Fat Mascara

Erin Parsons is not a makeup artist anymore. On this episode of Fat Mascara, she explains why she quit the business at the very top, making the leap into full-time content creation in her 40s. Her niche: deep-diving into beauty history and finding a completely new audience, from 13-year-olds to makeup artists to "guys who don't care about makeup at all." ("I figured out the a...

Manica Blain of Top Knot Ventures shares her perspective on TSG's major stake in Saltair, and what that may mean for the future of beauty. She breaks down the critical difference between "creator" and influencer brands, and the real reasons big beauty conglomerates aren't in a rush to add these brands to their portfolios. She also shares her predictions on which brands are po...

Fragrance expert Thomas Dunckley (aka Making Sense of Scent, formerly Candy Perfume Boy) joins us to talk about GLP-1s' unexpected role in the fragrance business, his "strong feelings about dupes," and the viral Scent Sounds series, in which Dunckley pairs perfumes with iconic albums. Plus, he shares his real thoughts on PR gifting, what "fragrance people" all seem to have in...

Hallie Gould (Editor-in-Chief of Byrdie) and Lauren Valenti (Beauty Director of InStyle) talk about the stories getting the biggest reactions on the internet, from the kitten fur fragrance trend, Zendaya’s soft-focus blush, why spray tans are booming, CoverGirl’s Gen X pivot, and more. They also reveal some of their favorite products, from Hallie’s perfect red lipstick to Lau...

Beauty retail whisperer Alison Hahn is one of the industry's most sought-after experts, with a track record of identifying major players like Patrick Ta, Kayali, and Makeup by Mario. On this episode of Fat Mascara: Business Desk, Hahn talks about selling to Gen Alpha, reengaging Gen Xers, beauty dupes, the big mistake celebrity founders often make, tough vendor conversations,...