The Brands, Ideas and Products set to Dominate in 2026. Plus: Buffy is Back! Sarah Michelle Gellar On Vamp Nails, Skincare Slays and More 90s Nostalgia

25:42And so by Pat Summers, they mean patient consumers. And they quote somebody from La Roche-Posay. That would be the logical brand. Scars are going to become a topic of the future because of longevity and us getting older, facing more injuries, and probably also needing repair. But, of course, my brain goes to injuries my ass. It's all the facelifts and left that we're getting. Scars are going to become a bigger and bigger issue. And so the Pat Sumer who they refer to, a consumer who uses their time as an educated medical patient to inform their shopping habits. We're trying to create a pool of Pat Sumers who are both patients and consumers, patients and influencers, patients and doctors who can become the voices of the brands.

26:34So I think on the heels of this whole longevity trend, which they're saying is set to reach$8 trillion by 2030, I think longevity is a newly packaged way of talking about wellness. But I think that this scar care in terms of skincare, I think will be an emerging category. Yeah, that's very cool. And I think we've seen like people who are adjacent to derms, like a huge surge in their influence online. Like somebody like Amy Kobberling, she's a physician assistant. And there's tons of physician assistants on TikTok and Instagram that to me are kind of bridging that gap already between patient and consumer.

27:21they're probably telling them all, like they're the people you see in the next room. You know, this is what you do for your scar care. This and that. So I think that they'll be even more important in this conversation. Absolutely. Well, especially in professional products. Yeah. Just like the way that they are always recommending La Roche-Posay. All right, Jill. Well, before we get into our interview with Sarah Michelle Gellar, are there any other trends that you think are going to be huge in 2026 that we're going to be seeing everywhere? Yes. Well, it's my favorite thing. It's the Olympics. Oh, yeah.

27:54So in 2026, it's the Winter Olympics and it's FIFA. It's the World Cup, which is going to be in North America for the first time. Maybe I don't even know, guys. I don't keep tabs, but everyone seems to be very excited about the World Cup. It's happening all over North America. And we're seeing the launch also of a lot more WNBA teams. And I think you're seeing brands, unexpected brands get into this space. Sephora is partnering with the Toronto Tempo. I believe that's their name. And Maybelline just flew a whole bunch of influencers to Vancouver for the WNBA. And then PWHL, which is the Professional Women's Hockey League.

28:30I know that Elf has worked with them. Revlon has worked with them. So we're seeing female athletes get their bag and beauty brands playing in this space. And we know at the Olympics, there's always these fun beauty stories that come out of the woodwork there. The lipstick so-and-so wore. And I think economically they've shown, they draw these crowds. It's exciting to watch the Caitlin Clark of it all. I'm so excited about that because we know that there's a pay disparity between male players and female players. So I love that this is a way for them to get their bag. And there is lots of money to be had.

29:06I'm not even a big like NBA watcher, but I will be into the WNBA with the Toronto Tempo. Like I am, I'm so here for it. I always wanted to have like a great athlete on our show to talk about beauty and sports and like what they use for long wear products, what they actually use. Alona Mar is somebody who I've wanted to get on the show for a long time. Yeah, she's so fun. So yeah, maybe with the Toronto Tempo, we'll get lucky. I don't know. Well, I also have to shout out my favorite tennis player right now, and that's Victoria. I hope I'm saying this right. It's Mboko or Boko. Mboko. She's 19 years old.

29:46She's from Montreal. She won the Canadian big tournament. Okay. And she was at Chanel show. Wow. The one in the subway. Like she was wearing her tweed looking incredible. She is absolutely sweet and adorable and so kick ass. And she is a face to watch in beauty for sure. Let's get her on the show. I follow her and she was like, thank you Chanel for the invitation. What a way to experience my first show ever. There's been such a big shakeup at Chanel. And this is obviously, I think they're pretty clearly going younger and they know that like this whole sports thing is gonna blow up. And I think there's been so much conversation about young girls and beauty.

