The $5 Million Question: How to Create Beauty Products That Set the Standard with Holly Moore

In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, award-winning product developer and founder of The Ingredientist, Holly Moore, shares what she would create if handed $5 million to launch her dream beauty brand. Known for her “ingredient nerd” roots and a career shaping some of the industry’s most innovative launches, Holly reveals how she’d blend science-backed claims, category-defining textures, and sustainable actives into a future-proof product pipeline. She explains why founder-led vision is essential, how to avoid fear-based marketing, and why hormones are “the language the skin speaks” when developing formulas. Whether you’re a beauty founder building your first hero product or refining a multi-year pipeline, Holly’s candid, values-driven approach will inspire you to think beyond trends and set the standard in beauty innovation.

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Kicking Off: The Realities of Product Development
• 00:01:29 - Meet Holly Moore: Beauty’s Award-Winning Formulation Powerhouse
• 00:02:24 - From Childhood Curiosity to Full-On Ingredient Nerd
• 00:03:53 - Blending Science, Ethics, and Skin Health
• 00:06:43 - Clean vs. Synthetic: The Truth in the Gray
• 00:11:26 - Crafting a Product Pipeline That Wins
• 00:21:03 - Why Your Product Brief Can Make or Break You
• 00:27:37 - Private Label or Custom Formulation? The Smart Choice
• 00:38:58 - Green Chemistry and What’s Next for Beauty
• 00:40:55 - My $5 Million Dream Beauty Brand
• 00:43:47 - Where to Connect and Collaborate with Me
• 00:44:27 - Wrapping Up: Final Founder Insights

Links and Resources:

• 👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -
• https://abcreativenyc.com/signup
• 👉 Scale from 0 to 7 figures without spinning your wheels with the Beauty Brand Roadmap: https://abcreativenyc.com/the-beauty-brand-roadmap
• Aggie on LinkedIn
• AB Creative 
• Aggie on Instagram
• The Ingredientist – Official Website
• Instagram – @the_ingredientist
• LinkedIn – Holly Moore, M.P.H.
• Email – [email protected]

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Mentioned in this episode:

5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge