The Beauty Manifest

The Beauty Manifest

The Beauty Manifest is a video podcast and platform hosted by Melinda Solares, Sephora Beauty Director, mental health advocate, and creator for honest conversation and storytelling that cuts through the BS. In addition to a candid behind-the-scenes look at the booming beauty industry and social media space shared by guests including brand founders, social media influencers, mental health professionals, and more, Melinda sheds light on healing modalities and speaks openly about her mental health experiences.

  1. Cheree Ashley: How Beauty & Mental Health are Intertwined & Overcoming Addiction

    1d ago

    Cheree Ashley: How Beauty & Mental Health are Intertwined & Overcoming Addiction

    On this episode of The Beauty Manifest, host Melinda - former Sephora Beauty Director, mental health advocate, and professional speaker - sits down with Cheree Ashley, founder and CEO of Osier Wellness. Cheree shares her inspiring journey of overcoming addiction, shares how she sees beauty and mental health being related, and explores what it means to create influence. Cheree Ashley is the founder and CEO of Osier. As a prominent figure in the substance rehabilitation industry, I’ve spent the last decade building recovery programs that have helped thousands reclaim their lives. But something I often saw in my clients—and experienced myself—was the deep emotional toll that addiction takes on one’s physical appearance and self-worth. From rosacea, puffiness, and dehydration to the effects of skin picking and nutritional neglect, the journey to recovery can also be a journey back to self-love. That’s why I created Osier—a skincare and wellness brand rooted in balance, healing, and new beginnings. Subscribe now, hit the notification bell, and join the conversation as we redefine beauty together.  **This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any mental health condition. Listening to this podcast does not establish a therapist-patient relationship. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please seek the advice of a licensed mental health professional. The information provided in this podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, and you use it at your own risk. We do not guarantee any specific outcomes or results from using the information provided. Edited by Nicolas Spearman: https://bit.ly/4eXMGqL

    1h 3m
  2. Esmeralda Hernandez: Building Family Legacy, the Sacrifice Mothers Make, & Living for Your Inner Child

    Jun 17

    Esmeralda Hernandez: Building Family Legacy, the Sacrifice Mothers Make, & Living for Your Inner Child

    On this episode of The Beauty Manifest, host Melinda - former Sephora Beauty Director, mental health advocate, and professional speaker - sits down with Esmeralda Hernandez, founder of Beauty Creations. Esmeralda shares her inspiring journey of building a family legacy from the ground up, reflecting on the sacrifices she and her mother made along the way and what it means to stay true to your inner child while chasing success. Esmeralda Hernandez is the founder and CEO of Beauty Creations, the Latina-owned, self-funded beauty brand known for high-quality, affordable cosmetics. Born in Mexico and raised in the U.S. by a single mother, Esme started her entrepreneurial journey at age 12, reselling Barbies at swap meets before moving into the beauty space and discovering her passion for accessible, luxury-inspired products. In 2016, she launched Beauty Creations to fill a gap in the market, offering inclusive, high-quality cosmetics at fair prices. The brand reached $75 million in revenue in 2025, sells in 47 countries, and operates a 92,000 sq-ft headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, CA. Recognized as a 2025 HOLA! Latina Powerhouse in Beauty and named to the 2025 Entreprenista 100, Esme's story is a powerful example of resilience, vision, and a mission to make beauty accessible to all. Subscribe now, hit the notification bell, and join the conversation as we redefine beauty together.  **This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any mental health condition. Listening to this podcast does not establish a therapist-patient relationship. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please seek the advice of a licensed mental health professional. The information provided in this podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, and you use it at your own risk. We do not guarantee any specific outcomes or results from using the information provided. Edited by Nicolas Spearman: https://bit.ly/4eXMGqL

