At BeautyMatter, it is always about big ideas and those bigger—sometimes existential—challenges we must face as brands, businesses, and organizations. Our content synthesizes past lessons with cultural signals of the future to decipher real trends from marketable noise.
Exploring and commenting on the constantly shifting landscape, BeautyMatter is a platform for deep thoughts, trusted business intelligence, and informed opinions—shared within the industry and, in turn, influencing the world we live in and the consumers we serve.
2025 is shaping up to be a consequential year for the beauty industry and the start-up ecosystem, with a generational platform shift underway. Colliding political, social, and economic challenges and environmental degradation with massive scientific and technological transformations create a complicated and disorienting business environment. To some extent, we have gotten comfortable operating amid macro-uncertainty; the uncertainty has become the certainty. Future success is quickly becoming more and more complicated.
For beauty, these dynamics are coupled with more competition, as well as the emergence of new business models and sales channels. Figuring out a world where there is a perception and reality that we live in a time of perma-crisis, demands leaders who can navigate these challenges with foresight, empathy, and a commitment to sustainable solutions.
These changes underpin a time of great potential for those with open minds and the constitution to take bold but deeply considered risks. The businesses that will define the future may seem unusual, unexpected, and even undefined today. Periods of recalibration present challenges, but they also come with immense opportunities—but you must be looking.
Through this lens, our editorial team crafted the content experiences for our third edition of the FUTURE50 Summit to be held in New York City on April 3, 2025.
New Code of Luxury: Longevity and Well-Being Strategies
Longevity and well-being are becoming core to luxury’s evolving value proposition. We'll explore the convergence of beauty, health, and hospitality under a new paradigm: transformational luxury. Rooted in the transformation economy—where individuals seek products and experiences that meet deeper human needs and help them lead more fulfilling lives—this approach positions luxury brands as partners in enhancement by offering consumers a suite of new tools to transform themselves and their lives. This session will outline a series of cultural shifts, emerging priorities, and cross-sector opportunities alongside the strategic imperatives shaping luxury’s new codes.
Keynote: Chris Sanderson, Co-Founder + Chief Creative Officer, The Future Laboratory
Legacy to Vision: A Fireside Chat with Carol Hamilton + Ali Goldstein
This intimate fireside chat marks a moment of transition and legacy in the beauty industry. Carol Hamilton, whose visionary leadership helped shape L'Oréal USA over four decades, leaving an indelible mark on the industry, passes the torch to Ali Goldstein who is picking up the reins as head of acquisitions for L’Oréal USA. We have the honor of hosting these two formidable women to discuss the industry's evolution, where we are, and where we're going.
Moderator: Kelly Kovack, Founder + CEO, BeautyMatter
Carol Hamilton, US President of Acquisitions, L'Oréal
Ali Goldstein, President of Acquisitions, L'Oréal USA
Leading the Future: A Fireside Chat with Ulta Beauty’s New CEO, Kecia Steelman
As one of beauty’s most influential retailers, Ulta Beauty continues to set the standard in omnichannel innovation, brand curation, and customer experience. In this intimate conversation with newly appointed CEO, Kecia Steelman, we’ll glean insight into her vision for the company’s future. From evolving consumer expectations and the role of physical retail to advancements in technology, loyalty, and brand partnerships, we’ll discuss her strategic priorities for Ulta Beauty’s next era of global beauty leadership.
Moderator: John Cafarelli, Co-Founder + President, BeautyMatter
Kecia Steelman, President + CEO, Ulta Beauty
Imitation vs. Innovation: Opportunities within Dupe Culture
The "dupe economy" is transforming how consumers discover and purchase products, with TikTok trends and viral Amazon finds fueling the rise of affordable alternatives. But while dupes are often seen as a threat, they also present unique opportunities for innovation, marketing, and growth. This panel will delve into navigating the delicate balance between inspiration and originality, tackling the challenges of protecting innovations while also uncovering how dupe culture can be turned into a strategic advantage. We’ll unpack the legal, ethical, and business dimensions of this growing trend and explore how brands on both sides of the dupe equation can thrive in today’s era of dupe dominance.
Moderator: Cristina Montemayor, Editor, BeautyMatter
Ryan Babenzien, CEO, Jolie Skin
Meridith Rojas, CMO, MCoBeauty
Sergio Tache, Founder + CEO, Dossier
Authenticity at Scale: Turning Influence into Brand Communities
We've entered the age of super content where everyone is a creator, and everything is content. However, turning influence into a brand of scale fueled by an authentic community is a unique skill. At any moment, a brand's audience is bigger than just its customers, requiring a shift from transactional campaigns to fostering meaningful connections. We'll dive into how to master aggregating an audience using conversation, entertainment, and education to fuel and nurture a community.