30:27We're all so concerned about our girls when it comes to social media, when it comes to the kids running around at Sephora. And I think that this message of big beauty supporting athletes like who have so much more going for them and it's about strength. Yeah. I love it. Yeah. I'm here for it all day. Yeah. I'm really excited. So it's about time to get into our chat with Sarah Michelle Gellar. So let me ask you. Yes. Sorry to interrupt you. But what is she the face of? So she's the face of their iconic red jar. Okay. That's had a glow up. Oh, okay. So it's their Olay Regeneres Microsculpting Cream.

31:07And Olay, she's celebrating a big birthday this year. She's turning 70. No way. Yeah. And so it was a really great conversation between Aderm, Sarah Michelle Gellar, one of the podcast hosts that was there. And let me tell you, I was at the event in New York. I knew that Sarah Michelle Gellar was coming out. The rest of the audience didn't. Oh, no way. Yeah. So they tried to give a musical cue of who was coming out and nobody guessed it. And then she comes around the corner and comes out on the stage. Everyone's like, no way! Every jaded editor in the room was freaking out. And she was just like, lovely and fun.

31:49What was the music cue? I literally am blanking right now. I can't remember. It must have, was it a theme song? It wasn't the Buffy theme song because everybody would know that. Right. But the upgrade of the formula, that's$29.99 in the U.S. Of course, in Canada, it's still a drugstore price point, but just a little bit more than that. And Carlene, the whole reason that they are partnering with Sarah Michelle Gellar is around this idea that icons get better with age. And of course, she embodies that. She's been on our TV screens and movie screens for literal decades. And we know how iconic the Olay Regenerous Microsculpting Cream is.

32:24You and I have talked about it so many times, Carlene. And like, I think they sell one every 12 seconds, which is saying a lot. And what's new in this upgraded formula, it's that iconic red jar that we know and love. And for the first time, it has a triple collagen peptide. And really, the focus is all about addressing the broken cellular bonds, which their research identifies as a key contributor to visible aging. And they had a dermatologist there on the panel at the event. And Carleen, you and I always talk about how a good analogy can really help you kind of envision what what skincare science is actually doing.

33:01And Dr. Jenny Liu, who many of you may follow on social media, she was the derm that was there. And she talked about it's almost like when you're driving down a road and there's a pothole, you feel that dip. And over time, it kind of the dip gets, you know, deeper and deeper if you don't address it. So she said the same thing can kind of happen with your skin surface with wrinkling. and this triple collagen peptide, it aims to kind of fill in those dips, fill in those gaps. So your skin is supported from the inside out. It's getting stronger. So you don't get those visible signs of aging. So I thought that was a really good analogy.

33:37And they say within seven days, skin is visibly firmer and brighter. So with all of that, I'm really excited for all of you to hear our conversation with Sarah Michelle Geller. She talks about the aloe gym. She talks about 90s fashion. She talks about the perfume that her daughter introduced her to and that she loves to wear. And she also talks about how she gets ready for red carpet moments. Amazing. So here she is, Sarah Michelle Gellar.

34:20Merit Beauty is one of our show partners this week. I'm all about decluttering and organizing this first week of January. And that's why I think Merit Beauty is so genius because what they do very, very well are thoughtfully curated essentials to help you get a fresh polished look in mere minutes. If your motto is all about less is more, then Merit Beauty is for you because they have essentials that are all about a fast five minute face routine, easy to use products. You don't need to be a makeup artist. So you look put together, but you don't need to spend a lot of time. Many of my girlfriends are obsessed with the minimalist from Merit.

34:56It's in a stick format. You just swipe it on where you need a little bit of coverage. I like the brush that goes with the minimalist. You buff it in and you get that really flawless coverage. And my favorite product from the brand is actually their shade slick tinted lip oil. The color I like is called Pink Beat. It's a cool pink. And I like that it just is like that finishing touch for my lip combo keeps your lips looking really fresh and really hydrated. And the best part is that all of Merit's products are clean, vegan, cruelty-free, and made with nourishing skincare ingredients that leave your skin looking better long after you take your makeup off.

