Breaking Beauty Standards and the Brands Failing at Inclusivity with Deepica Mutyala

Deepica Mutyala built the beauty brand she never had growing up. Now Live Tinted is Ulta's fastest growing makeup brand. Deepica Mutyala is the founder and CEO of beauty brand Live Tinted. She joins Amy Chang for a candid conversation about redefining modern beauty standards. Together, they reflect on growing up in the middle of the country within Eurocentric ideals and trying to conform, reshaping representation in beauty, and navigating identity, industry realities, and cultural change—with humor, honesty, and raw personal storytelling. Subscribe to Mirror Mirror with Amy Chang for weekly conversations on beauty, identity, and everything beneath the surface. ⏰ Timecodes 00:00 Intro 02:00 Growing up in Texas and wanting to belong 04:50 Assimilating to Eurocentric beauty standards 06:01 The idea behind Live Tinted 07:22 Getting investors to believe in the mission 09:30 Cold DMing Bobby Brown and landing her as an investor 11:44 Fenty vs. Live Tinted — building with no backing 13:27 How DEI budgets vanished after BLM and COVID 15:30 Celebrity brands — who survives and why 18:26 Navigating commercial pressure without losing the brand's why 23:17 The weight of being a symbol of inclusivity 26:14 How Deepica actually unplugs 28:02 Who really understands the founder life 29:18 Being cancelled and the fear of showing up fully online 34:00 When Deepica stopped editing herself 35:03 Stepping into femininity after years of hustle mode 41:07 Why Deepica turned down Real Housewives 45:48 Her mom, Fair & Lovely, and intergenerational beauty trauma 54:35 The meaning behind Live Tinted's colors and brand identity 58:23 Getting on anxiety medication and how it changed everything 63:25 Product gaps — bronzers, lip liners, and what's coming next 67:55 Live Tinted's word for 2025: Elevate 70:00 The business reality of scaling a beauty brand 72:17 Where to find Deepica and Live Tinted → Have a beauty question you want me to tackle on the next Inbox? DM @mirrormirrorwithamy on Instagram → Subscribe so you don't miss next week's full Mirror Mirror episode. ABOUT MIRROR MIRROR Mirror Mirror is a podcast that cuts through the noise and uncovers the science shaping beauty and the psychology driving our desire for it. Hosted by Amy Chang — LA Times contributing writer, Marie Claire 2024 Power Player, and a trusted authority in beauty, with over 2.4 million followers who turn to her for insights on cutting-edge treatments and science-backed skincare. Expect unfiltered conversations, expert insight, and the freedom to love your lipstick — while still questioning what perfection means. LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/bh/podcast/mirror-mirror-with-amy-chang/id1876357199 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NcpTY7ObN43ugrGsZtxgl?si=dbeb2c865aec4b21 Instagram: @mirrormirrorwithamy #beautymyths #skincare #aesthetics #haircare