The Cosmetic Chronicles – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to the first episode of The Cosmetic Chronicles!

This episode delves into the rich history of Maybelline, a brand that has shaped the cosmetics industry for over a century. Listen as I explore the brand's origins in Chicago, their innovative products and marketing, the infamous Lash Lure scandal that led to significant changes in cosmetic safety regulations, and its evolution into a global powerhouse in the beauty market.

My sources:

• https://www.madeinchicagomuseum.com/single-post/maybelline-co/
• https://www.cosmeticsandskin.com/companies/maybelline.php
• https://www.aao.org/lifetime-engaged-ophthalmologist/perspective/article/lash-lure-paraphenylenediamine-toxic-beauty
• https://www.loreal.com/en/consumer-products-division/maybelline-new-york/

Connect with me:

Instagram: @glowandflowbysarah

Substack: Glow + Flow Collective

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Maybelline, cosmetics history, beauty brands, Lash Lure scandal, celebrity marketing, makeup innovations, cosmetic safety, global expansion, beauty journalism, makeup products

Welcome back to Beauty Bulletin by The Cosmetic Chronicles! This is your biweekly roundup of the biggest stories shaping the beauty world right now.

Connect with me:

Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠@glowandflowbysarah⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Substack:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Glow + Flow Collective⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LTK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop the Pod⁠⁠

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beauty news, cosmetic industry, brand updates, beauty market, celebrity partnerships, retail news, Ulta Beauty, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, holiday sales, BFCM sales, LVMH, BDX, fragrance, billie eilish, batiste, chloe kim, rituals, london, uk beauty retail, 2026 makeup trends, 2026 makeup predictions

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Sources for this week:

• https://www.gcimagazine.com/consumers-markets/news/22956134/ulta-beauty-ulta-beauty-announces-third-quarter-fiscal-2025-results

• https://www.gcimagazine.com/brands-products/news/news/22956055/tiktok-shop-sees-over-500m-in-sales-during-bfcm-weekend

• https://www.gcimagazine.com/brands-products/fragrance-home/news/22955764/lvmh-makes-minority-investment-in-bdk-parfums

• https://beautynewsdaily.com/bdk-parfums-lands-investment-from-lvmh-luxury-ventures/

• https://beautynewsdaily.com/this-works-expands-into-fine-fragrance/

• https://beautynewsdaily.com/rituals-unveils-the-uks-first-ever-mind-oasis/

• https://www.gcimagazine.com/brands-products/fragrance-home/news/22955464/where-dark-meets-light-billie-eilish-announces-new-fragrance

• https://beautynewsdaily.com/chloe-kim-joins-batiste-as-global-ambassador/

• https://www.allure.com/story/makeup-trends-2026

• https://www.instagram.com/p/DPl9TsYjSWN/

Welcome to The Cosmetic Chronicles!

In this episode, I’m diving into the backstory of one of my personal faves: ColourPop Cosmetics AKA the creator of the Super Shock Shadow and a brand that should have a gold medal in intellectual property collabs.

Connect with me:

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@glowandflowbysarah⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Glow + Flow Collective⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Shop the Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LTK⁠⁠⁠⁠

Sources:

• https://colourpop.com/pages/about-us

• https://www.shopify.com/blog/214945353-seed-beauty-kylie-cosmetics

• https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/05/111883/colourpop-founders-video-interview

• https://grokipedia.com/page/ColourPop_Cosmetics

• https://www.thelist.com/359037/the-untold-truth-of-colourpop-cosmetics/

• https://crowdfavorite.com/casestudies/colourpop-18-months-of-sales-in-a-single-cyber-monday/

• https://people.com/style/colourpop-is-the-brand-that-everyone-you-know-and-every-influencer-you-love-is-obsessed-with-heres-why/

• https://www.allure.com/story/colourpop-x-hello-kitty-photos

• https://fashionista.com/2017/08/buy-colourpop-sephora-holiday-2017

• https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2018/02/colourpop-makes-an-entrance-at-ulta.html

• https://www.thecut.com/2018/06/colourpop-launched-their-new-42-shade-matte-foundation-line.html

• https://www.licenseglobal.com/beauty-cosmetics/colourpop-ten-years-of-beauty-excellence

• https://www.popsugar.com/beauty/colourpop-hello-kitty-makeup-collection-48379461

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/naoshagregg/2025/07/07/for-colourpop-dupe-culture--community-reign-supreme/

• https://ecdb.com/resources/sample-data/retailer/colourpop

• https://www.allure.com/story/colourpop-cosmetics-facts

• https://steemit.com/beauty/@camposmusing/colourpop-your-way-down-through-history-let-s-talk-affordable-cruelty-free-beauty

• https://www.elle.com/beauty/makeup-skin-care/news/a33357/colourpop-cosmetics-instagram/

• https://fashionista.com/2016/01/colourpop-instagram-beauty

• • https://www.businessoffashion.com/news/beauty/kylie-jenner-considers-buying-back-cotys-600-million-stake-in-her-makeup-brand/
  • https://unprettyvanity.com/2019/11/28/colourpop-so-jaded-palette-dupe/

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  colourpop cosmetics, beauty, makeup, super shock shadows, affordable beauty, fast makeup, makeup trends, influencer marketing, ecommerce, brand evolution, cosmetic trends, beauty journalism, beauty brand, makeup history, cosmetics, success, sales, Cyber Monday, marketing strategy, beauty industry

  
  

Welcome back to Beauty Bulletin by The Cosmetic Chronicles! This is your biweekly roundup of the biggest stories shaping the beauty world right now.

Connect with me:

Instagram: ⁠@glowandflowbysarah⁠

Substack: ⁠Glow + Flow Collective⁠

LTK: Shop the Pod

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beauty news, cosmetic industry, brand updates, celebrity partnerships, beauty regulations, retail news

Sources for this week:

• https://newsroom.sephora.com/sephora-launches-my-sephora-storefront-to-empower-creators/

• https://www.gcimagazine.com/brands-products/news/news/22951075/loral-usa-announces-key-leadership-changes-setting-off-succession-cascade-greenberg-to-chairman-perakisvalat-to-ceo-more

• https://www.retaildive.com/news/mass-beauty-outpaces-prestige-first-half-2025/758728/

• https://www.glamour.com/story/old-navy-beauty-is-coming-and-some-stores-will-even-have-a-counter

• https://beautynewsdaily.com/hourglass-founder-acquires-and-relaunches-nature-of-things/

• https://beautynewsdaily.com/martha-stewart-launches-elm-biosciences/

• https://beautynewsdaily.com/miley-cyrus-is-the-new-face-of-maybelline-new-york/

• https://beautynewsdaily.com/leighton-meester-joins-bubble-as-first-global-brand-ambassador/

• https://www.marieclaire.com/beauty/makeup/merit-brandon-maxwell-collab-makeup-bag-lipstick/

• https://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/regulations/safety/news/22950090/fda-launches-realtime-adverse-event-dashboard-for-cosmetics

Welcome to the Cosmetic Chronicles!

In this episode, we're talking L'Oréal — the company who originally started in 1909 as an innovative hair dye brand and became a global beauty leader. And don't worry, we'll also get into their iconic tagline, 'Because I'm Worth It,' and how it has empowered women for decades.

Connect with me:

My sources:

• https://www.loreal.com/en/group/culture-and-heritage/l-oreal-history/

• https://www.lorealparisusa.com/our-history

• https://www.businessofbusiness.com/articles/history-of-loreal-far-right-cosmetics/

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Or%C3%A9al

• https://www.britannica.com/money/LOreal

• https://brandminds.com/the-story-behind-the-brand-loreal/

• https://wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/beauty-features/gallery/time-line-the-history-of-loreal/

• https://beautymatter.com/articles/loreal-and-the-louvre-museum

• https://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/makeup/a44928406/lancome-louvre-makeup-skincare-collaboration-2023/

• https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/beauty/why-loreal-wants-to-take-you-on-a-tour-of-the-louvre

• https://www.thebeautyinfluencers.com/2020/12/22/makeup-museum-and-loreal-usa-partner-to-launch-first-inclusive-beauty-history-book/

• https://www.loreal.com/en/videos/brands/manifesto-loreal-paris/#:~:text=The%20iconic%20L'Or%C3%A9al%20Paris,because%20they%20were%20worth%20it.

