Fearless Beauties

To launch season three of Fearless Beauties, Taylor, Ralph, Beatrice and Alyna are going live for a special podcast recording for Spectrum Laser Training's student body and alumni. Together, they share their personal stories of how they got into the world of aesthetics, their hopes for the future and their goals for the upcoming season. They also touch on some of the themes they'll be exploring in the new season of Fearless Beauties, including why they're pertinent to the beauty industry currently.This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

In the last episode of season two, the Fearless Beauties team discusses how the cultural attitude towards men and the beauty industry is shifting to welcome a wider variety of fluid gender identities. They explore how the industry is slowly becoming more accepting of men who participate in beauty trends such as manicures, pedicures, makeup and skincare products, and why this signals a positive step towards a more inclusive world.This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

In this episode, the Fearless Beauties team explores the $5 billion-per-year phenomenon of child beauty pageants. Beginning with a brief history of the child beauty pageants, the episode also dives into the cultural attitudes they promote including toxic beliefs surrounding beauty and sexuality. The team also covers some of the devastating impacts child beauty pageants have had on contestants and their families in the past, and how we can flip the script to write a more positive narrative in the future.This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

These days, it seems like every celebrity has come out with a beauty or skincare line. In this episode, the Fearless Beauties team discusses the growing trend of celebrities, specifically musicians, taking the beauty industry by storm as they launch their own branded lines of cosmetics, skincare and more, while in the not-too-distant past they may have only stuck to fragrances. They explore how artists like Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez and many more have created their own beauty, cosmetics and skincare lines, and how this trend has impacted the beauty biz overall. The episode also dives into some of the pros and cons of this trend, a few of its common criticisms, and whether celebrity-branded products are actually up to snuff, or if they should be leaving it to the beauty industry pros.This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

In this episode, the Fearless Beauties team discusses the recent controversy surrounding Will Smith's slapping of Chris Rock at the Oscars in response to his comment about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The comment attacked Pinkett Smith's hairstyle, which is short due to her struggle with alopecia. This episode explores the negative reactions many people have when it comes to visible differences like alopecia, and how we can start a dialogue to reduce the stigma surrounding these kinds of conditions. This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

In this episode, the Fearless Beauties team explores how the beauty industry is changing as a result of new technological advancements. As the world of AI and digital technologies evolves, the beauty industry will benefit from new conveniences and exciting innovations like robot manicures, virtual try-on experiences, automated lash machines, AI skin diagnostic technologies and much more. Mary, Taylor and Alyna discuss these new advancements, weighing the pros and cons of the tech takeover in the beauty space. They also touch on the rising trend of personalized shopping experiences, and why consumers are expecting more from big-name brands now than they ever have before.This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

By catering to an extremely narrow segment of the population, the beauty industry has excluded many people throughout history, including those living with physical disabilities such as paralysis or blindness. In this episode, the Fearless Beauties team discusses the way people living with disabilities are (or aren't) represented in the beauty industry, today and throughout history. Mary, Taylor and Alyna take a look at how the beauty industry has been doing more to embrace those living with disabilities in recent years, and the reasons why there's still much more work to be done. The episode will explore the influencers and public figures who are helping to change the narrative and reduce the stigma surrounding their disabilities, as well as new and creative ideas for creating a more body-positive beauty industry that's inclusive of all shapes, sizes and abilities.

In the past, the beauty industry was reserved for only a narrow segment of society—namely white, cis-gendered, straight women. Now, the industry is opening up to accommodate a broader range of gender identities and reflect the diverse range of beauty we see in the real world. In this episode, the Fearless Beauties team explores the beauty industry through the lens of the LGBTQ+ community. Using several recent examples from popular culture and social media, the team discusses how the beauty industry is evolving to accommodate a wider range of cultural, racial, gender identities and abilities, and how influencers in the public eye have helped to drive this positive shift forward. They explore some of the key products, campaigns and figures in the beauty space today who are disrupting conventional gender and sexuality norms to usher in a more inclusive era of beauty and fashion.

