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There’s a moment in the life of almost every successful beauty brand when growth gets complicated. More consumers. More channels. More creators. New leadership. New generations. New expectations. And suddenly the question isn’t simply how do we grow? It’s what do we protect as we grow? This week, Carmine sits down with Irena Kojouharova, a senior beauty marketing executive, brand strategist and fractional CMO whose experience spans P&G/Wella, Moroccanoil, GLAMGLOW, Estée Lauder, KEVIN.MURPHY, Freeman Beauty and emerging skincare and wellness brands. Their conversation begins with a deceptively important distinction: not every marketing problem is actually a marketing problem. Irena explains how she looks at the consumer journey — awareness, consideration, purchase and loyalty — to determine whether a brand needs more visibility, better distribution, a stronger product or an entirely clearer reason for consumers to care. If people know a brand exists but still aren’t choosing it or returning, throwing more money at media may simply amplify a weak position. From there, Carmine and Irena turn to one of the central tensions in brand building: how do you evolve without erasing the very things that made the brand distinctive? For Irena, that begins with understanding the brand’s DNA — its promise, purpose and distinctive assets — and separating those enduring elements from the creative expressions, channels, creators and cultural references that naturally need to change over time. Carmine brings the conversation back to his own seven years as the voice of Kiehl’s, where even seemingly minor decisions were filtered through a fiercely protected brand identity. From the skeletons and motorcycles to the language inside the stores, the question was always the same: Is this part of what makes Kiehl’s Kiehl’s? That kind of stewardship gets considerably harder as a brand grows. More agencies, retailers, markets, creators and internal teams mean more people interpreting the brand. Irena argues that a brand deck alone isn’t enough. Brands need what she calls an operating system for decisions — a framework strong enough that the people executing the brand eventually become stewards of it themselves. That becomes especially complicated in the creator economy. Brands want the authenticity and creative instincts that make creators compelling, but too much control can flatten the very thing they hired them for. Too little control can turn a creator partnership into something almost unrecognizable from the brand itself. Irena explains why the answer often lies in distinguishing between what a creator must communicate and where they should be given genuine creative freedom. Then the conversation shifts to another increasingly difficult challenge: how do beauty brands attract younger consumers without making longtime customers feel like the brand has left them behind? Irena points to Sephora as a company that has repeatedly expanded its relevance — first with Millennials and now with Gen Z — without abandoning Gen X. Rather than replacing one generation with another, she argues, strong brands find ways to invite additional audiences in. That thinking becomes particularly interesting in skincare and longevity, where the same product proposition can mean something entirely different at 20 than it does at 50. For a younger consumer, longevity may be about prevention. For an older consumer, it may be a mix of prevention and correction. The brand doesn’t necessarily need a different identity — but it does need to understand the different problems consumers believe they are solving. Finally, Carmine asks what allows certain brands to endure for decades while others disappear. For Irena, longevity doesn’t mean refusing to change. It means repeatedly returning to the fundamentals: consumer sentiment, competitive context, cultural shifts and the brand’s own purpose — then asking whether the way the brand is showing up still reflects what it intends to mean. And in the episode’s closing conversation, Irena reflects on something she believed early in her career: that being a great marketer meant knowing everything herself. Today, she believes almost the opposite. The work is better when you know how to listen — to consumers, agencies, colleagues and different points of view — and use those perspectives to make smarter decisions. It’s a conversation about brand DNA, growth and relevance — and why the strongest brands may not be the ones that reinvent themselves most often, but the ones that know what should never be reinvented at all. Key Takeaway Brands don’t stay relevant by constantly reinventing themselves. Irena Kojouharova argues that enduring brands know the difference between what must evolve and what must be protected. Creative expression, channels and cultural references can change. The brand’s core promise and distinctive identity should be much harder to abandon. Growth makes that harder — which is why strong brands create systems that turn employees, agencies, retailers and creators into stewards rather than simply more voices. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Irena Kojouharova moved from traditional marketing into brand strategy and fractional leadership; How to determine whether a struggling brand has a marketing problem, positioning problem, product problem or distribution problem; Why awareness without conversion or repeat purchase can signal a deeper positioning issue; How brands can distinguish their enduring DNA from the creative expression that needs to evolve; Why consumer research, social listening and even platforms like Reddit can help marketers understand what consumers actually value; How scale can dilute a brand as agencies, retailers, creators, regions and internal teams add more voices; Why Irena believes brands need an “operating system for decisions,” not simply a brand deck; How brands can give creators enough freedom to make compelling content without surrendering the brand identity; Why attracting Gen Z doesn’t have to mean abandoning Gen X or Millennials; How the same longevity proposition can mean prevention to a younger consumer and correction to an older one; What enduring brands do to remain relevant without constantly reinventing themselves; And why Irena no longer believes being a great marketer means knowing everything yourself. Connect with Irena Kojouharova on LinkedIn to follow her work in beauty brand strategy, positioning, marketing and growth. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

