Former Global Director
Trends & Innovation
Beauty, culture &
commerce.
Dominica Baird is a beauty marketing executive and educator with experience in consumer insight, product strategy, global launches, and brand storytelling.
Chair, Business of
Beauty & Fragrance
Founder & Principal
Consulting and Speaking
Beauty strategy across product, culture, retail and consumer behavior.
For more than 15 years, I have worked across beauty, fashion, and education.
At L’Oréal, I led global trends and innovation for Maybelline New York. My work included global launches, campaign strategy, product storytelling, and education for international markets. Today, I chair SCAD’s Business of Beauty and Fragrance program and run PhD in Pretty.
I work with product, digital, retail, education, and creative teams to turn research into clear decisions.
Brand & launch
strategy
Positioning, portfolio strategy, product launches, and global campaign planning.
Insight &
innovation
Consumer research, cultural analysis, trend forecasting, and product concepts.
Storytelling &
education
Product stories, training materials, and education for global and retail teams.
Speaking &
workshops
Keynotes, panels, and working sessions on beauty, culture, consumers, and commerce.
From research
to launch.
Selected work from Dominica’s time leading global trends and innovation at Maybelline New York.
Sky High Mascara
Research included extreme-length lash videos, clean-length aesthetics, and TikTok lash transformations. These insights informed the product story and launch.
- Maybelline’s biggest launch of 2021
- #1 new release on Amazon at launch
Falsies Lash Lift
Research into growing demand for lash-lift procedures identified an opportunity to offer a salon-style result at a mass-market price.
- #1 mass cosmetics launch of 2019
- Allure Best of Beauty winner, 2020
Beauty, fashion
and education.
Founder & Principal
PhD in Pretty · Consulting, public speaking, content
Chair, Business of Beauty & Fragrance
Savannah College of Art and Design
Global Director, Trends & Innovation
Maybelline New York · L’Oréal
Fashion Designer & Marketing Consultant
Elie Tahari · Coty
Speaking on beauty,
culture and commerce.
Dominica speaks to leadership teams, industry audiences, and students about consumer behavior, product strategy, and the beauty business.
What beauty consumers want now
Using cultural research in product development
What makes innovation credible
Creators, trust, and purchase decisions
Writing and commentary.
Did Private Equity Kill Pat McGrath Labs?
An analysis of the financial and strategic pressures behind Pat McGrath Labs.
PhD in Pretty · January 2, 2026
Read on SubstackAppearance as Obedience
On beards, Botox, loyalty, and the politics of personal appearance.
PhD in Pretty · October 1, 2025
Read on SubstackAdvertising in a Post-Reality World
How synthetic media is changing beauty advertising and brand trust.
PhD in Pretty · September 17, 2025
Read on SubstackWhat’s New, Buzzy, and Bustling in Savannah
Dominica recommends the Savannah places she returns to, including Darling Lemon, shopSCAD, and Bobbie’s.
Garden & Gun · April/May 2026
Read the featureNext in Beauty: From Mass to Meaning
Dominica discusses cultural fluency, emotional intelligence, and how beauty brands earn trust.
SCAD · June 20, 2025
Read the featureFaculty profile and credentials
Dominica’s role at SCAD, education, and professional experience.
Savannah College of Art and Design
View SCAD profileMeet the Next Generation of Beauty Innovators
A look at SCAD’s Beauty Unlocked event and student work from the Business of Beauty and Fragrance program.
Allure × SCAD
Read on AllureMost watched on TikTok.
Dominica’s beauty and culture videos have been viewed millions of times. Follow @phdinpretty
Pamela Anderson and Hollywood’s double standards
514.4K views
Extreme beauty, wealth, and the backlash cycle
357.7K views
The Forever-35 Face and beauty blanding
182K views
Remembering MAC at its cultural peak
155.4K views
Perfect faces and the pressure to age gracefully
153.6K views
Selected LinkedIn posts.
Posts on consumers, creators, culture, and the beauty business. Follow Dominica
Speaking, advisory
and media inquiries.
Contact Dominica through LinkedIn to discuss consulting, workshops, speaking engagements, and media requests.
Contact on LinkedIn