In this episode, the Fearless Beauties team including Mary, Taylor and Alyna dive into the wonderful world of Korean beauty, AKA K-Beauty. Korean beauty and skincare products have gained a fanatic following around the world, while many of South Korea's treatments, trends and exacting beauty standards have made headlines for their rigidity. The episode will discuss why Korean beauty standards are so particular, and whether the country's products are really worth the hype. The episode will also dive into the history behind cultural fascinations like physiognomy or the art of face reading, which has been practiced for centuries in Korea as a way of divining a person's future.

In this episode, the Fearless Beauties team discusses the rising cost of beauty in our society. Reviewing some of the beauty industry's most expensive products and treatments, this episode will do a deep dive into the outlandish costs associated with skincare and beauty today, and how listeners can achieve similar outcomes without breaking the bank. This episode will explore the reasons why so many people are willing to shell out so much cash for beauty products and treatments, and how listeners can achieve improved skincare and beauty benefits without breaking the bank.

In this episode, the Fearless Beauties team discusses the world of clean beauty. They explore the different ways in which we all have the power to impact the planet and our personal health through our beauty and personal care choices. During the episode, they will touch on different clean beauty brands that are making a big impact through their sustainable business practices, and how we can all begin to make better choices when it comes to our environmental footprint in an effort to fight climate change.

In this episode, the Fearless Beauties team including Mary, Taylor and Alyna, will discuss the unfortunate trend of many People of Colour changing or shortening their names in professional settings to avoid discrimination. Referencing a recent Vogue piece by Editorial Assistant Aiyana Ishmael, the episode will dissect this common issue and how it often occurs within the beauty industry. Finally, Mary, Taylor and Alyna will discuss how we can discourage this trend and promote racial equity at work.

In this episode, the Fearless Beauties team chats about a popular trend on Facebook news feeds: coaching. They discuss the ads that pop up on Facebook and Instagram that promise to help viewers make six figures or more, but oftentimes are only making the coach rich and their clients poor. The team also mentions a few examples of what these coaches look like and explain the tell tale signs of a scam. Finally, the hosts share their perspective on why they believe coaching scams are so prevalent in North America today, and how we can all be more vigilant to avoid getting scammed in the future.

In this episode, Mary and Taylor tackle an important topic today: wellness. Wellness is something we all strive for, but unfortunately, more often than not, wellness comes with a price tag. During the episode, they ask the tough questions like, what can we do to create a more inclusive wellness space so that everyone has access to quality self-care? Mary and Taylor also discuss examples of who is creating an elitist wellness culture, and who is breaking boundaries in the space to create a more diverse and accepting landscape.

In this episode, Mary and Taylor discuss Fearless Beauties research on leadership roles currently held in the beauty industry. Together, they explore some of the top companies in beauty and discuss whether or not their leadership teams are truly inclusive. They also discuss how these companies have executed their promises to eliminate racial and gender bias within their workspace and products.This will be our last episode of 2021! We will be back in early 2022 with brand new episodes. Happy holidays!

In this episode, Mary and Taylor discuss the traditional lens the beauty industry tends to take when selling their ads, an approach that glorifies white, thin, conventionally beautiful women. Using examples of ads from the past 20 years, the two discuss the progress the industry has made in the right direction, highlighting the improvements that will continue moving the needle in the future. They discuss potential solutions for creating a more inclusive beauty industry and expanding our definitions of beauty to include more diversity.

In this episode, Mary and Taylor are tackling a huge issue that isn't often highlighted: ageism. They walk the audience through what ageism really is, what it looks like, and how often in today's society, it's shamelessly promoted. During the episode, Mary and Taylor also touch on their direct experiences with ageism while working in the beauty industry, and how we can broaden our society's definitions of beauty to encompass all ages.

In this episode, Mary and Taylor get historical. They discuss the history of the beauty industry, specifically looking into how we got to where we are today in society. From a historical and psychological lens, the two will chat about the history of racial bias in America, how it continues to affect the beauty industry, and what the ripple effect from the accepted “norm” today truly looks like.

In the first episode of season two, Mary and Taylor discuss how Fearless Beauties was born. Mary sasres her backstory as an esthetician, which led her to creating the Fearless Beauties program, while Taylor will discuss how her unique path into psychology led her to working with Mary. The episode will frame why both co-hosts are so passionate about leading the Fearless Beauties movement, while discussing their vision for the future.