    57 min
  3. Kendra Kolb Butler: Building a Brand & Betting on Yourself

    May 20

    Kendra Kolb Butler: Building a Brand & Betting on Yourself

    The Beauty Manifest host, Melinda, former Sephora Beauty Director, mental health advocate, and professional speaker, has a conversation with Kendra Kolb Butler, founder and formulator of Alpyn Beauty. They discuss Kendra’s impressive career in NYC, how she left to build her own brand, and what it means to bet on yourself.  A move to Jackson Hole, WY, to open a beauty apothecary uprooted everything Kendra Kolb Butler knew from her 20-year career in clinical skincare. Even the most high performance formulas packed with clinically-proven ingredients were no match for her clients' high-altitude skin concerns, most notably extreme dryness. Kendra was determined to find a solution. It turns out, the solution was growing right in her backyard: Wyoming mountain plants with amazing survival instincts that have thrived for thousands of years despite the relentless climate. These mountain plants intuitively know how to bank moisture, concentrate nutrients and optimize life force. Their survivalist lifestyle inspired Kendra to infuse them into skincare formulas. Alpyn is the first skincare brand to sustainably hand-harvest mountain plants at their peak potency and punctuate their power with proven clinical actives. This wild-meets-clinical combination amplifies results and solves skin challenges at the deepest level. Subscribe now, hit the notification bell, and join the conversation as we redefine beauty together. **This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any mental health condition. Listening to this podcast does not establish a therapist-patient relationship. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please seek the advice of a licensed mental health professional. The information provided in this podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, and you use it at your own risk. We do not guarantee any specific outcomes or results from using the information provided. Edited by Nicolas Spearman: https://bit.ly/4eXMGqL

    59 min
  4. Dahvi Shira: Unexpected Career Pivots, ADHD, & Trichotillomania

    May 6

    Dahvi Shira: Unexpected Career Pivots, ADHD, & Trichotillomania

    The Beauty Manifest host, Melinda, Sephora Beauty Director, mental health advocate, and professional speaker, has a conversation with Dahvi Shira, Los Angeles-based writer and journalist. They discuss Dahvi’s unexpected career pivots as well as her experiences with ADHD and Trichotillomania.  Dahvi Shira is a Los Angeles–based writer and journalist covering beauty, wellness, and more. Her work has appeared in leading publications including Forbes, Glossy, and Mane Addicts, where she brings a thoughtful, trend-aware perspective to topics at the intersection of lifestyle and industry. Known for her clear voice and sharp insights, she explores everything from emerging brands to broader shifts shaping modern beauty and culture. Subscribe now, hit the notification bell, and join the conversation as we redefine beauty together. **This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any mental health condition. Listening to this podcast does not establish a therapist-patient relationship. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please seek the advice of a licensed mental health professional. The information provided in this podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, and you use it at your own risk. We do not guarantee any specific outcomes or results from using the information provided.Edited by Nicolas Spearman: https://bit.ly/4eXMGqL

    1h 9m
  5. Tisha Thompson: Purpose Driven Work & the Importance of Representation for Imposter Syndrome

    Apr 22

    Tisha Thompson: Purpose Driven Work & the Importance of Representation for Imposter Syndrome

    The Beauty Manifest host, Melinda, Sephora Beauty Director, mental health advocate, and professional speaker, has a conversation with Tisha Thompson, founder of LYS Beauty. They discuss the purpose driven work and the importance of representation and how it relates to imposter syndrome. Tisha Thompson, founder and CEO of LYS Beauty, is a beauty industry veteran with over 20 years of experience developing and marketing clean beauty products. As a trained makeup artist and seasoned executive, her career is marked by uncovering today’s beauty consumers’ needs, from skin concerns to financial priorities. In 2021, Tisha launched LYS Beauty to redefine clean beauty with inclusive, high-performing products for all skin tones, types, and budgets. Her expertise in complexion has driven viral, cult-favorite products, solidifying her as a leading voice in the beauty industry. Subscribe now, hit the notification bell, and join the conversation as we redefine beauty together. **This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any mental health condition. Listening to this podcast does not establish a therapist-patient relationship. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please seek the advice of a licensed mental health professional. The information provided in this podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, and you use it at your own risk. We do not guarantee any specific outcomes or results from using the information provided.