35:33Good news, everyone. Right now, Merit Beauty is offering our listeners their signature makeup bag with your first order at MeritBeauty.com. It's very chic. And once again, you can get their free signature makeup bag with your first order at MeritBeauty.com. That's N-E-R-I-T Beauty.com to get your free signature makeup bag with your first order. That's MeritBeauty.com. We'll link to this offer in our show notes and on our website. Now back to the show.

36:06Welcome to Breaking Beauty Podcast, Sarah Michelle Gellar. So excited. Thank you. Thank you for having me. So excited to be sitting down with you today. And most people know you, of course, as Buffy, the vampire slayer. So our first question, what can you tell us about the series continuation? Absolutely nothing. Okay. Not a podcaster's favorite answer. Is there a timeline when you might be able to say something? No. Okay. I had to ask. No, it's totally fine. I just always feel like it's such a disappointing answer because the answer is always the same. I can tell you nothing. Okay, well, I'd have to kill you.

36:39So I actually saw in an article in Collider where your co-star, Ryan Kira Armstrong, talks about you acting as a bit of a mentor toward her launching into TV. So tell us about why that might be so important to you in this phase of your career. I think in general, it's our job to teach, right? It doesn't matter whether it's your child, whether it's your friend. And if you have knowledge, then the whole point is to share it and to help people achieve their dreams and figure out what their goals are and how they can achieve them. Yeah. Was there any kind of like bonding moment that you guys had on set?

37:15I think everything is a bonding moment and it's not just her. Like I have responsibility to all of the younger kids on this set or any set that I'm on. And I take that very seriously. I didn't, I had a tougher time when we were coming up because you kind of were on an island. And now the whole idea is to mentor and to share and to support. Right. Specifically women to women. Yeah, I appreciate that. And you have this very cute video on your Instagram where you and Ryan Kira Armstrong are training and your caption is warrior one and warrior two. So how have you been staying ready for your roles over the years when it comes to fitness or have you had to amp it up?

37:53I mean, fitness is really important and it goes hand in hand with skincare to me. I mean, it's all part of keeping yourself healthy, both physically and mentally. and I love working out. And I'm finding that I love it more, too, as I get older. Like, I used to groan, and now it's like I look forward to it. I like lifting. I like classes. I love EMS. They're all of these sort of, you can keep it interesting. And I have also found that it's a great place to sort of meet friends and be able to encourage each other through a fitness journey. And it's kind of like it's a special place like that. Yeah.

38:23What's EMS? Yes. It's sculpting. It's electro. I'm going to say it wrong, but Darcy, don't kill me. But it's where you wear the vest and they send the stimulation to your body as you're working out. Oh, really? So it stimulates your muscles while exercising. Okay. It's like a little assist? Kind of. So it's like one, instead of just one, you know, curl, it's like 50 because your muscle twitches all that many times. Yeah. Electrical muscle stimulation. There you go. What do we not see behind the scenes at the Allo gym that we need to know about? The friendships. Really? Yeah. I've made so many great friends, both in front of the camera, behind the camera, chefs and influencers.

39:02And just really, as an adult, you don't make that many friends, you know, as you get older. And I've made so many that I really count as personal friends that it's very cool. I feel like the gym in L.A. is that third place. You know, they're always talking about the third place. So we used to have like work, home, and school in LA. That was like work, home, and the gym. And the Allo gym, yes. So tell us about your skincare routine. That's what our audience really wants to know about. So how do you like to use the new Olay cream? It's had a glow up. Tell me about it, how you use it in your daytime routine, nighttime.

39:37Well, it's incredible. I mean, it's a microsculpting triple peptide. And I think there's a lot of conversations around peptides. Totally. And it all, look, I'm not the scientist here, But in my understanding, peptides are what we need to be able to make these cellular bonds that as we get older are weakening, whether that's for your skin, your overall health, your energy levels. And so to be able to have that in a cream that can really penetrate the different layers. I think so often we think about skin as just like the top layer and what we see, but it's not. There are all of these other layers, which are what is really protecting all of our organs, because our skin is our number one organ that protects our body.

