Sephora & Olive Young Predictions: The Beauty Trends That Will Define 2026

Is Sephora losing its crown? How is Olive Young rewriting beauty retail? And should you really be using AI to plan your menstrual cycle - including when to date?

Creators are turning their knowledge into paid AI advisors. Mel Robbins is building a protein empire. Founders are publicly sharing revenue and fundraises. And GAP hiring a Chief Entertainment Officer may redefine how brands grow in 2026…

In this episode, Maggie and Katie break down their hottest 2026 predictions - so you can spot what’s next before everyone else does.

Maggie & Katie discuss:

. Sephora vs Ulta vs Olive Young and the new beauty status symbol

. Korea’s speed-to-shelf advantage and trend-first retail

. Scheduling your business and dating life around your cycle (and using AI to do it)

. The “everything shower” and why beauty admin is a mental health reset

. Paid AI advisors, AI therapy, and the creator IP problem

. Why “human verified” will beat the blue check

. Founders disclosing revenue, salaries, and fundraises in 2026

. Why being disliked is a badge of honour (and why it works)

. Why VC is dying for consumer brands and family offices are rising

. The brands that will win by entertaining, not selling

. Celebrity “beauty brands” are over: protein is next

Breaking News About Sephora x Olive Young Partnership:

Sephora newsroom - https://newsroom.sephora.com/sephora-and-olive-young-partner-to-bring-the-best-of-korean-beauty-to-sephora-consumers/

Business of Fashion:: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/beauty/sephora-olive-young-partnership-2026/

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro
(01:38) The “Everything Shower” Reset - When Self-Care Becomes Survival
(02:35) Why Balance Doesn’t Exist – Scheduling Life Around Your Cycle
(04:14) Using AI to Plan Your Cycle, Work and Dating Life
(05:14) Would You Pay for AI Therapy? The Tony Robbins AI Debate
(07:40) AI Will Replace Therapy - Why We Disagree
(09:04) Human-Verified Will Beat the Blue Checkmark
(09:37) AI Copycats, Idea Theft and the Future of Originality
(11:36) Is Sephora Losing Its Crown?
(12:15) Olive Young’s Korean Playbook Changing Beauty Retail
(13:53) Why Korean Brands Move Faster Than Sephora
(15:53) Trend-First Stores – The Olive Young Advantage
(16:42) Why Sephora Isn’t Adapting Fast Enough
(18:08) Product-First Consumers Are Rewriting Beauty
(18:45) The Coming Shake-Up in the Beauty Industry
(19:16) beehiiv Ad Read
(20:37) Founders Building in Public
(21:37) Why Humans Crave Connection More Than Ever
(22:34) Should Founders Share Revenue and Salaries?
(24:48) The Hidden Cost of Radical Transparency
(26:07) Being Disliked as a Badge of Honor
(27:42) You Can’t Find Your Audience Without Criticism
(30:48) Cozy Earth Ad Read
(31:53) Why Family Offices Are Replacing VCs
(36:23) Steven Bartlett’s Groq Investment – Low Effort, High Impact
(37:11) Pitching VCs Is a Waste of Time IF…
(38:02) Brands Must Entertain, Not Sell - GAP’s Pivot!
(40:11) The Two Influencers Every Brand Should Study
(41:56) Celebrity Protein Is the New Beauty Boom
(43:51) Mel Robbins, Khloe Kardashian and the Protein Gold Rush
(47:00) How Should We End Podcast Episodes Better?

Episode Sponsors:

beehiiv - Use code HSR30 at http://www.beehiiv.com/hsr?utm_campaign=hsr-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=hsr&utm_term=2026-01-21

Cozy Earth - http://cozyearth.com with code HSR

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