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Hosts of beauty podcast ‘Fat Mascara’, Jenn Goldstein and Jessica Matlin share their gamechanging products

From books to the eyelash curler they took up Mt Kilimanjaro, these are the beauty podcasters must-have’s

IndyBest Team
Thursday 07 October 2021 14:27 BST
When your bathroom cabinets and make-up bag are looking a little uninspiring these girls are the first port of call
When your bathroom cabinets and make-up bag are looking a little uninspiring these girls are the first port of call (iStock/The Independent)

Jessica Matlin and Jennifer Sullivan are, putting it simply, beauty oracles. Together, they run Fat Mascara, a podcast devoted to getting to the nitty-gritty of the beauty business, discussing everything from the best products for “maskne” to the battle for fair representation within the industry.

If you aren’t a beauty obsessive, you may have glanced over Spotify or Apply Podcasts homepage, and spied Fat Mascara featuring in the top charts for the fashion and beauty podcasts. Since the podcast’s inception, the Fat Mascara duo has racked up over four million downloads and interviewed some of the biggest names within the industry like Charlotte Tilbury and Bobbi Brown. As well as big names in general, like Jane Fonda and Kristen Bell, to Victoria Beckham and Cindy Crawford.

Beauty journalists, and great friends, Jessica and Jennifer have got their fingers on the pulse of the beauty world, and gleefully share their insider tips of the industry with their devoted listeners. Always a la mode; the pair cover everything from the “wolf cut” to Zoom dysmorphia.

When your bathroom cabinets and make-up bag are looking a little uninspiring these girls are the first port of call for cool new beauty products to try. So you can understand why we at IndyBest were so excited to hear their product recommendations.

From their best amazon buy to their secret beauty bargain; read below for their all-time game-changing products.

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The boring purchase that makes chores easier: Odor-resistant foam sponge

O-Cedar Scrunge Multi-Use (Pack of 6) Non-Scratch, Odor-Resistant All-Purpose Scrubbing Sponge Safely Cleans All Hard Surfaces in Kitchen and Bathroom.jpg

Jenn Goldstein – I can’t stand the smell of a dirty dish sponge, and I don’t understand why people use traditional cellulose sponges, which always get that weird wet-dog smell that transfers onto your hands and won’t go away. So, I use hydrophilic foam sponges, like the ones from Lysol or Elitra. The foam ones also seem to last longer than a traditional dish sponge.

  1. £15 from Amazon.co.uk
Prices may vary
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Most used item in my bedroom: Casper Mattress

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Jenn Goldstein – I can’t pick one! At the end of every Fat Mascara podcast, we say, “Get your beauty sleep”, and I’ve always joked that I have the bed that podcasting built. Everything on it is thanks to Fat Mascara: the Casper mattress, the Brooklinen sheets, the Nectar Sleep pillow (£52.50, Nectarsleep.co.uk). I even have a white-noise machine (£34.95, Amazon.co.uk) from one of our past sponsors, Yogasleep. The best beauty tip I can offer is to get more sleep, and the right accessories help.

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Workout savior: Sweaty Betty power high-waisted 7/8 Leggings

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Jenn Goldstein – These are the most comfortable workout leggings and I love their patterns. The high waist keeps everything in place, there are pockets, and they never bunch or ride up. Plus, the fabric never stretches out or gets thinner, even though I wash them about a hundred times a year.

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Book I recommend to everyone: The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen

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Jenn Goldstein – This book is like meditation: it takes you away to another place, calms your mind, and teaches you how to be patient. He writes about heavy topics like love and loss, but somehow I always feel lighter after reading it. I keep it bedside and revisit it whenever I’m feeling anxious or stressed.

  1. £8 from Amazon.co.uk
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Luxury item that’s worth the money: Guerlain Shalimar

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Jenn Goldstein – I love and collect perfumes, and some of my favorites are definitely luxe: Frederic Malle angéliques sous la Pluie (£175, Fredericmalle.co.uk), D.S. & Durga el cosmico (£220, Libertylondon.com), Francis Kurkdjian baccarat rouge 540 eau de parfum (£182.88, Franciskurkdjian.com), and Van Cleef & Arpels santal blanc (£130, Selfridges.com).