In this week's episode, Mary and Taylor are back with the final chapter of the Fearless Beauties book, all about multi-ethnic skin. They discuss the unique characteristics of multi-ethnic skin, the best ways to spot potential disorders, and of course effective treatments. This is the final episode of our first season! Fearless Beauties will be back in September 2021.

Curious about the best ways to care for and treat South Asian skin? In this episode of Fearless Beauties, Mary and Taylor jump into the next chapter of the Fearless Beauties book by breaking down everything you need to know about South Asian skin. From historical climate conditions to cultural practices and food consumption, by the end of this episode, you will understand what’s behind the biggest concerns in the community and the most effective treatments available. 

On this episode of Fearless Beauties, Mary and Taylor continue the next chapter of the Fearless Beauties book, Transgender Skin! The two discuss what estheticians need to consider in the consultation and how that differs from cis-gendered clients, how hormones can affect skincare, common skin disorders, and the best treatments estheticians can offer.

On this episode of Fearless Beauties, Mary and Taylor continue the next chapter of the Fearless Beauties book, Transgender Skin! The two discuss what estheticians need to consider in the consultation and how that differs from cis-gendered clients, how hormones can affect skincare, common skin disorders, and the best treatments estheticians can offer.

This week on Fearless Beauties, Mary and Taylor jump into the next chapter of the Fearless Beauties book, Latin Skin. They discuss what estheticians need to think about when initially consulting with Latin clients, cultural traditions and norms to consider, prominent skin disorders, and of course, how best to treat them. To help them better understand the best practices, Mary and Taylor are joined by two Latina estheticians Janie Escamilla and Aimee Fuentes.

In this week’s episode of Fearless Beauties, Mary and Taylor discuss everything black skincare. What do estheticians need to consider in their consultations with black clients? What are the most common disorders and best treatment options? Throughout the episode, they take a deep dive into these questions and more, even discussing the best at-home skincare routines. 

Back by popular demand, on this week’s episode, Mary and Taylor are revealing more treatment room horror stories. The two sit down with Andrea Sellner and Hayley Wood, about some... more common than you might think scenarios and the ways that estheticians can best deal with them when they occur. 

This week on Fearless Beauties, we’re bringing you a special new edition of the show - an in depth guide on how to treat skin of colour; starting off with asian skin! Mary and Taylor sit down with Beatrice Van, Clinical Coordinator for Fearless Beauties and award winning esthetician to understand common skin disorders in asian skin, proper home care routines, and effective treatments.

Gender bias is deeply embedded in the beauty industry. In our sequel episode to “It’s A Woman’s World,” Mary and Taylor dive even deeper into where gender bias stems from in the beauty industry, how it affects male and trans estheticians, and what we can do to change the narrative. Thanks to our guests Ralph Cole, Richard Merill, and Aysa Wilson for your incredible insights!

Every esthetician has horror stories from the treatment room. This week on Fearless Beauties, Mary and Taylor sit down with Hayley Woods and chat through some of the stories they’ve encountered in the field. From hilarious reactions to shocking reveals, Mary and Taylor discuss how estheticians can deal with crazy situations in the most professional manner, even when clients are…well, less than professional. Huge thank you to Hayley Woods for sharing your experiences!

Fearless Beauties was created after Mary noticed that there was a gap in esthetic education -- very little mention of how to treat skin of color. In fact, most estheticians needed to take specialized courses to get the necessary training. As our population continues to become more globalized and diverse, it’s more important than ever to educate our estheticians on how to be inclusive when treating clients. Everyone deserves to feel beautiful and receive superb service, regardless of their race. In this week’s episode, Taylor and Mary discuss their 101’s on treating skin of color, bringing in special guests; Robyn Sutton, Lyneise Wilson, and Tracey Donley.

