Ashton McGrady: I get up every morning before we film the podcast and should I maybe do this in advance? Yes, but beauty is changing literally all the time. So that's when I hop in and fill this doc with all the beauty releases. And I feel like I was frantic this morning because I also trying to make a loaf of sourdough. ⁓ Kailey Waskall: hi. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: was multitasking a little too much. ⁓ Yeah, those were my top two priorities. And ever we talked about it, I've been craving the freaking avocado toast. I can't stop thinking about avocado toast. so I was like, well, no, I'm actually not. I'm thought out as of today, which is great. But I really wanted like good bread. Kailey Waskall: You were like bread and beauty. That's all I need. Mmm, yeah, yeah, yeah. And you're stuck. Ashton McGrady: So I am making sourdough and I was checking out all the new beauty launches and holy crap there is a lot there's so many things. ⁓ Kailey Waskall: So Ashton McGrady: so hard to pick what to include week to week because feel like I'm like choosing between my favorite children. there's so many launches like in Sephora and Ulta. new brands coming to and there's also like new products from brands that are already there. And I just know where to go. So we may get to all these, we may not. Kailey Waskall: Mm-hmm. Yeah, they're like really going for it. I actually was about to ask you, it's not one that we're gonna talk about, but I just saw Summer Fridays lip stains. Ashton McGrady: Yeah... Kailey Waskall: I'm so intrigued by the tip. Ashton McGrady: I know if I saw the lip stains. I definitely saw their lip liner launch. I feel like I maybe missed the lip stains. Kailey Waskall: So they have a lip stain that looks like a pen, but the top is pointed so it's supposed to be like easier to like drag and apply. It just, ⁓ it and a lot of are already like sold out Sephora. And I was like, ⁓ I miss this. Ashton McGrady: Interesting. I'm not cool enough to get the new stuff. Got it. Yeah, that's a PR list I'm not on and probably never will be on because I've ragged on them one too many times. Kailey Waskall: okay. That's like me with Patrick Tau. Ashton McGrady: Yeah, that's also another PR list I will unfortunately never be have to be honest at the end of the day and if your product's shit, Kailey Waskall: ⁓ Ashton McGrady: have a lot of thoughts and most of are not clean. Kailey Waskall: what you're saying. I do naturally talk with quite a few curse words in my natural language and for a long time on my videos I tried to not do it and I've kind of given up, truly. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: Mmm. Yeah, like wearing the occupational therapy hat. I'm sure you were like, ehhhh. Kailey Waskall: Yeah, I work with kids as my part-time job, totally switch because obviously, and it's like a But then in my natural life, a lot, just in natural cadence. And so was like, well, I'm just gonna let it go. And like, what you gonna do? Ashton McGrady: ⁓ honestly, yeah, can relate to that when I was teaching, it was so hard. You do eventually get into the swing of it. Kailey Waskall: Yeah. Yeah, it's natural for me now, obviously I talk to children different than the way I talk to even in the phrasing and the amount of words you use and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: all the people that are like, can't be an intellectual and just be throwing curse words out left and right. And I'm like, yes, I fucking can. Kailey Waskall: What are you talking about? think it makes smarter. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: you ⁓ don't have a string of to say about the year of our lord 2026 or whatever existing I'm looking at you. I'm you, Kailey Waskall: and there is, to get a little nerdy right now, there is also research out there that when you get hurt, if you scream out a curse word, it does lessen your pain. you're like... I haven't looked deeply into it. I saw one research article and I was like, that's good enough for me. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: love this and I'm moving forward with this as life advice. He said, that's all I needed actually. Kailey Waskall: It's evidence-based practice now. Ashton McGrady: well, guess is better time than ever to naturally move into our podcast. Kailey Waskall: Beauty was never designed with disabled people in mind, but we're here anyways. Ashton McGrady: Ashton, disabled beauty creator. Kailey Waskall: And I'm Kaylee, an occupational therapist. Ashton McGrady: And this is Accessibly Ever After, where we talk all things accessible beauty, inclusive design, and what it really means to make beauty work for real people. Kailey Waskall: Every week we start with our crown and curse of the week, also known as something good and something bad that happened to us this week. Ashton, I think I'm gonna start with the curse this week. We're gonna start ⁓ and like sad. talk to me. ⁓ okay. Okay. So my kind of like a double edged sword. this week at the public school I work Ashton McGrady: Good, you go first this week. I always have to go first. It's your turn. I'm switching it up. Kailey Waskall: It was a very, very busy week. the caseload's large. and some weeks are a lot more than others. this was one of those weeks where like, I really need to lock in and just go So truly on Tuesday, I wrote maybe two IEPs, an assessment, did a whole bunch of notes, did a whole bunch of backend progress Like it was ⁓ nuts. Ashton McGrady: impressive. Kailey Waskall: ⁓ And then, you, thank you. I truly, was we're into hyper-focus mode brain. It's happening. Yeah. ⁓ I know. Well, so OT, it's not from scratch, right? Like it is working as team. So it's not horrible, horrible, but it does take quite a bit of brain power. So then Wednesday was a professional development day. Ashton McGrady: Honestly, writing one IEP. I'm tapped out after that, okay? Right. Fair enough. Yeah. Kailey Waskall: had to like