Posted by Kayleigh O’Donovan
on August 26, 2026
You know the brushes. You know the Spuffy. You may have even seen a little too much of the behind-the-scenes reality of running a beauty brand on our socials.
But how much do you actually know about the woman behind MOB & KO?
Meet Kayleigh O’Donovan, owner and Brand Director of MOB & KO. Makeup artist, beauty obsessive, serial voice-note sender and the person currently wearing approximately 17 different hats behind the scenes of the brand.
So we asked her 32 questions, from business lessons and dream products to Celine Dion, dive bars and why the “boss babe” hustle era needs to stay firmly in the past.
Describe yourself in three words.
Driven, creative and caring.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Either a forensic scientist or a beauty therapist. Very different career paths, but apparently those were my two options.
What was your first ever job?
My parents owned pubs when I was growing up, so I’ve pretty much always worked. I started helping in the kitchen from around 12, then moved into waitressing.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
Only at the grand old age of 38 do I finally feel like I really know and understand myself. Took me long enough.
What beauty product could you genuinely not live without?
Weleda Skin Food or Too Faced Born This Way Concealer. Don’t make me choose between them.
If you could only use three makeup products for the rest of your life?
Lip oil, brow mascara and concealer. The holy trinity.
Which MOB & KO product is your personal favourite?
The Spuffy. No hesitation.
Which MOB & KO brush do you reach for the most?
Probably my Lilly brush. She’s so versatile and one I reach for all the time.
Which MOB & KO product are you proudest of?
The Spuffy. It’s our original sponge and puff hybrid, and I love that you can use it with both liquid and powder products. It’s one of those products that just makes sense.
What’s one product you’d LOVE to create for MOB & KO?
A two-phase pre and post makeup hydrogel mask. One phase to prep and hydrate the skin before makeup, and the second to soothe and replenish afterwards.
What’s the best thing about owning MOB & KO?
I’ve learned so much about myself and about running a business in such a short space of time. But also, having products I genuinely believe in and seeing customers come back and repurchase them is such a good feeling.
What’s the hardest part of running a business?
Self-discipline. It’s currently just me in the business, so if I don’t get it done, it simply doesn’t get done. There’s no one else to pass the ball to.
What’s the biggest business lesson you’ve learned so far?
Always keep an eye on your cash flow. Knowing exactly what’s going out and when is so important.
And on a more personal level, be careful who you try to bring to the top with you. Not everyone genuinely wants to see you there. Keep a tight-knit circle of people who truly support you.
What advice would you give someone starting a product-based business?
One mistake I made early on was reordering across a huge number of SKUs because the brand already had such a wide product range.
Looking back, I’d have waited to see where the real demand was first.
Keep your product offering tight in the beginning, learn what your customers actually want and build from there.
What does a typical day running MOB & KO look like?
Every day varies.
I was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, so I’ve learned I have to work with how my brain is operating that day rather than against it.
I’m in the office every day, usually starting with packing orders, checking emails, catching up with customers and having a look at what’s happening online.
Then there’s everything from product development and admin to attempting to film content. I say “attempting” because it somehow always ends up at the bottom of my list.
I’m also still a working makeup artist, so some days I’m with clients or on set too.
Are you organised, or are you more of a “17 tabs open” person?
I’m very much a 17 tabs open person, but I’m not going to pretend it somehow all gets done.
Some things have been sitting on my to-do list for an embarrassingly long time.
What’s currently on your vision board?
Seeing Olivia Attwood using MOB & KO, being stocked in retailers like Boots and Selfridges, growing our Instagram community to 150k, and ultimately becoming one of those household names people instantly think of for their go-to beauty tools.
Who would be your dream person to see using MOB & KO?
I’ve got a few.
Olivia Attwood is definitely up there.
I’d also love to see Ashley Stobart from The Cosmetic Consult using MOB & KO because I know she'd only speak about the products if she genuinely rates the products and recommends us.
Sofia Synott, Zara Larsson’s makeup artist, would be a dream too.
And I’m obsessed with The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, so honestly, any of them... but probably Miranda.
If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would you choose?
My granddad, who I never got to meet but who is such an iconic figure in our family. He passed away 40 years ago and is still spoken about like he was here yesterday.
Kim Kardashian, because everything about her intrigues me, especially her business acumen and the way she’s built such a powerful personal brand.
And Joanne McNally because she just seems like she’d be absolutely brilliant fun over dinner.
What’s your ultimate comfort TV show?
Definitely The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. I’m obsessed.
What song instantly gets you singing?
I don’t know about instantly putting me in a good mood, but Celine Dion’s It’s All Coming Back to Me Now will have me belting it out within seconds.
What’s your dream weekend away?
Something with a bit of downtime, but still plenty to do.
Somewhere I can pack as much luggage as I want without being judged.
Ideally there’s a hot tub or a pool, and depending on my mood I’m either going with friends, family, my boyfriend... or completely on my own.
Country pub or fancy London restaurant?
Both.
I love getting dressed up, trying the newest restaurants and having a really nice night out, but I’m equally happy in a dive bar or an old man’s pub.
I like a bit of variety, and luckily I’ve got the personality to do both.
Heels or trainers?
Ultimately, I’m a heels girl.
But part of my character development in my thirties was accepting that you simply cannot wear heels everywhere.
Sometimes, tragically, it has to be a trainer.
Coffee or cocktails?
Cocktails, always.
I’m not a coffee drinker and I’m currently on a Red Bull ban, so give me a cocktail, a very pale Provence rosé, or a vodka soda with fresh lime and I’m happy.
Early morning or late night?
Definitely late night.
I come alive at night and do some of my best work ridiculously late, so I’m very much a night owl.
Voice notes or texts?
I like receiving texts, but I’m definitely a voice note sender.
Honestly though, I don’t really mind how someone contacts me. It’s always nice knowing someone was thinking of you.
What’s your most controversial opinion?
The “boss babe” hustle era is dead.
Building a brand and creating the life you want shouldn’t come at the expense of your physical or mental health.
You should still be able to have a relationship, good friendships, spend time with your family and enjoy your life without constantly feeling guilty that you’re not hustling hard enough.
I definitely didn’t understand that in my twenties, or for a lot of my thirties.
It’s only now, in my late thirties, that I’m learning it’s okay to take your foot off the gas sometimes, look around and actually appreciate what you’ve already achieved.
What will you happily spend far too much money on?
Nights out, trips away, anything that creates a new memory, whether that’s with someone I love or just by myself.
I’ll always spend more happily on experiences than things.
If you weren’t working in beauty, what do you think you’d be doing?
I think I’d probably be in PR or events. I love the people, ideas and energy that come with both.
Ultimately, I’d have loved to go into law, but I’m not convinced my memory span would have supported the ambition.
What do you want people to feel when they discover MOB & KO?
I want people to feel like, regardless of their skill level, they’ve found a safe space and a community they can be part of.
Somewhere they can trust the products, ask questions, learn, experiment and express themselves without feeling intimidated.
Finally, what’s next for MOB & KO?
If you’re reading this, we’re already well into our reset era.
MOB & KO is looking and feeling more like me than it ever has before, which feels really exciting.
Next, I want to keep growing our DTC side, which simply means selling directly to our customers through our own website and channels rather than relying on third-party retailers.
I also want to keep elevating the brand through our packaging, our product offering and the overall experience people have with us.
There are a lot of ideas, probably too many tabs open, and some very big plans.
But ultimately, I want MOB & KO to become a brand people know, trust and feel part of.
And we’re only getting started.
