Cutting through the marketing noise and TikTok trends, these shows deliver unbiased, straightforward tips on everything from serums to supplements.
The beauty industry has seen exponential growth over the past few years, driven in part by a growing interest in preventative skin care among Gen Z and increased demand for clean and personalized formulations. As a consumer, it can be overwhelming to navigate all of the various acids, oils and vitamins claiming to be the key to eternal youth. And the cost of making the wrong choice isn’t just financial — evidence suggests that overdoing it on products can be harmful, breaking down the skin’s natural protective barriers.
Some of these podcasts cut through the marketing noise and TikTok trends to deliver unbiased, straightforward tips on everything from serums to supplements, while others shine a spotlight on impossible beauty standards in Hollywood and beyond.
‘The Beauty Brains’
For every skin care product that genuinely works, there are plenty doing nothing (or even doing more harm than good), and savvy marketing can make it hard to tell which is which. “The Beauty Brains” helps to distinguish the beauty science from the pseudoscience, and it is presented by Perry Romanowski and Valerie George, two cosmetic chemists with a combined 40 years of experience in the business. Despite their shared expertise as formulators, the show doesn’t feel like inside baseball; it’s more like an advice show with smart friends, with the hosts sharing evidence-based answers to questions about products, supplements and anti-aging regimens. With a back catalog that dates to 2018, there’s a wealth of information for skin care novices and pros alike.
Starter episode: “Is Exfoliation Just as Important as Using SPF?”
‘Fat Mascara’
Hosted by Jessica Matlin and Jennifer Sullivan, two beauty journalists who are also friends, this nine-year-old series is a staple for anyone looking to keep up with skin care and makeup trends. Hourlong episodes are released twice a week — one is typically a guest interview, while the other features Matlin and Sullivan chatting through beauty news and giving their unfiltered opinions on what products and trends are legit. Their interviews are wide-ranging — recent guests have included a venture capital executive discussing what investors in beauty look for, and the actress Brooke Shields, who spoke about wrestling with the beauty standards that come with a career on camera.
