Podcast

BeautyScale Insider podcast episodes and show notes

EP 10

The $60B GCC Opportunity

with Sarah Al-Rashid (Head of Beauty, Chalhoub Group)

42 min · Feb 14, 2026

Sarah Al-Rashid discusses the unprecedented growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council beauty market, regional consumer preferences, and why global brands are prioritizing the region as their strategic growth engine.

EP 9

Why DTC Doesn't Work in Beauty

with Marcus Chen (CEO, BeautyBridge)

38 min · Feb 7, 2026

Marcus Chen breaks down why direct-to-consumer beauty companies are struggling with unit economics, customer acquisition costs, and why successful brands are returning to retail partnerships.

EP 8

Sephora's Middle East Playbook

with Layla Khouri (VP MENA, Sephora)

45 min · Jan 31, 2026

Layla Khouri reveals Sephora's strategy behind its aggressive expansion across the Middle East, including store formats, merchandise localization, and how the brand is competing against regional players.

EP 7

The Niche Fragrance Revolution

with Alessandro Ferretti (Founder, Maison Ferretti)

36 min · Jan 24, 2026

Alessandro Ferretti discusses how niche fragrance brands are capturing market share from luxury houses, the role of social commerce, and why personalization is driving the fragrance category forward.

EP 6

K-Beauty's Next Chapter

with Ji-yeon Park (Director, Korea Beauty Council)

40 min · Jan 17, 2026

Ji-yeon Park explains how Korean beauty brands are evolving beyond skincare into prestige categories, their international distribution strategies, and what's driving the next wave of K-Beauty growth.

EP 5

AI in Beauty Development

with Dr. Nina Patel (CTO, SkinAI Labs)

44 min · Jan 10, 2026

Dr. Nina Patel discusses how AI and machine learning are accelerating beauty product development, reducing time-to-market, and creating competitive advantages for brands that invest in technology early.

EP 4

Africa's Beauty Boom

with Amara Osei (MD, L'Oréal West Africa)

41 min · Jan 3, 2026

Amara Osei shares L'Oréal's investment thesis for African beauty markets, including how the company is building local distribution infrastructure and supporting emerging regional brands.

EP 3

Sustainability vs. Profitability

with Elena Voss (CSO, Coty)

37 min · Dec 27, 2025

Elena Voss addresses the tension between sustainability commitments and profitability in beauty, discussing supply chain costs, consumer willingness to pay, and industry-wide standardization efforts.

EP 2

The Premiumization Shift

with Thomas Laurent (Partner, McKinsey Beauty)

43 min · Dec 20, 2025

Thomas Laurent analyzes consumer behavior shifts toward premium beauty products, what's driving premiumization despite economic headwinds, and implications for mass-market brands and retailers.

EP 1

Welcome to BeautyScale Insider

with Paul Chauveau (Founder, BeautyScale)

28 min · Dec 13, 2025

Paul Chauveau introduces the BeautyScale Insider podcast, discussing the publication's mission to cover beauty business from a distribution, investment, and market strategy perspective.