learn a whole bunch of stuff and then locked in some more. then yesterday was And as an OT, I don't really need to attend all conferences. We like a few IEP meetings during afterschool hours, but I signed up volunteer. Basically we have a of families who utilize And so we had like a Google Meet with. the interpreter and then volunteer, which was me and a person who let in the families as they go so that the teachers could go to the different interpreters that they needed to go to and we had someone to kind of manage. So all that being said, the past three days I think I worked almost 12 hours a day and so now I'm like, I think I'm dead. Ashton McGrady: ⁓ my gosh. think you need a nap. A well-deserved nap. And guys, record these at 8 a.m., so we are in rare form already. Kailey Waskall: Yeah. So I realized I just like locked in a little too hard and today I was gonna do all this social media stuff and I was like, no, you're not. No, you're not. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: Immediately no. for sure girlboss too close to the sun, but I'm impressed you are to right we are recording this on the day that our podcast, Episode 1, officially drops and that's so exciting. I just want to take a moment to be really about that because... Kailey Waskall: It happens. Ashton McGrady: We have been through the wringer. When I tell you we have learned this from scratch, truly been learning as we go. We have had to re-record so many episodes truly such a learning experience for I'm so excited to have it out there in the world. Kailey Waskall: Is that your crown or your curse? Ashton McGrady: That's not my crown. that's neither my crown nor my curse. ⁓ I move on. I will move on to my So this week, and actually, if we want to be specific, literally since like fall, I have been experiencing arguably the worst burnout that I've experienced since like graduate Kailey Waskall: It is very, very exciting. Ashton McGrady: and that has been really difficult for me to navigate. I do think that some of it is coming from, again, just like the society and the political landscape, we're all navigating all these things external factors that I cannot control. But for the first time in a long time, I felt, like really strong creative burnout. And creating content and doing all of this was such an outlet for me for so long that when that happened, I was like, ⁓ my gosh, I don't know what to do I just stop creating content? Do I just stop doing what I'm doing? I was just like going through like a midlife crisis. not even gonna lie this Ashton today is not even fully out of whatever this burnout is. an autistic person, I have experienced it before. So I do think it's a of like, a lot of people are feeling burnout, but I think I'm feeling some nuanced kinds of burnout right now. I don't know, it me feel kind empty for a while. And that is really sad. Kailey Waskall: Mm-hmm. Ashton McGrady: that paired with seasonal depression is truly diabolical. Kailey Waskall: Puxatani Phil said six more weeks of wind. ⁓ Don't! No, not. We love him. It's not his fault that it was a sunny day, so he saw his shadow. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: I know I'm gonna set him on fire. I'm gonna drown the groundhog in the snow. Listen, I have to have somebody to blame and right now it's the groundhog. and I have a bone to pick. What do you mean six more weeks of winter? I can't do this. I looked out the window yesterday. Again, I live in the South. I live in North Carolina and not like Western North Carolina, the mountains. I live in the Piedmont region. We don't get snow here. It just randomly like giant in the of the day yesterday that nobody knew was coming. So I'm over it. I'm Kailey Waskall: All right. Ashton McGrady: closes laptop, stops the podcast. So yeah, me and Phil, we're beefin'. Kailey Waskall: You tell the weather that. I'm sorry that you're beefing with Phil and that you're in autistic burnout. That sucks. Ashton McGrady: Yeah, but I want to hear about something positive because I've really been fighting for my life, I kind of need our crowns this week to sustain me, so tell me what is your crown this week. Kailey Waskall: Okay, well, you know me, you know I love compliments I love external validation. It is ⁓ the best. It sometimes feed into my OCD where it's like, I need you to tell me that I'm being good and that ⁓ I'm not a bad ⁓ Ashton McGrady: You know. No. Kailey Waskall: But no, No, Will say since being in therapy and like working through this and having the words for like moral scrupulosity OCD Which has been crazy basically it's like you're always worried that like if you do anything Human you're like a bad person and so you're so focused on being perfect that you like Ashton McGrady: No, getting what you mean. ⁓ It's just miserable. Kailey Waskall: So anyways, since starting therapy and whatnot, it's been really, really helpful. So now when I get compliments, I'm like, thank you. And I don't have to ruminate on them. so I got a compliment, from a coworker. And she told me this she just like looked at me and she was like, I really like working with you. And I was like, thank you. And she was like, you're just really good when we have stuff that we have to change or like when stuff is a group effort. Ashton McGrady: Aww. Right. Kailey Waskall: She was like, you just do it. And I was like, ⁓ Ashton McGrady: You're like, yeah, I do my work? Question mark? Kailey Waskall: And so it did feel really good because started this job in November. It is always hard to start at a public school in the middle of the year, take over a new caseload, have to learn all the kids it is a lot. And so that just like really meant a lot to me. I was like, thank you ⁓ so much. ⁓ I will now be carrying this with me through the rest of the year. Ashton McGrady: Sure. You're like, I needed that actually. as you should. If that's what takes to get you through it, then that's what it takes. Just to be shared with