• https://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/makeup/a44928406/lancome-louvre-makeup-skincare-collaboration-2023/

• https://us.lisaeldridge.com/pages/my-world#:~:text=Lisa's%20expertise%20and%20vision%20have,resides%20as%20Global%20Creative%20Director.

• https://www.loreal.com/-/media/project/loreal/brand-sites/corp/master/lcorp/7-local-country-folder/italy/press-release/finance/loreal-2024-annual-results/pr2024fullyearen0.pdf?

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_GvlikmZzc

Welcome back to the Cosmetic Chronicles! We're doing something a little different this week....Introducing the Beauty Bulletin — your biweekly roundup of the biggest stories shaping the beauty world right now.

Don't worry, the beauty brand deep dives are still here. I'll just be releasing them on a biweekly basis and in our off weeks, we're going to chat current beauty news!

Sources for this week:

https://www.reuters.com/business/beauty-group-puigs-first-half-profit-up-79-it-tackles-us-tariffs-2025-09-09/

https://beautynewsdaily.com/glossier-appoints-colin-walsh-ceo/

https://beautynewsdaily.com/chantecaille-appoints-tennille-kopiasz-as-new-ceo/

https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/beauty/balenciaga-goes-back-to-its-roots-for-new-fragrance-launch

https://www.byrdie.com/sincerely-yours-launch-11808966

https://www.ft.com/content/a6b65586-991c-49e3-8487-a88cdf84c658

https://beautynewsdaily.com/doja-cat-joins-mac-cosmetics-as-global-ambassador/

https://www.beautyscene.net/makeup/kristin-davis-it-cosmetics-partner/

https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/fashion/article/gel-nail-polish-banned-europe-rvnhgdscx

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/money/15344814/british-beauty-chain-to-shut-another-30-stores-starting-tomorrow-after-collapsing-into-administration/

Connect with me:

Instagram: @glowandflowbysarah

Substack: Glow + Flow Collective

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beauty news, cosmetic industry, brand updates, celebrity partnerships, beauty regulations, retail news

Welcome to the Cosmetic Chronicles!

Get ready to aggressively splash your face with water. It's Neutrogena week! In this episode, we’re covering all things fresh-faced and clean skin. Neutrogena is the brand that started with a single amber bar of soap and became a worldwide, dermatologist-recommended skincare company.

My sources:

• https://www.neutrogena.com/why-neutrogena

• https://www.kenvue.com/news-features/8-things-you-might-not-know-about-neutrogena

• https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/neutrogena-corporation

• https://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/neutrogena-corporation-history/

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrogena

• https://ads.spotify.com/en-US/inspiration/neutrogena-case-study/

• https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituary-lloyd-cotsen-chairman-of-neutrogena-soap-firm-collector-and-benefactor-1449848

• https://paw.princeton.edu/article/lives-lloyd-e-cotsen-50

• https://www.allthescience.org/what-is-helioplex.htm

• https://www.allure.com/story/neutrogena-skin360-app-naia-assistant

• https://www.beautyalmanac.com/article/neutrogena-hydro-boost-collection/2159

• https://www.newlove-makeup.com/2011/10/neutrogena-rapid-wrinkle-repair-line.html

• https://www.allure.com/story/neutrogena-skin360-app-naia-assistant

• https://www.byrdie.com/danessa-myricks-neutrogena-skin-prep-kits-11793237

• https://www.cvs.com/shop/merch/danessa-neutrogena?widgetID=7xy30eep&mc=cvscontentpage&icid=shop-beauty-danessa-two-by

Welcome to the Cosmetic Chronicles!

In this episode we're diving into Revlon, the brand that started as a small line of nail polishes and became one of the largest mass market beauty brands in the word.

My sources:

• https://cosmeticsandskin.com/companies/revlon.php

• https://cosmeticsandskin.com/companies/revlon-1945.php

• https://cosmeticsandskin.com/companies/revlon-1960.php

• https://www.businessinsider.com/rise-fall-revlon-photos-history-2022-6

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revlon

• https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-cosmetics-12270b68973a5a463360df0ba0be444e

• https://shopping.yahoo.com/beauty/makeup/article/americas-no-1-favorite-lipstick-is-on-sale-for-a-mere-6--nearly-40-off-203804836.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADeuO5w4uDKENk9pbMzY9wOr8CahyVGwz6Au_OK-YY11KYSJ0UvyQL5102c2lKaZVxi40XvyZCl_XiVt6NFMBAw-36O9IZYHF2awG8v-Cntw6gN1NOzjpVybZkksE9WuARl55BSt25PIy81Fu68OAo9hPpDnqH58MlCXociKNBWH

