Kadalys, a Black-owned brand, uses bananas as their value proposition and breaks down the value of, not just yellow bananas, but green and pink ones as well.

So here’s a list of beauty products that are leaning into the banana-vibes.

@beautybullsh1t#greenscreen beauty is having a bnana moment, here are some banana products in makeup, skincare, haircare, and fragrance #banana #beautytok #yellowmakeup #lush

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Bodycare

Yes, vanilla is a year-round scent, but adding banana elevates it for the summer. What better way to do that than to add some banana to your body care?

• LUSH’s Banoffee Pie Shower Gel

• LUSH’s Bananaaa Shower Cream

• LUSH’s King of Skin Body Butter

• LUSH’s Sympathy for Skin Body Lotion

• HEMPZ’s Sugared Banana Body Lotion

Lip care

I didn’t find a ton of lip products, but here’s a few:

• Vacation’s Bananas Foster Lip Balm

• TonyMoly’s Banana Lip Balm

Hair care

I currently own the conditioner from LUSH and the hair mask from Fable and Mane, and I’m m obsessed. Using banana in your hair care is a subtle way to smell fruity and tropical, and it fades faster than body care.

• LUSH’s Banana shampoo, conditioner, and co-wash

• Fable and Mane’s Hydrating Hair Mask

• Briogeo’s Banana and Coconut shampoo and conditioner

Fragrance

I haven’t had the chance to try any of these yet, but I’m a huge Juliet Has A Gun and Ellis Brooklyn fan, so I’m eager to get my hands on those two. It’s my first time hearing about Snif, but they had an impressive collection at Ulta and I’m intrigued.

• Snif’s Hazel Split

• BORNTOSTANDOUT’s Nanatopia

• Juliet Has A Gun’s Banana Rush

• Ellis Brooklyn’s Banana Milkshake

• Vacation’s Toilette

Makeup

Adding some yellow in a big or small way can make your makeup feel bright and creative to embody summer. Below are some products you could use to achieve these makeup looks:

• KimChi Beauty’s Citrus Palette

• Natasha Denona’s Yucca Palette

• Danessa Myrick’s Yellow Paint

• AboutFace Beauty’s Matte Paints in It’s Blitz and Incoming

Skincare

I currently own the Unleashia SPF and it’s a beautiful serum SPF. While most of the skincare doesn’t smell like bananas, they have bananas in the formulations:

• Everything from Kadalys

• Unleashia’s SPF

• Skinfood’s Banana PDRN Line

  • Booster Serum

  • Glow Cream

  • Silky Pads

• TIR TIR’s Banana Eye Serum

Whether you love or hate the smell of bananas, they’re definitely having a moment in beauty and are impacting all sectors. Have you tried any of these products? Are you loving or hating the banana vibes?

Welcome to Be Your Own MUA: a weekly series helping you master makeup like a pro. Each week, we talk about different aspects of skincare and makeup, and help you achieve mastery, so you can take ownership of your beauty journey, harness your femininity, and save your coins.

So far, we’ve talked about mastering your makeup like a pro in the following categories:

• Skin prep

• Foundation

• Concealer

Today’s conversation is about my favorite topic, powders, and will tackle questions like:

• What’s the point of powder makeup?

• Do I use cream or powder?

• How do I apply them?

• What color powder do I use?

• What powders do you recommend?

The purpose of powder

Powder absorbs oil, sets cream makeup, and extends wear time. The term “setting” means keep the cream products in place, like putting artwork in a frame. For example, if you use a brow pomade to do your eyebrows, using the same color of powder (usually a brown eyeshadow) to set your brows will help them last all day.

For oiler skin types, a powder foundation might be an alternative to liquid or cream. Powder is a must-have for all skin types, but depending on whether you’re oily, combo, or dry, the amount of powder will depend.

What powders do I need?

The rule of thumb for a flawless makeup look is having a matching powder for every cream. This means having a cream version and a powder version for:

• Blush

• Bronzer

• Foundation

• Concealer

• Brows (we’ll talk more about this next week)

Some brands like One/Size and Patrick Ta have blush and bronzer duos that come with both a cream and powder, but you can mix and match other options if you have other brands in mind. The cream and powder combinations don’t need to match by color or by brand. Mix and match them however you’d like as long as they work for you.

If mixing and matching cream and powder products sounds like too much right now, get a translucent powder. This could be pressed or loose, it doesn’t matter. Translucent powder can go over any part of your face, and is a great starting powder for beginners.

Types of powder

There are two types of powder in makeup: loose and pressed.

Pressed powder is any powder in a pan or compact. This means eyeshadow, blush, bronzer, and powder foundation are all forms of pressed powder. Loose setting powder is in a jar, is lightweight, and more finely milled than pressed powder.

There’s also cream-to-powder formulas, which are cream formulas that dry down like they’ve been set, so you don’t need powder after.

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But you need rules and guardrails. For example, pillows, shoes, cat towers, and other porous fabric items that are hard to wash are no-nos (though I do make an exception for shoes on The Real Real). The same discrepancy should go for buying beauty products from third-party websites like Amazon, Poshmark, and eBay.