There was a time when beauty brands controlled the message. They created the campaigns, retailers and magazines amplified them, celebrities endorsed them, and consumers largely followed along. Then social media changed everything. Today, a beauty brand can invest millions in marketing only to discover that a creator filming a 30-second TikTok in their bathroom has more influence over what consumers actually buy. And with platforms like TikTok evolving into search engines, communities and increasingly powerful retail channels, the traditional beauty marketing playbook is being rewritten in real time. This week, Carmine sits down with Mimi Banks, founder of MB Social, a social media agency helping beauty and lifestyle brands navigate content, creators, community and the changing ways consumers discover and engage with brands. Mimi and Carmine are also longtime friends and former L’Oréal colleagues, making this conversation as much a reunion as an exploration of an industry they’ve both watched transform. Mimi takes Carmine back to the beginning of her career — from the Clinique counter and Estée Lauder to more than a decade at L’Oréal, where she helped pioneer social media for Lancôme when brand Instagram accounts were still a novelty. She explains how that experience ultimately led her to launch MB Social in 2014, and why the business fundamentals she learned at L’Oréal remain invaluable in an industry where platforms and trends change almost daily. Together, they explore one of the biggest shifts in beauty discovery: social media is no longer simply where consumers encounter products. It’s where they actively search for recommendations, compare experiences, ask questions and increasingly make purchases. Mimi explains why the conversations happening in comment sections may reveal more about consumer behavior than the content brands spend so much time creating. Then they turn to TikTok Shop and its extraordinary impact on beauty commerce. From the rise of K-beauty brands like Anua and Medicube to Carmine’s own hilariously impulsive skincare purchases, they examine how social platforms are collapsing the distance between discovery and checkout — and what that means for established beauty brands trying to keep up. But who actually has influence anymore? Mimi makes an important distinction between influencers, whose value often comes from reach and lifestyle, and creators, whose credibility is built on expertise and craft. They discuss why follower counts don’t necessarily translate into trust or sales, how smaller creators can build highly engaged audiences, and what happens when a paid partnership becomes so scripted that it undermines the very authenticity a brand hoped to borrow. The conversation also challenges one of beauty marketing’s favorite buzzwords: community. Mimi argues that brands can buy reach, impressions and visibility, but genuine community reveals itself through behavior — people returning, asking questions, talking to one another and developing relationships that extend beyond a single post. Finally, they look toward a future increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. As AI changes how consumers search for products, build skincare routines and interact with brands, Mimi considers what might be gained through greater efficiency — and what beauty risks losing if technology replaces the human relationships that make the industry so personal. And in one of the episode’s most meaningful moments, Mimi reflects on something that has changed far more profoundly than social media: her understanding of success. From building a business to finding love and becoming a mother, she shares why she no longer believes life or career milestones need to happen on anyone else’s timeline. It’s a conversation about beauty’s changing playbook — but also about the people, relationships and experiences that endure long after the platforms have changed. Key Takeaway Beauty’s marketing playbook has changed, but Mimi Banks argues that the fundamentals of influence haven’t disappeared. Consumers may now discover products through TikTok searches, creator recommendations and conversations in comment sections — and purchase them without ever leaving the platform. But attention alone doesn’t create credibility, and follower counts don’t necessarily translate into sales. For Mimi, the distinction is between reach and trust. Brands can pay for visibility, but genuine influence comes from expertise, authenticity and relationships that make people want to return. And as artificial intelligence transforms how beauty is discovered and marketed, the challenge may be less about adopting every new technology than preserving what made beauty compelling in the first place: human connection. