studio (un) scripted: 5 questions with molly pupkar.
MOLLY PUPKAR, Product Insights & Testing Specialist, Living Proof (and one of the most stunning brides there ever was)
The Studio is my happy place, where is yours?
I could live my whole life happily in any body of water — the ocean, a lake, a pool, my shower after a long day — I’m not picky but bring me a good book, too, and I’ll never leave.
Living Proof
You are a Products Insights & Testing Specialist at Living Proof. Tell us more about what that means — the ‘ol family holiday party question — “what is your job, Molly?”
The main part of my job is to oversee product testing at our in-house salon (the RES – Research Evaluation Salon) and to run home use testing, as well as all internal Product Knowledge. So basically, my days include running around like a chicken with my head cut off between the testing salon where I am evaluating hair products, my computer where I am analyzing feedback or shipping out a new home test and the photo studio where I am filming Product Knowledge videos. To keep it short for people I often just say “I’m a hairdresser but I work with scientists” but that is a very dialed down version of what I do.
Beauty is so important and it starts with a hair day to be proud of. What inspired you to dedicate your profession to keeping people looking and feeling their best?
I was probably the last child you would ever think would get in to beauty/hair (just ask me for a look at my infamous bowl cut kindergarten picture). As I got older, I started doing hair and makeup in theater (high school and college) and found that hair and makeup were ways to transform yourself into whatever you wanted to be. I still do bridal work as well as hair at Living Proof and you can feel the energy shift in someone who likes what they see. That is an incredibly special gift to be able to give someone confidence in a world that is often set up to compare yourself to others. Plus I would be lying if I didn’t also say that I love talking with people all day – nothing like getting paid to socialize!
How much of an impact has social media played in beauty trends?
Social media has made a huge impact on beauty trends. Often, brands will look to social media to guide future developments based on the popularity or need of certain products. But before social media people still got a similar type of influence from tradittioll media and history always has a way of repeating itself. To be fair, even if someone never changed the way looked, eventually they would be back in style.
Can you give us any clues as to what’s to come from Living Proof in 2025?
Only if you want me to lose my job But you’re going to love it!
For all things hair & beauty, Follow Molly and for daily hairspo needs Living Proof on IG