Carlene Introduces Her New Skincare Brand, Cassatt Beauty, With “La Pommade” Retinoid Ointment – Inspired By a Beauty Editor Cult Fave

Breaking Beauty Podcast

Dear Media, Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins

Jilldunn, Arts, Beautyeditors, Style541811, Beautyexpert, Beauty, Carlenehiggins, Fashion, Society & Culture, Magazineeditors, Fashion & Beauty

4.7 • 954 Ratings

🗓️ 1 October 2025

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A new retinoid ointment is here! In this week’s *exclusive* episode, Carlene leaps into the founder role with the launch of her debut skincare brand, Cassatt Beauty. Listen in as Jill interviews Carlene about the making of Cassatt “La Pommade” Retinoid Skin Ointment - a modern, barrier-supporting update on a French pharmacy classic. From the science behind the low-and-slow retinoid “bio-ointment” to the realities of bootstrapping a beauty brand, Carlene shares what it really takes to bring a dream product to life.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

“This one’s for my peeps.” – Why Carlene created Cassatt La Pommade as an ideal barrier repair retinoid balm for addressing signs of inflammaging in 40+ skin
Why this next gen retinoid for sensitive skin was created for the beauty editor girlies, too – and how French pharmacy, the slugging movement and jewel box hotels inspired what may be the next instant classic
The unique way Carlene’s chemist formulated a form of hyaluronic acid in oil for infusing moisture while trapping transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in Cassatt’s retinoid for mature skin 40+, to help prevent retinoid dry-out
How to use retinoid ointment nightly in your routine, whether you’re new to retinoids or already a total pro – hello, skin cycling fans!
Why skincare messaging needs to stop being confusing – and how Carlene designed her retinoid ointment product box just like a beauty editor would

Support our girl!

Pre-order “La Pommade” at www.cassattbeauty.com

Subscribe to Carlene’s Substack: The Elevens

Follow @cassatt.beauty on Instagram and TikTok for campaign visuals and behind-the-scenes content

For any products or links mentioned in this episode, check out our website: https://breakingbeautypodcast.com/episode-recaps/

Get social with us and let us know what you think of the episode! Find us on Instagram, Tiktok,X, Threads. Join our private Facebook group. Or give us a call and leave us a voicemail at 1-844-227-0302. Sign up for our Substack here

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

PROMO CODES: When you support our sponsors, you support the creation of Breaking Beauty Podcast!

MARA

MARA’s best-selling, award-winning Algae Enzyme Cleansing Oil is the ONLY way to wash your face. Powered by fruit enzymes like pineapple and pumpkin to gently exfoliate skin. It’s also multi-use - can be used on damp or dry skin, as a light peel, to gua sha or dermaplane! Head into your local Sephora to shop MARA, or head to Sephora.com – and don’t forget to wash your face!

More episodes like this:

Hosts: Carlene Higgins and Jill Dunn

Theme song, used with permission: Cherry Bomb by Saya 

Produced by Dear Media Studio

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	The following podcast is a dear media production.
0:08.1	Welcome to Breaking Beauty, the podcast all about the breakthrough people, products, and moments in beauty.
0:13.8	We're your host, Jill Dunn and Carleen Higgins.
0:35.8	Welcome back to Breaking Beauty Podcast, everyone. It's another great Wednesday, and I'm here in Carleen's living room. This is Jill speaking, by the way. How are you, Carleen? I'm great. I'm excited and funny. I'm a little nervous today. I'm on the hot seat.
0:39.1	Yeah, you are. Well, first of all, we are two beauty editors turned beauty podcasters, and we've been doing our show for eight years now. I believe the very
0:44.5	first test run we ever did was actually in your basement here in your house. Oh, my gosh. So this is like a
0:49.4	full circle moment. And today is a very exciting day because we're going to be talking about something that's
0:54.8	hashtag damn good. Yes. And it's straight from your brain. Your brain and your creative input.
1:02.4	And I'm proud of you. And this is amazing. Thank you so much. So we're not going to keep people in the
1:07.4	dark too long. But Carlin is today introducing her very own beauty brand,
1:13.1	which I just have to say massive congratulations. It's a huge undertaking. I've had bits and pieces
1:20.0	of the behind the scenes. So you should be really proud that you're bringing this to life because
1:25.5	it is really hard to do.
1:27.6	Yes.
1:28.1	And it's been a labor of love, I would say.
1:32.5	And I'm excited that everyone gets to hear about it today.
1:35.8	So Cassat Beauty, tell me about that.
1:37.9	What is, how did you land on the name?
1:39.4	Because I know there was like naming kind of drums.
1:43.6	It's a hard thing to do is to find a name that doesn't exist.
1:47.0	So tell us about that.
1:48.1	Well, Cassat Beauty is really what it is to start there is it's a modern, cool skincare line for women over 40.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Dear Media, Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Dear Media, Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.