compliments on the daily. Kailey Waskall: Yeah. Okay. tell me what's going on in your world? Ashton McGrady: recently had a job interview for a part-time role that I was very excited about, after I had the first interview and I didn't hear for a while I was like, I'm just gonna not think about it because I was just pretty sure I wasn't getting the job. Well, I sent a follow-up and I still didn't hear anything so then I was like, oh no. then, Finally, out of the blue, don't know if it was late last week or beginning of this week, ⁓ I got an email me to move to the final interview stage. So that was so cool and I did that and I feel ⁓ fairly good about it. don't know if I got the job, but even if I didn't, it was just nice to network and meet new people. And I got to interview with the CEO, so that was very cool. ⁓ Kailey Waskall: very fun. Ashton McGrady: And yeah, I was just very excited about that. But that's my crown. Kailey Waskall: That's awesome. And I think it is so funny that when you apply for jobs, it's like, okay, hey, ⁓ I'm here. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: Thanks. No, literally. And I know, I know realistically the reason they're hiring for this role is because they're already wearing so many hats. does not surprise me that it took them some time fingers and toes crossed. I'm doing some manifestations over here. but I think it's time to get into our beauty launches because I'm literally biting at the bit to about some of those. Kailey Waskall: I Ashton McGrady: Hear ye, hear ye, new beauty drops are on the way. Kailey Waskall: we need to talk about this new brand coming to Sephora. Ashton McGrady: Cyclar, have you tried any of their products? need talk about it in a good, well, in a good bad way. I won't say bad. There's just a lot of room for improvement, but as a whole, I really like the brand is doing. ⁓ So Cyclar is a brand Kailey Waskall: I have not, Okay. Hit me with it. Talk to me. Ashton McGrady: created by Claudia Salusky. She is founder ⁓ and it's kind meant to be this like almost luxury body care line. Very like sensorial, making you feel you have a little luxury in your really love their products. I love the fragrances. if are not fragrance girl, these are not for you. that's okay. not everything is for everybody. My favorite from them Vanilla Verve. And looking at the packaging, ⁓ I... feel some type of way and like the main thing above all is that when I see all of this, ⁓ all I do mean all of their packaging is glossy. can confirm who has used it like in the shower, especially because a lot of these products they're made to be sensorial, right? So a of them have oils. They're very rich. And so you can just imagine how slippery, like their body wash is honestly one of my favorites. does feel very luxurious. The texture of it is phenomenal, but so slippery. The is tiny. there's definitely some things I would improve. However, there's a couple of things that stand out to me, like their hand cream does have a little, wood grain kind of spherical top that I gives you a nice grip. Kailey Waskall: Mhm. Ashton McGrady: Now not all their products are obviously built way, but That's something that stood out to me. The pump is pretty typical. It's got a small surface area Kailey Waskall: roll on? Ashton McGrady: yeah, so is the perfume oil. Kailey Waskall: okay, so my thoughts. I agree with everything you were just saying, like very glossy, trying to look very, very expensive, which often not always the most accessible Ashton McGrady: Mm-hmm. Kailey Waskall: I usually preach that roll-on perfumes ⁓ more inclusive. I, thinking about these and thinking about ⁓ actual application a large roll-on, So I'm talking about like a full size, Are they full size? Are they small? Ashton McGrady: Yeah, well, they're relatively small, it's not like teeny tiny. it's not like the mini version of the beauty that is actually in fact like teeny tiny. ⁓ This is still of decent size and of decent Kailey Waskall: Mm-hmm I'm almost gonna call these travel size, even though it's the full size because they're 0.5 fluid ounces they do look like little bitties, which ⁓ I like a roll on for a size. I think it's relatively easy to handle. I do like that are square. I'm interested how it feels though with how much width they have because you have to be very in how you hold onto it versus a Ashton McGrady: Right. Yeah. Kailey Waskall: cylinder or there enough surface area that you can hold on to it multiple types of ways to apply via roll-on? Ashton McGrady: yeah, personally don't know if I can be the one to answer. I do think that could probably it a few different ways. Who's to say? I don't particularly love the way it in hand when I'm applying it. I don't know, it just doesn't feel right, but still like the fragrance, so you know. ⁓ Kailey Waskall: I don't know. I think it's very which is interesting because I normally recommend rounded corners and things of that nature. But I think when I'm looking at things, the more kind of organic, ergonomic shape they can be, the easier it's going to be to kind fit in the palm of your hand to roll on versus something that's a little bit more blocky. So that's very interesting me. And to go back to the large, full size, Ashton McGrady: Sure. Kailey Waskall: Do you think you would still prefer a roll-on in typical fragrance or do you think you'd prefer a spray dispenser? here's my thought process If you're holding onto this bulky, larger fragrance and then you have flip it over, that can be hard if you have pain or to it on. But on the other hand, if it's like the tiny spray dispenser, that is going to cause other issues. So I think out loud we just need to scrap it all. Ashton McGrady: throw it all away. Kailey Waskall: tell me your thoughts, because I do normally recommend roll-ons, and then when thinking about the actual functional use of a full-size, larger roll-on, know it would actually be easier. Ashton McGrady: Yeah. My answer is going