Smart Beauty

Michelle Kluz is the CEO of Stila Cosmetics, the 31-year-old heritage beauty brand known for its cult liquid eyeliner. Before Stila, Michelle worked at Boston Consulting Group, held multiple CEO roles including running a billion-dollar business in her mid-thirties, and founded her own athleisure brand Urban Savage after moving to Australia.In this episode, we discuss the misconception that corporate careers are rigid and soulless, why being a founder was humbling after years in senior leadership, and how Michelle's self-diagnosed ADHD means she actually thrives in complex corporate environments rather than the deep-focus work required of early-stage founders. Michelle shares the personal connection that drew her to Stila, her approach to repositioning a heritage brand, and a candid account of being told she didn't "look credible enough" for a CEO role—then turning down the same company when they came back six months later. We also get into the mental health realities of entrepreneurship that rarely get discussed.stila.co.uk

Holly Brooke and Joely Walker met in a Leeds nightclub at 16. Nearly two decades later, they've launched We Are Regular — a supplement brand on a mission to break the stigma around constipation.In this episode, we talk about Holly's 17 years of chronic gut issues, what she learned from five years working with Caroline Hirons, the weird male audience they've attracted on TikTok, and why Northern women seem to have a particular knack for building brilliant businesses.It's honest, it's funny, and yes — we talk about poo. A lot.weareregular.com | @weare.regular

This episode is a live recording from British Beauty Week 2025, where we hosted a panel discussion at Tallulah Lingerie exploring the beauty archetypes of the princess and the witch, and what they reveal about women, aging, power, and self-expression.Pia Long is a Finnish perfumer, author of co-founder of her own fragrance house Eau de Boujee, and author of 'Demo Accords' with nearly 17 years of experience creating fragrances. @perfumer.piaGiselle La Pompe-Moore is the author of "Take It In," founder of the CD Lab consultancy, and has been a practicing witch for 20 years. (Vogue described her as "The woman redefining spirituality for the millennial crowd".) @gisellelpmMaria Sotiriou is the founder of Silke London and a hairstylist with over 37 years of experience in the industry. @silkelondonLorelei Winston is a glamour witch, women's personal stylist and former ballerina and burlesque performer. @extraordinarymagicbylauraleiWe discuss why society is fixated on the princess/witch binary and who benefits from it. Giselle explains the "witch wound" and how ancestral trauma affects women's visibility today. Lorelei shares the Scottish origins of the word "glamour" (it literally means to cast a spell). Pia talks about how the male gaze shifts as women age and the liberation that can come with it, while Maria spoke about the power of beauty sleep and reclaiming our "princess energy". The panel explores beauty rituals as intention-setting and self-love, the difference between beauty as personal expression versus beauty marketed to insecurities, and why we need to stop judging other women's beauty choices.A huge thanks to The British Beauty Council, all the panellists and attendees, Tallulah Lingerie for hosting and our sponsors Yardley London, Kohl Kreatives, Silke London, Dr Organic and Fluus.

What does it really take to build three successful brands whilst raising a blended family of seven? In this episode, I'm chatting with serial entrepreneur Andraya Kenton, founder of multi-seven-figure jewellery companies Celeste Starre and MeMe London, and her newest beauty venture Luna Roca, a chic volcanic lava rock facial roller that's reimagining the traditional blotting paper. Andraya shares her journey from going "completely blind" into the jewellery industry to launching a beauty brand inspired by a dinner conversation in Bali, and why she believes the secret to success is believing you're worthy of it. We dive into her partnership with stepdaughter Tabby, why she prioritises customer satisfaction over viral TikTok videos, and how living in Bali has shaped her approach to business and spirituality.Andraya has very kindly offered Smart Beauty listeners an exclusive 20% discount across all three of her brands: Luna Roca, Celeste Starre and MeMe London. Just use code SMARTBEAUTY20 at checkout.lunaroca.comcelestestarre.commeme.london

In this episode, Viola sits down with Tasha Nickson from the Soil Association to talk about sustainability storytelling in the beauty industry. We discuss why vague claims damage consumer trust, how certifications like Cosmos cut through the noise, and what brands should focus on when communicating their environmental and ethical credentials. Tasha explains the difference between natural and organic, shares insights on ingredient sourcing as an underused storytelling opportunity, and reveals which beauty brands are doing sustainability communication particularly well. We also touch on the reality of costs for small brands, the "less but better" approach to consumption, and emerging trends around health and skin microbiomes. Whether you're building a beauty brand or simply curious about what's behind those green claims, this conversation offers practical guidance on navigating sustainability in an increasingly conscious market.Find out more about Soil Association certification at soilassociation.org and follow them on Instagram for their latest campaigns and beauty industry insights.

Ruby Hammer MBE transformed British beauty as the first makeup artist of colour to be regularly featured on British television. She was born to Bangladeshi parents in Jos, Nigeria, where she grew up before moving to London at the age of 12. From working on the shop floor of Harrods to founding cult 90s brand Ruby & Millie – and now at the helm of her own eponymous range – Ruby is a true industry stalwart.In this candid conversation, Ruby reveals how her young mother's transformative relationship with beauty shaped her philosophy that self-care is essential. She shares why she never set out to be a trailblazer ("I just wanted to be the best"), how she navigated body image challenges, and the resilience lessons that carried her through career reinvention.Now in her 60s, Ruby reflects on aging authentically and why the beauty industry remains one of the most supportive creative communities. This is Ruby unfiltered - warm, honest, and unapologetically herself.rubyhammer.com