• https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Ice-Charles-Revson-theRevlon/dp/0688030238

• https://www.revloncorp.com/pages/our-founders

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usrhAo9KOCU

• https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/fashion/features/how-revlon-created-the-scarlet-woman-7606558.html

• https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2011/aug/31/a-brief-history-revlon

• https://laurakitty.substack.com/p/revlon-fire-and-ice

• https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-cosmetics-12270b68973a5a463360df0ba0be444e

• https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230502005926/en/Revlon-Emerges-from-Chapter-11-Reorganization

• • https://beautymatter.com/articles/revlon-has-emerged-from-bankruptcy

  
  

  Connect with me:

  • Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@glowandflowbysarah⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Glow + Flow Collective⁠
  • Shop the Podcast: LTK

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  Revlon, beauty history, cosmetics, marketing strategies, Charles Revson, bankruptcy, resurgence, drugstore beauty

Welcome to the Cosmetic Chronicles!

In this episode we're exploring the fascinating journey of elf cosmetics, a brand that has achieved remarkable and continued success from its founding in 2004 to its expansion into retail and strategic acquisitions, including that Rhode deal that broke the internet.

My sources:

• ​​https://beautymatter.com/articles/start-up-to-ipo-the-story-of-elf-beauty

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.l.f.

• https://www.allure.com/story/elf-cosmetics-facts

• https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/elf-cosmetics-brand-history

• https://hbr.org/2025/01/the-ceo-of-e-l-f-beauty-on-maintaining-a-startup-culture-while-scaling

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2024/11/26/what-makes-elf-beauty-a-sticky-brand-besides-its-power-grip-primer/

• https://investor.elfbeauty.com/stock-and-financial/press-releases/landing-news/2025/05-28-2025-210536607#:~:text=e.l.f.%20Cosmetics%20founded%20in%202004,world's%20leading%20global%20prestige%20retailer.&text=Under%20the%20terms%20of%20the,million%20on%20March%2031%2C%202025.

• https://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/09/otr.elf/index.html

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moo80FP9M_Q

• https://angelusnews.com/local/california/scott-vincent-borba-seminarian/

• https://freetrade.io/news/e-l-f-and-the-big-business-of-beauty

• https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200224005813/en/e.l.f.-Acquires-Clean-Beauty-Company-W3LL-PEOPLE-to-Expand-Brand-Portfolio

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@glowandflowbysarah⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Glow + Flow Collective⁠
• elf x jennifer coolidge reel: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1IOVvxuM2Q/

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Elf Cosmetics, beauty industry, marketing strategy, direct-to-consumer, revenue growth, product innovation, retail expansion, acquisitions, community engagement, affordable beauty

Welcome to the Cosmetic Chronicles!

In this episode, we're covering the easy, (not always) breezy, beautiful history of CoverGirl. From its origins as a Noxema-produced medicated cosmetic to outselling Maybelline in the United States to a failed rebrand in 2017, we're hitting all the company's highs and lows.

My sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CoverGirl

• https://www.covergirl.com/about-us

• https://www.doublexeconomy.com/post/cover-girl-makeup-a-classic-story-of-women-in-advertising

• https://sirismm.si.edu/EADpdfs/NMAH.AC.0374.pdf

• https://cosmeticsandskin.com/companies/cover-girl.php

• https://www.allure.com/story/covergirl-amy-deanna-model-vitiligo

• https://www.glossy.co/beauty/why-covergirls-rebrand-fell-flat/

• https://www.businessinsider.com/cover-girl-has-ditches-its-signature-easy-breezy-slogan-2017-10

• https://www.glossy.co/beauty/a-complete-breakdown-of-the-covergirl-relaunch/

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvteH-rDGHo

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8ObzbqFP5Y&t=6s

Connect with me:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@glowandflowbysarah⁠⁠⁠

Substack: ⁠⁠⁠Glow + Flow Collective⁠

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CoverGirl, beauty industry, Noxema, makeup history, iconic products, beauty trends, makeup artist, cosmetic brands, beauty journalism, makeup innovation