In an article from Wirecutter, the author bought name-brand products from third-party sellers and sent them to a cosmetic lab for testing. The result? She found that all of them were either fake, expired, opened, growing bacteria, or used. This is extremely concerning considering that a majority of sales on Walmart are now from third parties. With the bulk of beauty sales happening online, this means more work on the consumer’s end.

Let’s talk about the best way to buy products online, how to know if the seller is legitimate, and where to find discounted beauty products.

How to know if it’s coming from a third-party

There are a lot of third party resellers, even on trusted sites like Walmart and Amazon, so you’ve got to be intentional about thoroughly scanning the checkout page.

While not all third-party retailers are bad, it’s too expensive and inconsistent for a customer to know if the third party they’re buying from is a scammer or not, so my recommendation is to avoid these scenarios like the plague.

If you see a third party retailer will be the seller, cancel your cart and go somewhere that’s trusted.

Stores to trust

If you want to shop without stress with a third party retailer, try major retailers like Ulta and Sephora, these places are trusted pillars in the beauty community and have great return policies, so if you’re unhappy or it’s not for you, you can get your money back or exchange it.

The brand’s website is another trusted option. Instead of buying Inkey List products from Sephora, go to the Inkey List website. Often times, the brand has better discounts and promotions, and then you know you’re getting your products from the source.

One safe way to shop on Amazon is buying from the brand’s Amazon store. This can be tricky because knowing who the retailer is isn’t always straightforward. When searching products on Amazon, confirm who the seller is and check the reviews. If the retailer isn’t the name of the brand you’re buying from, delete it from your cart.

If it’s too good to be true, it is

Getting something significantly lower than it’s retail price is a good indicator it’s not authentic.

Another good way to get verified products for a discounted price in the United States is shopping at Burlington Coat Factory, TJ Maxx, Ross, or Marshalls, which have partnerships with major retailers. You can also shop at a local Cosmetic Company Store in your area, which carries discontinued items from the Estee Lauder brands at 40% off.

Never trust third party resellers like eBay or Poshmark because the website has no way to confirm or deny authenticity. Be safe and happy shopping!

There were themes of gender inequality and the wage gap, lessons on beauty and femininity, and important tips on women navigate complex work “bubbles” like Cowboy Land. This series was inspiring, intriguing, and educational, so I’m excited to breakdown what stood out to me.

Today is about gender inequality and the wage gap for women.

The majority of people in the United States are only a few paychecks away from not being able to pay rent. As homelessness is criminalized, this means that not being able to pay rent, and becoming homeless, literally makes you a criminal. In TikToker @cheyennecaressa’s beautiful video about Pooh Sheisty and the warehouse fires, she says, “The threat of higher wages is a threat on freedom itself.”

I want this to stick with you as we chat through the fight for higher wages in DCC because it doesn’t just apply to the dancers, it applies to women in the United States and all over the world.

Let’s get into it!

Gender inequality and the wage gap

Despite the beauty perks, glitz, and glam of being a DCC, we learn that the women of DCC, and other professional dancers in the industry, are disturbingly underpaid athletes. The WNBA, USA Women’s Soccer Team, and other female athletes have highlighted this before, but the documentary focused on how blatant this was.

The show revealed that the cheerleaders were being paid around $15/hour, which wasn’t enough to live, so they needed to work other jobs on top of being a DCC. Jada could barely hang out with her family visiting out of town, Ava wasn’t sure she had enough money for Taco Bell, and many women like Reece, Kleine, and Amanda relied on supportive partners to succeed because they had no bandwidth outside of work and practice.

For some of the most talented dancers in the industry under a multi-billion dollar franchise that is the NFL and The Dallas Cowboys, it made us wonder what the reluctance to pay them was? It wasn’t money. The NFL alone is worth around $200 billion and the Dallas Cowboys are around $13 billion. It wasn’t talent. These women were classically trained and prevailed under some of the most challenging auditions in the dance world.

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So, if it wasn’t money or talent, then what was it? The answer is simple: sexism and the patriarchy.

DCC in 1984

One of the most upsetting parts of the series was seeing DCC’s leadership, Judy Trammell and Kelli Finglass, uphold the patriarchy and gaslight the cheerleaders with two sentiments:

• DCC is a privilege, and

• The women before you have done it

While both of these things may be true, it doesn’t invalidate the need to be paid a liveable wage in 2026, where the average rent in Dallas falls around $1,900. Many of them didn’t have enough time to sleep, eat, get gas, or practice their routines because they were working to put food on the table and balance the demands of DCC.

Judy tried to color these situations as “that’s what makes you dynamic,” and “we had to do it,” but we are in a different financial landscape than 1984. With a quick search, here are some financial statistics about Dallas in 1984: (when Judy and Kelli were both on the team)

• Average rent cost: $250/month

• Average price of homes sold in Texas in 1984: $90,000

• Average cost of a 4-year university in Texas: $2,454/year

• Milk: $2.18/gallon

• Eggs: 80¢ – 92¢/dozen

• Bread: 50¢ – 99¢ per loaf

• Gas: 80¢ - $1.20/gallon

To match the home-buying power of minimum wage earners in the 1970s, today’s minimum wage would need to be around $60+ per hour. Instead, the federal minimum wage in 2026 is still $7.25 an hour (roughly a tenth of that). Even in 1984, it was $3.35, and while wages have inched up, they haven’t come close to keeping pace with the cost of living, especially housing.

