The Beauty Sessions

Ep 31: How Jenny Lei Built Handbag Brand Freja into an 8-Figure Business 01.07.2026 51min

What does it take to build a brand that lasts? In this episode, Sophie Blowfield sits down with Jenny Lei, founder of Freja — the cult handbag label that's quietly become one of the most considered names in accessories.Jenny started Freja in 2020 with no design background, no industry connections, and no outside investment. What she had was a genuine problem to solve: she couldn't find a sleek, functional, understated bag for a job interview. Six years and a few earlier ventures later, Freja is an eight-figure brand worn by Hailey Bieber, built on vegan materials, full price transparency, and bags designed from the inside out to move with your life.Jenny opens up about the early years when nothing happened, why she turns inward rather than outward for every brand decision, the real story behind the Hailey Bieber moment, and why "ask yourself why" is the only advice she gives aspiring founders. A masterclass in patience, intentionality, and building something that deserves to exist.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Freja New York on⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠Follow Jenny Lei on Instagram

Ep 30: Carol Han on Building Fragrance Through Poetry with Nette 17.06.2026 38min

What if a fragrance could begin as a poem? In this episode, Sophie Blowfield sits down with Carol Han, founder and CEO of Nette — the New York-based fragrance and candle brand redefining what luxury scent can be.Born in San Francisco, raised in Hawaii, and shaped by years as a fashion editor at Elle, Carol traces Nette back to the candle store her mother ran when she was a little girl, and the carefree childhood she's spent her career trying to bottle. The result is a brand where every scent starts as a poem, each fragrance is built around a fictional character living in Carol's head, and the mood-boosting benefits are backed by neuroscience.This episode is a masterclass in storytelling, intention, and building something people actually want to keep.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Nette NYC on⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠

Ep. 29: Dr Natazia zu Stolberg: Why All the Cool Girls Are Drinking Rest + Digest 13.05.2026 58min

Dr. Natazia zu Stolberg is a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, licensed acupuncturist based in Los Angeles, and founder of Dr. Stolberg — the brand behind the iconic Rest + Digest tea. She's also the co-founder of Space 314, a wellness space offering acupuncture, sports recovery, and personal training.In this episode, Dr. Stolberg shares the deeply personal health journey that led her to Chinese medicine — why she was on the path to becoming a Western medical doctor before everything changed, her philosophy that less is more when it comes to health, and why your smoothies and salads might actually be making your bloating worse. She breaks down the science behind Rest + Digest tea, to simple food recipes for people on-the-go and why slowing down is the most underrated health hack — this is the wellness conversation everyone needs to hear.Our listeners can purchase Rest + Digest Tea with 10% OFF a one-time purchase at DOCTORSTOLBERG.COM using code THEBEAUTYSESSIONS.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Dr. Natazia zu Stolberg on ⁠Instagram

Ep. 28: Frances Shoemack on Challenging the Status Quo with Abel Fragrance 29.04.2026 51min

Frances Shoemack is the founder of Abel Fragrance, a brand proving that natural fragrances don't have to compromise on performance or sophistication. A former winemaker from New Zealand, Frances left the wine trade after moving to Amsterdam, fell in love with the world of niche perfumery, and quickly realised that nobody was making luxury fragrance from natural, fossil fuel-free ingredients. So she built it herself.In this episode, Frances shares why Abel's new packaging took over three years to develop and why her philosophy of radical fragrance means never putting something into the world that doesn't have a reason for existing. This is a conversation about craft, courage, and building a brand that walks to its own beat.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Frances Shoemack on InstagramFollow Abel Fragrance on ⁠Instagram

Ep 27: Krystle Wilson on Modeling, Motherhood & Why Organization Is Self-Care 15.04.2026 38min

Krystle Wilson is a model signed to Elite Model Management and the founder of Everything Clear, a luxury home organization service based in New York City. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Krystle's career has taken her from studying fashion design in Miami to modelling in Paris — including a go-see with Azzedine Alaïa himself that she booked because of her genuine appreciation for the craft of design.In this episode, Krystle opens up about her early years growing up in Brooklyn, teaching herself to sew at 14, being discovered at a party in Miami and signing with Elite the following week. She shares why organisation is a form of self-care, how her fashion design background makes her approach to spaces completely different, and the products she swears by. This is a conversation about reinvention, intentionality, and finding beauty in every corner of your life.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Krystle Wilson on ⁠Instagram⁠

