As we approach 2027, beauty ingredient trends are shifting away from hype and toward performance, proof, and responsibility. In this episode of Beauty Confidential: Conversations from the Lounge, we go beyond the buzzwords to unpack what's actually shaping the future of beauty — from organic and locally sourced ingredients to biotech actives, upcycled materials, vegan alternatives, and the growing influence of TikTok and Gen Z. We also tackle why brands can no longer rely on raw material data alone, and why testing finished formulas is non-negotiable. If you're building products for the future, this is a conversation you don't want to miss. New episodes drop every 2 weeks. Subscribe so you never miss a conversation from the lounge. Learn more at https://creativesolutions-consulting.com/

Welcome back to Beauty Confidential: Conversations from the Lounge. This is Episode Three, Packaging Crisis, Part Two, featuring Michael Rentz.

This episode is the sister conversation to our previous discussion, part 1 in episode 2, where we explored the global manufacturing perspective.

Today, we bring that conversation closer to home, focusing on U.S.-based operations and the real cost of change.

Michael Rentz brings more than 17 years of supply chain and procurement experience across multiple industries, including beauty. Together, we unpack how global pressures like tariffs, freight volatility, and sourcing shifts impact domestic operations, timelines, margins, and scalability.

We explore what onshoring and nearshoring really require beyond the headlines, the importance of supplier partnerships, realistic production timelines, and the hidden cost drivers brands often overlook. This conversation offers a grounded, behind-the-scenes look at how strong operations teams build resilience and future-proof supply chains.

New episodes drop every 2 weeks.Subscribe so you never miss a conversation from the lounge.

This episode is brought to you by Creative Solutions Consulting — a behind-the-scenes powerhouse dedicated to helping beauty brands bring thoughtful, high-performance products from concept to shelf.

From packaging engineering and product development to supply chain strategy, compliance, and operational guidance, Creative Solutions Consulting partners with brands at every stage — launching, scaling, or rebranding — to build beautifully and intelligently.Learn more at https://creativesolutions-consulting.com/

Tariffs. Supply chains. Sustainability. Innovation.

Behind every beauty package is a web of decisions most brands never see until something goes wrong.

In this episode of Beauty Confidential: Conversations from the Lounge, I'm joined by Alisa Yu, a China-based supply chain specialist and longtime partner who has spent nearly a decade navigating global manufacturing, packaging production, and the realities brands face when producing overseas.

Together, we unpack how tariffs have reshaped sourcing decisions, why China remains a critical production hub despite rising costs, and what brands often misunderstand about overseas manufacturing, from timelines and tooling investments to testing, compatibility, and quality control.

We dive deep into packaging trends shaping the future of beauty, including mono-material pumps, PCR usage, recyclable airless systems, lightweighting, eco-friendly finishes, and why sustainability must be considered from the very beginning of product development — not retrofitted later.

If you're a beauty founder, product developer, or brand leader planning for 2026 and beyond, this conversation offers real-world insight into what works, what doesn't, and how to build smarter, more resilient packaging strategies without sacrificing performance or design.

This episode is candid, technical, and refreshingly honest, revealing what truly happens behind the gloss of global beauty manufacturing.

New episodes drop every 2 weeks. Subscribe so you never miss a conversation from the lounge.

This episode is brought to you by Creative Solutions Consulting — a behind-the-scenes powerhouse dedicated to helping beauty brands bring thoughtful, high-performance products from concept to shelf.

From packaging engineering and product development to supply chain strategy, compliance, and operational guidance, Creative Solutions Consulting partners with brands at every stage — launching, scaling, or rebranding — to build beautifully and intelligently. Learn more at creativesolutions-consulting.com https://creativesolutions-consulting.com/

Beauty Confidential: Conversations from the Lounge kicks off with an honest, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to bring a beauty brand to life. In this debut episode, host Krystina Wilson sits down with her longtime mentor, Chris Birchby—founder of Coola and Bare Republic—to unpack the realities no one talks about: the setbacks, the costly mistakes, the creative pivots, and the resilience required to survive in the beauty industry. From personal loss inspiring a mission-driven sunscreen brand to navigating failed labs, warehouse fires, reformulations, and eventual acquisition, this conversation pulls back the curtain on product development, branding, sustainability, and what it truly means to build something meaningful from the ground up.

Episode Highlights:

• The true origin story behind Coola and its iconic branding
• Why launching a beauty product is far more complex (and costly) than it looks
• Lessons learned from failed labs, reformulations, and major setbacks
• How mission, creativity, and resilience shaped a category-defining brand
• Practical advice for founders on focus, storytelling, and building the right network
• Why authenticity and peer collaboration matter more than competition

This episode is brought to you by Creative Solutions Consulting, a behind-the-scenes powerhouse dedicated to helping beauty brands bring thoughtful, high-performance products from concept to shelf.

From packaging engineering and product development to supply chain strategy, compliance, and operational guidance, Creative Solutions Consulting partners with brands at every stage—launching, scaling, or rebranding—to build beautifully and intelligently. Learn more at creativesolutions-consulting.com.