Is being an influencer still worth it in 2026... or has the golden era officially ended?

This week on GlowJob, we break down the creator economy from day one to now: from early beauty bloggers and YouTube legends like Michelle Phan, to Instagram’s glam era, to TikTok virality, and today’s rise of UGC creators and AI-powered commerce.

The industry is now worth hundreds of billions globally, with brands spending $40B+ a year in the U.S. alone — but follower count no longer equals money. Virality doesn’t guarantee income. And the old “get paid to post” model is basically dead.

We unpack:

Plus, we sit down with Nicole Clay, co-founder of Hue, to talk about how AI, data, and UGC are reshaping how brands sell — and why everyday creators are becoming more valuable than celebrities

If you’ve ever thought about becoming a creator — or you’re a brand trying to understand influencer marketing — this is your no-BS breakdown of what actually works now.

GlowJob is the beauty podcast that makes you hotter and smarter.

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This week on GlowJob’s News Roundup, we break down the biggest beauty, business, and pop culture headlines shaking the industry.

Ulta’s Beauty World event sells out in minutes — but fans are furious after thousands of influencer tickets cut the line. Meanwhile, Sephora partners with Olive Young to bring K-Beauty mainstream, e.l.f. enters fragrance with H&M, and legacy brands like Malin+Goetz and Cover FX shut down stores.

Plus:

We cut through the hype and explain what it actually means for founders, creators, and beauty consumers.

GlowJob is the only podcast that makes you hotter and smarter — where beauty meets business, every week.

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In this episode of GlowJob, we unpack why 2016 is suddenly everywhere again — and why millennials can’t stop romanticizing it.

Searches for “2016 aesthetic” are up 450% on TikTok, but this isn’t just a trend cycle. Psychologists say nostalgia is a coping mechanism for anxiety — and in an era of burnout, algorithms, AI, and constant pressure to perform, people are craving a time that felt lighter, freer, and more human.

We break down what actually defined 2016: peak full-glam beauty, matte foundation, Kylie Lip Kits, and the early rise of Glossier (hello clean girl). We revisit the brands that ruled the decade and which ones quietly fell off.

We also break down how different social media felt back then: chronological Instagram feeds, VSCO filters, Snapchat dog ears, and posting just for fun — not for the algorithm.

Plus: the shift from loud, maximalist glam to today’s beige “clean girl” aesthetic, what happened to iconic brands like Too Faced and Kat Von D, and why we’re not actually missing the makeup… we’re missing the feeling.

If you’ve ever wished the internet felt less curated and a little more unhinged... this one’s for you.

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SUBMIT A QUESTION TO OUR AMA! Theme = Oversharing. We'll answer your questions in a February Episode! 

This week on GlowJob’s News Roundup, we break down the biggest stories shaking beauty, business, and culture right now.

France officially bans PFAS “forever chemicals” in cosmetics, forcing global beauty brands to reformulate products. Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni avoids jail after the viral Christmas cake charity scandal. Sweetgreen’s stock crashes as the once-trendy $25 salad chain loses relevance.

Plus: Google’s most-searched beauty dupes (La Mer, Tatcha, Sol de Janeiro, Chanel, Charlotte Tilbury) and Honest Company exits DTC, Saks Global owes Chanel $136M. 

In pop culture: Brooklyn Beckham breaks his silence on family drama, DeuxMoi deletes a controversial post about Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams, and the rise of “dumb rooms” signals tech burnout.

If you care about beauty industry business, influencer culture, clean ingredients, and where money is actually moving — this episode connects the dots.

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In this episode of GlowJob, we sit down with Ryan Roth, Director of Media at Peter Thomas Roth, to unpack the inside scoop of a family-run legacy beauty brand and how his 102-year-old grandmother accidentally became one of TikTok’s biggest icons.

Ryan shares how Peter Thomas Roth landed in the very first Sephora, his real-talk thoughts on being a “nepo baby”, and that time Gossip Girl filmed an episode in his family home. 

And yes—we get the full origin story of LaBuBu Grandma: how a $1,000 shopping trip in Japan ultimately turned Ryan’s 102-year-old grandmother into an internet sensation with tens of millions of views.

If you’re building a beauty brand, obsessed with TikTok culture, or curious how old-school skincare adapts to Gen Z… this episode is required listening.

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In this week’s GlowJob News Roundup, Julia & Sasa unpack beauty’s biggest shakeups: Pat McGrath’s asset fire sale, why Rare Beauty going to Ulta signals a major shift in Sephora’s power, and Estée Lauder putting Too Faced, Dr. Jart+ and Smashbox up for sale.

They also break down Olaplex’s 36% stock surge amid Henkel acquisition rumors, what Saks Fifth Avenue’s Chapter 11 filing really means for beauty brands, Topicals’ newest celebrity investors (Angel Reese).

Plus: Equinox’s viral “AI slop” campaign, the rise of live betting on Polymarket/Kalshi, and some unhinged pop culture news — from Spencer Pratt running for LA mayor to Fetty Wap’s early release.

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In this episode of GlowJob, Julia & Sasa break down the most infamous beauty product flops of the last decade — from Tower 28’s mineral SPF disaster and Kylie Skin’s walnut scrub backlash to Jaclyn Hill’s contaminated lipstick launch and Kim Kardashian’s failed $600 skincare line.

We unpack exactly why these launches failed, how poor formulation, lack of testing, celebrity misalignment, and rushed inclusivity destroyed consumer trust — and how much these mistakes actually cost brands in lost revenue, reputation damage, dead stock, and recalls.

If you’re building a beauty brand, investing in cosmetics, or just obsessed with the behind-the-scenes of the industry, this episode is your blueprint for what not to do.

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Chemical burns, billion-dollar beauty stocks, eyelid surgery trends, and the GLP-1 takeover — it’s time for another weekly News Roundup! 

This week on GlowJob, Julia & Sasa break down the lawsuit against Sonya Dakar for allegedly burning a client during a chemical peel, Ulta’s stock hitting an all-time high, Saks missing a $100M debt payment, and why the blepharoplasty is suddenly everywhere.

We also share details on Sephora’s new 2026 birthday gift offering, Justin Bieber teasing Rhode’s new blemish patches, the closure of Sprinkles Cupcakes, and how GLP-1 drugs are changing everything from Hollywood bodies to what people snack on.

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2026 is officially the year you get hotter and smarter — and this episode is your full execution plan.

In the first ChitChat episode of the year, Julia & Sasa introduce the GlowJob Hotter & Smarter Guide: a system built around discipline, beauty ROI, money habits, career leverage, dating strategy, and real accountability.

We cover:

This is your no-fluff guide to becoming more confident, more successful, and more magnetic in 2026. 

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Welcome back to Season 2! In our first News Roundup of the year, GlowJob breaks down the latest beauty power moves. Starbucks hires a former e.l.f. exec to lead fashion & beauty activations, signaling a serious push into beauty culture. Sol de Janeiro expands its lawsuit against MCO Beauty, accusing the $400M dupe empire of copying packaging, scents, and even paying influencers to promote knockoffs.

Julia & Sasa analyze Anastasia Beverly Hills’ massive founder bailout — with Anastasia putting in over $225M of her own money to regain control from TPG — and why it could reshape how founders think about private equity. L’Oréal eyes a potential acquisition of Armani Beauty following Giorgio Armani’s passing, and Gen Z acne brand Starface hires an investment bank to explore strategic options ahead of a possible 2027 exit.

The episode closes with culture chaos: the viral HBO hit Heated Rivalry, why women secretly love gay romance, and the unexpected Mad Men renaissance taking over 2026.

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