Ep 26: Inside Luxury Beauty with Sean Garrette: From Fenty Skin to Dior Beauty 01.04.2026 57min

Sean Garrette has held some of the most prestigious roles in beauty — first global ambassador for Fenty Skin then official skincare expert for Dior Beauty — but this episode goes far beyond the accolades. He shares the full story of how he was personally chosen to work for Fenty, what it was really like walking into the world of Dior as a man who didn't feel like he belonged, and why the diversity gains the industry made after BLM have quietly disappeared. He's candid about the loneliness of building a career that no one from his community has had before, and he's putting his next dream out into the universe on this episode. If you care about the future of beauty, representation, and what it actually looks like behind the curtain of luxury brands — this is essential listening.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sean Garrette on Instagram

Ep 25: Katini Yamaoka on the Art of Building Katini Skin 25.03.2026 40min

Katini Yamaoka is a musical artist and founder of Katini Skin, a luxury facial oil brand stocked at Bergdorf Goodman and Sephora.In this episode, Katini shares how her mother's natural beauty rituals planted the seed for the brand, what it was like building a luxury skincare line during the stillness of 2020, and the moment a Sephora buyer discovered Katini Skin.She talks about why she chose to focus exclusively on oils, how she created audio rituals that pair original music with her skincare products, and why beauty and music are both forms of self-care— this is a founder story about heritage, intuition, and building something that means something.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠Follow Katini Yamaoka on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠Follow Katini Skin on ⁠Instagram

Ep 24: Bec Wilson on the Power of PR & Launching Beauty's Biggest Names 18.03.2026 49min

Bec Wilson is a beauty PR expert and the founder of Eleven Consultancy, a brand building company based in New York specialising in strategic PR communications and events. With nearly 20 years in the industry spanning Sydney, London, and New York, she has launched and shaped some of beauty's most iconic brands — including Charlotte Tilbury, Victoria Beckham Beauty, Glossier, and Ariana Grande's REM Beauty.In this episode, Bec takes us back to the early days of Charlotte Tilbury when the eyeshadow quads were still in plastic lab containers and the founding team could fit around one table. She shares the lessons from Charlotte that still guide her today, what it was really like launching Victoria Beckham Beauty in the US, how beauty PR has fundamentally evolved over the past decade, and why she finally stepped out from behind the scenes to launch her own consultancy after years of building other people's brands. From the power of delusional self-belief to why hard work and self-advocacy still matter — this is an insider's look at what it actually takes to build beauty brands that break through.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠Follow Bec Wilson on ⁠⁠InstagramFollow Eleven Consultancy on Instagram

Ep 23: Dr. Ewoma on Radical Honesty in Beauty 04.03.2026 46min

From early skin struggles to becoming one of the most trusted voices in aesthetics, Dr. Ewoma Ukeleghe has built her brand SKNDOCTOR on a foundation of radical honesty. As an award-winning medical and cosmetic doctor, Contributing Editor for ELLE UK, she's collaborated with some of the world's most coveted brands including—Dior Beauty, Estée Lauder, Charlotte Tilbury, and Glossier — all while cultivating one of the most engaged communities in the beauty space.In this episode, Dr. Ewoma opens up about her pivot from traditional medicine to cosmetic medicine, why transparency about treatments and practitioners matters more than ever in aesthetics, and the exact skincare routine behind the glowiest skin on Instagram. She also shares why she believes beauty and fashion are inseparable, her approach to delegation as a CEO and content creator, and the self-care rituals that keep her grounded.This is a conversation about building trust, embracing imperfection, and why radical honesty is the most powerful tool in beauty.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on⁠ Instagram⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠Instagram⁠Follow Dr. Ewoma on ⁠Instagram

Ep 22: The Making of Merit Beauty with CMO Aila Morin 18.02.2026 51min

Merit Beauty didn't just redefine minimalist beauty—it redefined what modern luxury cosmetics could be. And behind that evolution is Aila Morin, CMO, whose approach to marketing prioritizes emotional connection over fleeting trends.In this episode, Aila shares her journey from working on beauty counters at a young age to leading marketing at one of the industry's most intentional brands. We discuss Merit's longevity in a saturated market, the strategic thinking behind launching Retrospect fragrance, and why understanding the consumer experience matters more than chasing virality.This is a conversation about building brands that resonate beyond the algorithm, why rejection is protection, and what it takes to create products that are both functional and emotionally significant.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on InstagramFollow Sophie Blowfield on InstagramFollow Merit Beauty on Instagram

