Podcast 100: Celebrating and looking back on 100 episodes

It is incredible to think Green Beauty Conversations has arrived at episode 100. What a milestone to celebrate and an opportunity for me to take stock of the past four years on air. As podcast host, I have had the pleasure of interviewing a diversity of guests from across the beauty industry and beyond.

They have not only shared fascinating stories of entrepreneurship and personal growth, but importantly also been controversial and thought provoking. Each guest has opened up our minds to new possibilities and the change needed in this half a trillion $US dollar business called beauty.

I invite you to listen in to this short celebratory 100th episode that I dedicate to you – our listener – and to all our guests, and in which I share what I have learned from this podcast over these past four years.

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First, let me share some statistics that are testimony to just how well received the Formula Botanica podcast is across the world.

In the four years we’ve been running, the podcast has been listened to over half a million times and been downloaded in at least 90 countries. We’ve hit the number one spot in the beauty podcast charts in 50 of those countries, so I want to give a shoutout to loyal listeners in Egypt and India and Ghana and Saudi Arabia and Nigeria and Indonesia; just a few of the countries where we regularly top the beauty charts. It is humbling to know we make a difference to  the indie beauty community right across the globe.

Now, let me turn the tables to behind the microphone and to my key takeouts of hosting Green Beauty Conversations.

Podcast Takeout #1: All guests are equal

All our guests have been incredibly generous with their time and candid in their opinions. They have given us insider insights into some contentious issues often helping dispel the pseudo-science and myths that circulates in beauty. A good many of my guests are high-profile and used to holding their own. However, I was struck too by the considered opinions of guests who are less well known in the industry, but who were able to shed light on important aspects that mainstream beauty media doesn’t usually connect with or give voice to.

Examples include Episode 51 in which Emily, Trishna and Victoria were panel guests in a discussion on disability-friendly beauty, episode 65 when Nancy of BeautyFest Africa and Valerie of R&R Luxury shared what Africa can teach the world about green beauty, and episode 57 when Ada of Nala Care took us on a journey through sweat and shame and deodorants.

Taking Green Beauty Conversations into its next 100 episodes, I have every intention of reflecting the opinions of all corners of the indie and green beauty movement.

Podcast Takeout #2: sustainable beauty is not negotiable

If you look back at the podcast titles for the past year and more, you can’t fail to notice the words sustainable and sustainability appearing frequently. Our coverage of sustainability issues is quite deliberate. In my opinion, sustainable beauty is not only non negotiable for everyone in the industry, from indie beauty founders to big brand manufacturers and consumers, but contrary to belief, it is actually a clear-cut concept. I explain why in this episode.

In covering a long list of sustainability issues and topics including waterless, transparent, carbon neutral and zero waste beauty, we hope to have shed light on the facts behind the fiction and to have prompted action not just intention to act. I like to think that we’ve been leading the sustainable beauty conversation by actually talking about sustainable beauty means, rather than focusing on tiny issues that won’t have a long-term impact.

Podcast Takeout #3: it takes a team

It takes a team to air a podcast. I may be the host and the name on the door, but behind the microphone we’ve at least a 10-strong team helping to get each episode on air. Our topics are hard hitting and often complex, so to ensure we are a trusted, valued voice on green beauty, we research our guests and topics in great detail.

There are colleagues who join me as guests front of house on episodes, like our regular, Ana Green, the Formula Botanica Education Manager. And there are staff taking care of audio editing and tech checking, content for shownotes, social media, and marketing as well as others helping research and schedule interviewees. Everyone involved is a vital link in the chain of events needed to broadcast every episode.

And finally…

You, our listener, are why we do what we do. You have helped us gain reach and recognition to make each of these 100 episodes of the Green Beauty Conversation podcast so rewarding. Now, it’s straight back to working on the next episode.

Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed listening, please share, subscribe and review this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

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Lorraine Dallmeier

Lorraine Dallmeier is a Biologist, Chartered Environmentalist and the CEO of Formula Botanica, the award-winning online organic cosmetic science school. Read more about Lorraine and the Formula Botanica Team.