to be largely due to preference rather than actual function. So I mean, I'll give it to you, but the problem Roll-ons for me is, I feel like I'm having to put in a little more physical effort, to move it around and apply it in so different places. and I can't just like put it straight on my clothes, you know, So for that reason, I kind of like, fragrance sprays. That's not to say I won't use a roll-on, especially when we're talking about layering fragrances, especially if it's an oil base that's gonna make my fragrance hang on longer. Kailey Waskall: Is that even with travel Ashton McGrady: Yeah. Kailey Waskall: Interesting. Not what I would expect. Ashton McGrady: Yeah, I think this is like across the board for me. that's just, again, personal preference. getting into the products, really love what they're doing here terms of formula. It does feel I did want to note they also have like a milky essence, which when we're talking about body care versus like a lotion, it's nice have options because we all have different preferences and needs. And I like it because it's thinner, versus you're doing something like a lotion and pumping, this is like you're shaking it out. So there's, Kailey Waskall: Mm-hmm. Ashton McGrady: pros and cons there. think that like this, are easier to maybe distribute on the body and rub in because they're not as thick, but at the same time, it might be harder to get out of the bottle. Kailey Waskall: the product stands out the most to me, is the glycolic acid exfoliating body spray I don't know if I've ever seen one in a formula. Ashton McGrady: Right. Kailey Waskall: I think this is really cool, especially if bending down is hard, trying to like rub the exfoliating mask or like the, what is it mechanical? Where it's like the pieces of sugar versus the chemical. That can be harder too. So fact that they have a exfoliating body spray. Ashton McGrady: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Kailey Waskall: And also just as like an ADHD person, I love when products feel like I can just grab and go. ⁓ like use my Aquaforce spray all the time as lotion. And so if I could have a body spray that does the exfoliation and then a lotion spray, I'm in heaven. Ashton McGrady: Yeah. Right, also I wanted to note I said at beginning of this, if can't handle fragrance, if you don't fragrances, this isn't for you, I do want to note that they do have some of their in a fragrance free version, like their body wash and their body cream. So they have options for the girlies. they also really heavily lean into like refill situation, which ⁓ we could do a whole episode on this. Kailey Waskall: Mm-hmm. Ashton McGrady: ⁓ of sustainability for accessibility, is truly a swap in many for many brands that are creating these products where instead of like marrying the two together, if I have to take all the steps to like refill a product, girl, bye. Kailey Waskall: Sustainability not obviously my scope of expertise, but what refills do do. Ashton McGrady: Fair enough. They have their body cream and I can't remember if they have their body wash, but definitely the body cream is in a ref... ⁓ yes, the body wash and the body cream in like refill bags where you can put them back into the jar or whatever. But again, that's a of steps. These caps are often really small. sometimes the cost of sustainability instead of the kind of doing this on their own. They're like passing on this labor to the consumer So I don't know, that's just again, another nuanced conversation, but all in all, I really do love this brand. yes, it's like very modern, very cool girl, but do think they're working to kind of innovative. So excited to see what's to come from them the future They're going to be launching on Sephora.com on February 3rd and on March 2nd, they will be in 450 Sephora stores nationwide. Kailey Waskall: just to smell these scents. Ashton McGrady: I think you need If had to give you my favorite, it definitely is Vanilla Verve, but you know I am a vanilla girly, I know that's not your cup of tea. they have a slew of scents. I feel like there really is something for everyone. Kailey Waskall: Okay, I'll have to try it out. Ashton McGrady: All right, well, report back. Kailey Waskall: I will. Ashton McGrady: Next up we have the Gizu Honey Gloss Ceramide Therapy Hydrating Shampoo. these log names are killing me on this podcast. I actually ⁓ gotten the store and tried this one out myself. So I like ⁓ I ⁓ qualified speak on it, at least a little more than if I'm just going into this without having any background knowledge or having felt it myself. I love how Gizu leans into a theme. you know how they do like the very like bee, very like honey. lean into the- Yeah, it's so cute. this is no different. I think their packaging is really fun. I love how the sides of it are kind of like wavy. I feel like really gives you an idea of where to Kailey Waskall: ⁓ yeah. Ashton McGrady: place your grip on the product. I think it makes it a little easier gripping a bottle like that might be more difficult. Also, ⁓ you really from the marketing photos, but having tried the product in this is one of those to dispense products, which I do like. they also made a conditioner that goes along with this. Kailey Waskall: Mmm. Ashton McGrady: And one really cool thing that they did was they are both these twisted dispense packages, the packaging style is slightly different. So you can actually differentiate the two And they also of have that audible cue where you can kind of hear the clicking of the packaging. So I just wanted to note that. Kailey Waskall: my gold standard is always a pump in the shower. I think the more you have to ⁓ manipulate and manage in a slippery environment, the more unsafe it gets. I think my step down from that would like a twist open you're not having to get a cap open and closed. So I'll take Ashton McGrady: Fair enough. Yeah. not perfect. No product is. I want to note that it is fragrance, but it's