The result is a massive generational gap Boomers like Kelli and Judy conveniently ignore, and consequently, uphold. Many Baby Boomers were able to build wealth through relatively accessible housing, lower college tuition, and a stronger relationship between wages and living costs. Today, working adults are struggling to cover basic expenses, let alone invest or build long-term wealth. It’s a different economic reality that leadership should acknowledge and be mindful of, if they care about being positive leaders for today’s generation.

Boomer leadership

Since 1991, both Kelli and Judy have occupied the role as Head Director and Choreographer. If they were open to new perspectives, this wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Not only are their beliefs outdated about pay and work ethic, but Judy isn’t even in a physical place to be choreographer anymore. And, still, she refuses to retire, therefore, taking up a spot for another tenured veteran with fresher ideas.

@usweeklyJudy Trammell of #DallasCowboysCheerleaders opened up about concerns over her health.

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As iconic as Judy and Kelli are, their passiveness in supporting the women to get paid under the guise of “we did it, so you need to” was an eye-opening reality that they don’t care about what’s best for the team, they care about control.

In the same way that it’s hurting our country for 80-year-old senators like Mitch McConnell to control the direction our country goes in, it’s equally harmful for Judy and Kelli to occupy positions of power and not use their power for good when their team needed them. They talk about veterans moving on and creating space for fresh talent, but won’t do it themselves. That’s because what’s important to them isn’t the cheerleaders or the impact they have on these women’s lives, it’s the seniority, legacy, and power that comes with not leaving.

Money isn’t shallow, it’s a necessity

The DCC’s story of financial hardship encompasses what many women in America face. When women are asked to do free work, they are gaslit to do it “for the community,” for social causes, paid in gifts, or convinced that money isn’t as important as the opportunity. If you’re ever in a situation where this is happening, remember free botox, makeup, hair appointments, facials, gym memberships, and $60/week in meal prep don’t (and will never) pay the bills.

I strongly encourage everyone to read these books on women and finances:

• Secrets of Six-Figure Women by by Barbara Stanny

• We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power by Rachel Rodgers

• Smart Women Finish Rich by David Bach

These books highlight that women have to be about their money. It’s not shallow, it’s a necessity. We’re all too familiar with the wage gap and the lack of funding for women owned businesses, but this has long term effects on our health, our families, our communities, and the causes we care about. Imagine what the world would look like if more women had money to invest in business and social causes?

The work Amanda, Armani, Jada, and Megan was brave and powerful. Whether you’re a nurse, a CEO, a freelancer, or a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, focusing on being paid what you’re worth is revolutionary and necessary to your existence.

Women who don’t stand on business

The only women who alarmed me more than Judy and Kelli were the women in the show who thought getting paid more was unnecessary. Whether they actively participated in their own disenfranchisement, like Anna Kate and McKenna, or passively, like Chandi, these women are dangerous.

What’s so scary about women who participate in their own disenfranchisement is they inherently bring down other women with them. In the scene where Anna Kate is talking with McKenna at dinner, she explains that she signed up for DCC knowing she’d have to work. Both explained that they crumbled on the agreement to withhold their contracts. McKenna said she got scared and didn’t want to be “the only one,” and Anna Kate basically sided against the initiative. Then, there was Chandi, who came off very weird in the breakfast scene where the women were chatting about a pay raise. She later explained to her friend in her apartment that everyone else is way more outspoken than her, and she supports both sides of the pay argument.

Even when you don’t take a side, you’re taking a side.

At least Kelli and Judy had the excuse of being greedy, old, and outdated, but McKenna, Anna Kate, and Chandi had no excuse. They just aren’t girls’ girls, which was clear when Chandi brought a man to the sleep quarters, jeopardized everyone’s safety, and claimed it was because she was having a mental health moment.

Ultimately, it’s important to be careful of women like this in your life. Their lack perspective will always keep them in a selfish mindstate and create narcissistic tendencies. These are the kind of women make it hard for everyone else to succeed, yet will have no problem reaping the benefits and hanging on the coattails of risk-takers when it works out.

Welcome to Be Your Own MUA: a weekly series helping you master makeup like a pro. Each week, we talk about different aspects of skincare and makeup, and help you achieve mastery, so you can take ownership of your beauty journey, harness your femininity, and save your coins.

Last week, we talked about mastering your foundation like a pro and touched on the different types of foundations, under tones, color correcting skin type, and shade matching.

Today’s conversation is about concealer and will tackle questions like:

• How do I choose the right concealer?

• What level coverage do I want?

• What finish of concealer do I need?

• What concealers do you recommend?

At the end, I’ll share a breakdown of my favorite concealers based on price and coverage!

Types of finishes and levels coverage

Like foundations, concealers have different types of finishes and levels of coverage. The finish is how the concealer looks on skin and coverage is how well it hides blemishes, which can be full, medium, or light coverage.

Full coverage concealers are thicker formulas and can come off cakey if they aren’t applied correctly. The nice part about full coverage is it can always be thinned out or made more hydrating by mixing it with skincare, like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, or vitamin c. Full coverage concealer is a good choice for full glam looks that need to last longer than 8 hours, like weddings, big events, and if your’e going to be on camera.

