3. The Packaging Crisis, Part 2
Beauty Confidential - Conversations from the Lounge
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...
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2. Packaging Crisis Part 1
Beauty Confidential - Conversations from the Lounge
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...
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1. Behind the Gloss
Beauty Confidential - Conversations from the Lounge
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,...
info_outlineBeauty 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.