    1 hr
  6. Josie Maran: The Power of the Matriarchy & Manifestation

    Apr 8

    Josie Maran: The Power of the Matriarchy & Manifestation

    The Beauty Manifest host, Melinda Solares, Sephora Beauty Director, mental health advocate, and professional speaker, has a conversation with Josie Maran, founder of Josie Maran Beauty. They discuss the power of the matriarchy and manifestation through Josie’s vulnerability, sharing her own life experiences and the journey that brought her to where she is today.  Josie Maran is a model, entrepreneur, and longtime advocate for conscious beauty who built her brand on one simple truth, feeling good is the truest form of beauty. After discovering the power of pure Argan Oil during her travels, she was inspired to bring this nutrient-rich ingredient to the center of modern skincare.   In 2007, she founded JOSIE MARAN®, creating high-performance products powered by sustainably sourced Argan Oil and rooted in transparency. What began with a single bottle of 100% Pure Organic Argan Oil has grown into a full collection of skin, body, and hair essentials designed to deliver visible results while honoring people and planet.   As the leader of a B Corp certified beauty house, Josie has championed traceable sourcing, refillable packaging, and partnerships with women-led Argan cooperatives in Morocco. Her approach blends efficacy with responsibility, proving that luxury and sustainability can live in the same jar.   Today, Josie continues to shape a brand where glow is earned through care, impact is measured through action, and beauty feels joyful, inclusive, and real. Subscribe now, hit the notification bell, and join the conversation as we redefine beauty together. **This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any mental health condition. Listening to this podcast does not establish a therapist-patient relationship. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please seek the advice of a licensed mental health professional. The information provided in this podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, and you use it at your own risk. We do not guarantee any specific outcomes or results from using the information provided.Edited by Nicolas Spearman: https://bit.ly/4eXMGqL

    1h 19m
  7. Vanessa Santos Leon: Re-Building for You, Discovering Your Authentic Self, & the Accompanying Emotional Pain

    Mar 25

    Vanessa Santos Leon: Re-Building for You, Discovering Your Authentic Self, & the Accompanying Emotional Pain

    The Beauty Manifest host, Melinda, Sephora Beauty Director, mental health advocate, and professional speaker, has a conversation with Vanessa Santos Leon, Forbes Most Powerful Women of Latin America honoree, a Kennedy Center inaugural entrepreneur award recipient, and extraordinary business builder. They discuss what it is like re-building personally and professionally, discovering your authentic self through the process, and the emotional pain that comes with great growth.  Vanessa spent twenty years building companies that made other people wealthy. She was great at it, scaling platforms to 120+ countries at Gilt.com, winning a CES Innovation Award at Mastercard, co-leading a digital platform that reached 12 million students across Latin America. As CEO of #WeAllGrow Latina, she co-scaled the company to multi-millions in revenue, and helped inject $20M+ back into the Latina economy. Corporate wanted her in lanes. She doesn't do lanes. She poured everything in: co-scaling, building, leading, but as women of color often do, she sacrificed well beyond her means. So after seeing the acquisition of #WeAllGrow Latina through in 2025, she chose to exit. Gave herself space to recover. Got real with herself. Free of identities. Free of expectations. What emerged was Build The Dream Holdings, a media and lifestyle company for women who are done breaking themselves apart to succeed. A newsletter reaching 10K+ subscribers. A podcast. A growing community. An advisory practice for founders who want strategy without the burnout. And a product line on the way. (Want in? Join the list.) Vanessa is a Forbes Most Powerful Women of Latin America honoree, a Kennedy Center inaugural entrepreneur award recipient, and an investor in brands like Bloomi, Nopalera, Lil' Libros, Agua Bonita, and Earth Rides, backing diverse founders and women building what they didn't see growing up. Every room she's been in, every company she's built, every lesson she's learned, it all led here. She's proof that you don't have to fit in a lane to build something extraordinary. Washington Heights. The Bronx. Daughter of immigrants. A first-generation Latina founder who didn't inherit a path, she built one. In an industry where every major voice is white, she's creating at a level most people only talk about. Wealthy. Whole. And just getting started. Build The Dream. Honor The Human.™ Subscribe now, hit the notification bell, and join the conversation as we redefine beauty together. **This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any mental health condition. Listening to this podcast does not establish a therapist-patient relationship. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please seek the advice of a licensed mental health professional. The information provided in this podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, and you use it at your own risk. We do not guarantee any specific outcomes or results from using the information provided. Edited by Nicolas Spearman: https://bit.ly/4eXMGqL