Have you ever wondered what really goes on when a beauty brand tries to score a spot onto the hallowed shelves of Harrods or Space NK? Catherine Bossom has not only had a front-row seat, she’s also played a starring role. From her early days as a graduate trainee at Harrods, to senior buying positions at Space NK and Selfridges, she has spent twenty years in the thick of luxury beauty retail — and has lived to tell the tale.Now, as the guiding spirit behind her consultancy, Yellow Flamingo, Catherine helps bewildered founders untangle the riddle of what buyers actually want (hint: not what you imagine). In this conversation, we chat about how a brand’s story is often far more seductive than the quality of its product line, that personal connections are massively overrated, and the brutal reality of what retail can and can't do for your sales figures.From the days when buyers had to physically cross continents in search of the next great discovery, to today’s overcrowded marketplace where every buyer is positively snowed under with pitches, Catherine offers an insider’s view — witty, unsparing, and utterly invaluable to anyone tempted to storm the beauty shelves. We also talk about Catherine's own business journey and how a family tragedy spurred her on to take the road less travelled.yellowflamingo.org

Meet Lizzie Ostrom, the pioneering fragrance specialist and writer, who helped revolutionise how we experience perfume. Known by her stage-persona "Odette Toilette", Lizzie identified a crucial gap in the fragrance world fifteen years ago and created her fun experimental fragrance events, where she would mix fragrance with subjects like psychology, music and cinema. She is also the author of Perfume: A Century of Scents which tells the stories of one hundred fragrances through ten pivotal decades of the twentieth century (including the iconic 99p body spray of the 1990s: Impulse 02).We explore how her background in PR and early exposure to online fragrance communities led to her breakthrough realisation that there was nowhere to engage with perfume in a relaxed, accessible way outside of intimidating beauty counters. She also shares the story behind her groundbreaking Somerset House exhibition and reflects on what made her events so popular. We also touch on creativity, entrepreneurship and the art of making meaningful connections through scent.

Sophie King went from corporate life to building a fragrance empire with over 145K YouTube subscribers and her brand SOKI London, but her journey wasn't linear. After surviving meningitis and a week-long coma, Sophie found the courage to pursue her passion for perfume, launching both a successful YouTube channel and her own fragrance brand. This is a conversation about turning passion into profit, building genuine connections with your audience, and why sometimes the biggest challenges lead to the greatest breakthroughs.In this episode, we explore how a life-threatening illness became the catalyst for entrepreneurship, her approach to building authentic connections versus polished perfection, and how she deals with fake reviews and online criticism as a founder. Sophie shares why she continues to review competitors' products on her own channel, the realities of self-funding a fragrance business, and her unique approach to fragrance education that cuts through marketing fluff. We also discuss her upcoming retail partnerships, expansion plans, and what's next for the brand as she continues to democratise the often intimidating world of perfume.sokilondon.com / youtube.com/sokilondon

What happens when hardcore pornography becomes sex education by default? Cindy Gallop has spent 16 years fighting to change that. In this essential conversation, the founder and CEO of Make Love Not Porn explains why her platform showing real-world, loving sexual relationships is more urgent than ever. From the rise of incel culture to shows like 'Adolescence,' Cindy breaks down how the absence of honest conversations about sex is shaping an entire generation, and shares her accidental journey from a viral TED Talk to creating what she calls the "documentary" to porn's "Hollywood blockbuster."We dive deep into why love needs to come before sex in education, the shocking barriers female-led sexual wellness companies face while erectile dysfunction solutions advertise freely, and real stories of trauma survivors finding healing through authentic representation. Cindy's mission to "socialise, normalise, and destigmatise sex" offers a thoughtful alternative to both moral panic and uncritical sex positivity, while her upcoming Make Love Not Porn Academy aims to arm parents and educators with the tools for honest conversations about sexuality, relationships, and digital culture. Whether you're a parent, educator, or simply someone navigating modern relationships, this conversation will change how you think about sex, love, and body positivity in the digital age.Content Warning: This episode contains sexually explicit themes and strong language.MakeLoveNotPorn.com | @CindyGallop | @MakeLoveNotPorn

What are beauty buyers really looking for? In this episode, Viola sits down with Louisa Harris, Beauty Director at Debenhams, for an insightful conversation about her remarkable 15-year journey through the beauty retail industry. From working weekends at the YSL counter in Boots to leading beauty strategy at Debenhams, Louisa shares her career progression through Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser, QVC, and seven transformative years at Cult Beauty during its meteoric rise from startup to acquisition by THG.Louisa reveals what beauty buyers really look for when evaluating new brands, the biggest mistakes brands make when pitching, and how TikTok has disrupted traditional retail forecasting. We explore evolving customer behaviours, the intersection of beauty and wellness as a growth area, her current beauty favourites from MAC to Veronique Gabai fragrances, and her thoughts on the future of beauty retail – including AI's role in customer decision-making.LinkedIn

In this episode, I sit down with Mandy Aftel, founder of Aftelier Perfumes and a leading voice in natural perfumery for over 30 years. Mandy shares her remarkable journey from psychotherapist to perfumer, and how researching a novel with a perfumer character led her to discover her true calling.We explore the philosophy behind her successful small-scale business model that prioritises quality and personal connection over rapid growth, and discuss her influential book "Essence and Alchemy," published in 16 languages.Mandy offers insights into the profound human connection with natural essences, the differences between natural and synthetic fragrances, and the educational mission behind her Aftel Archive of Curious Scents museum in Berkeley, California. Whether you're interested in perfumery or thoughtful approaches to business, Mandy's wisdom about creating beauty and following your own path makes this conversation both inspiring and practical.aftelier.comaftelarchive.com