Smart Beauty

James Mishreki went from professional poker player to building Skin+Me, a personalised prescription skincare company now valued at £160 million. But what really drives someone to keep playing when the stakes get this high?

In this episode, James talks about how poker taught him to detach from outcomes and make decisions with incomplete information. We get into the weekend Silicon Valley Bank collapsed and he thought he'd lost everything — £13 million gone overnight — and the 20-30 minutes where he felt "completely lost" before the founder community rallied.

He explains why he believes resilience can't be taught, and wh...

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...

Dr Olivia Ahn is the co-founder of Fluus, the world's first flushable, microplastic-free period pad. A medical doctor turned entrepreneur, she built the company alongside her partner Aaron Koshy after they met at Imperial College London. What started as a conversation about sustainable guilt and the lack of innovation in period care became a mission to create a product that didn't force consumers to choose between convenience and the planet.

In this episode, Olivia talks about her endometriosis diagnosis and how it sparked her search for better products, the toilet paper moment that led to her eureka...

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

In this episode, Viola is joined by Roxie Nafousi – bestselling author, manifestation coach, and founder of fragrance brand Alia – to talk about her pivot from books to beauty, and why it's been so much harder than she expected. Roxie opens up about why she chose fragrance as her next creative outlet and how scent bypasses the conscious mind to connect with us on a more primitive, subconscious level. She discusses the meaning behind Alia – "to rise higher" in Arabic – and how launching the brand was about reclaiming her Iraqi heritage after years of hiding it due to racist bullying at schoo...

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.pia

Giselle 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...

In this episode, Viola sits down with Colette Laxton, co-founder of The Inkey List, the skincare brand that's completely changed how we talk about ingredients. Colette and her now-husband Mark Curry launched the brand in 2018, and within six months they'd secured a global partnership with Sephora. They've since hit over £100 million in revenue by making science-backed skincare affordable and actually explaining what's in the bottle. But what makes this conversation so compelling is how brutally honest Colette is about what it actually took to get there - from the brands they tried to launch before Inkey, to burning out f...

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...

Once the preserve of pizzas and Nintendo games, mushrooms are popping up everywhere at the moment (mushroom coffee anyone?). In this episode, we sit down with Dr Catalina Fernandez de Ana, Founder and CEO of biotech-based wellness company Hifas da Terra, to explore why mushrooms are so therapeutically powerful – and how they help train our immune systems to respond faster. Dr Catalina shares compelling clinical evidence from cancer trials and rare disease treatments, explains exactly how mushrooms work at a cellular level, and addresses the quality concerns plaguing the wellness industry. We also discuss the paradigm shift towards food as...

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...

When organic beauty pioneer Margo Marrone said she'd never launch another brand, she meant it (at the time). But watching her daughter Roxy struggle with severe acne changed everything. Together, this mother-daughter duo created eyeam - a skincare range that bridges the gap between topical treatments and spiritual wellness.

Margo founded The Organic Pharmacy over 25 years ago when "everyone thought she was crazy" for talking about chemical-free beauty. Now, as the wellness conversation has caught up, she's returned to entrepreneurship with Roxy, a certified nutrition and mindset coach who brings habit stacking and affirmations into skincare routines.<...

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 neve...

Almost 30 years ago, Abi Cleeve sat down with nothing but a stack of Yellow Pages and an idea. Long before the internet, she methodically called pharmacies across the country, persuading them to try a little-known Swiss suncare brand, UltraSun. Then, in her battered old Beetle, she personally drove stock to anyone willing to give it a chance.

To keep up with demand, Abi hired an assistant named Dan to help pack orders, and he remained with the company ever since.

Fast-forward three decades, and UltraSun is a household name, stocked by major retailers like SpaceNK...

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 w...

In this episode, we sit down with Anna Teal, CEO of Grown Alchemist, to chat about her incredible journey from traditional retail at Boots to leading one of the most innovative biotech beauty brands on the market today.

Anna shares the reality of transitioning from corporate to small business life and how emotional investment becomes everything when you're running your own show. We dive into Grown Alchemist's unconventional approach to demographics – moving beyond just age and location, to tapping into what their customers actual passions are, which has resulted in a number of successful brand partnerships in fi...

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...

We sit down with Suzy Griffin Dunne, founder of Irish makeup brand Hildun Beauty, to explore what it really takes to build a successful makeup brand from scratch. Suzy shares her fascinating journey from beauty writer to brand founder, revealing why she started Hildun Beauty during maternity leave with just two eyeliner pencils that she sent to makeup artists who didn't know her from Adam.

We dive deep into the complex world of beauty manufacturing, discussing why Korean labs excel at innovative formulas while Italian and German manufacturers lead in pencils and traditional products. Suzy explains her...

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...