The beauty industry is female dominated. Men that work as estheticians are often thought of to be either gay or effiminate and more often than not, services are marketed towards women. On this week’s episode, we’re dissecting where our gender biases come from and how it plays out in the treatment room. From hyper masculinity, to cultural power imbalances, Taylor and Mary dig deep to uncover how we can grow as an industry together and support our male colleagues and clients. Thanks to our guests Ralph Cole, Adam Merkle, and Onisha Claire for sharing your eye-opening insights.  Learn more about our guests: Ralph Cole: https://skinwithralphcole.com/Adam Merkle: https://www.instagram.com/adammerkle/Onisha Claire: https://www.bossybrows.com/onishaclaire

What can large organizations do to make an impact on social change? This week on Fearless Beauties, Mary and Taylor discuss some bold moves that have been made by major beauty companies that have both positively and negatively impacted people of colour. The two discuss how we can move forward and the work that still needs to be done to create a fairer, more representative industry. Throughout the episode, Mary and Taylor are joined by Brynna Kibler, Founder of 7Esthetics, Jenni Nagle and Barry Eichner, Founders of Lip Gloss and Aftershave, and Onisha Claire, Founder of Bossy Brows.

For our fifth episode of Fearless Beauties, Mary and Taylor speak to some inspiring female founders about entrepreneurship, and specifically what it’s actually like to bring an idea to a reality. For companies to be successful, they need to gain traction in a focused, niche market where customers know what they want. By doing so, founders can create a unique value proposition that its consumers will not find anywhere else. This week Mary and Taylor chat with Beth Kenerson Managing Director of Esthetician Success Lab, Robyn Sutton Founder of Poised Professional, and Onisha Claire Founder of Bossy Brows on how they built their businesses from the ground up and really honed in on their niche in the beauty landscape.

How can we promote better inclusion of all races and genders in the beauty industry? This week, Mary and Taylor get to the root of the issue - the promotion of Euro-centric ideals of beauty. They discuss where it comes from and how it manifests in today’s North American culture. This episode features candid stories from Dia Fairley, from Gorgeous Glow Aesthetics in Atlanta, our co-host Taylor Phillip, and Noelle Schwartzkopf from You Matter Beauty. Each guest discusses their own experiences in the beauty industry as people of colour and what action they believe needs to be taken to create a better future.

For our third episode of Fearless Beauties, Mary chats with now co-host Taylor Phillip about one of the main reasons this show exists; social injustice in the beauty industry. The two discuss how social injustice came about, why the beauty industry is holding on to Euro-centric ideals of what constitutes ‘beautiful’, and the inherent issues that are still facing the industry today for people of colour. This episode features emotional and moving stories from estheticians on the front lines; Krystal Martos, the owner of Sugar Mamma, Taea Campbell, the previous Assistant Director at the Premier Esthetics Institute in Bend, and currently an esthetician in Jacksonville at an Aveda concept salon, and Nichelle Mosley, the owner of Queen City Beauty. Each interview discusses an experience of social injustice, what we can do better moving forward, and why social media can be toxic and a tool for change. 

In our second episode of Fearless Beauties, Mary sits down with Megan Rayo, Media Coordinator at Fearless Beauties to tell the stories of how three inspiring, successful estheticians got their start. The two discuss how Mary found esthetics and started her business, before moving into stories from Dia Fairley, Atlanta-based esthetician and founder of Gorgeous Glow Aesthetics, Kayt Crow, the General Manager at Lash Lounge in Portland and Lake Oswegostory, and Nichelle Mosley, the Founder of Queen City Beauty. Each interview sheds light on how to find your niche, the inherent biases that exist within the beauty industry towards women of colour, and how to become a great esthetician, regardless of adversity.

In our first ever episode, Mary Nielsen sits down with Taylor Phillip, social media coordinator at Fearless Beauties and fellow producer of the podcast. The two discuss how estheticians get their start in the beauty industry and the key challenges facing them when they do. The episode documents three impactful stories from Noelle Schwartzkopf, the owner of You Matter Beauty, Sonia Dumas, a Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner and the owner of A Touch of Youth, and Krystal Martos, the owner of Sugar Mamma. Each interview offers a unique perspective of starting out in the beauty industry as women of colour, and points to the changes that need to be made to create a level playing field.

Welcome to Fearless Beauties, a podcast dedicated to elevating voices of color in the beauty industry. Every week, host Mary Nielsen talks to estheticians, skin specialists, and business owners to uncover best skin practices, tactical career tips, and ultimately, how we can create a better beauty industry together.