**CLOSED** Feedback Wanted: Panel Topics and Questions

[GeorginaBT]

EDIT 7/17: 

The panelists have been confirmed! Please let us know if you have any specific questions for these industry leaders. 

• KJ Miller, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Mented Cosmetics
• Sarah Curtis Henry, General Manager, North America for Fresh
• Nancy Twine, Founder of Briogeo 

We are working on an event unlike most of the ones you see posted about here in Community. Next month, Sephora will be hosting a panel featuring an amazing group of speakers who will focus on beauty, diversity, and inclusion.

We know how passionate and knowledgeable members of the BIC are and wanted to incorporate your ideas into the actual event. Specifically, we want to know two things from you:

1. What topics or themes would you want covered during this panel?
2. What questions would you want to ask the panelists?

Please leave a comment below with your answers to the questions above. We can’t wait to see this event come to life next month and to share all the details!

[GeorginaBT]

Thanks for submitting your theme suggestions and questions, everyone! We can't wait to pass these on to our panelists. Stay tuned for more information about this event coming soon ...  

[unfungirl]

Ahhh what a great selection of panelists!! I LOVE Mented Cosmetics, and Briogeo products are my newest obsession. Many of the questions I want to ask, and I'm echoing the other comments about inclusivity for women 30+. In today's social media obsessed society, it's sad and frustrating that we are considered "mature', and that many cosmetic companies cater to the younger demographic as well as use younger models exclusively in their marketing plans. i realllllllly hope this means Mented will be coming to Sephora!

I'm working on my questions now 🙂

[Dianne57]

I see the word "inclusivity" being bandied about especially for women of color, but what about for women over a certain age?  Why have we been left out for so long?  Baby boomers still have the cash to spend yet we are treated like slime when we walk into one of your stores. We are tired of having neutrals pushed on us.  We too would like to try out these lovely products, yet there are no areas for users of that certain age to ask questions-get demonstrations, etc.  We don 't have the lovely pore-free, wrinkle-free, age spot-free skin of a twenty-year-old but as I said, we would still like to get creative with make-up and not look like clowns.

You all might want to think of us as a niche market and work a little harder to include EVERYONE no matter what color or what age.

[nothingclever]

YES!!! I’m 39. I enjoy bold colors and the latest trends. But EVERY TIME I ask about new eye looks, it’s neutrals! I own a go-to neutral palette! Every Rouge does. When I ask about trendy, can I please see trendy and judge for myself if it looks good on me/is appropriate anywhere but a nightclub/etc? (Also...some middle-aged people still cosplay and need wild makeup for that. And a LOT of middle-aged and elderly women do ballroom dance. Which calls for a massive train case of bold makeup unless said older ladies want to get up at 4AM to pay a fortune for a makeup artist who may, um, not have the best contemporary taste. I’m watching friends dance tomorrow...I know!)

[Dianne57]

And you are only 39! can you imagine what it is like for someone my age?  I'll be 62 next month. I can't even get questions answered around here LOL!

[KatieBT]

The panelists have been confirmed! Please let us know if you have any specific questions for these industry leaders. 

• KJ Miller, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Mented Cosmetics
• Sarah Curtis Henry, General Manager, North America for Fresh
• Nancy Twine, Founder of Briogeo 

You are asking great questions, please keep them coming with these panelists in mind 🙂 

[mrsbaine]

Would love to hear from the panelist what inclusivity in beauty looks like to them. Also, a discussion about the changes in brands and inclusiveness has impacted the market overall- both positively and negatively. What do the panelist think brands will do in the coming years to continue addressing the market.

[babynoahsmom]

I’d like to hear the panel’s thoughts on the increase in inclusivity especially for WOC in the beauty world. Do they think that brands are suddenly coming out with more shades, for example, because it’s the “trendy” thing to do?Or, are they coming out with more shades because it’s the RIGHT thing to do? #moreshades #productsforall #WOChavealwaysbeenhere

[Cyncynn]

@GeorginaBT 

I would like to hear about product marketing and how can they become more inclusive overall. (I do feel like this is changing and the recent Isle of paradise ad comes to mind as a good example, but sometimes it still feels like a 'token').

