When It's a Big No From Me

Time for my favorite part of the week, ICYMI!!!

ICYMI ₊♡₊˚ 🍒・₊✧ ₊

Hi Angels,

Happy Sunday! This week was a big one. I finally fit back into my jeans (my favorite pair under $100 and 40% off), my podcast is now being managed by the Spotify Podcast Creators team (the same team that handles Huberman Lab), and Lucky #3 and I officially moved into our forever home together!

I wish I could dive into all the details, but I just cut brunch short with both of our parents to finish this newsletter—so we’ll have to save it for a GRWM life update on TikTok this week amidst the move… Pray for me.

♡ Consumer News I’ve Gossiped ♡
About Most This Week

♡ Alix Earle x SipMargs: It was—and still is—a no from both Lucky #3 and me. We passed on investing in this deal about six months ago for one reason only, which I’m diving into in this week’s paid section.

♡ No More Free Luggage: People are outraged over the no-bag policy that Southwest just implemented but not as outraged as I am with my Rimowa that I’m about to put on Facebook marketplace. Literally the worst luxury purchase of my life. PSA never buy a suitcase that weighs 30% of your total weight allowance.

♡ Everyone Is Freaking Out About the Economy: From retailers to airlines to small businesses to consumer sentiment, the outlook is overwhelmingly bearish as we navigate inflation, tariff wars, government layoffs, and funding cuts.

♡ Canada vs. US Tariffs Wars: With over 40% of Canadian travel to the U.S. canceled in protest, I have yet to hear an American articulate just how damaging these policies are for the U.S.—except for Scott Galloway at SXSW in this post.

♡ The French Pharmacy is About to Take Over American Retail: Move over Celebrity Skincare Brands, ICYMI it’s a french girl’s summer and there is no better write up than BOF’s take on the next wave of American Skincare.

♡ Alex Cooper Makes Her First Right Move in Months: By signing Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni to Unwell and I’m shocked there isn’t more PR around it.

♡ Estée Lauder hires a Sleep Scientist: My biggest prediction for 2025—beauty while we sleep—is coming true earlier than expected. Estée Lauder has officially named Dr. Matthew Walker as their first Global Sleep Scientist Advisor and I have a feeling we’re about to see a lot more news just like this.

This Week’s Mood Board

♡ This Week’s Episode ♡

In this episode of Hot Smart Rich, I take you behind the scenes of my latest trip to London. From securing high-level meetings with potential LPs and Unilever Ventures to stepping inside the ultra-exclusive Neko Health body scan (with a 100,000-person waitlist), this episode pulls back the curtain on what it looks like to build a global empire while living life in the fast lane.

I love trying out new things and showing the real BTS and so far, the reception has been amazing! Don’t be afraid to try new things!

♡ The HSR Global Angels ♡
WhatsApp Community

💌 Link to join: ⁠Click here to join⁠

We’re less than a week into the Global HSR Angels WhatsApp group and there are over 500 angels who have been having the most amazing conversations. Hearing what HSR means to you literally brought me to tears!! This is a community by you, for you. It’s peer-led, community-driven, and built for ambitious, like-minded women. Whether you’re looking to connect with business besties, discover the best Pilates class in your city, or find new friends—this is where it happens.

Consumer News

♡ the brands, people, places, things that have captured my attention ♡

♡ Women’s Health & Beauty ♡

• TikTok star, Mikayla Nogueira launches Point of View Beauty, a makeup prep brand backed by Imaginary Ventures – from WWD and Beauty Inc

• Estée Lauder appoints Dr. Matthew Walker as its first-ever Global Sleep Science Advisor, focusing on the connection between sleep and skincare – from Cosmetic Business

• Hims & Hers shuts down its dermatology business Apostrophe – from Business Insider

• Aesthetician Amy Peterson launches Lenox & Sixteenth, a streamlined skincare brand born from her personal journey with scars and aesthetics expertise – from Beauty Independent

• Celebrity colorist Nikki Lee joins Wella as a Global Ambassador for its 75th anniversary – from Instagram

♡ Media, Entertainment & Creator ♡

• Alix Earle’s announces her first partnership as an investor with Sip Margs – from Sip Margs

• Vogue features the Hot Smart Rich podcast in the The Hot List with Gab Waller, spotlighting the biggest luxury fashion finds – from Vogue

• Create & Cultivate announces speakers for the world’s largest festival for women in business – from Instagram

• Phoebe and Sophia join Unwell, promising a fresh take on the podcast for girls on the go – from Unwell

• Cass Dimicco's Aureum Collective unveils a new heritage collection - from People, Brands, Things

♡ E-Commerce, Retail & Social ♡

• SET Active turns a production error into a viral drop with its “Bloopers” collection sale – from People, Brands, Things

• ASTR The Label collaborates with Danielle & Alix on a curated fashion edit – from Instagram

• Pickle raises Series A funding for its peer-to-peer clothing rental marketplace – from Fortune

• Monday Haircare rolls out its Treat Truck, delivering product drops nationwide – from LinkedIn

• GenZ is suffering from trend fatigue - from The NY Times

♡ Tech, Business & Investing ♡

• Poppi closes in on a $1.5B acquisition from PepsiCo. - from Fortune 

• A new AI-powered fragrance house is challenging the industry’s biggest players – from Glossy

• Touchland hits $100M in sales, turning hand sanitizer into Gen Z’s latest viral accessory – from Traded VC

• The future of the internet is small communities with curated experiences - from The Verge

• The CEO of De Soi pulls the curtain back on the real cost of attending Expo West – from LinkedIn

• U.S. consumer confidence declines amid growing concerns over Trump’s trade policy – from WSJ

Gen Z is drinking 87% less alcohol than older generations.

Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials collectively pour billions into the alcohol industry every year. But Gen Z? They’re shifting their wallets—spending just $3.1 billion annually compared to over $23 billion from previous generations.

This isn’t a slow decline. It’s a fundamental shift in consumer behavior.

Despite the success stories of brands like Olipop, which recently raised $50 million in a Series C round at a $1.85 billion valuation, and today’s news of the potential Poppi acquisition for $1.5 billion, I’m not investing in the alc or non-alc categories right now. Even in categories where brands have proven the ability to scale, the challenges of building a beverage business are immense.

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