Gloss Angeles · Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan

Katie Jane Hughes Shares Why Technique is More Important Than the Product + Teases New KJH Brand Launches

·47 min·4 clips

Katie Jane Hughes shares why Glossier Stretch Concealer is her go-to and wishes she made it first.

This episode of Gloss Angeles features makeup artist and brand founder Katie Jane Hughes, who discusses technique, product development, and her journey in the beauty industry. Hosts Kirbie Johnson and Sarah E. Bowen interview Hughes, a highly requested guest known for her educational social media content and painterly makeup approach. Hughes emphasizes that mastering application technique is more important than the specific products used. She names five staples always in her kit: Glossier Stretch Concealer, which she classifies as a "tinted moisturizer bomb"; the Glossier Brow Flick pencil; her own KJH brand lip pencil in Soft Raisin; the Mario Dedivanovic neutral eyeshadow palettes; and the Tower 28 MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara. Hughes credits her mother, a cabaret singer, for her early beauty inspiration, recalling specific products like Max Factor Pan Stick foundation and 2000 Calorie mascara. She explains her editorial makeup philosophy, rooted in making skin look like skin, which she felt was a fresh perspective when she started on social media in 2016. A surprising insight is Hughes's method of powdering her brows and lashes before mascara application for a fanned-out, clump-free effect. She reveals her product development ethos for KJH brand is to create "makeup that makes you better at makeup," focusing on items that allow for education. Hughes teases upcoming launches, including a mascara with a bristle brush and a product called Nano Brow Set. She expresses concern about AI and deepfake technology, sharing that her likeness has been used without permission to sell weight loss supplements. The conversation is conversational, educational, and supportive, reflecting the hosts' admiration for Hughes's work. The tone is relaxed and intimate, with personal anecdotes and practical beauty tips shared throughout. This episode is ideal for beauty enthusiasts who enjoy technique-focused tutorials, behind-the-scenes brand stories, and discussions on industry trends. Listeners seeking highly structured debates or purely product-centric reviews might find the free-flowing, advice-driven format less appealing.

As heard by us

A beauty interview that makes technique matter more than product panic.

Katie Jane Hughes is the kind of guest people were hoping for, and the conversation lands on a simple point: technique matters more than product panic.

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Why you'd press play

For when you want beauty advice that cuts through product hype.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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