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Mimi Banks went from a Clinique counter to L’Oréal, where she helped pioneer Lancôme’s early social media presence; Why the business training she received at L’Oréal became the foundation for launching MB Social in 2014; How social media has evolved from a discovery feed into a search engine, community hub and retail channel; Why the questions, recommendations and conversations happening in comment sections can be more revealing than follower counts; How TikTok Shop is reshaping beauty commerce and helping emerging brands reach consumers at extraordinary speed; Why Mimi distinguishes influencers, who often bring reach and lifestyle appeal, from creators, whose value may come from expertise and credibility; How much creative control brands should retain in paid partnerships — and why overly scripted content can undermine authenticity; How AI is changing product discovery, skincare recommendations and brand interactions — and why Mimi believes human connection still matters; And, why Mimi no longer believes that career success, marriage, motherhood or personal fulfillment need to follow a predetermined timeline. Connect with Mimi Banks on LinkedIn here and learn more about her work as the founder of MB Social on the company website here. Mimi is also a co-host of Beauty Is Your Business, a podcast exploring the people, brands and business decisions shaping the beauty industry. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: Learn more about Mimi’s social media agency, MB Social, and explore her conversations with beauty industry leaders on the Beauty Is Your Business podcast here. Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

Every beauty brand seems to be talking about longevity. But are we actually changing the way we think about aging — or have we simply found a more appealing way to market anti-aging? This week, Carmine sits down with Dr. Jenelle Kim, a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, ninth-generation practitioner of traditional Korean medicine, founder of JBK Wellness Labs and author of The Korean Art of Living Well. For more than 25 years, Dr. Kim has worked behind the scenes developing and manufacturing beauty and wellness products, giving her an unusually long view of the ingredients, philosophies and trends that beauty continually embraces — and abandons. Dr. Kim explains why the current longevity conversation feels familiar to someone rooted in a medical tradition that has considered vitality, balance and living well for thousands of years. Rather than treating longevity as another beauty claim, she challenges us to ask a more fundamental question: What are we actually trying to achieve when we say we want to live longer? Together, Carmine and Dr. Kim explore the difference between chasing longevity and actually supporting it — through nourishment, movement, mindset and the everyday practices that help us function well. They discuss why our increasingly complicated approach to wellness may itself be creating stress, and where skincare realistically belongs within a much larger picture of health and vitality. Then they turn to one of Carmine’s favorite subjects: ingredients. After more than two decades formulating products, Dr. Kim explains why the ingredients that endure tend to have something very simple in common — they work. Carmine calls it “ingredient Darwinism,” as they unpack the staying power of ingredients like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C; the tension between efficacy and ingredient storytelling; and why a buzzy ingredient means far less without understanding the formula around it. Dr. Kim also explains why formulation is ultimately about synergy and delivery — not simply assembling a collection of impressive ingredients. They explore how modern formulation technology can make products better than they were 20 years ago, including the ability to harness traditional botanical ingredients more effectively, while asking whether innovation is actually useful if it only makes beauty more complicated. Finally, the conversation moves from skincare to something far simpler: one breath. Dr. Kim leads Carmine through the podcast’s first-ever qigong breathing exercise, demonstrating a practice listeners can follow in real time to pause, ground themselves and reconnect with their bodies. Key Takeaway Longevity may be one of beauty’s biggest trends, but Dr. Jenelle Kim argues that its foundations are anything but new. For her, longevity is less about chasing the newest optimization strategy and more about supporting balance across medicine, movement and mindset. The same applies to skincare: an ingredient isn’t valuable because it’s new or buzzy, but because it works — and because the formula around it can deliver it effectively. The real challenge is separating genuine innovation from novelty without making beauty more complicated than it needs to be. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Dr. Jenelle Kim became the first woman to carry forward her family’s nine-generation lineage of traditional Korean medicine; How studying Western medicine ultimately led her back to Eastern medicine — and eventually into beauty formulation; Why she believes Eastern and Western approaches to beauty and wellness can complement one another rather than compete; Why today’s obsession with longevity feels familiar to someone who has been discussing the concept for decades; What longevity means when you strip away the beauty marketing — and why living longer isn’t necessarily the same as living well; Why modern skincare can genuinely be better than it was 20 years ago, particularly in its ability to harness traditional botanicals more effectively; How overcomplicating beauty and wellness can create the very stress we’re supposedly trying to reduce; Why Dr. Kim believes ingredients and traditional formulations that survive for generations often endure for the simplest reason: they work; And, how a simple qigong breathing practice can help bring the body and mind back into balance. Connect with Dr. Jenelle Kim on LinkedIn here and learn more about her work at JBK Wellness Labs. Her book, “The Korean Art of Living Well,” explores the philosophy and practices she describes as “living meditation” — an approach to bringing greater balance and awareness into everyday life. It’s available on Amazon here. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: Find The Korean Art of Living Well, by Dr. Jenelle Kim on Amazon here. — Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

