LiSTNR has confirmed a two-year extension for Vain-ish, the chart-topping beauty and wellness podcast hosted by Bec Judd and Jess Roberts, after the show’s runaway success as a limited series.
The podcast, which hit #1 on Apple’s Top Podcast Charts within 24 hours of its launch, has grown into a multi-platform brand with commercial traction and a devoted audience.
Its raw, candid take on beauty and self-care has tapped into a market hungry for honesty – and advertisers have taken note.
A different kind of beauty podcast
When asked why the show struck a chord so quickly, Roberts told Mediaweek it came down to tone. “We were just being open and honest, and having a bit of a laugh. I think that really drew the listeners in.”
Her co-host agrees. “It was a different tone to what people usually expect in a beauty and wellness podcast,” echoed Judd. “We also launched with a strong publicity push, we went all in with our ‘Simply Irresistible’ video. People typically don’t launch podcasts like that.”
Roberts calls the launch clip “the golden ticket,” while Judd added, “The way we promoted it sparked curiosity – people were super curious to listen, they all jumped on and it was awesome.”
Responding to the audience
Since its debut, Vain-ish has consistently charted – a rarity in the already overcrowded health space – reaching over 72,000 unique listeners on the July Triton Australian Podcast Ranker.
But Judd and Roberts say audience feedback means just as much as the data.
“I think we’re staying pretty true to the original idea,” Judd explains. “It’s always really good when we can see what episodes are rating well. We’re still new but we’re getting a clearer picture of what people want to hear.”
Roberts points to the flood of listener engagement: “I think the response from our audience has been amazing – they’re still tuning in and they’re still engaged. We get hundreds of DMs from listeners with messages of support and thanks for covering certain topics.
“They’re also requesting beauty and wellness treatments that they’d like us to explore, and we’ve been using those messages to measure what topics we know are top of mind for the audience,” she said.
Building a commercial model
With advertisers eager to reach beauty and wellness audiences, Vain-ish has attracted early brand interest, including launch partner Cupra, part of Volkswagen Group.
Judd says the partnership with LiSTNR has allowed them to focus on content while a national sales team handles integration.
“We’ve got a great team at SCA LiSTNR. There’s a national sales team behind us that handles all of that for us, which is one of the best parts of being part of the LiSTNR podcast family.
“We get access to one of the best sales teams in the country, so Jess and I can just really focus on creating the best podcast we can,” she said.
Beyond the podcast
Both hosts see Vain-ish as just the beginning. “I see it bigger – way bigger,” Roberts said. “I don’t think it’s just going to stay in the studio. I’m thinking – take this on the road, baby!”
Judd added: “We’re building and establishing our audience and we’d love to take it further – live events, TV, product – all of it. It’s pie in the sky at the moment and it takes a hell of a lot of work, but we dream big.”
Roberts doesn’t miss a beat: “Yeah, we don’t dream small. Go big or go home.”
Honesty as a selling point
At the core of Vain-ish is an unapologetic commitment to authenticity, even with advertisers circling.
“We just do us,” Judd said. “If you are not authentic or genuine, whether it’s podcasts or radio, listeners tune out. So we show up as the best versions of ourselves. We’ve found if we put a good product out there, then advertisers follow.”
Roberts added: “And we’re living in that no Fs era.”
That approach extends to the way the show tackles beauty culture. “I think we reached a point on Instagram and on social media where there was just so much negativity and hatred, people saying ‘you’re not real’ or ‘you’re fake’,” Roberts said.
“And honestly yeah half it is fake but that’s exactly the point. We’ve both got children, jobs, commitments and busy lives – and we just want to lift the veil, what you see online is not always real.”
Judd puts it more bluntly: “We didn’t wake up like this.”
She continues: “We’re in the age of transparency, the old, ‘I just woke up like this’ or ‘I’m this age and I don’t have a wrinkle because I drink a lot of water and wear sunscreen’, are unacceptable. I believe that being truthful and honest about what goes into looking like this, people have been so appreciative. We expected we’d get a little bit more blowback than we have, but instead the response has been, ‘Well that’s your truth, so that’s how it is and thank you for sharing.’”
For LiSTNR, the podcast’s performance, commercial interest, and multi-platform potential made locking in a long-term deal a straightforward decision.
With Judd and Roberts pushing for more ways to grow Vain-ish, from live events to product collaborations, the next two years are about expanding its influence beyond the studio.