Ep 21: Jordan Risa on Finding Inner Beauty with Seen Library 11.02.2026 36min

After a decade working with some of beauty and fashion's most beloved brands—Rose Inc., MERIT, Sofia Richie, Rhode, Gucci Beauty—Jordan Risa felt the shift. Social media had moved from genuine connection to relentless self-promotion. So she did something radical: she cut back on work and created Seen Library—a community for readers to connect in person through meaningful and inclusive storytelling.In this episode, Jordan shares her journey from influencer marketing pioneer to founder of a global book community hosting events in LA, New York, London, and Paris. We discuss the cultural obsession with appearance, why she focuses on historically excluded voices, and what it means to build community in an increasingly digital world.This is a conversation about intuition over metrics, quality over quantity, and what happens when you trust your unique point of view—even when it means walking away from what's expected.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on InstagramFollow Sophie Blowfield on InstagramFollow Seen Library on InstagramFollow Jordan Risa on Instagram

Ep 20: Joanna Ellner: From Multi-Award Winning Beauty Editor to Brand Founder with REOME 28.01.2026 45min

After 16 years as an award-winning Beauty Director and Editor—including her roles as Beauty Director at Stylist Magazine and Beauty Editor at The Sunday Times Style Magazine—Joanna Ellner felt disillusioned. Even the most science-driven skincare wasn't delivering tangible results. The answer didn't come from another lab or ingredient innovation—it came from studying Traditional Chinese Medicine.In this episode, Joanna shares how decades of conceptualizing formula ideas finally materialized into REOME in 2023—an elevated skincare brand that exists at the intersection of advanced biotechnology and grounding practice. This is a conversation about patience, expertise, and what happens when you refuse to compromise on either results or ritual.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow REOME on⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Joanna Ellner on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ep 19: Izzy Utterson on The Ultimate Glow Up Guide for 2026 21.01.2026 49min

Izzy Utterson has built a mini wellness empire teaching women how to level up and live their best lives. After leaving corporate marketing roles at brands including Charlotte Tilbury, the mindset coach and content creator has amassed almost 500K followers across Instagram and TikTok with her viral "Hot Girls Don't Gatekeep" series and practical glow-up advice.In this episode, Izzy breaks down why glowing up isn't just about aesthetics—it's about mindset, wellness, and showing up as your best self. She shares her journey from corporate life to full-time content creation, her approach to skincare, and why her glow-up tips have gone viral. Izzy walks through her complete AM and PM routines, reveals her best life hacks for staying organized without burning out, and shares the five most important things you can do to glow up your 2026.This is the conversation you need to start the year right.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Izzy Utterson on⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ep 18: Inside Pamela Anderson's Sonsie Skin: How CEO Kailey Bradt Is Driving Growth 14.01.2026 48min

Welcome to Season 2!In this episode, Sophie Blowfield goes inside Pamela Anderson's mindful beauty brand Sonsie with CEO Kailey Bradt—the chemical engineer turned founder turned leader driving the brand's most successful year yet. Kailey breaks down what it's really like working with Pamela, how they're building a plastic-negative brand without compromising performance, and why her product obsession is the secret weapon behind Sonsie's growth. From sustainability practices every brand should adopt to her biggest life hacks as a woman in business, this conversation reveals what happens when purpose-driven leadership meets serious formulation expertise. If you want the real story behind one of beauty's most authentic brands, this is it.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sonsie Skin on Instagram

Ep 17: How Isan Elba is Reshaping The Beauty Indsutry: Turning PR Gifting Into Community Impact 10.12.2025 59min

Isan Elba is building something radically different in beauty. As founder of Beauty Access and Beauty Forward, she's created a scalable, tech-enabled system that turns the industry's excess of beauty PR packages into dignity for underserved communities. In this conversation, Isan shares how receiving 1-3 PR packages daily led her to build custom inventory technology, redistribute over 3,000 products to women in need and partner with major brands like MAC, Giorgio Armani Beauty, and Tarte Cosmetics to do so. From recently speaking at Harvard Business School to challenging beauty's most entrenched gifting practices, this is the unfiltered story of building purpose-driven impact and using AI and tech for good.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Isan Elba on⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Beauty Access on Instagram