Sarah Rotheram has spent her career breathing new life into some of the world's most beloved fragrance houses, including Penhaligon's and Creed. In this conversation, she reveals the secrets behind modernising heritage brands without losing their soul - from her essential "who we are, who we are not" exercise to why she interviews hundreds of frontline staff before writing any strategy. Sarah shares her philosophy on leading with creativity over data, explaining why the best commercial successes come from passion and gut instinct rather than endless PowerPoint presentations.

We dive deep into one of the most ingenious...

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...

Ever wondered what really goes on behind the scenes in perfumery? Our latest episode with fragrance educator and author Karen Gilbert helps lift the lid on the "smoke and mirrors" world of fragrance.

From accidentally falling into perfumery to becoming one of the most respected voices in fragrance education, Karen talks about why that "pheromone perfume" trend is complete nonsense, how your nose is basically connected to your emotions and memories, the shocking truth about how commercial fragrances are REALLY made, and why scent is literally the best salesperson for your products.

Karen has authored...

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...

“I went in with a mindset very much of how can I leave people better off for me having been here.”

Really delighted to talk to Lee Pycroft a renowned makeup artist turned registered psychotherapist who has worked with A-list celebrities as well as the top supermodels of the 90s – Cindy and Claudia to name but a few. While people are quick to dismiss the beauty world as ‘frivolous fun’ or ‘shallow’, Lee talks about how beauty rituals can be a valid form of therapy, as made evident through her charity work with vulnerable communities such as domestic abuse...

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...

In this episode we're joined by Amanda Carr, founder of the Barnes Fragrance Fair, trend forecaster, and co-founder of We Wear Perfume. Amanda shares how her "accidental" creation has become a key event in the UK fragrance calendar, providing a platform for independent British perfume brands. We discuss the fair's village fête atmosphere that contrasts with traditional retail experiences, current fragrance trends from enduring gourmands to sustainability initiatives, and the fascinating connection between scent, music, and wellness. Amanda offers insights into the evolving British perfume industry and how young men are increasingly using fragrance as an emotional connector a...

Today we're delighted to be joined by beauty pioneer Poppy King, founder of multiple iconic lipstick brands including Poppy and Lipstick Queen. Starting her first company at just 18, Poppy shares her remarkable 32-year journey through the beauty industry and her philosophy that lipstick is more than cosmetic, it's transformative.

Poppy reveals why Willy Wonka became her unlikely business muse, discusses the "witch vs. princess" dichotomy in beauty, and explains what makes a lipstick truly iconic versus merely trendy. She offers candid insights on sustainability challenges, performative diversity in the industry, and her mission to create innovative lip...

In this episode of Smart Beauty, we sit down with Lizzie Carter, founder of the beloved curly hair brand Only Curls. Starting with just £500 in savings and a vision to celebrate rather than "tame" curly hair, Lizzie has built a thriving business that recently launched in 390 Boots stores nationwide.

Lizzie shares her journey from hand-sewing product labels in front of the TV to creating a passionate community of curly-haired customers who literally help organise the brand's retail shelves. She candidly discusses how her own experiences as "Frizzy Lizzie" and frustrations with outdated curly hair products inspired her t...

Going back to her writer roots, Viola speaks with her long-time industry colleague and beauty journalist Louise Whitbread about her journey into cosmetic science education. Going beyond typical beauty reporting, Louise reveals how her scientific training has equipped her to challenge dubious marketing claims and provide readers with evidence-based beauty insights.

The conversation cuts through industry misinformation, exposing how terms like "clean beauty" and "toxic ingredients" are often misused to drive sales rather than educate consumers. Louise shares insider perspectives on misleading sustainability claims, debunks myths about demonised ingredients like parabens and silicones, and discusses exciting innovations...

In this episode, we sit down with Roshanne Dorsett, founder of The Glowcery, a whole food superfood skincare brand founded on the belief that what you put on your body should be as nutritious as what you put into it.

Roshanne shares her remarkable journey from working in criminal and human rights law to becoming a natural skincare formulator and entrepreneur. Burned out from the emotional toll of handling high-intensity legal cases, she found her way back to herself through wellness and eventually launched The Glowcery with a mission to create nutrient-rich, sustainable skincare products.

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In this episode of Smart Beauty, host Viola speaks with Anna Vale, a powerhouse independent consultant specialising in scaling indie beauty brands through strategic marketing leadership. With more than two decades of experience spanning executive roles across the US, UK, and Middle East, Anna shares her expertise on navigating the complex beauty landscape.

Based in New York, Anna has collaborated with an impressive roster of brands including Youth To The People, Crown Affair, Provence Beauty, Estée Lauder, Tom Ford Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, and many others. As a consultant who specialises in brands within the Sephora and U...

In this episode, we sit down with Kate Kaye, founder of Wild Source - a holistic skincare brand born at her kitchen table that now graces the shelves of Liberty London. Based in Bristol, Kate shares her entrepreneurial journey from creating beauty products at age eight to building a brand that fuses skincare with spiritual wellness.

