franzino is joined this week by Laney Crowell, the Founder and CEO of Saie. Laney talks about her start in the beauty industry and how what she learned made her want to make beauty better. She discusses being influenced by listening to what their community wanted in their products, and how the brand got its name: You “Saie it, we create it”.

Hosts Jessica Quick and Denise Dente of Buzz Beaute are joined by Giorgos Tsetis, the Founder of Nutrafol. Giorgos discusses the strategies that Nutrafol implements to create connections with their customers. He also discusses how as the company succeeds they continue to evolve to keep up the momentum.

Host Mimi Banks is joined by Katie Welch, the Chief Marketing Officer at Rare Beauty.  She discusses how she became the CMO for Selena Gomez’s beauty brand. She talks about how she used social media platforms to connect with their community and helped create a brand that was purpose-driven and worked to make a difference in mental health.

Host April Franzino is joined this week by Jen Shane, the Co-Founder of INNBEAUTY Project. She discusses how a regular, clean beauty skincare regimen can be cost prohibitive for many households. And how she and her co-founder set out to use their industry experience to create a clean & effective skincare that didn’t break the bank.

Hosts Denise Dente and Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute are joined by Jay and Alison Carroll, the Founders of Wonder Valley. They discuss the origin of Wonder Valley, the role that olive oil plays in their products, and how they built Wonder Valley into a lifestyle brand.

Hosts Denise Dente and Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute are joined this week by Jim Valenzuela, the Founder and CEO of V’s Barbershop. Jim talks about his fondness for going to classic barbershops as a kid, and how when he had a son, couldn’t find the same classic local barbershop, so he decided to launch his own. Jim also talks about franchising the business, and the experiences they provide customers to ensure a memorable experience.

Host Mimi Banks is joined this week by Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer, M·A·C Cosmetics. Aida discusses her journey that led her to MAC Cosmetics. She shares how MAC was the only brand that was able to accommodate her needs as consumer, and how now in her current role, she continues to connect with consumers every day.

Hosts Denise Dente and Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute are joined by Natalie Mackey, the CEO of Winky Lux. She talks about how the company started as a marketplace, and how she used data she acquired in the early days to launch a product with a strategy of putting thoughtfulness and detail in the presentation.

Hosts Denise Dente and Jessica Quick are joined this week by Oliver Zak, the Co-Founder of Mad Rabbit. Oliver talks about the opportunity that him and his business partner Selom saw in the aftercare and tattoo skincare space. He also discusses their appearance on Shark Tank and how that helped to propel the brand.

Hosts Denise Dente and Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute are joined this week by Maggie Spicer, the Founder of Source Beauty ESG. Maggie discusses the FTC Green Guides and clears up some of the confusion regarding the standards for how to make environmental marketing claims.

Host Mimi Banks is joined this week by Chelsea Riggs, the Global President at amika. She discusses her journey that started as being hired as the first employee at the brand, to becoming Global President. She also talks about what it took for amika to become a Certified B Corporation.

Hosts Denise Dente and Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute sit down this week with Winnie Awa, the Founder and CEO of Carra. Winnie discusses what inspired her to create Carra, an AI-driven digital hair health platform helping women with textured hair to care for their hair. She breaks down how it works, and how data, expertise and technology combine to address your unique hair needs.

This week’s guest host is David Pirrotta, an industry veteran that has helped build numerous brands, and is the Founder of Materiae. David also has his own popular podcast, Living in a Materiae World: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/living-in-a-materiae-world/id1582082562 David is joined by Eva Goicochea, the Founder and CEO of Maude. They discuss how Eva set out to create the next chapter in the sexual wellness industry, how they marketed the brand, and some of the obstacles she faced along the way.

Hosts Denise Dente and Jessica Quick of Buzz Beaute are joined this week by David Yi and Michael Engert, the Founders of Good Light. They discuss how words matter. And why Good Light brands themselves as “gender-inclusive” in order to include all into the beauty and self-care space.