In episode forty six of the Glow Journal podcast, host Gemma Watts talks to New York Times beauty writer and founder of Ellis Brooklyn, Bee Shapiro.

I consider Bee Shapiro to be something of a beauty oracle. Having covered style and beauty for the New York Times for over 12 years, Bee has interviewed countless CEOs and celebrities, been afforded unbridled access to the beauty cabinets and handbags of your favourite actors and actresses and trialled products that you and I haven’t even heard of- yet. I have long admired Bee and her work, not just for her insider knowledge and ability to list New York City’s top five facialists and their contact details on next to no notice, but for her intellect, her wit and, of course, her writing style. 

A law school graduate and former hedge fund attorney, Bee became a fashion writer for the New York Times in 2008 and was soon relocated to the beauty department where she began penning her column Skin Deep, which has since been published as a book of 40 plus interviews. 

In 2013, pregnant with her first daughter, Bee noticed that many of the brands that landed on her desk were making the move to “clean” formulations. Clean beauty was undoubtedly on the rise, with luxury brands embracing what was once a Whole Foods style sub section of beauty, but Bee noticed that very few fragrance houses were following suit. 

In 2015, Ellis Brooklyn was born- a luxury, niche fragrance house devoted to clean, small-batch-made scents. 

I’ve learned so much through watching Bee’s work from afar, so having over an hour to chat with her was a genuine privilege. Having worked in beauty for so long, Bee’s insights into cosmetics and media are invaluable to anyone with an interest in either. I’ve so enjoyed speaking to the founders of, quote unquote, niche brands of late, as something that keeps coming up is the increasing appetite consumers have to align themselves brands they really do believe in- brands with a story, brought to life by founders they trust. 

This episode was recorded remotely, myself in Melbourne and Bee in New York, so if you would prefer to read the interview you can find the complete transcript on glowjournal.com.

In this conversation, Bee and I discuss how social media has affected traditional journalism, how bringing others into the fold of your business keeps you accountable, and why consumers are no longer content with simply consuming beauty- they want to connect with it.

You can read this interview now at: glowjournal.com/interview-ellis-brooklyn-founder-bee-shapiro

Follow Ellis Brooklyn on Instagram at @ellisbrooklyn

Stay up to date with Gemma on Instagram at @gemkwatts and @glow.journal, or get in touch at hello@gemkwatts.com

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