She candidly discusses the challenges of launching without prior business experience, the realities of breaking into luxury retail, and how motherhood deepened her connection to beauty rituals as self-care moments. Kate offers insights on maintaining brand authenticity, the importance of creating...

In this special "bottle episode" of the Smart Beauty Podcast, host Viola Levy answers the question on every beauty entrepreneur's mind: "If I spend money on branding, when will I actually see a return?" Cutting through the fluff, Viola breaks down exactly how branding investments pay off across three key timeframes: immediate positioning benefits, mid-term pricing power, and long-term customer loyalty. Using real-world examples from beauty brands like Glossier, La Mer, and Fenty Beauty, she provides a practical roadmap for identifying when your branding investment is working and how to measure its impact on your bottom line. Perfect for...

In this episode, we sit down with beauty mogul Agnes Cazin, the visionary force behind branding and communications agency Haiti73 she is about to launch the inaugural Buzz of Beauty Festival “for the girls who shop at Selfridges and get their hair done in Peckham” which takes place at London's Africa Centre, Saturday 29th-Sunday 30th March 2025.

With a career spanning global beauty giants like L’Oréal, Unilever, ORS, Puig, and Cantu, Agnes has dedicated herself to bridging the gap between Black consumers and the beauty industry. We discuss her journey from producing fashion shows and music videos...

In this episode, we chat with Francesca Cherruault, founder of Filthy Brands, about shaking up the fragrance industry and championing independent brands. From her early days at Escentric Molecules to launching her own distribution agency, Francesca shares insights on how consumer buying habits have evolved, the power of brand storytelling, and what it takes to get a niche fragrance onto the shelves of top retailers. Tune in for a candid and inspiring look behind the scenes of luxury fragrance distribution.

filthybrands.com

In this episode, we sit down with Fizah Pasha, founder of Brulée Beauty, to discuss her journey in tackling colourism within the beauty industry. With over 15 years of experience as a makeup artist, Fizah saw a gap in the market for makeup that truly caters to South Asian and other under-represented skin tones. Reflecting on her own experiences with colourism growing up, she created a brand that goes beyond the traditional beauty standards, offering products designed for, in her words, "golden and in-between" skin tones and encouraging customers to expect more than just having to mix different shades t...

In this episode, Viola chats to the renowned Azzi Glasser, who has spent over three decades designing bespoke fragrances for Hollywood's elite. Azzi shares the story of how she first entered the fragrance world, her journey from creating iconic scents for names like Kylie Minogue and Helena Bonham Carter to becoming a sought-after creator for top celebrities.

We discuss the powerful role fragrance plays in personal expression, confidence, and how it can truly transform one's mood or character. Azzi also reflects on the evolution of the fragrance industry and her pioneering role in making scents an essential...

Today, we’re thrilled to welcome the brilliant Rebecca Jaquest, founder of Nyita, a brand that’s redefining luxury beauty with its unwavering commitment to ethical and sustainable practices.

Sustainability is often seen as a non-negotiable in today’s beauty market, but Nyita takes it to a level we rarely encounter. From rethinking extraction methods to developing their patent-pending sunflower wax candle—a sustainable alternative to soy—Rebecca and her team are pushing the boundaries of innovation and environmental responsibility.

In this episode, we’ll explore the often-overlooked complexities of natural ingredient extraction and the challenges o...

In this mini episode of the Smart Beauty Podcast, host Viola Levy tackles a challenge many beauty brands face: crafting a brand story that truly stands out. Viola discusses the pitfalls of relying on overused narratives, like the familiar “I couldn’t find anything on the shelves, so I made my own,” and explores how to dig deeper to create a compelling, emotionally resonant story that captures the hearts of customers, retailers, and investors alike.

Drawing on her extensive experience as a beauty editor and branding expert, Viola shares practical insights on how to refine your brand’s narrat...

What does "luxury" really mean in the beauty industry today? In this episode, host Viola Levy sits down with long-time industry friend and beauty PR powerhouse, Deborah Johnson. With over 17 years of experience in the beauty industry, Deborah shares insights into her journey from agency life to running her own consultancy. The conversation dives deep into the evolving role of Black consumers in luxury beauty, the need for inclusivity beyond token gestures, and redefining what "luxury" truly means. Tune in for an engaging discussion on representation, equity, and the future of beauty branding.

deborahtjohnson.com

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In this special episode, we speak to Millie Kendall OBE, serial entrepreneur, founder of British Beauty Week and CEO of the British Beauty Council, to discuss one of the most critical shifts in the beauty industry today: pro-ageing messaging and representation.

With over three decades of experience, Millie is a leading voice advocating for inclusivity, transparency, and empowering beauty standards. Together, Viola and Millie explore how attitudes toward ageing are evolving, the rise of the menopause care market, and the role of wellness in shaping a more holistic approach to beauty. They also dive into the balance...