How Claudia Sulewski Created a Model for Transforming Influence into a Brand

      Welcome to Second Life, a podcast that highlights successful women who have made significant career transitions and courageously mastered the art of pivoting. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, co-founder and chief content officer of Who What Wear, each episode connects you with remarkable women who are innovators in their industries. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform to stay updated.

      Claudia Sulewski exemplifies how to transform an online persona into a thriving brand with Cyklar, her luxury bodycare line. Long before “clean beauty” and “self-care” became popular terms in the billion-dollar industry, 13-year-old Sulewski recorded her first makeup tutorial on a flip camera and posted it under the username BeyondBeautyStar. Nearly 15 years later, she is now the founder of Cyklar, which has become one of the most discussed luxury bodycare brands today.

      What began as low-quality bedroom videos—including drugstore hauls, middle-school get-ready-with-me clips, and fashion reviews—rapidly evolved. Sulewski is completely self-taught, learning to shoot, light, and edit her videos, and developing a warm, unfiltered style that feels like chatting with a close friend. By high school graduation, she was an official YouTube partner and had an agent. Currently, her main channel boasts nearly 2.5 million subscribers, and she continues to upload regularly, attracting hundreds of thousands of views shortly after posting. Beyond YouTube, she has also pursued acting roles, including on Apple TV+’s Shrinking, and has directed several music videos for her fiancé, eight-time Grammy winner Finneas O’Connell (who is also Billie Eilish’s brother and producer).

      Despite her growing list of Hollywood credits, her true passion lies in the close, one-on-one connections she establishes with her audience through the screen. Indeed, over her decade of filming morning routines and nightly ritual vlogs, Sulewski gained a profound insight into what her community seeks when striving to feel comfortable in their skin. In 2024, she infused all this knowledge into Cyklar—a bodycare brand that promotes the philosophy that indulgence shouldn’t be reserved for special occasions. Every bottle is crafted to transform a simple two-minute rinse into a meaningful ritual.

      Tune in to the latest episode of Second Life to learn how Sulewski successfully established Cyklar as a natural extension of her influence. And keep scrolling to explore some of our favorite Cyklar products.

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      Sacred Santal Mandelic Acid Brightening Deodorant Gel

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      Lactic Acid Foaming Body Polish

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      Vanilla Verve Glow Set

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      The Full Collection Perfume Oil Layering Set

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