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Medium coverage concealers can be built into full coverage by adding multiple layers. These are great for someone who wants to hide blemishes or hyperpigmentation and still wants it to look skin-like. Medium coverage is perfect for work, dinner dates, all day wear, and the gym.

Light coverage concealers finish more dewy and glowy, and are meant to balance out the skin for an even glow. Light coverage concealers are the last option for covering up blemishes, acne, and hyperpigmentation, but can be nice for the no makeup makeup look. Light coverage concealers are best for beach or pool days, quick looks, and for people experimenting with makeup for the first time.

How to use concealer

Concealer is basically tubed foundation. The wand allows more precision to hide or correct blemishes, bronze, contour, and highlight. Here are the ways to use concealer.

Hide blemishes and smile lines

To hide pimples, blemishes or smile lines, find a concealer that’s perfect match or a little lighter. Put a small dot on the spot you want to cover. Blend it in with a brush or a sponge until the spot disappears. Set it with a small amount of powder. After you’ve concealed all spots you want to cover, apply foundation on top.

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Not only did my makeup photograph beautifully, but getting ready for my wedding day was a breeze because I was confident in the look I was doing and didn’t have to deal with an outside party. For two months, I practiced daily and built a lineup of tried-and-true products. No arguing with a makeup artist, no surprises, and no $300-$700 price tag.

Learning to do your makeup is a muscle that just needs practice, so who better to learn from than professional makeup artists? If you’re getting married or considering doing your own makeup for a big event, this is your sign to take the leap.

Here are my three favorite YouTube tutorials from professional makeup artists for anyone who wants to do their own makeup for their wedding.

Learn contouring 101 with Patrick Ta

Contour is a critical aspect of your base, especially for an important day like your wedding because you’ll be taking lots of photos. To learn the basics of contour, I think learning from Patrick Ta is great because he’s known for a glowy, bronzy faces that looks skin like.

Lily James Makeup Tutorial: Hollywood Glow Look | Charlotte Tilbury

I love this tutorial because it’s quick (less than 3 minutes) and highlights all the key steps to a beautiful full glam look, including skin prep, concealer placement, and step by step process for a simple, shimmery eyeshadow that looks high effort.

Bridal Makeup for Beginners!

Spence is one of my favorite makeup artists to follow because he breaks down beautiful, full-glam looks in a way that’s easy to understand and follow. This bridal tutorial is a must for anyone looking to do their own makeup for their wedding.

After you watch these videos, I hope you realize that bridal makeup doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive, or stressful. All it takes is a little practice. If you’re wanting to do your own makeup for your wedding or another big event, decide to do it and start practicing.

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Full product breakdown

I spent months testing products for the perfect wedding day lineup. I wanted a durable foundation that looked like skin, waterproof mascara that could withstand lots of crying, a lip that looked natural, and brows that wouldn’t melt away.

Here’s the full product breakdown of what I used on my wedding day by base, eyes, brows, and lips:

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Welcome to Be Your Own MUA: a weekly series helping you master makeup like a pro. Each week, we talk about different aspects of skincare and makeup, and help you achieve mastery, so you can take ownership of your beauty journey, harness your femininity, and save your coins.

A common issue for beauty beginners is getting a flawless base. Your base is the foundation, concealer, bronzer, and powders, and can be tricky territory if you don’t know your skin type and how to achieve the right finish. Most people deal with base issue like:

• Creasing

• Separating or melting

• Color matching and undertones

• Color correcting

• All day wear

When you have a flawless base, it’ll look like skin with no flashback and lasts all day. Not only is mastering you base a huge confidence booster, but it’s one of the key pieces to mastering your makeup like a pro.

Today’s conversation is about foundation and will tackle questions like:

• How do I color correct?

• What’s my shade and undertone?

• What’s the best foundation for my skin type?

• What are the types of foundation finishes?

In future posts, we’ll touch on concealer, bronzer, powders, and finishing touches.

Types of foundations and finishes

There are three types of foundation finishes:

• Dewy - least coverage, glowy, skin-like finish, little powder

• Satin - medium coverage, also known as soft matte or soft glam

• Velvet matte - most coverage, no shine, airbrushed, camera and photoshoots, full glam

Dewy or glowy looks are great for everyday. These are often achieved with “serum-like” foundations that are loose viscosity, like skin tints. These can be great looks for people with dry skin. The downside to dewy or glowy looks is they aren’t always a good fit for people with oily skin, can enhance texture because the coverage is minimal, and tend to melt throughout the day because you’re using less powder.

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Two shades I don’t own AT ALL are blue and purple, and this is the palette I’ve been eyeing. You even get a little mint, turquoise, and teal in there too, which is so cool.

On TikTok, I’ve seen some great reviews raving about these palettes for being ultra creamy and pigmented, so I’m very tempted. As I mentioned, there’s also a good balance of mattes and shimmers. I say that because I’ve noticed a lot of indie brands lean towards mostly, if not all, chrome and shimmer pigments, which are great to have, but can be limiting to work with.

Mattes, on the other hand, are my personal favorite and I love that Cosmic Brushes palettes come with both.

