Ep 102 - Why Bite Beauty Founder Susanne Langmuir is Banking on Waterless Beauty Next

Today we’re speaking to Susanne Langmuir, founder of the iconic cosmetics line dedicated solely to the power of lipstick, Bite Beauty. Susanne started the laser-focussed range in 2012 based on a simple premise: “What you put on your lips should be as good as what you put in your mouth.” As a product development guru, Langmuir succeeded where others couldn’t, creating bright, poppy shades that could measure up to the M.A.C’s and the NARS of the world, in earth-friendly formulas. Fast forward to 2020, and Susanne is on to her next, forward-thinking act: waterless beauty.

Bite Beauty broke the mould with bright lip colours using clean formulas

In this episode, we’ll update you on some maaajor changes leaving Bite Beauty fans shook since Langmuir walked away from the company over two years ago. (Shout out to our friends at I’m a Beauty Geek for explaining the vegan vs. lanolin debate so well!) Then, Susanne introduces us to her new indie start-up, SL & Co., a beauty incubator developed with her 18-year-old son. You’ll meet the debut product, aN-hydra The Powder of Youth No. 1, a water-activated microbiome cleansing powder that harnesses rice powder and pomegranate enzymes to sloughs away dead skin cells without stripping away “good” bacteria. (We weigh in with our personal review!)

Surprise! Bite Beauty introduces a three-piece complexion range starring micellar foundation this month

Find out what Susanne envisions a waterless beauty routine could look like in the not too distant future (pssst! a water-activated hyaluronic acid serum powder is coming soon!) and why ‘waterless’ is so key to shrinking our vanity footprint. But first, we’ll take you way back to before Bite Beauty even existed, to some of the serial entrepreneur’s first steps – and missteps –  into the wide world of beauty.

Three months worth of skincare fits in this tiny palm-sized bottle of the water-activated cleanser

Products mentioned in this episode: Bite Beauty Agave + Intensive Vegan Lip Mask; Bite Beauty Changemaker Supercharged Micellar Foundation; aN-hydra The Powder of Youth No. 1; Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant; Amore Pacific Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder; Tatcha The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder; My Clarins Re-Move Radiance Exfoliating Powder (launches March 1st)

Every product is independently selected by Breaking Beauty Podcast hosts and/or guests. Products you purchase through our links may earn us a commission.

Thanks to this week’s show partner – support us by supporting them! 

Sephora Did you know stress affects your skin? It can cause dryness, signs of aging, and redness. The good news? Sephora’s got solutions! Quench dryness with top skincare picks from Drunk Elephant, Tatcha, and Barbara Sturm. Target signs of aging with Fresh and Dr. Dennis Gross. Calm redness with Laneige. Get the skin-saving lineup, only at Sephora – online and in-store now. 

*Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, all products reviewed are gratis media samples submitted for editorial consideration.*

Get social with us and let us know what you think of the episode! 
www.Instagram.com/breakingbeautypodcast


www.Twitter.com/BreakingBtyPod



Join our private Facebook group



Please rate and review us in Apple Podcasts 

Sister Pact: The Aussie Twins Taking Green Beauty Brand Dr. Roebuck's From All-Purpose to Ultra Bespoke

There are lots of words you expect to read on a "green" beauty product label like: natural, ethically-sourced, paraben-free, etc. But "custom," "anti-aging" and "clinically-tested" usually aren't among them. That's what makes Dr. Roebuck's, a family brand cooked up in Sydney, Australia so special.  

Dr. Roebuck wanted a salve to soothe the eczema that afflicted his identical twin infants, Zoe and Kim. It was compounded by a local pharmacist and kept in the fridge for the whole family to use.

Fast forward nearly four decades later, and those very same daughters are upgrading the range from simple, skin-soothing, hand-crafted salves to potent anti-aging serums, eye creams and custom treatments slick enough for the ultra chic counters of Holt Renfrew.

Sitting down with Kim and Zoe who finish each other's sentences (not surprisingly!), the first question is obviously what it's like to work one's sister. "We keep each other going - it's a lot work right? So much respect to those ladies who did it on their own - like Bobbi Brown and Jo Malone and women like that. Kim is Marketing Director and I am the Creative Director so we don't step on each others toes. But we do have to go to dinner and say - ok, no work talk!" 

In honour of Earth Month, the twins launched a luxe pop-up shop at Holt Renfrew in Toronto where you can custom-blend your serum tailored to your skin type (it's expected later this year in Vancouver - stay tuned). Fill out a digital survey and on the spot you get a customized serum, hand-crafted by one of their skin therapists. "You'll also get recipes that can help heal any skin ailments like inflammation or redness," says Kim, drawing from their own hyper healthy upbringing–like only being able to eat carob instead of chocolate. 

Staying true to their real simple roots, the brand's R&D has an equally homegrown feel. "All the formulations are created five minutes from my house," says Zoe, who notes there's a minimum of nine active ingredients in each serum. "We know the supply chain, where it's being refined and what's in it. For instance, Rosehip oil can be bought synthetically and cheaply but not in this case – our father's name is on the box so we would never do that."