Moderator: John Cafarelli, Co-Founder + President, BeautyMatter
Armaan Mehta, Co-Founder, Odore
Deepica Mutyala, Founder + CEO, Live Tinted
Mona Kattan, Founder + CEO, Kayali
From Anti-Aging to Age-Defying: Skincare’s Role in the Longevity Revolution
As the longevity movement continues to gain momentum, skincare has evolved beyond traditional beauty routines to become an essential pillar of healthy aging. This panel explores how the quest for longevity is reshaping the skincare industry, with innovations in anti-aging ingredients, skin regeneration, and holistic wellness approaches. We’ll discuss how brands are tapping into the longevity movement, the science driving innovation, and the shifting consumer perceptions around aging and skin health.
Moderator: Cristina Montemayor, Editor, BeautyMatter
Chris Rinsch, Co-Founder + CEO, Timeline
Dr. Poonam Desai, Founder, Longevity Place
Nadine Pernodet, Senior Vice President, The Estée Lauder Companies
Brick by Brick: The Business of Branded Retail
Nowhere does a brand come to life as magically as in an owned brick-and-mortar location. From flagships to shop-in-shops to pop-ups—each format provides unique opportunities to design immersive brand experiences unencumbered by the constraints and competition of wholesale partnerships. When utilized to their ultimate potential, they bring a brand closer to their consumer, play a meaningful part in growth strategies, and provide a laboratory for on-demand testing and learning. However, they also require significant financial investment. We'll discuss the power of branded retail and the realities of what it takes to be successful.
Moderator: Carla Seipp, Editor, BeautyMatter
Matthew Malin, Co-Founder + CEO, Malin+Goetz
Marco Parsiegla, CEO, Amouage
Amy Errett, Founder + CEO, Madison Reed
Navigating the Moment: Leadership When Uncertainty Is the New Normal
Colliding political, social, and economic challenges and environmental degradation with massive scientific and technological transformations create a complicated and disorienting business environment. For beauty, these dynamics are coupled with more competition, as well as the emergence of new business models and sales channels. Figuring out a world where there is a perception and reality that we live in a world of perma-crisis, demands leaders who can navigate these challenges with foresight, empathy, and a commitment to sustainable solutions. In uncertain times, the best leaders play defense and offense, fueled by strategic courage because they know tomorrow's winners will be decided today.
Moderator: Kelly Kovack, Founder + CEO, BeautyMatter
David Olsen, CEO, RMS Beauty
Piyush Jain, CEO, Maesa
Danessa Myricks, Founder + CEO, Danessa Myricks Beauty
The Amazon Effect: Beauty’s Evolution in the Marketplace
This panel addresses Amazon’s effect on beauty brands—from brand skepticism to strategic necessity—and how brands can navigate, optimize, and thrive in its evolving ecosystem. Once viewed with skepticism, Amazon has become a strategic necessity for beauty brands looking to scale while maintaining brand integrity. Success requires a proactive approach—balancing marketplace presence with brand equity, optimizing content and conversion, and leveraging data-driven advertising. From controlling unauthorized sellers to mastering full-funnel media strategies, the brands that adapt will unlock sustainable growth. As Amazon continues to evolve, beauty brands must move beyond basic listings to create a premium, high-converting experience that drives both revenue and retention.
Moderator: John Cafarelli, Co-Founder + President, BeautyMatter
Christopher Skinner, Chief Revenue Officer, Front Row
Monifa Browne, SVP of Digital and Brand, NuFACE
Erin Dwyer, Operating Advisor, GroundForce Capital
Regulatory Radar: Updates and Implications
During this panel, we’ll explore a high-level overview of the global regulatory landscape. We’ll surface issues that should be on everyone's radar, from MoCRA deadlines, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) packaging laws and state-level legislation in the US, to international hot topics like EU Cosmetic Products Regulation and REACH Regulation revisions.We will also discuss the practical implications of timely regulatory and sustainability legislation.
Moderator: Kelly Kovack, Founder + CEO, BeautyMatter
Dr. Akemi Ooka, VP of Supply Chain and Sustainability Resources, Independent Beauty Association
The choices we make, the inspiration we find, and the company we keep have the power to impact our world in more ways than we can imagine. At BeautyMatter everyone is welcome—no exclusive invite required.
With the New York City skyline as the backdrop, brands, retailers, and suppliers from around the globe will once again gather at Spring Studios in Tribeca for the 2025 BeautyMatter FUTURE50 Summit on April 3.
Join us. We'd love to see you.