also color safe, dermatologist tested, and it's supposedly made for all hair types. So love to see it. Again, we love options. If a pump is it for you, maybe something like this ⁓ is. ⁓ Kailey Waskall: Yeah, and it's really cute. Like I could totally imagine this in my shower and looking at it every time and being like, yeah, I'm fancy. Ashton McGrady: It is cute. ⁓ I'm that girl. to like through these, but I'm so excited to talk about our next makeup product. It's the Milk Makeup Hydra Grip 12-hour Hydrating Gel Stick Concealer. Give me your thoughts, Kayleigh. Kailey Waskall: I have seen this literally everywhere. Like I don't know what their social media budget for this product was, but it had to be big because I see so many people talking about this. Ashton McGrady: kind of all over the place right now. Kailey Waskall: really excited for this. Ashton McGrady: I need to get my hands on it, but ⁓ do think I also for it. Kailey Waskall: for people who are listening, well, you're listening, we don't have a video version. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: You're all listening. It's fine, it's 8 Kailey Waskall: It a stick applicator versus a doe foot So there's a cap that you pull off and then you just apply the product directly to your skin which Is cool does it actually make steps Ashton McGrady: Yeah. a few concerns. There's no contrast between the body and the top of the product that you actually have to remove. And it looks slick. is that going to be hard to pull the top off? If it's too easy, then we like run the risk of, getting stuff all up in my makeup bag. Kailey Waskall: Mm-hmm. Ashton McGrady: sometimes you can find a happy medium, but I'm a little about the fact that it is glossy. I do like sticks versus like wands and things. It's something a little different. I feel like can sometimes be a little to control placement, if that makes sense. Kailey Waskall: wonder what makes it easier to control is the fact that a stick is normally thicker so you have more hold on the product versus the actual stick itself. if you think about a doe foot versus the stick, for both applications, you're just placing it on your face. but I think it's because the stick gives you more to hold on Ashton McGrady: Mmm. Kailey Waskall: versus doe foot that normally has a handle or a cap, which is typically smaller. So it lend itself be easier to hold in different ways if you're using the stick so that you can hold it near the top if you want a lot of like really close control versus holding it towards the bottom if you want it a little bit more feathered or like lighter control. So that's why I think sticks Ashton McGrady: Right. Kailey Waskall: easier to apply or why we think they're easier to apply. So if we took the doe foot applicator and adjusted the packaging, I think there could be some innovative ways to do that. Do you agree? Ashton McGrady: Yeah, I do. I think that part of it for me is that I can kind of get close. And that's why I feel like I have more control over it. And I do like that it's like a built up option. I thought it was very interesting. They state the marketing of this that there is a dial to twist it up that has an auditory cue. So I thought that was to note. Now the thing I also want to note here is that this does not go back so you only can twist up what you need, could be challenging. ⁓ Kailey Waskall: No. No, I hate that. Ashton McGrady: so that was something that stood out to me that could be particularly challenging for lot of people because I'm like what kind mess is it gonna cause ⁓ if ⁓ ⁓ twist too Kailey Waskall: And a lot of times when you're twisting up a product, there's a bit of a lag, especially when the product is new get always end up over twisting and then I'm like, well, I've just wasted $5 because I have put so much product. Ashton McGrady: Right. Yeah, so that part part did leave me a little scared. Kailey Waskall: I think I'm excited about the formula ⁓ and the that can versus the packaging in totality. If that. Ashton McGrady: Yeah, I mean, I'm here for something hydrating and I did like the Hydra Grip foundation, like the skin tint. I it's cool that they've come up with this to ⁓ match on their website, they've out the shades that compliment the skin tint shades, which is cool. As a dry skin girly, I think it could be worth looking into. Kailey Waskall: I have reservations, but I'm also potentially hopeful. Ashton McGrady: For sure. one thing really want to talk about is the repackaging of the Ellis Brooklyn Body Mist that they just did. didn't do it for all of their body and hair fragrance mist, this was specifically because they got from their customers because people wanted to be able to throw in their bags and go. And see, this is why these brands need to be listening to their customer base. ⁓ Kailey Waskall: see. ⁓ That is so exciting. Ashton McGrady: it's so good. when comparing the original version they made, which is beautiful. It's like this frosted glass, but those things are heavy and I'm not gonna just throw them in a bag. They're not travel friendly. So like the goal here was literally be able to like put this in your gym bag or put this in your purse. I just love that they listened to their audience that was like, hey, this is not meeting our needs. Can you do something about this? And they did. Kailey Waskall: Yeah, and I love that they're triangular. That's so fun. Ashton McGrady: same. The shape is interesting. I hope they do this with more of their body sprays. Again, we like love a good option. I understand idea wanting to be a luxury fragrance. maybe the glass bottles fit in with the better. But I also think that for these are so Kailey Waskall: So smart they're still cute like to me they still read the higher luxury well, I mean plastic packaging always like, okay cool, Ashton McGrady: No, they're so cute. Kailey Waskall: I just like the triangular because I think that makes fit relatively easy in your hand and it gives you something to hold on to. And then it makes it so the cap's not gonna roll away if it drops, Ashton McGrady: Right. I will say they have definitely leaned into the Gourmand fragrance mist, but I would love to see more from them in this packaging because again, I just think it makes it so easy. think the shape is so interesting ⁓ I am excited. Kailey Waskall: what about the Good Molecules, Matcha Dual Phase Cleansing Oil? Ashton McGrady: I think I'm excited about this. love that Good Molecules has always leaned into the affordability and the accessibility of And I don't mean physical accessibility. I mean the accessibility price point and where it can be found. is $12. ⁓ Kailey Waskall: that's nice price point, especially for like a nice oil. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: Yeah, it's 3.3 fluid ounces for $12. And I really, really appreciate that. Kailey Waskall: Yeah, I don't love that it's like a essence toner top where you have to like shake it out. That annoys me. Ashton McGrady: Yeah, something else that's definitely going like make or break it for people is the fact that you need to shake it to like combine the product into true formulation which For some people is just not a possibility, but I know you've mentioned those medicine shakers before So maybe this actually be a case where something like that would be helpful Kailey Waskall: But even then you still have to like twist it open, it out. And it looks like it kind of holds onto the packaging, like it drips down. am concerned that for the everyday person, this is gonna get really messy. And that means ⁓ really, slippery. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: Sure, and I mean it's an is definitely a concern worth having. I knew going into this, was I love that it's $12 and probably more affordable but then I was they're also not investing in a bunch of custom packaging. you I understand why. It may not be the most accessible packaging or the most innovative. I just know that might for some people and it well may not work for others. Interested about Kailey Waskall: Yeah, if you pick this up and try it, please DM us and let us know. I'm very interested in this formula. Ashton McGrady: Same, same, same. okay. So Rimm Beauty is launching Melange Toi Blush and Highlight Sticks. And this is like typical for their highlighter sticks I've in past. Like the packaging is the same. was just of excited. I do find this packaging to be a little frustrating personally. I don't know. how you feel about it? What are your thoughts? I don't... same! Kailey Waskall: I hate this packaging. I R.A.M. This is like my least favorite packaging of their range. If you know me, you know, their glosses, favorite on the planet. I'm actually like down to my last third of Fembot which is wild ⁓ for how many glosses I ⁓ Ashton McGrady: It's so good. looks so gorgeous. But like, packaging, needs a lot of I have really liked that about their little highlighter sticks. I do think this is kind of Like the chrome is slippery. ⁓ clear plastic is slippery. just not working for me. It's a no for me, dog. Kailey Waskall: for everyone to know it's like ⁓ a small cylinder ⁓ Silver with a little plasticky dome piece you can see the color through a pro But all one color. It says Aryan Beauty on the bottom And so you definitely have to pinch at the bottom and pull this top piece off then probably twist it up bored. Ashton McGrady: Eh. rage bait packaging, I wanna talk about the Revolution Beauty blush icon palettes I don't even know what the release date on these are, but I just saw them immediately, I had like war flashbacks. These are giving the Patrick Ta blush palette dupes, but somehow the packaging seems worse. Kailey Waskall: These are giving like early 2000s you go into a CVS and you're like, ⁓ I want that eyeshadow palette. And it's like the plasticky packaging that you can never get open. So you accidentally open it with too much force, drop it and break it. And then you're sad. Ashton McGrady: or like jam it's not looking good folks. Somehow, it actually looks worse to me the Patrick Ta blush palettes, which again, the formulations are beautiful on. I'm a little over the dupes right now. I'm so here for like making things accessible to people, but when they're bad, they're bad. Kailey Waskall: This is not good. Also, Ashton McGrady: That's not good. Kailey Waskall: do have a cover for cream inside. no little, curve Ashton McGrady: Mm-hmm. it's gonna be one of those tiny class situations that you're gonna have to like jam pair of tweezers into. That's like, if you wanna go that far. will say kinds of blush palettes, have this like variety of formulas everybody has different sensory needs and sensory preferences. So that give you options just like based on your personal needs or preferences, but everything else about it, trash. Kailey Waskall: Well, you can also see the colors in the top. Ashton McGrady: Okay, okay, okay, fine. Kailey Waskall: the other day I was trying to find a specific berry blush shade in my collection and I was going through and I was like this is why I'm making my binder of all my beauty cards because ⁓ I can't find anything and I don't remember what shades I have in packaging like so that is a plus everything else is a con Ashton McGrady: You You're Yeah, this feels like RageBait to me. Kailey Waskall: we have confirmation that their powder that we talked about in an earlier episode is really hard to open. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: Yeah, we need to bring that footage to you guys if Savannah, our student that's working with us is comfortable with it. guys, the powder pops, whatever from Revolution Beauty we talked about a few weeks ago, Savannah went in store, tried and she as an able-bodied person was there fumbling with this for forever until eventually she opened it and like a piece fell out. I don't know. It's just like, it was a hot mess express. Kailey Waskall: I think it was the powder puff. Cause I did look at it very closely. I was like, did the actual powder just fly out of the, did she just break the tester? ⁓ She did not. Ashton McGrady: Imagine. She said, truly this is boots on the ground journalism. And I was so proud of her in that moment, but should not take that much force I'm I'm rage-mated, see? Kailey Waskall: Yeah, Ashton McGrady: do wanna end ⁓ on a semi-good note talking about the Fenty Butter Drop Hydrating Body ⁓ Milk. I love Fenty Skin and I love Fenty Body and we have talked about before and Robin Rihanna Fenty, you always eat. Kailey Waskall: again, the is It looks like the, yeah, the actual like dispenser part where the product comes looks longer. you have more space to get your hand under to get a piece of adaptive equipment under. Like you have more ability to manipulate and use this product just based on its general packaging. I. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: It is! was first thing I noticed. Yeah! Kailey Waskall: love that it's body milk in a freaking pump dispenser. I Ashton McGrady: Same. I actually think I'm gonna buy this. love a body milk, I love anything like a little thinner. it's easier for me to apply without pain. And then even the pump itself, like the top, I feel like there's a hair more surface area than just like a traditional pump, which I also very much appreciate. Kailey Waskall: Do you know? You might not. Do you know if this is coming to Ulta or if it's just a Sephora? Ashton McGrady: ⁓ don't know, actually. Kailey Waskall: I it's just Sephora for now. only that because I ⁓ so many points. Ashton McGrady: Only at Sephora. exclusive. as soon as I saw it, I was like, ooh, that is for me. And they have a few fragrances. They have the Fenty the Salted Caramel, and the Vanilla Dream, which you know, I'm a vanilla girly through through. ⁓ did, I'm a little nervous though because the Vanilla Dream does have coconut in it. that is one of my least favorite fragrance notes. Kailey Waskall: Yeah, I want the Fenty Fresh. Ashton McGrady: don't want to smell like I'm on a beach all the but overall ⁓ I have so much excitement about this product. I also appreciate that it's not super text dense, the text kind of stands out against the product body it looks like clear so that you see kind of like the milky formula inside and then the is in like a color. So it stands out nicely against the Kailey Waskall: Yeah, I also like that with a clear you can see when you're getting to the end or how much product you have left you know? Ashton McGrady: Great. She does appear to me to be like a frosted glass. So if weight is a concern for you, this may be something you want to try in store if you're able to before purchasing. But overall, I do think that this is a great option Kailey Waskall: I will also say a use perspective, when things are heavier, because the actual dispenser is wider, there's potential that you can just leave it on the counter because also that little like tubular piece where the actual product comes out is longer. So if you just put it on the counter depending on how slippery your counters are on a piece of Dyson or Ashton McGrady: True. Kailey Waskall: like drawer liner, that they use in that then lends itself to the weight being able to withstand pushing down from the top without it just like sliding over. So there's a lot of potential here for ease of depending on your. own needs it's win for me Ashton McGrady: with the coconut note, I feel like I'm just gonna, I'm gonna let it happen. I deserve a We deserve a treat. We're launching a podcast. Kailey Waskall: Yeah. ⁓ my God, I need a little treat day. I'm actually going later today get coffee with a friend and then there's a local witchy store that she's apparently never been to. I go to it frequently. maybe get a candle to celebrate I'll do a ritual. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: Meelo treat! Yeah, I think so. think we should soak in the moment. And again, by the time guys are watching this, we're like hella episodes in, but ⁓ which is crazy. I just to take a to like really soak that in and celebrate it together because that is so exciting. And I know that we have been waiting for this moment. We've been about this for so long now. Kailey Waskall: Seven weeks. seven ⁓ I know, it's really, really cool. So if you are listening, just also a moment to thank you staying us all the way through episode seven, through our first clunky episodes. And I'm sure in the next like 20 episodes, we'll be like, ⁓ my God, we ⁓ did ⁓ I even wanna listen to it. Ashton McGrady: Cringe. feel like I can't listen to our episodes back as a side note. I like I don't want to hear my voice that much. It's scary to me. Like imagine, just cannot personally do that. I feel like I need to put these out into the ether and then never listen to them again. Kailey Waskall: truly, this is like the dream. It's really, really cool to able to a little bit more nuanced about products have a little chit chat with the girlies while also talking about accessible beauty. So thank you. just, Ashton McGrady: Yeah, we need a name for our little community. If you guys have any ideas what we could call you, what you want to be called, send our way. Maybe like something fairy tale. I don't know. We'll simmer this, but you guys are all cuties to me we literally cannot have a podcast without you. I mean, we could, but with zero listeners, it would be a little sad. Kailey Waskall: That would just be a phone call. That would literally just be a phone call of us. Ashton McGrady: No, would just be us yapping for funsies, but I think we should move into Ask the Collective. Kailey Waskall: Agreed. Today's Ask the Collective question is, if you could change brand's packaging, what would you change? Ashton McGrady: Why do I feel like I'm gonna steal yours? Kailey Waskall: That's fine, steal it, I'll come up with another. Ashton McGrady: Taw. We have been like three, two, one, and just like said it at the same time because how did I just know? Patrick Taw been rage baiting us since the beginning of time. Kailey Waskall: Yeah. Yeah, What's your least favorite? Ashton McGrady: will never. Well, it's been the fact that they released those mini blush palettes, feels diabolical because why would you actually take the worst packaging that you ever made and then make it smaller? ⁓ I own the regular blush palette and the contour? Yeah, is it a nightmare to open? Also, yes, so do even want to try the minis? ⁓ I don't. Kailey Waskall: I got swept away by the glitter palettes. And I think those are very similar to the size of blush. I could be talking out my booty now, aren't they? They look ⁓ very similar. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: No. ⁓ they probably are. I haven't tried opening the little eye shadow duos. They are beautiful, unfortunately, but can't imagine opening them. Why? ⁓ hate that like mirrored packaging. Firstly, ew, you just get your fingerprints ⁓ over it it just ends up looking janky. it's so and nowhere... good on this product to grip. Now I do love you have done to adapt yours but like, could we scrap it all together? for the record, Kaylee, what have you done to adapt your Patrick Ta products? Kailey Waskall: So I really love the texture stickers that are technically like fidgets that you can like stick on things to fidget with. I the texture of those to be magical and they stick ⁓ really, well to a variety of beauty packaging, Ashton McGrady: they're so good. And like, you cut the strips and you've like put them on the sides to get a better grip, you could put some grippy or like some sort of gemstones something on the top to give it a little more texture. I don't know, as a whole, is really rough. So you're able to find ways to adapt great, because unfortunately, The reason why this is the number one brand that came to mind is because the formulas are so beautiful. Kailey Waskall: Yeah, they are truly Ashton McGrady: this isn't the first nor will it be the last time we talk about this. Kailey Waskall: No, Taw stays on my mind is... Ashton McGrady: Another PR list we're never getting on, my girl. ⁓ Kailey Waskall: Oh my God, never, never. Ashton McGrady: it back to you. Now that I've taken your what other brands packaging would you Kailey Waskall: Okay, hate me. I don't know, Tower 28. Ashton McGrady: Why would I hate you? You know what? Fair enough. Kailey Waskall: ooooh have a worse wow I'm just never getting on PR Ashton McGrady: let's throw brand into the fire. Who's next? Kailey Waskall: My life Okay, Tower 28 does have some products that I'm like, okay, get down with this. They're compact specifically, I really struggle to open. But Ilya. Ashton McGrady: fair. Ooh, okay. Yeah. It's nothing special. Kailey Waskall: so are brand that ⁓ I ⁓ their ⁓ I love vibe. like clean girl, pretty some shimmer. like, that I'm really a clean girl, but like, know, sometimes you just want that vibe. Ashton McGrady: Yeah, but it reminds me of your love for merit, right? Like very easy to very approachable, Kailey Waskall: I'm just full of contradictions, then some days I'm like, no, give me the glitter I want 5,000 colors on my eyes. But anyways, Ilya's new blushes that blush palette that was like an all in one palette. It was like holiday release. That is the worst. I On par with Patrick Taw, in my opinion, one specific palette, Ashton McGrady: Yup. beautiful. again, it's at the cost of aesthetics, which is so frustrating because as we know, especially if you've been listening for seven weeks, you can have aesthetic packaging that also accessible. Kailey Waskall: Correct. Ashton McGrady: in their defense. I like that their eyeshadow sticks are a little more glossy. Whereas the matte ones are made more matte. I like their foundation skin tint stick because has that ergonomic like thumb divot in it to hold the products. So like they're doing some things right but there's also a lot of things that they are doing very wrong. Kailey Waskall: Yeah, and truly, like you said, those products that you mentioned, sure, we can keep those. I like those. I well about those on the internet because I agree. Those blush palettes give me the ick. Let me fix you. I own one because I was like, ⁓ it'll be fine. Like I couldn't open this in Sephora, but like it's so pretty. What? Why am I like I have never used it. Well, used it. Ashton McGrady: Yeah. No they're bad. It's so bad. Kailey Waskall: like twice because I legitimately can't open it and every single time it fills me with rage. I was like, I can accessify this. ⁓ Ashton McGrady: can fix him. that is true. We can fix you. If you want to work with us, Patrick Taw or Ilya with Wishing Well did you love my segue there? It was so smooth. If you want to work with us over at Wishing Well Collective where we work with brands to make their packaging, their events, to really build in accessibility from ground up that is the bread and butter. Kailey Waskall: Yeah. Ashton McGrady: what we do. We're talking about these brands that we would love to change their packaging. Well, if you work with Wishing Well Collective, you can. Kailey Waskall: Yeah, Ashton McGrady: There are so many things that brands could improve for the sake of all people, but especially for their disabled Kailey Waskall: And that's on that. So before we go, please send us your questions. You can DM us on Instagram. You can send them to our email, which is contact at wishingwellco.com. love answering our questions and chit chatting away with all of y'all. Ashton McGrady: We do all of the links for those, in the description. All the links to the that we talked about today will also be in our description. if this episode felt helpful, consider subscribing, sharing it with your bestie, or leaving a review so we can keep the dream alive. Kailey Waskall: and the lights on. Ashton McGrady: All right, we will see you guys next week. Bye. Kailey Waskall: Bye!