I feel like the majority of skincare ad's feature models in their 20's (exceptions are only if said model is a celebrity) even if the product being marketed is more appropriate for 30's +.

[Buootiful]

1. What topics or themes would you want covered during this panel?

• Whether it be foundation, concealer, highlighter or lipstick, how about wider ranges of color to suit all skin tones from light to dark/deep?
• How does a product get developed from start to finish
• More in-depth discussion of Clean ingredients and ingredients to avoid

1. What questions would you want to ask the panelists?

• Who determines the color or product choices in the makeup sets (Sephora faves or otherwise)? When you cant decide between 2, what is the x factor that gets that product included in the beauty set?
• Can we include products in makeup sets that enhances each/all skintone groups? Ex: Sephora favorites sunkissed glow set 
• How are clean ingredients ethically sourced?
• Is there a way to eliminate products Made in China so more companies are Truly cruelty free?

[notsocial]

I work construction and don’t have a lot of patience for makeovers and sampling. I just figured out I’m “cool” regarding skin tone. I don’t like going to the mall and have such a hard time getting the correct matches online. I LOVE makeup and spend a lot of money on it. I wish I could have make up choices that indicate on the product for what type (cool, warm etc)the product is best suited. I did go to my local shop to find a decent base, and the makeup professional couldn’t even tell that I’m a “cool”...thankyou

[chantiy]

I have been seeing these cool skincare/beauty fridges. Is it necessary to keep skincare products in the fridge? What benefits does keeping them in a fridge provide? 

[GeorginaBT]

Hi all! We love all your ideas about diversity, and we hear you and are eager to communicate this feedback with our partners. We want to make sure we're covering all areas of diversity. Are there any other themes or topics you would like us to explore, and if so, what questions do you have? 

[pliz]

I’d like to know how to transition from a late- 20s/ early- 30s skincare routine into a “let’s prepare for 40” routine. What serums should I be using? Day/ night/ both? How to deal with hormonal acne as a 35 year old, staving off crow’s feet, improving full/ uneven skin, etc.

[PrettyPaint]

I think it would be important to address the creative process that goes into branding and naming of beauty products. Specifically, with regards to to beauty/diversity/inclusion, I think it would be particularly beneficial to have dialogue about increased consideration of cultural sensitivity and avoidance of cultural appropriation in terms of naming beauty products/brands and how to avoid insensitive product names and avoid racist stereotypes. I can think of a few recent examples where shade names have faced backlash and were postponed/changed/removed, and I would like to see some discussion about how brands can better educate themselves to avoid such insensitivity.

[sunkissedblush]

I would be really interested to know what ingredients in products ( both in skincare and makeup) are pregnancy friendly and what to avoid while expecting and breastfeeding! I believe it's important to educate women more on this topic. For instance, I know that retinol and its derivatives are not welcome during pregnancy as well as chemical sunscreens. Both of these ingredients may be contained in Clean products. These ingredients can be harmful to the baby or can penetrate to milk during breastfeeding.

I was once horrified to see one beauty influencer use concealer with retinol in it while pregnant. 

[SportyGirly125]

@sunkissedblush When it comes to pregnancy there are so many topics of what is safe and what is not.  The best is to ask your OB.  This is coming from someone who has been pregnant and is currently pregnant.  

[Cyncynn]

Agreed.

I went to my dermatologist yesterday and she mentioned to avoid salicylic as well. (I had no idea!)

Looking up online apparently  it's only ok at very low concentrations like face washes and such, but once pregnant I will just follow her advice and avoid it altogether.

[SportyGirly125]

@Cyncynn I like avoiding retinol and salicylic acid altogether when pregnant.  There are a lot of ingredients you shouldn't use if you Google them on the internet but it is always wise to ask your OB just to make sure.

[Sharmele]

Ethics in beauty and where the beauty industry is headed, in terms of; sustainable packaging - how do views/opinions of the consumer change if products came in packaging that wasn't "beautiful"; product refills and waste - is it possible to refill liquids/gels to reduce packaging waste; clean ingredients - more transparent information on ingredient sustainability, product labour and laboratories used to test ingredients/products.