Are beauty products from Amazon the real thing? Episode 164

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

You're listening to The Beauty Brains Show, where real scientists answer your beauty questions. And now, here's Randy and Perry.

Perry (0:17)

Hello, and welcome to a special episode of The Beauty Brains.

You know, my usual partner, Randy Shuler, is not here today. And instead, we've got a special guest. We have Sarah Bellum. How's it going, Sarah?

Sarah Bellum (0:31)

Good, how are you?

Perry (0:33)

Good, it's been a little while since you've been on the show.

Sarah Bellum (0:35)

Indeed, it has, Perry, indeed. Unfortunately, my career at Beauty Brains was not financially lucrative enough, so I had to go back and get a real job, which is kind of a bummer.

Perry (0:47)

But your job is still in the beauty business, right?

Sarah Bellum (0:49)

It is, it is, it is, it is, and you know, I still like to pop in and see what you guys are up to.

Perry (0:55)

Yeah, make sure that your husband makes any money.

All right, well, we've got a really big show for you. It's going to be different than our usual fare. We don't have any audio questions. We have a few news stories, but let's just see how it goes. So, hey, why don't we talk about a beauty news story?

Well, I'll let you go first here, Sarah. Sure. Wait, you know what? We usually have this witty banter chit-chat. Randy and I do. We talk about, like, what's going on. Is there anything going on?

Sarah Bellum (1:36)

Not that I can think of.

Perry (1:38)

Yeah, I'm running a half marathon on Sunday.

Sarah Bellum (1:40)

Oh, you run?

Perry (1:42)

Well, this is the point where Randy says, yeah, this has nothing to do with beauty. Let's get back to the show.

Sarah Bellum (1:48)

Do you want me to do that?

Perry (1:48)

All right. Why don't we just talk about Rihanna?

Sarah Bellum (1:51)

Okay, sure.

Well, I don't know if you've heard, Perry. I don't know when the last time you've been in a Sephora for any of your beauty needs, but Rihanna...

Perry (2:01)

I don't go there that often, but I do go there on the Internet.

Sarah Bellum (2:05)

Yes, yes. Well, Rihanna just launched a new...

Perry (2:08)

She's some sort of singer or something?

Sarah Bellum (2:13)

Just for the audience's sake, Perry isn't exactly up on pop culture.

Perry (2:17)

I mean, I'm not on pop culture. I know music from the 80s.

Sarah Bellum (2:22)

Sure. Well, Rihanna's a little more recent than that. But to be honest, she's been a little off the radar, so she hasn't come up with any new songs lately, so evidently she's been working on this makeup collection.

Perry (2:33)

There you go. That takes away from the music.

Sarah Bellum (2:35)

Sure, sure. So it's called Fenty, and I believe that's her actual last name. She's not just Rihanna. Oh, wow.

I think so. I think I've heard this.

But this is quite a big deal. There are women lined up out of sight of Sephora's here in Chicago. We need to get their hands on this new collection.

Perry (2:53)

So how's it different than just any other?

Sarah Bellum (2:56)

Well, Rihanna worked on it.

Perry (2:58)

But I mean, is there anything special about it?

Sarah Bellum (3:01)

You know, I took a look at it.

I wasn't super impressed. It's pretty highly pigmented, so it's a little more, I don't know, colorful, but it's expensive and not really any different than any other color cosmetics.

Perry (3:15)

Well, no different technology. I did read, though, that they came out with 40 shades, so it should appeal to a wide range of consumers.

Sarah Bellum (3:24)

40 shades of what, though?

Perry (3:26)

A foundation.

Sarah Bellum (3:27)

Oh, yes, yes. You know what, that is true. She was, I think, hearing her line towards more women of color, but in terms of technology, no, not that different.

And I wasn't that impressed with the packaging, either. Just an FYI.

Perry (3:43)

Oh. Well, perhaps you're not the target market.

Sarah Bellum (3:45)

I'm sure I'm not.

Perry (3:49)

All right, well, look for that in the holiday collection buying season near you, I guess.

Sarah Bellum (3:55)

Well, it's out now, but she's coming out with a special holiday collection.

Perry (3:59)

I wonder if we can get on the Fenty affiliate program for this advertisement.

Sarah Bellum (4:05)

Seriously. That way, maybe then Sarah Bellum can work full time for The Beauty Brains again.

Perry (4:11)

All right, speaking of makeup, Sarah Bellum, I saw this one story about experts suggesting that you shouldn't wear makeup to the gym. Now, according to the good folks over in market research that wearing makeup at this gym is now a thing?