Beauty Literacy

Being obsessively curious about beauty formulas has completely changed my life. I’ve always been a nerd, and when something sparks my interest, I need to understand how it works—down to the atomic level, if possible. If I ever got into cars, I’d probably try to become a mechanic. I’m not sure whether this drive to understand things needs a name or a diagnosis, but I do know it’s only ever brought me good. It’s opened doors, taken me to exciting places, and connected me with inspiring people.

Still, after five years in the beauty industry—mostly deep-diving into skin and hair care ingredients—I started feeling burnt out. Nothing felt new anymore, true innovation was becoming rare, and the fatigue was growing obvious. Then, one afternoon, a bit of mindless scrolling opened up a whole new perspective. I know—scrolling leading to something positive? Sounds unlikely. But when you stumble across creators who share real, useful knowledge, the internet stops feeling like a waste of time.

That’s exactly what Alexis Androulakis is. It only took three videos for me to hit “follow” and start absorbing everything she had to say. She opened up an entirely new world of cosmetic knowledge for me and added a fresh perspective on how I think about choosing foundation or mascara. I couldn’t wait to interview her.
“This is one of the most detailed lists of questions I’ve ever received,” she told me with a contagious smile.

Alexis, who spent years working in product development, is half of the well-known online duo The Lipstick Lesbians. A person involved in beauty product development doesn’t just think about trendy ingredients. They have to design the best way for a product to be used, understand how different applicators or mascara brushes can completely change the experience of the same formula, and know when a product should have a silky texture versus a gel one.

Texture—whether it’s a powder or blush—has a huge effect on how we perceive a product, but we don’t really realize it until we’re standing in front of a “dessert table” of different textures and forced to choose. Then there’s fragrance, wear time, how it behaves throughout the day—and all of it has to align with what the legal, dermatology, and lab teams approve. Every aspect of your favorite beauty product was crafted by someone like Alexis.

Having worked in beauty brand marketing, where I was often told not to “burden” people with the kind of details Alexis now turns into content, I’m thrilled that creators like her exist today. People want to know. They want to understand why a mascara wand is flat with short bristles one day, and curved and fluffy the next. And Alexis clearly knows how much that kind of knowledge has been missing.
“What I’m proudest of is connecting the world of professional and self-taught makeup artists with real formula knowledge—what I learned directly from chemists,” she said. “In some ways, I’m closer to chemists than makeup artists ever will be. And I love the idea of getting people to think differently about beauty. Not just asking what lasts 24 hours on your face, but also what you’re putting on your skin. I want to empower people to ask questions. Because maybe something that doesn’t last all day actually looks better—or feels better on your face.”

That last point really hit home. Especially now, when we’re so obsessed with long-wear and staying power. So I asked her: what’s worth investing in, and what isn’t?
“SPF. A good base. And whatever you use the most. If you use lip balm every day, spend more on that. If you only wear lipstick once a month, it really doesn’t need to be expensive.”

If you’re not deep in the beauty community, you might not realize creators like The Lipstick Lesbians have influenced the development of some of the most popular products out there. Some brands might not openly admit it, but I’m sure their marketing teams are following Alexis’s insights closely. Through her content, Alexis has helped shape a new generation of beauty consumers—ones who ask very specific questions, and not just about ingredients.

“What excites me most is teaching people not to use makeup mechanically, but to see it as a tool for emotional connection,” she said. “Christina and I call it beauty literacy. She came up with the term, and now the whole industry uses it. I truly believe lipstick can be a tool for self-exploration—through color, through play, through touch. There’s very little in life that offers that kind of intimacy with ourselves. Makeup can do that. And that’s why I want to teach people to use it with intention.”

Now that Alexis is a global beauty creator with direct access to founders—and even formulators—of various brands, I asked where she sees the most exciting innovations happening.
“For me, cushion compacts from Asia. They changed the way people apply foundation and basically pushed out liquid foundation from that market. It’s such a powerful example of regional beauty differences. The West and East function very differently, but they’re starting to blend more and more. I call it globalization harmonization.”

The hunger for the kind of knowledge Alexis brings is clear from how quickly she and Christina went viral in their first year of content creation. But going viral can be a double-edged sword.
“To be honest, virality is dangerous. It creates pressure. It’s easy to fall into the trap of creating for the algorithm instead of the purpose. I try to balance that pressure with intention. I think a lot about why I’m on the platform at all, what I want to share. Because when your creativity is your main tool and you lose it, that’s dangerous,” she admitted. “You can’t just turn on creativity like you’re making a PowerPoint. Creating content is harder now because I understand the platform better—it requires volume, hooks, constant reinvention. To stay relevant, you have to change your business model every three to six months. That’s not easy. But what has changed is my relationship with creativity. I respect it more now. Before, I didn’t even have the chance to create this much.”

Another tough part of the job, one that many creators stay quiet about, is burnout. Alexis says it’s crucial to surround yourself with people who aren’t always online. For her, one person stands out.
“She’s my spiritual godmother, my guide. Besides her, I have a team and mentors who help keep me grounded and genuinely care about our community.”

What sets lasting creators apart from viral ones is honesty. Alexis always stays authentic and direct in her videos. I asked whether she worries about how brands might react when she calls out their flaws.
“I’m always aware of it, but I don’t let it silence me. Honesty builds trust. A lot of brands reach out to thank me, even when it’s not easy for them to hear what I said. They respect the way I say it because it makes them think. For me, that directness is a form of advocacy—for the community, for knowledge, for the industry. And yeah, I have great relationships with brands that see us as partners, as a voice pushing them to be better.”

Alexis sees her community asking smarter and deeper questions, and she’s only getting started.
“When it comes to the industry and education, I think we’ve only scratched the surface. People don’t know who really makes what, who owns the formulas, how production works in different parts of the world. We need to talk about that a lot more—and that’s my plan.”

Through education, Alexis hopes to address one especially frustrating part of the industry: beauty trends.
“They’ve become fragmented and fleeting. Brands can’t keep up. Yes, influencers have power—but only because people follow them. The real power lies with the consumer. Right now, we’re stuck in a copycat culture, and brands are reacting to data instead of coming up with new ideas. That’s sad.”

Though I could have talked to Alexis for hours, our interview was coming to an end. I thanked her for her honest answers and squeezed in one selfish question: What books does she recommend for a deeper understanding of cosmetics?
“My recommendations are Face Paint by Lisa Eldridge—beautiful and educational, and I have a signed copy. And all of Kevin Aucoin’s books. If you love makeup, you have to have them.”

Like true beauty nerds, we thanked each other for our time, and Alexis told me, “It was an honor to share my thoughts—and I’d love to do it again.” I hope next time we’re in a lab, testing textures and debating for hours about the perfect pump dispenser for foundation.