40:19And to have a cream like that, that really fills in, like you can feel all the pumpiness. I've told the story a bunch of times today, but we were shooting yesterday and I kept rubbing the excess on my hand and like very similar to the story that she told, you know, you rub it on one hand because of your dominant hand. And by the end of the day, I had one hand that was like really plump and glowy and refreshed and one hand that looked a little neglected. So to really be able to see a difference like that. And I think the thing about the cream too is that it's very soft. So you use it how it works for you, right?

40:49If it's an AM, PM, if you use something stronger at night, maybe you want something with a retinol in it, then you can use this in the daytime. You can use this with it. You can take this all the way down your neck, your hands. So it really is that everything cream. The best advice I ever got was a makeup artist in my 20s who said skincare doesn't stop at your chin. And in your 20s, you're like, what? And then he explained, he was like, look, this is the first place you sew aging is your neck and your decolletage because David is fancy. And I've always taken that to heart. And so I was joking earlier, like, thank goodness or I'd be wearing only turtlenecks now.

41:22Well, it's very chic if you do go that route. What about how you use this product though in your routine? Do you morning and night, tell me everything. So I go, I listen to what my skin tells me. So if my skin feels really, really dry, then that's my AM and PM. This month, I've been doing a lot of flying. So I keep it in, I decant a little bit and I put it into like a little jar that is airplane approved because I don't want them to take away my creams. And I put it on the second we take off. And then sometimes depending on how long my flight is, mid-flight, like when your skin, your skin will tell you what it needs.

41:54If it feels dry, the same way, like if your mouth is parched, you drink water, your skin is dry, give it moisture. Right. And so that's what's really beautiful about this cream is that you're not going to have the reaction to the active ingredients where you have to use it minimally. you really can bathe your face in it when you need it. Okay. Switching gears a little bit, what's the wildest trend that you've dabbled in in the name of beauty? I mean, I think the truth is the 90s eyebrows, but I didn't know it was a wild trend. It was just, you had thin eyebrows. That's what the 90s were. And now since the 90s, I've been slowly growing them back.

42:27So what about like a salmon sperm facial? Have you ever tried that? No, I have not tried salmon sperm facial. I'm not anti it. I just haven't had the time. What about when you go for a facial? What are you looking to get? It's funny you say that. We were just having that discussion because I realized like I haven't had a facial in a really long time. And that's an interesting question is what am I looking for in that? And so I think the answer is looking for what I can't do at home. So I take very good care of my skin. I have my rituals. I clean it. I purify it. You know, all of those things. I put the serum.

42:59So I'm looking for more of the like microcurrent, the stuff that you add to it that I couldn't do at home. And that's the beauty of having a skincare routine like I do with Olay, which is I have it all. I'm doing it all. I don't need to go to a facialist for that part. I have the accessibility of those great products that make the difference. And like the dermatologist said today, when you do those, whether it's microcurrent or whether it's plastic surgery, like she was talking about, when your skin has those bonds, it's going to heal better, adhere better, all of those things. Yeah. So you're going in there looking for lifting, sculpting.

43:34Yes. And that's what I did. I had microcurrent and a little oxygen, I think is what I had. It was a microcurrent and oxygen. And then I used, I didn't, oh yeah, cry, a little cry on the face. And then I did a hyperbaric chamber. And how did you feel after? I love them. I've had them before. They're especially traveling and between flying with the time difference and during daylight savings. Yeah. Okay. What about your fragrance? Do you know what's funny? Did you see the woman today that came up to me and was able to guess my fragrance. And it's on video. This is actually a true story. Someone came up to me today and said, you smell really good.

44:05And I said, thank you. And I was about to tell her what it was. And she said, is that Parfum de Marly? And I said, yes. And she said, is that Delina exclusive? And I was like, yes. And she's like, you smell great. I was so impressed. And it's on video. Incredible. What about when you need to amp it up for the red carpet? Like I know you're being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2026. Huge year for you. So congrats. Me next to my father-in-law, which I think is really cool. On the actual... Well, I'm hoping that I'll be near him. I don't actually know. I shouldn't say like direct, you know, but within blocks.