For more makeup ideas for this palette, visit my TikTok.

If you’re a K-Beau…

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Welcome to Be Your Own MUA: a weekly series helping you master makeup like a pro. Each week, we talk about different aspects of skincare and makeup, and help you achieve mastery, so you can take ownership of your beauty journey, harness your femininity, and save your coins.

Most people don’t realize that skin prep is the most important aspect of your beauty routine. It’s like the breakfast your skin needs before a busy day of work. Not only does skin prep create a beautiful canvas, but it sets your skin up for all day wear.

I’m often asked what I use on my skin. So, it’s only right to give you a full breakdown of what I use and how to master skin preparation like a pro at the end of this newsletter.

Today’s conversation is about skin prep mastery and will tackle questions like:

• What skin type am I?

• What are the most important skin prep products?

• How can I skin prep on a budget?

And much more.

Core products for skin prep

Skin preparation doesn’t need to complicated. You want a clean face, hydration, protection, and a layer for makeup to go on, so the core products for skin prep are:

• Cleanser - what you wash your face with

• (Optional) Exfoliator - something to clear off excess sebum and dead skin if you’re having a breakout or are very oily

• Moisturizer - how you add hydration back into the skin barrier

• SPF - what you protect your skin against the sun with

• Primer - a layer to for makeup to grab on to

Yes, there are serums, toners, and masks, but their purposes are either to exfoliate or hydrate like the products above, so they aren’t essential. The products above are the perfect recipe for flawless skin prep.

Identify your skin type

Knowing your skin type is the first step to mastering skin prep like a pro. Skin type falls into three categories:

• Dry - your skin needs hydration and can feel flaky, rough, or stiff

• Oily - your skin produces enough oil that you get shiny or feel slippery

• Combination - there are times when your skin is dry and other times it’s oily

Skin can also be sensitive. Conditions like eczema, rosacea, hyperpigmentation, and acne are important to consider when choosing products for your skin type. These conditions aren’t a skin type, but they help tailor your skin care more effectively.

Products based on skin type

Depending on your skin type, you can lean towards certain kinds of products and ingredients. Dry skin gets the most hydrating products and light exfoliation, oily skin uses low hydration products and stronger exfoliation, and combo skin uses a mix of both.

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Dry skin

Find products with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, panthenol, and propolis (honey).

• Cleanser - creamy or milky cleansers

• (Optional) Exfoliator - gentle exfoliators with PHA or BHA

• Moisturizer - thick, rich moisturizers with lots of bounce

• SPF - glowy, hydrating SPF 50

• Primer - a hydrating tacky, primer

Oily skin

Find products with salicylic acid or azelaic acid.

• Cleanser - sudsy, foaming cleansers

• (Optional) Exfoliator - stronger exfoliators like AHA or BHA

• Moisturizer - lightweight, gel-like moisturizers and peptides

• SPF - mineral or matte SPF 50

• Primer - a matte, oil control primer

Combo skin

For combination skin types, mix and match from the options above.

• Cleanser - pair oil cleanser with a BHA cleanser

• (Optional) Exfoliator - medium-strength exfoliators like BHA or PHA

• Moisturizer - lightweight, gel-like moisturizers that aren’t heavy on the skin

• SPF - mineral or matte SPF 50

• Primer - a matte or balm-like primer

Sensitive skin

For sensitive skin types, there isn’t a perfect formula, but I recommend:

• Looking for soothing ingredients like PDRN, centella asiatica, azelaic acid, panthenol, and ceramides

• Avoiding strong exfoliators like AHA, fragrances in your products, and active ingredients

• Finding products that are dermatologist tested

Products I recommend

I’m obsessed with skincare and love so many brands. I pick and choose depending on the weather, how my skin is, and ingredients, but the tried and true brands that stand out with products for all skin types are:

• Abib

• CosRX

• Dermalogica

• Eucerin

• Good Molecules

• La Roche Posay

• Murad

• Peach Slices

• Round Lab

• SKIN 1004

What I use on my skin

Right now, I’m using two SPFs, Derma B’s Everyday Mild Sunscreen and Abib’s Green Tea stick, the ongredients moisturizer, VT Cosmetics PDRN spray and Cica Daily Soothing Mask (my 3rd one), Papa Recipe’s Noble Rot Toner (2nd one), and Round Lab’s Toner pads.

I just finished La Roche Posay’s Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser for Dry Skin today (LOVED IT) and will use another SKIN 1004’s Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam which is a back stocked one I’ve had for a while and this is probably my 6th or 7th time buying it.

Let’s talk about Ulta Beauty World, customers toxic relationship with corporations, and why public relations has to go beyond influencer culture.

If you can’t go to Ulta Beauty World, then where the hell can you go?

Not only are regular makeup lovers reminded daily that they’re NOT an influencer, but the spaces for regular people to talk about makeup or try out new products are drying up. That’s why events and opportunities like International Beauty Show (IBS), BeautyCon, SEPHORiA, Sephora Squad, and Ulta Beauty World were exciting. I say were because every year people take to the internet to talk about how most of these events for regular people are a flop and a huge waste of money.