    1h 16m
  8. The Beauty Anonymous: America’s Next Top Model & the Mental Health Impacts ft. Dr. Coleman

    Mar 18

    The Beauty Anonymous: America’s Next Top Model & the Mental Health Impacts ft. Dr. Coleman

    Welcome to The Beauty Anonymous, a series within The Beauty Manifest podcast where we dive even deeper into the connection between beauty and mental health. In each episode, licensed mental health expert Dr. Christine Coleman answers real questions and discusses topics submitted by our listeners—no filters, no judgment, just honest conversations. Whether you’re struggling with self-image, identity, comparison, confidence, or emotional wellness in a beauty-obsessed world, this is your safe space to explore how what’s on the inside shapes how we see ourselves on the outside. Got a question for Dr. Coleman? Submit anonymously via The Beauty Manifest Instagram DMs and be part of the conversation. New episodes drop once a month. Subscribe to The Beauty Manifest and never miss a dose of insight, healing, and real talk. Dr. Christine Coleman is the Founder and CEO of Cura Wellness, a consulting and private practice firm specializing in the intersection of mental health and equity-centered leadership. With over 15 years of clinical experience, Dr. Coleman supports high-achieving diverse leaders and the organizations committed to their growth and retention. Her work equips companies to embed psychological safety, belonging, and cultural care into their leadership strategies—so their teams don’t just perform, they thrive. Grounded in deep clinical expertise and evidence-based approaches, Dr. Coleman partners with people-driven companies to build cultures that sustain both innovation and well-being. Dr. Coleman has trained leading companies like Pinterest, Business Wire, Coursera, Udemy, Mulesoft by Salesforce, and the Major League Baseball Network. Dr. Coleman has been a featured contributor to prestigious media outlets including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Vogue, MSN, and Huffington Post. Dr. Coleman is an internationally recognized speaker and has spoken at Yale’s Mental Health Conference, UC Berkeley, the American College Health Association (ACHA), and more. Dr. Coleman received the University of San Francisco’s “Living the Mission” award for her dedication to serving women and girls. Dr. Coleman is the Founder and Executive Director of Sol Sisters Inc., a nonprofit with a mission to help women overcome societal barriers by providing educational and empowering experiences that promote personal and professional evolution. Dr. Coleman is also an Executive and Performance to diverse, influential leaders who desire to prioritize their mental health and wellbeing. Dr. Coleman holds a B.S. in Psychology from Azusa Pacific University, a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco, a license to practice Marriage and Family Therapy in California, and a Ph.D in Marriage and Family Therapy from Eastern University. Subscribe now, hit the notification bell, and join the conversation as we redefine beauty together. **This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any mental health condition. Listening to this podcast does not establish a therapist-patient relationship. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please formally seek the advice of a licensed mental health professional. The information provided in this podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, and you use it at your own risk. We do not guarantee any specific outcomes or results from using the information provided.

    53 min
4.5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

The Beauty Manifest is a video podcast and platform hosted by Melinda Solares, Sephora Beauty Director, mental health advocate, and creator for honest conversation and storytelling that cuts through the BS. In addition to a candid behind-the-scenes look at the booming beauty industry and social media space shared by guests including brand founders, social media influencers, mental health professionals, and more, Melinda sheds light on healing modalities and speaks openly about her mental health experiences.

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