What if some of what we recognize as skin aging begins not only with declining collagen, elastin or facial support—but with the diminishing cellular energy available to maintain and repair them? This week, Carmine sits down with David Suzuki, President and CEO of Bio-Therapeutic, the Seattle-based skincare technology company founded by his father in 1974. A licensed skin therapist, inventor and second-generation leader, David grew up immersed in engineering, manufacturing and professional aesthetics before eventually taking the family business into its next era alongside his wife. David introduces his Energetic Theory of Aging, which places ATP—the usable energy produced by our mitochondria—upstream of many of the processes associated with healthy skin. He explains why he believes frequency-specific microcurrent can support cellular activity and why not every device that sends electricity through the face should be considered true microcurrent. Together, Carmine and David unpack what creates the immediate “lift” associated with microcurrent treatments, separating the mechanical act of repositioning facial muscles from the electrical component intended to support them. They examine why waveform, frequency and microamperage matter; why visible muscle twitching may indicate an entirely different form of electrical stimulation; and how the four spring-loaded probes of David’s patented bt-sculpt system are designed to engage the contours of the face. The conversation also becomes unexpectedly personal when Carmine shares how electrical neuromodulation through his Cefaly device transformed his experience with chronic migraine and helped him reduce his reliance on medication. Finally, David explains the difference between the bt-sculpt GEN2’s LIFT and SKIN modes, how he pairs microcurrent with topical serums and why he no longer underestimates the cumulative effects of small, repeated choices—in skincare, food, hydration, movement and recovery. Key Takeaway Microcurrent is not one monolithic technology—and the immediate and cumulative results associated with it may not arise from the same mechanism. With the bt-sculpt GEN2, the immediate visible change begins partly with kinesiology: four spring-loaded probes physically reposition and shorten targeted facial muscles. David argues that carefully selected electrical frequencies simultaneously support cellular energy and help those muscles maintain their newly sculpted position. That distinction matters when evaluating devices. Sensation and visible twitching are not necessarily evidence of better performance, while the word “microcurrent” reveals little without an understanding of output, waveform, frequency, probe design and technique. In this episode, you’ll learn: How David grew up inside his father’s engineering and manufacturing business—and ultimately became its second-generation leader; What his Energetic Theory of Aging proposes about mitochondria, ATP and the accumulation of cellular damage; How frequency-specific microcurrent is intended to interact with cellular energy; What creates the immediate sculpting effect—and why the bt-sculpt’s four spring-loaded probes are integral to the treatment; How David distinguishes microcurrent from electrical muscle stimulation, and why muscle twitching isn’t automatically a sign of efficacy; How the device’s LIFT and SKIN modes differ, why conductivity matters and how David pairs microcurrent with topical products; And, why David no longer underestimates how profoundly small daily choices can shape the way we age. Connect with David Suzuki on LinkedIn and explore his educational series, The Lab with David Suzuki. Learn more about Bio-Therapeutic and explore the bt-sculpt GEN2. Carmine’s featured device is the Bio-Therapeutic bt-sculpt GEN2—a four-probe handheld microcurrent system he independently discovered while judging the BeautyMatter Awards, and one of the rare beauty devices to escape his bathroom drawer and become part of his regular routine. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: Bio-Therapeutic bt-sculpt GEN2 The Lab with David Suzuki Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

What happens when decades of clinical skincare expertise meet the wild plants of Jackson Hole — and what can that teach us about how aggressively we’re treating our skin? This week, Carmine sits down with Kendra Kolb Butler, founder of Alpyn Beauty, the Jackson Hole skincare brand pairing clinically proven ingredients with sustainably harvested mountain plants. Before founding Alpyn, Kendra spent nearly two decades inside clinical and luxury beauty — including 15 years working alongside dermatologist and formulator Dr. Dennis Gross. In 2015, she left a successful New York career and moved with her family to Jackson Hole, where a short reset became a permanent reinvention. After opening the Alpyn Beauty Bar, Kendra discovered that even highly regarded skincare formulas struggled to address the dryness, irritation and moisture loss associated with the mountain climate. When her own skin began experiencing the same problems, she