Of course, one of my favourites is Guerlain’s shalimar. Every time I smell it, it’s like getting a hug from my grandmother. It just envelops you in this citrus-tinged powdery warmth. Pure luxury.

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Tech I have to take when I travel: Bose quiet comfort headphones

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Jenn Goldstein – I am a really light sleeper, so I actually end up wearing earplugs and my Bose quiet comfort headphones over top to make sure it’s super-silent. They’re Bluetooth, so they’re not the absolute best as far as connectivity (don’t get me started on Bluetooth connectivity—it’s the bane of my existence), but when all you’re using is the noise cancelling feature, they’re amazing.

  1. £319 from Bose.co.uk
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One product I use every day without fail: Shu Uemura eyelash curler

 shu emura eyelash curler.jpg

Jenn Goldstein – I literally climbed Mt Kilimanjaro with a lash curler and mascara, I just need the combo to feel like myself. Every now and then I’ll get a lash lift (Sugarlash does an amazing semi-permanent lift and curl service), but when I don’t have that, I need the curler and the mascara to feel like myself.

My favourite curlers are the ones from Shu Uemura and Troy Surratt Beauty (£32, Spacenk.com). For mascara, I like a tubing formula, like the one from Blinc (£22.20, Feelunique.com), Kevyn Aucoin the volume (£22, Cultbeauty.co.uk), or my latest favourite Thrive Causemetics liquid lash extensions mascara (£17.69 plus shipping, Thrivecausemetics.com).

  1. £23 from Amazon.co.uk
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Kitchen Gadget I Couldn’t Live Without - The Baby Brezza

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Jessica Matlin – I’ve since outgrown the need for it, but when my little one drank formula, this thing was essential. It makes a bottle for you, Jetsons-style. You push a button, and it mixes up the warm water and formula, and there you go.

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Secret beauty bargain: Dove beauty bar for sensitive skin

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Jessica Matlin – I love the Dove Beauty Bar for sensitive skin. It’s great for the face and body, it doesn’t make my sensitive skin itch, and it only costs a couple of dollars.

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The most used item in my bedroom: Nectar mattress

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Jessica Matlin – Easy! My Nectar mattress. They were a Fat Mascara sponsor, and I have to say, their mattress is awesome. I also have a Laura Ashley duvet and shams right now. Laura Ashley patterns really teleport me back to my childhood, and with the world the way it is right now, I felt myself desperate to go back to a time where I would wake up surrounded by her winding floral patterns.

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Book I recommend to everyone I know: ‘Perfumes: The A-Z Guide’ by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez, published by Profile Books

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Jessica Matlin – I feel like I’ve recommended Perfumes: The A-Z Guide by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez at least eight times on Fat Mascara. The authors review over 100 fragrances, and while chances are you’ve probably only worn a fraction of them, the writing is so clever and incisive, it doesn’t even matter. I still crack up reading it. These people made me think I needed to start wearing Tommy Girl again. They’re that compelling.

  1. £10 from Amazon.co.uk
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Tech I have to take when I travel: Cloud B sleep sheep

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Jessica Matlin – We travel with the Cloud B Sleep Sheep. My little girl, Lake, goes to sleep with white noise in the background at home, and this cuddly sheep has a bunch of cool sound options for her to nod off to when we’re on the road. The wildest one? Mother’s heartbeat.

  1. £40 from Huggle.co.uk
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Luxury item that’s worth the money: Faz not fur coat

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Jessica Matlin – This past winter I bought a faux fur from the brand Faz Not Fur off of Net-a-Porter, and I can’t wait to wear it once the temperature drops. The quality is amazing, and the cut is superb. It’s exciting to see faux fur used beyond fast fashion.

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The one product I use every day without fail: Tom Ford lipstick

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Jessica Matlin – I’m on a Zoom almost every weekday for work, and I try to throw on lipstick if only to feel a bit more "on." Most every day it’s some sort of pinky-nude, and my favourite by far is Tom Ford “Spanish pink”. It’s insanely creamy, a kind of Sixties pink, and you don’t have to put it on perfectly.

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