Smart Beauty

Smart Beauty

by Viola Levy
Fashion & BeautyBusiness
Season 3

Make Love Not Porn: Cindy Gallop on fixing sex education for the digital age

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
S3 · E6
Jun 27, 2025
42:21

Demystifying the world of scent with Karen Gilbert

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 several books including "Perfume: the Art and Craft of Fragrance" and hosts her own podcast, The Perfume Making Podcast. She teaches perfumery worldwide from her scent studio in the New Forest. If you want to start a perfume brand, curious about how a perfume gets made or just love learning about the power of scent, this episode is for you. karengilbert.co.uk podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scent-as-story-how-to-build-a-brand-that-captivates/id1693602939?i=1000677264386
S3 · E5
Jun 25, 2025
39:24

How to get retailers to stock your product, with Louisa Harris

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
S3 · E4
Jun 17, 2025
41:49

Lee Pycroft on makeup and mental health

“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 survivors and war veterans – which caused her to eventually retrain as a Human Givens Therapist. She now combines her beauty expertise with therapeutic principles to help people understand how daily rituals can support mental wellbeing – which many brands can take note from when it comes to storytelling and customer engagement. Lee explains how she transitioned into therapy, the psychology behind beauty rituals, and her vision for the industry's future role in mental health support. Hope you enjoy this insightful and inspiring talk as much as we did! leepycroft.co.uk / @leepycroft
S3 · E2
Jun 9, 2025
50:44

Following your own star: Mandy Aftel on natural perfumes

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.com aftelarchive.com
S3 · E1
May 16, 2025
54:39
Season 2

The brilliance of British perfumery, with Barnes Fragrance Fayre founder Amanda Carr

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 and identity marker. Join us for a fragrant conversation that showcases the creativity, community, and future of British perfumery. barnesfragrancefair.com - 17th May 2025, 9.30am to 5.00pm, Barnes, London SW13 9HE @wewearperfume wewearperfume.com
S2 · E20
Apr 28, 2025
46:17

Poppy King on the magic of lipstick and how she built her empire

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 products that help people discover new aspects of themselves. The conversation delves into beauty entrepreneurship, the importance of staying true to your vision despite commercial pressures, and Poppy's upcoming projects and the return of her most beloved lipstick formulations. Whether you're a beauty enthusiast or entrepreneur, this episode offers both inspiration and industry wisdom from one of beauty's most original thinkers who believes that "beauty is not a vanity issue, it's a human rights one." poppyking.com
S2 · E19
Apr 21, 2025
49:58

How Only Curls' founder Lizzie Carter is revolutionising curly haircare

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 to create a brand that makes people feel positive and confident about their natural texture. The conversation covers how Lizzie bootstrapped her way to success without outside investment, the challenges of formulating products for the uniquely diverse needs of curly hair, and how social media transformed both her business and the curly hair conversation globally. We also explore the balance between founder visibility and community-building, sustainability challenges for specialised hair care, and the power of authentic marketing — including how an email mistake became their most engaged marketing win ever. Whether you're a beauty entrepreneur looking for inspiration, a curly-haired person seeking solidarity, or a business owner interested in authentic community building, this episode offers valuable insights into creating a brand that truly understands and celebrates its customers. onlycurls.com
S2 · E18
Apr 14, 2025
51:43

Beyond the beauty hype with journalist and trend-forecaster Louise Whitbread

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 biotech beauty and AI-assisted formulation. We hope you enjoy the chat as much as we did! Instagram / LinkedIn / Portfolio
S2 · E17
Apr 7, 2025
51:08

How The Glowcery's Roshanne Dorsett transformed personal burnout into an award-winning beauty brand

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. In this candid conversation, Roshanne shares how emotional burnout in her legal career sparked her wellness journey and ultimately led to creating The Glowcery. She explains why cold-pressed, nutrient-rich ingredients form the cornerstone of her brand's philosophy and offers insights into her hands-on formulation process, which she likens to "Breaking Bad but with natural ingredients." Roshanne discusses the financial realities of entrepreneurship, including working warehouse night shifts to save for her initial investment. She reveals her approach to building genuine community through personal customer conversations and offers practical advice for implementing sustainable practices on a limited budget. The conversation explores pricing strategies for premium products, navigating retail partnerships, and the importance of connecting your personal "why" to your brand's mission. Roshanne explains why The Glowcery prioritises long-term skin health over fleeting beauty trends, shares the development story behind their award-winning Clean Green Superfood Serum, and outlines her vision to expand into a holistic wellness lifestyle brand. theglowceryshop.com / Insta: @theglowceryshop Tiktok: @theglowceryshop Subscribe to Roshanne's newsletter here. Resources Mentioned: Virgin Startup (business loans for entrepreneurs) The Stack World by Sharmadean Reid (community for founders)
S2 · E16
Mar 24, 2025
41:34
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