THE SESSIONS

Beyond the hype in the age of AI, the question is not whether to adopt the technology but how. AI gets interesting when you move beyond the conceptual impact and dive into real stories of how businesses are actually using it: to create faster, personalize smarter, and predict better. Less buzz, more business impact. We'll explore the complexities of where to start and how to build practical implementation strategies.

Moderator: John Cafarelli, Co-Founder + President, BeautyMatter

Chaz Giles, Managing Partner, Alida Labs

Jeffery Wagstaff, CEO, cosnova USA Inc.

Frank Freeman, VP, AI + Digital Disruption, Dermalogica, Unilever Prestige

What does it really take to become a standout brand at Sephora? For many beauty and wellness founders, Sephora is the Holy Grail of beauty retailers; seeing their products on the coveted black shelves would be a major milestone. In this candid fireside chat, Carolyn Bojanowski, EVP of US Merchandising at Sephora, pulls back the curtain on what the retailer looks for in a brand partner. Dieux co-founder Charlotte Palermino and ciele Cosmetics co-founder Nikki DeRoest will share what success looks like through a founder's lens by offering an inside look at how Sephora collaborates with emerging brands to bring bold ideas to life—and to shelves.

Moderator: Janna Mandell, Senior Editor, BeautyMatter

Carolyn Bojanowski, EVP, Merchandising, Sephora

Nikki DeRoest, Co-Founder + CEO, ciele

Charlotte Palermino, Co-Founder + Chief Brand Officer, Dieux

The power of beauty can be transformative, especially in the hands of entrepreneurs with big ideas building cult brands with a cause. For them, profit isn't enough, and words matter, but actions matter more. The idea that businesses should serve the interests of consumers, suppliers, workers, society, and shareholders isn’t new, but striking the right balance between profit and purpose is crucial to achieving long-term success and lasting impact. 

Moderator: Kelly Kovack, Founder and CEO, BeautyMatter

David Yi, Founder + CEO, Good Light Cosmetics

Éva Goicochea, Founder + CEO, Maude

Hillary Peterson, Founder + Board Chair, True Botanicals

To raise or not to raise? Over the last decade, the beauty ecosystem glorified fundraising, but the rise and fall of easy money has made founders think more pragmatically about what it takes to scale a brand and turn a profit. There is no right or wrong choice because every business is different. Still, the decision between bootstrapping and fundraising can reveal a lot about the founder and their business, and it always comes with insightful stories. We’ll dive into what it takes to bootstrap a business. 

Moderator: John Cafarelli, Co-Founder + President, BeautyMatter

Cassandra Thurswell, Founder + CEO, Kitsch

Greg Starkman, Founder + CEO, Innersense Organic Beauty

Matthew Berkson, Co-Founder + CEO, Maison Louis Marie

In today’s beauty landscape, a single viral moment can turn an under-the-radar product into a household name overnight. TikTok has become the epicenter of product discovery, driving shopper behavior, especially on platforms like Amazon. But what happens after the spike? How do brands transform that momentum into lasting relevance? This panel will unpack the lifecycle of a viral beauty product, from becoming a hero SKU to building a sustainable brand strategy and cross-platform playbooks that convert attention into measurable growth.

Moderator: Cristina Montemayor, Editor, BeautyMatter

Ajay Salpekar, GM of Beauty, TikTok Shop US

Erin Potempa-Wall, Co-Founder + COO, The Beachwaver Co.

Michael Malinsky, Founder + CEO, Wonderskin

While some beauty brands create cultural moments as part of their DNA, others are more reactive, jumping on the bandwagon to be part of the zeitgeist. Conveying authenticity while trying to build social capital can be a delicate balance for beauty brands. We'll explore how brands can build trust with customers while navigating the whiplash of constant cultural shifts, as well as how to develop an ethos that translates to every marketing and social media communication.

Moderator: Janna Mandell, Senior Editor, BeautyMatter

Gabbie Bradford, Co-Founder, Song Candy Media

Nina LaBruna, Co-Founder, Fazit

Dakota Kate Isaacs, Senior Director, New Global Ventures, DECIEM

We are in the most unsettled and complex regulatory environment for the beauty industry in decades, with changes coming faster than many can manage and showing no signs of slowing down. From state-by-state activity in the US to EU regulation causing changes on an international level, we’ll discuss what’s in the pipeline and what needs to be top of mind. Compliance and regulation are foundational blocks of building a successful brand. They require cross-functional collaboration making it crucial for product developers, marketers, CEOs, and founders to stay on top of changes.

Moderator: Kelly Kovack, Founder and CEO, BeautyMatter

Dr. Akemi Ooka, Interim CEO, Independent Beauty Association

As global retail ecosystems evolve, success demands more than distribution—it requires foresight, localization, and innovation. Senior leaders from Olive Young (South Korea), SpaceNK (UK), and Douglas (Europe) will share how they think about brand curation, digital integration, and consumer engagement. We'll explore the nuances of three of the world's most important beauty markets and surface the strategies brands must master to capture growth opportunities worldwide.

Moderator: John Cafarelli, Co-Founder + President, BeautyMatter

Shannon Monteith, Category Director, Makeup + Fragrance, Space NK

Stefanie Von Albert, EVP, Assortment + Purchasing, Douglas Group

In a year where volatility has taken on an entirely new meaning, our BeautyMatter Person(s) of the Year are a breath of fresh air. Alexis Androulakis and Dr. Christina Basias Androulakis, aka The Lipstick Lesbians, love of beauty is contagious, and their commitment to decoding beauty marketing and educating consumers is good for the industry. In a time when AI drives our decisions and algorithms predict behavior, their content has broken through the creator noise. We'll dive into their recipe for success. 

Moderator: Kelly Kovack, Founder and CEO, BeautyMatter

Alexis Androulakis, Founder + Content Creator, The Lipstick Lesbians

Dr. Christina Basias Androulakis, Founder + Content Creator, The Lipstick Lesbians

Indie brands have the speed and authenticity to thrive in a fragmented shopper landscape. Learn how connecting brand equity, demand creation, DTC storytelling, and Amazon scale creates outsized impact against legacy competitors. We’ll explore how founders can turn cultural momentum into measurable growth and why agility, creativity, and consumer connection are the ultimate competitive edge in today’s Connected Commerce era.

Moderator: Christopher Skinner, Chief Revenue Officer, Front Row

Nichola Tucker Gray, Co-Founder + CEO, Kate McLeod

Connie Lo, Co-Founder, Three Ships Beauty

Rosie Jane Johnston, CEO + Founder, By/Rosie Jane