Unlike PR lists and exclusive brand trips, Ulta Beauty World was marketed as an opportunity for everyday people to attend, which means that as long as you buy a ticket, you get to go, and the tickets were first come first served.

@cyb3ralissadid we all just beta-test the biggest queue failure of 2026? It’s okay, I was in it too #ultabeautyworld

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Only, it wasn’t. On ticket day, Ulta shared that only 3,000 tickets were available, and close to 3 million buyers were in the queue waiting for tickets. It was later uncovered that certain buyers were able to bypass the queue with invite only codes, and these are assumed to be influencers apart of Ulta Beauty Collective. While some everyday people did get tickets, it appeared the majority of attendees were influencers who didn’t wait in the queue at all.

Being regular is a crime

Even though everyday people support these companies, the love is rarely returned, which reinforces that the idea that being regular isn’t okay. Instead, love (in the form of free products, paid collaborations, and exclusive opportunities) is given to influencers with large followings, so that companies can sell to their followers. From the outside looking in, it’s a very icky and transactional relationship that’s all about profit and less about artistry, creativity, and innovation.

@ty.wvy😂😭😂😭😂😂😭

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If you have an influencer you like and trust, then it’s likely you’ve also grown tired of them pushing the same products with watered down reviews and paid advertisements. I’ve never related so hard to the “want a break from the ads” sound and the Strawberry Mansion movie as I do today.

The issue with influencer culture is that creativity, talent, honesty, and expertise won’t get you as far as being good at selling things. Instead of picking artists who are unique, companies prefer the person with more followers, even when they’re a dime a dozen.

Good cop, bad cop

From a distance, Ulta seems more customer-forward when you compare it to Sephora, but they’re two sides of the same coin: a company that wants you to buy, buy, buy. Sephora is like Ulta’s rich, evil step sister, which makes it easier to hate. As part of LVMH’s brand, Sephora has a less approachable energy. It’s more expensive, has less rewards for customers, and it’s black and white branding is serious and less friendly. On the other hand, Ulta has orange, pink, and white branding which has a playful and bubbly energy. It has a better rewards program than Sephora, and a drugstore section with cheaper products.

@kbmakeupme24I didn’t get a ticket either 🙃 #fyp #pov #viral #skit #ultabeautyworld

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Despite the different approaches, the reality is that both companies want our money and nothing more. Because Ulta’s done a better job at keeping customers happy, it’s easier to see it as the better company that cares more about its customers, but that’s not necessarily true.

Now that some time has passed and the anger has died down, I wonder if Ulta Beauty World was as serious as people made it or if it was shell shock from a company that’s been pretty good at keeping regular customers happy and showed their hand.

What are your thoughts?

But today, we aren’t talking powder, we’re talking lip liners and they tell another story.

@kereeeke#lipliner #drugstoremakeup #beautyvalueindex #colourpop #maccosmetics

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In contrast to powders, lip liners are a beauty product that, when compared by size, show that the cheaper options are almost always the best value. I compared and ranked 21 of the most popular lip liners on the market from cheapest to most expensive and found some interesting results.

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Let’s talk about the best value lip liners, the most unhinged pricing, and which brands are the biggest bang for your buck.

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So, if that were me… here’s what I’d wear to a special event at the gallery or museum. First off, these Loewe heels are to die for. Their shape is perfect, with plenty of arch for a sexy silouhette, but also a heel that looks sturdy enough for everyday wear.

The Ferragamo red outfit was so camp and fun, so I thought it was a perfect pick for a creative event. The Acne Studios bag is my favorite piece from this moodboard. It’s HUGE and the pattern is very special. I’m committed to only buying bags that have charisma and this Acne Studios bag is it!

The Marni jacket was a good pick to stay warm (as I imagine this art gallery event would take place in NYC or London) without stealing any shine from the primary outfit. I love gold so the Tiffany necklace just spoke to me, and the David Yurman jewelry did too, especially with the ruby detailing.

Anyways, this was blast to put together and I hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you have any ideas for the next outfit moodboard. Thanks for reading!

Outfit details:

• Ferragamo Mesh top and skirt with flower detail

• Loewe Toggle sandal in shiny smooth calfskin

• Acne Studios Camero Camera Flower Shoulder Bag

• Marni Wool and cashmere coat with shearling collar

• Tiffany Knot Pendant in Yellow Gold with Diamonds

• David Yurman Modern Renaissance® Bangle Bracelet and Stax Chain Link Bracelet

• Saint Laurent Gold & Brown SL M137 Amelia Sunglasses

The webinar revealed how brands like HERO, Medicube, and COSRX have redefined e-commerce success by mastering short-form content, community engagement, and social-first retail strategies.

Let’s talk about it!

The power of eCommerce: Amazon & TikTok Shop

Skincare remains the head honcho of the K-Beauty market, and for good reason. K-Beauty skincare is high-performing, affordable, and incredibly effective, and K-Beauty companies are using digital platforms to fuel that growth. Roughly 70% of all K-Beauty sales now happen online, with Amazon leading the pack at around $900 million in sales, which is a 55% year-over-year increase (holy!!).

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It’s exciting to see how far Danessa Myricks Beauty has come. From founding a brand that celebrates creativity and inclusivity to viral success with products like her Blurring Balm and Setting Spray that have taken social media by storm. But it seems like those wins are the high point of Black-owned beauty in recent years.