44:37That's so cool. Regardless, right? What makeup would you reach for on an occasion like that? And we know we have your wonderful makeup artist, Lisa, in the room. But is there... What kind of makeup look would you... Or glam would you go for? I think that's something that Lisa and I talk about a lot. Like I'm very particular about my makeup in the sense that I love the trend of seeing skin. That's always been really important to me. Before I was here discussing Olay, you could always see my skin. That to me was important. And so I love makeup artists where you can have that sheer feeling and see underneath the skin.

45:11I have little freckles. I want you to see them. So for me, it's just, I don't want that full face. And I'm not saying it's impressive what people can do when they white out their face and start. Like it's certainly, but for me, I don't feel comfortable in that look. Yeah. So like a sheer moment or like. The most I can go for is I can go for a smoky eye. That's about as, that's about as out there as I can go. And your, well, your brows look great. They've grown back. Microblading. Microblading. Okay. Okay. The antidote. I've done it all. I've done, but it was Rogaine on the eyebrow. I've tried it all.

45:40What, what product or trend has your daughter turned you on to? Cause she's 16 and you talked about earlier today. I can tell you one funny one, which was today. there was a phone case and Maddie, our young one over here, was like, oh, Sarah, you're going to love this phone case, thinking I wouldn't know what it was. I was like, girl, I know that phone case. I have a 16-year-old daughter. So pretty much anything that's trendy, I will learn from her. I even found Parfum de Marly from my daughter. Really? That's how I found my signature scent. Okay. Does she steal products from you? You know, we talk a lot about it.

46:10When it comes to skincare, I'm very particular with her that skincare is for specific reasons. And one, And skincare doesn't fit all, right? Like I like a retinol at night. I have another girlfriend who wishes she could use a retinol at night, but her skin is too sensitive. So she has to stick with the triple collagen peptide to be able to get those results. And so it's important that we discuss it and she understands. So she takes it very seriously, but I want her to use products that are aimed at her. Although I do think that down the line, we should talk with Olay about doing a line for young girls because hear me out, maybe there is a world to make that accessible skincare brand for that market, right?

46:53Because they want to do what we do and then teach them. So then, then they get into the routine and then they move up on the products that have the more active ingredients as you get older. Just a thought. Just, just saying, I'm going to do a little rapid fire just before we wrap up. So this is rapid fire nineties favorites edition. Fave accessory you'd always be wearing. Headbands, probably for me. Yes. Not chokers. I don't get the choker thing. I know it's coming back, but like it makes your neck shorter. I've never, I wore them, but I don't get them. Fave hotspot you'd most likely to be to get popped at.

47:2610 June in the 90s. That's for you, Mark and Eugene. Fave makeup product that would always be found in your bag. Mac Folio, which is a lipstick that is literally blue or Chanel Vamp nail polish. Those were the two things of the 90s. They've bagged from the 90s. That's still in your closet. Oh, well, that's so easy because today somebody had the reissue of the Murakami, but I have my original Murakamis from the original Louis Vuitton collection. Time to dust it off, bring it out. Dust it off. My daughter took them all. They've been getting used, I promise. They're not dusty. Fave co-star you've ever worked with.

48:02Would you like me to pick children? I mean, that's the same thing. Back in the 90s. Yeah, I can't. I have so many. I could never do that to anyone. Fair, fair. Fave TV show that you binged either in that era or it's from that era and you've binged it that you go back to. I mean, of the 90s. Goodness. I mean, Friends. I love ER. Did SVU start in the 90s? Because I still watch SVU. And final question. We're kicking off a new year. What are some of your goals or mantras for 2026? Definitely to have a better start to January than we had last year. Goodness. Yeah. You know, I just, I always want to be the best me.

48:43I don't want to put pressure with a specific goal. Like I must do this or this year is not going to be good. I think for me, it's just always being open to learning and being present. I love that. Well, thank you so much for joining us at Breaking Beauty Podcast. And everybody go check out Buffy, maybe eventually. And check out the Olay upgrade, the glow up. The glow up. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks for listening. You can find details on every product mentioned in today's episode, along with our exclusive promo codes on our blog at breakingbeautypodcast.com. While you're there, be sure to sign up for our newsletter.

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50:10Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.