Ep 16: Solo Episode: How to Tell Your Brand Founder Story 26.11.2025 14min

Your founder story isn't just background information—it's one of the most powerful tools you have to build trust, attract press, and position yourself as a leader in the beauty and wellness industry.In this solo episode, Global Brand Builder, Sophie Blowfield breaks down exactly how to strategically tell your founder story in a way that actually drives results. She shares why most founders get this wrong, the framework she uses with her consulting clients to craft compelling founder narratives, and how to weave your story consistently across your content strategy.You'll learn:Why your founder story is a strategic asset, not a one-time postHow to lead with the problem, not the productThe transformation arc that makes people connect with your journeyHow to define your signature aesthetic and content pillars A practical framework you can implement immediatelyWhether you're just starting out or looking to elevate your existing brand founder story, this episode will change how you think about sharing your story.Work with Sophie Blowfield hereFollow The Beauty Sessions on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on LinkedIn

Ep 15: How Michelle Hu Built Étoile Into a Multimillion-Dollar Beauty Accessories Brand 19.11.2025 32min

In this episode of The Beauty Sessions, Sophie Blowfield sits down with Michelle Hu, founder and CEO of Étoile - the beauty accessories brand that's brought calm to the chaos of our beauty routines. What started as a chaotic morning in 2016 - getting ready in the dark with shocking lighting and constantly misplaced items - sparked the idea for a business that would transform how we organize and experience our beauty rituals.Michelle unpacks the scrappy early days of building from her bedroom with pixelated imagery and a living room converted into a warehouse, the moment she nearly ran out of cash and questioned if she'd make it, and the game-changing iPhone timelapse video that went viral and catapulted sales. Tune in to discover the strategic insights behind turning everyday beauty chaos into a multimillion-dollar solution, why scrappy content can outperform big-budget production, and how Michelle's approach to intimate, transformative beauty rituals is reshaping the accessories category.I hope you enjoy!Follow The Beauty Sessions on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Étoile on⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ep 14: How Alex Goldney Built Brands for Modern Brides and Luxury Skiers 12.11.2025 49min

In this episode Sophie Blowfield sits down with Alex Goldney, founder of Née and Slope Siren, for a conversation about building modern luxury brands that solve real problems. After her own frustrating name-change experience following her wedding, Alex identified a major gap in the market and created Née - the elevated name-change brand that's become the go-to gift for modern brides. In the same year, she launched Slope Siren, a luxury women's skiwear label that merges high fashion with performance.In this episode, Alex shares her journey from corporate digital marketing to founding two successful brands simultaneously. Plus, all the beauty secrets, what it's like living between Miami and Paris, and the upcoming product launches that are set to expand the Née universe.I hope you enjoy!Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow The Beauty Sessions on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Alex Goldney on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Née on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠Follow Slope Siren on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

Ep 13: How Neada Deters Created Lesse Skincare with Ritual Over Routine 05.11.2025 48min

In this episode of The Beauty Sessions, Sophie Blowfield sits down with Neada Deters, founder of LESSE - the simplified, elevated ritual of clinically advanced, active botanical skincare. Born and raised in Sydney by the ocean, Neada moved to New York after studying art history and theory, where she worked as a beauty editor before founding LESSE seven years ago. Neada reveals how her beauty editor background built an exhaustive archive of ingredient knowledge, why Australia ingrained a reverence for nature while New York demands uncompromising results, and how her philosophy of "ritual, not routine" transforms skincare from perfunctory to emotional.Tune in to discover the strategic insights behind building a luxury skincare brand, why refusing investor pressure can actually elevate your brand, and how Neada's approach to distilling nature's most potent actives into clinically advanced solutions represents skincare's future.I hope you enjoy!Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow The Beauty Sessions on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Neada Deters on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠Follow Lesse on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Ep 12: Launching a Luxury Fragrance Brand with Darcy Moore 29.10.2025 42min

In this episode, Sophie Blowfield sits down with Darcy Moore, founder of Belnu – the clean luxury fragrance brand redefining the industry through mood-enhancing scents, 100% ingredient transparency, and emotional connection. After years leading creative and art direction at Apple and running her own design studio, Darcy built Belnu – creating fine fragrances that don't just smell beautiful, but serve as tools for personal empowerment.Darcy reveals her transition from design leadership to fragrance entrepreneurship, how scent became her emotional anchor and the strategy behind Belnu's stunning visual identity. This is essential listening for beauty entrepreneurs, fragrance enthusiasts, and anyone curious about building transparent luxury brands.I hope you enjoy!Follow Sophie Blowfield on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow The Beauty Sessions on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Darcy Moore on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠Follow Belnu on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