The Happi Podcast

It’s been said that difficult roads can lead to beautiful destinations.

Julie Longyear, owner of 15-year-old skin care brand Blissoma, had been enduring migraines and irritation as the result of her sensitive skin. Though starting her career in ceramics, these issues propelled her into the world of herbal chemistry. 

In this Indie Inc series, Longyear discusses how efficacy and sustainably go hand-in-hand, in addition to her work with compostable herbs and mindfulness with regards the amount extracted from different plant sources. Products are cruelty-free, vegan, made with solar power, organic and free from petrochemicals. 

Mary Engle, executive vice president, policy, of the Better Business Bureau, discusses fake reviews and testimonials ahead of the Federal Trade Commission’s informal hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 13 on its proposed rule banning the same.

Steve Capitani, president, of men's grooming company Wild Willies, discusses the brand's partnership with The NIL House on Brinx.TV and the secret to the brand's wild success. 

In the world of oral care, consumers are going the extra mile to achieve a million-dollar smile, and they’re buying into novel ways to do it: from purple toothpaste to LED teeth whiteners, oil pulling and more.

As we head into 2024, innovation is at the forefront of product development, and sustainable packaging in the face of climate change. When it comes to creating a dental product that aims to kill two birds with one stone, husband and wife duo Deepti and Wells Brambl, an engineer and former toxicologist by trade, have created B Corp-certified oral care brand Kaylaan. Loosely translated from Nepalese as a wish for good health, the brand’s hero product is its vegan toothpaste tablets – which, when chomped – create a toothpaste, and teeth get brushed with a toothbrush. The result? Clean teeth and fresh breath without the mess of excess toothpaste in the sink, tubes, boxes, and caps. Sound convincing? Kaylaan’s Deepti Brambl gives us something to chew on. 

ResearchAndMarkets.com projects the stain remover market to reach $6.1 billion by 2027 with a CAGR rate of 5.4%. Analysts say awareness of laundry hygiene in the wake of global health concerns coupled with an increase in innovative packaging options and environmentally conscious stain removers are circulating its growth. Indie fabric protectant brand ProofPlus is championing foolproof sustainability and safety from shoe-proof to home and baby-proof as evinced in its name.

Happi sits down with ProofPlus CEO, 25-year-old David Zamarin, who talks to us about his household cleaning brand, the establishment of which all stemmed from restoring a pristine pair of Air Jordans.

Loss of a friend to breast cancer inspired celebrity makeup artist Holly Eve to make her own powder deodorant called Madame Lemy. 

Former L'Oreal model Fancy Acholonu used the power of fragrance to cope with the loss of her mother. After creating her own intoxicating scent profile, she decided to bottle it up to help others feel just as good in a fragrance she christened, Simply Fancy.  

Don Frey, president and CEO of the Independent Beauty Association, sits down with Happi to discuss the association's take on MoCRA, state regulations, Cosmoprof North America and more. 

After he kids had an allergic reaction, mom-on-a-mission Stephanie DiPisa wanted to create a better sunscreen. A health issue shaped the development process, and now her brand, Solara Suncare, can be found at retailers like Target and Neiman Marcus.

Yashi Shrestha, head of science and research, at Novi Connect. She discusses digitizing formulation and product development with Happi’s Editorial Director Tom Branna.

Black Wolf Nation, a five year old, purpose-driven men’s grooming company is changing the way men think about skin care with an effiacious line of skin care products that men will want to shop for themselves. Founder Sam Lewkowict sat down with Happi to discuss how the brand came to be, current and future launches and the brothers' humble beginnings in Montreal in a snow shoveling business to becoming a Forbes 30 Under 30 company. 

Dr. Aanand Geria, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist. His practice, Geria Dermatology, has offices in Rutherford and Verona, NJ. In this podcast, Dr. Geria provides insights into some of the most common skin issues he sees in his practice from eczema to acne, the "Zoom effect," driving patients into his office, and stress's detrimental impact on skin. He reviews common OTC ingredients that have a positive impact on skin, and offers suggestions on how formulators can better serve consumers in their quest for a healthy skin barrier. 

Unhidden Beauty, an e-commerce business that launched less than a year ago, is all the hype on TikTok. The color cosmetics brand designs customizable eyeshadow palettes with a range of colors to allow consumers to make their own palettes and magnetic compacts designed after their favorite celebs from Real Housewives to RuPaul. 

On this Happi Podcast, listen to CEO Kiemu Salmon discuss her transition from medicine to makeup and her burgeoning business which she hopes to expand upon and parlay into retail in the coming year.

Entrepreneur Nina Liu is the founder of Kite Beauty. The fairly new convenience beauty brand is designed for the beauty enthusiast on the go, who may not have time in the morning to apply their makeup. Liu sat down with Happi to talk about her foray into the beauty space from the consulting industry and her aim to helping working professionals apply their makeup on the fly with the launch of her first product, On the Glow Concealer.

Happi Magazine’s Managing Editor Christine Esposito chats with Katie Klencheski, founder of SMAKK Studios. 

Klencheski helps high-profile direct-to-consumer brands embrace sustainability. 

She sat down with Happi to discuss the competitive advantage that comes from being authentic and the triple bottom line: prosperity, people and planet. 

Happi speaks with famed YouTuber and founder of hair care brand Hairitage about the brand's latest product launch, from hairstyling tools to biotin-infused shampoo and conditioner available in Walmart stores nationwide and on Hairitage.com. The mother of five also spoke of her inspiration to form the company after caring for the hair of her own children and some of her favorite products she uses herself. 

As the new VP of global integrated marketing at Black Opal, LLC, Eden Zeilo oversees BLK/OPL and Fashion Fair, two iconic brands in the beauty space.

In this Happi Podcast, Zeilo talks about what drew her to his new role at Black Opal, her own personal memories of Fashion Fair, and how both brands are leveraging their histories and meeting today’s consumers where they are with great products and messaging that resonates. In addition, Zeilo shares insight into recent events with key retail partners and shares strategy plans for BLK/OPL and Fashion Fair discusses challenges each faces in the competitive beauty category. 

Albert Chong, vice president of marketing at Ilia Beauty, speaks to Happi about leading the clean beauty company, innovating the customer experience, and generating global growth. 

Today, fast-growing healthcare technology Ro—perhaps best known for its ED treatment brand called Roman, is launching Ro Derm—a new gender-agnostic brand dedicated to dermatology-backed prescription products and services.

Dr. Melynda Barnes, chief medical officer at Ro spoke with Happi just before the launch to share details on the company’s new tact, which comes at a time when its dermatology products and services business is thriving. In this podcast, Dr. Barnes tells Happi that Ro Derm is going to reinvent the old-school dermatologist appointment experience, and will be exploring having a louder voice in skin health as well as beauty.

Ro Derm is launching with three capstone products making up the Custom Rx System, with soon-to-launch expanded product ranges and formulas all developed by the brand’s expert dermatologists, including: Custom Rx Treatment (formerly Nightly Defense); Custom Rx System, a three-product set designed that includes Custom Rx Treatment, Hydrating Cleanser (formerly Antioxidant Face Cleanser) and Protecting SPF Lotion (formerly Weightless Face Moisturizer).

Rebecca Robinson, Senior Marketing Manager, (Beauty & Personal Care), interviews Arnita Wofford, Global Marketing and Technical Director, (Beauty & Personal Care) and Senior Chemist, Alex Walther, on everything from the true definition of natural ingredients versus synthetic, the obsession with clean beauty, social media influencers, Univar Solutions extensive specialty ingredient offerings through our global supply chain and the beauty brands these beauty mavens live by.