One of the most talked-about headlines in beauty recently has been the financial troubles at Pat McGrath Labs, arguably one of the most iconic names in luxury cosmetics. Once valued at over $1 billion and a staple in prestige retail, the brand filed for bankruptcy this year and is undergoing a restructuring deal where majority control is being transferred to a financial partner to deal with over $40 million in debt. Pat McGrath stepped down as CEO and moved into the role of Chief Creative Officer, continuing to lead the artistically.

Some say it was the cost of her products, others say it was due to private equity mismanaging money. While it’s not clear what the underlying issue was, the point is that a Black beauty brand fell on the sword.

Another beloved Black-owned brand, Ami Colé, closed in September 2025. Founded in 2021, the brand expanded into Sephora in 2022, hitting around 600 doors nationwide before ultimately announcing it could no longer sustain operations in the current market climate despite strong cultural support and over $3 million in funding.

Beauty Bakerie, celebrated for famous powders and vegan formulas that some alleged Huda Beauty actually stole from, nearly disappeared altogether. It was phased out of Ulta, and then the founder posted that it was closing so she could pursue other passions. Later that year, West Lane Capital Partners acquired the brand, allowing it to survive online. But, let’s be real, nobody cares about Beauty Bakerie anymore and it’s devastating.

Celebrity-faced brands like Serena Williams’ Wyn Beauty and Alicia Keys’ Key Soulcare (owned by e.l.f. Beauty) were also phased out of Ulta. Yes, we can blame marketing, strategic priorities, and celebrity greed, AND it’s not like Ariana Grande’s r.e.m. Beauty or Kylie Jenner’s brands are marketing any better they’re still on the shelves.

Though it’s not end of the world for these celebrity brands to be phased out, it’s a bummer that the representation is dwindling and the Black beauty brands are the first to go.

Plus, these closures don’t exist in a vacuum. Black women in the United States have faced significant employment losses due to federal layoffs and racist policies that disproportionately affected college-educated Black women, contributing to broader economic and financial instability.

At the same time, indie beauty brands (not only Black-owned ones) are under immense pressure. The major conglomerates like LVMH, Estée Lauder, and e.l.f. Beauty dominate shelf space and capital access, while smaller brands face debilitating retail quotas, tight cash flow, and shrinking distribution doors. Many indie brands that do break into retailers like Sephora struggle to meet sales expectations required to sustain those placements, making long-term survival almost impossible.

It’s disappointing to see such influential Black beauty brands struggling in an industry that they shape through spending, content, community, and creativity.

Have you noticed this too? What strategies, support systems, or structural changes do you think could help ensure that more independent and Black-owned beauty brands not only launch but thrive long term?

But, an interesting TikTok from user (hiyaimalex), revealed that drug store loose powders may not always be the most cost efficient when you analyze the cost per gram. What she concluded was:

• Mini powders are huge rip-offs: Despite their convenience, you’re paying a wild amount per gram, so it’s cheaper to buy the big one and put it in a mini dispenser from Amazon.

• Some high end are cheaper per gram and a better value: She highlighted that One/Size is one of the most cost efficient high-end loose powders around $1.04/g.

As a loose powder lover, I made a list of 21 of the most popular loose powders, and organized them from cheapest to most expensive and put ✨ next to brands considered more high-end.

@hiyaimalexBEING A BEAUTY NERD CAN SAVE YOU MONEY!! CHECK THOSE GRAMS!! Think I might need to make a physical chart/list for this… #frugalchic #moneysaving #scam #loosepowder #makeupshopping

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Not only was the Beauty Bay line outstanding, but the store carried other indie brands like Pink Honey, Trixie Cosmetics, and Made By Mitchell before they were available mainstream.

@laucaponWhy Beauty Bay has closed their website and why the online retailer is calling in the administrators #beautybay #beautynews #ukbeauty #beautyindustryprofessionals #learnwithlc

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Beauty Bay is one of many indie makeup brands that’ve closed in recent years (BH Cosmetics, Ami Cole, Mally Beauty, Cover FX, Becca Cosmetics). It really stinks that smaller, creative cosmetics companies are struggling to stay open because their collections are more fun, thoughtful, and offer unique color stories in comparison to the beauty giants that dominate the market and are stuck in the neutral brown phase.

With mega corporations like LVMH, e.l.f., and Estee Lauder companies dominating the beauty market, it’s more important than ever to support and uplift small beauty brands going against the grain and creating space for innovative products.

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With that in mind, here are some indie beauty brands I found and am interested in buying from:

• Cosmic Brushes UK - A UK brand known for their high performing eyeshadow palettes. They have some incredible color stories and I love that they have both matte and multichrome offerings.

• Chaos Cosmetics - Made in Texas and known for color shifting and multi chrome pigments. With this brand, you get a customizable experience with single pan shadows and build your own palette.

• Blend Bunny - One of the more popular indie brands. Notorious for its blendable pigments and I love that their collabs are with real-life beauty creators like Mei Pang and LA-based tattoo artist Chanel Diabla vs. collabs based off of cartoons, food products, and movies.

• Nomad Cosmetics - Another brand with magnetic pans and their palettes are based on destination themed color stories. Nomad is also part of the 1% for the Planet® Our Promise and offers clean, cruelty-free & vegan products.

• Oden’s Eye - Known for incredibly creamy and blendable shadows. If you’re looking for larger eyeshadow palettes, Oden’s Eye has 24 pan options that are cruelty-free and all of its powder products are vegan.

• Clionadh Cosmetics - A Toronto-based brand with fun, vibrant multichrome pigments.

• Unearthly Cosmetics - A Brooklyn-based brand that partners with artists for the palette art. Super fun color stories, palette art, and also sells lashes, lipsticks, and loose pigments.

• Glamlite - Another popular indie brand on TikTok known for fun collabs, beautiful pigments, and enticing collabs. Similar to P. Louise, Glamlite democratized PR-like gift boxes so they’re not exclusive to influencers. For around $100, you can get full themed beauty PR boxes and feel like an influencer.

• Wicked Widow - A smaller brand with fun collabs like Rocky Horror and The Crow palettes.

• Ensley Reign - Another brand with stunning multichrome pigments, vibrant color stories, and fun palette art that feels authentic and peaks curiousity. Looooveee!

• Jolie Beauty - A UK brand that sells concealer, blush, skincare, brushes, and has some really cool lipstick shades that remind me of Lime Crime. They also have some rad collabs that are calling me, including Ozzy Osbourne and the Cryptic collection (those cream cool contours look divine)

This color story is so fun! As a brown eyed girly, I love that this palette sticks to one realm of colors (purple) and has so many varieties of purple to play with. There are colors for all seasons, and I love that these colors run cool as well. What really draws me in to this palette are the shimmers. They’re stunning and I’ve found that it’s kinda hard to find purple shimmers (maybe I’m just not looking in the right places).

Despite this palette sticking to one color, it offers lots of dimension and variety to do fun looks and neutral ones for everyday. I’ve never tried Glamlite before, but when I do, this palette is the first on my radar.

Have you tried Glamlite palettes before? How do you like them? Any other indie brands you recommend? Share them in the comments!

For more looks with the Willy Wonka palette, check out my TikTok.

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I hope everyone is having a lovey start to the new year! For those of you who are new here, my name is Ryesha and I’m the writer and editor behind Beauty Bullsh*t. I’m a makeup fanatic and beauty-product obsessed cultural critic who has a unique lens at the intersection of beauty and technology.

Some see makeup and beauty as vain. Junk products for us to waste our money on, but when I look at beauty culture, I see a timeless industry that’s kept women, girls, and queer folks alive.

When I think about beauty, I think about how the Black hair industry gave Black women financial freedom, and transformed politics during Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, and throughout segregation.

I think about how makeup has given queer folks the armor and artistry to express freely in drag and ballroom culture. I think about how sex workers are some of the most influential makeup and hygiene gurus on TikTok, because they address and normalize taboo topics many women and girls are expected to keep hush hush.

I think about how exciting and empowering it is to offer hygiene and beauty products at the food pantry and shelters, and the impact those products have on someone’s confidence and ability to take on the day.

I think about how Madam CJ Walker used beauty to become the first female self-made millionaire in America. How FENTY Beauty shook the industry with a groundbreaking color range, and how Danessa Myricks used beauty as a single mother of two to create a lane for herself after she was let go from her job.

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I believe that the beauty industry is the most innovative, inspiring, and exciting industry to be in! (and I gave a presentation about it in 2022 at Denver Startup Week).

The beauty industry is amazing, and it isn’t without flaws. Companies continue to target children as a key demographic, and beauty standards are driven by capitalism, misogyny, and white supremacy that inflate our body dysmorphia. Inclusion and representation are a constant fight with more Black beauty companies closing, conglomerates are buying up the market and giving us the illusion of choice.

Despite the pitfalls, beauty is what inspires me to be creative and driven to create something for myself, and I see it doing that for others too. Seeing beautiful makeup in person or on television, smelling a lovely fragrance, or using your favorite bodycare after a warm shower are the best feelings, and I want everyone to have it. Go be an esthetician, go start a makeup brand, go create a YouTube, start sharing your beauty collection on TikTok! Beauty is the spark that keeps me going, and that’s why I do what I do with this newsletter.

Until next time xoxo

-Ryesha

Blend Bunny partnered with LA-based tattoo artist, Chanel Diabla, to create a palette that gives you variety: 90s nostalgia, showgirl glamour, and clown chic. The colors are playful, vibrant, and give a pop of vibrancy for everyday looks. I also love that there’s shimmers and mattes, because many indie brands are leaning towards all multichrome colors, and the Mei Pang x Rotten palette is all mattes.

Almost all of the palettes available at Sephora and Ulta are stuck in the clean girl, neutral brown color stories. Yes, browns and neutrals are staples in any makeup lover’s kit and it’s underwhelming when every palette at the store has the same shades, so it’s exciting to see a palette that’s outside of that norm.

I haven’t tried a Blend Bunny palette yet, but I’m strongly leaning towards this or the Mei Peng x Rotten palette. Have you tried Blend Bunny? Do you recommend any other indie brands? Let me know!

For more makeup ideas with the Diabla palette, check out my TikTok.