questioned for the first time whether clinical ingredients alone were enough. Her search for an answer led to the wild plants flourishing under the same extreme conditions. Working with local botanists and naturalists, Kendra began exploring how these stress-adapted plants could complement proven actives — eventually transforming locally tested formulas into Alpyn Beauty. Together, Carmine and Kendra examine beauty’s escalating “active ingredient bonanza,” why another person’s viral routine may be entirely wrong for your skin and whether the industry’s barrier-repair boom signals that consumers have pushed their complexions too far. Kendra also takes Carmine inside Alpyn’s new 3-in-1 Barrier Repair Serum, pairing Azelaic Acid and the SNAP-8 peptide complex with wild-harvested Ghostberry to address visible redness, hyperpigmentation and expression lines through a barrier-first approach. Along the way, they discuss sustainable harvesting, the origins of Alpyn’s Melt Moisturizer and why Kendra no longer believes hard work alone guarantees success. Key Takeaway Clinical science and botanical skincare do not need to exist in opposition. Kendra’s philosophy is rooted in balance: clinical actives can produce meaningful change, but their effectiveness depends on skin that is calm, hydrated and capable of tolerating them. When aggressive routines repeatedly destabilize the moisture barrier, pursuing faster results may ultimately move the skin further away from health. The lesson extends beyond formulation. Building Alpyn required expertise and relentless effort, but Kendra no longer believes hard work alone creates success. Connection, timing, luck, self-belief and the courage to act on an original idea matter, too. Sometimes reinvention begins not with a perfect plan, but with trusting the feeling that the life you have built is no longer the life you are meant to keep living. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Kendra left a successful 20-year beauty career in New York and moved her family to Jackson Hole; How the Alpyn Beauty Bar exposed a gap between conventional skincare and the realities of an extreme mountain climate; Why seeing clinical formulas fail in Wyoming forced Kendra to reconsider everything she believed about skincare; How stress-adapted wild plants develop secondary metabolites that differ from those of plants grown under controlled conditions; How samples of the original Melt Moisturizer generated local demand before Alpyn Beauty officially became a brand; Why Kendra believes prescription tretinoin, high-percentage acids and social-media routines are contributing to over-activated skin; And, why Kendra now believes success depends on far more than working harder than everyone else. Connect with Kendra Kolb Butler on Instagram at @kendrakbutler and learn more about her story here. Follow Alpyn Beauty on Instagram at @alpynbeauty and explore the complete collection at alpynbeauty.com. Carmine’s featured product is the Alpyn Beauty 3-in-1 Barrier Repair Serum, formulated with Azelaic Acid, SNAP-8 peptide, Centella asiatica and wild-harvested Ghostberry. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: 3-in-1 Barrier Repair Serum Melt Moisturizer Barrier Repair Cream Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

What does it take to inherit a skincare brand — and then prove that its future belongs in your hands? This week, Carmine sits down with Margot Grant Witz, Vice President and third-generation steward of Elizabeth Grant Skin Care, the family- and female-led Canadian beauty company founded by her grandmother in 1948. Elizabeth Grant’s remarkable story began after a World War II injury left her with significant damage to her skin. Her search for a solution ultimately led to the creation of Torricelumn™, the proprietary marine-derived complex that remains at the heart of the company catalogue today. Decades later, Margot’s mother, Marion Witz, persuaded Elizabeth to revive the business — transforming it from a deeply personal formula into an international skincare brand. Margot’s own path was anything but automatic. After resisting the family business, moving to France and earning her MBA, she returned ready to begin at the bottom — working in customer service, public relations and eventually live television before earning her place as a leader within the company. Together, Carmine and Margot explore why inheriting a name doesn’t automatically earn respect, how she learned to introduce change without abandoning the brand’s history, and what it means to disagree with your mother when she is also your boss. They also examine why Gen X and women over 50 remain overlooked by much of the beauty industry, how skincare can promise visible improvement without turning aging into the enemy, and why getting older should be understood as an opportunity rather than a loss. Finally, Margot takes Carmine inside the brand’s new Collagen Re-Inforce 3D MarineDNA collection featuring PDRN — sharing what attracted the company to one of skincare’s most talked-about ingredients, how the complete formula shapes the consumer experience, and why hydration remains foundational to healthy-looking skin. Along the way, they discuss true resilience, manufacturing skincare in-house, the importance of earning your team’s trust, and why holding too tightly to who you once were can prevent you from discovering who you are becoming. Key Takeaway A heritage brand remains relevant neither by discarding its past nor by preserving everything exactly as it was. For Margot, stewardship means understanding why customers trusted Elizabeth Grant Skin Care in the first place — then evolving its identity, formulations and conversations without sacrificing that trust. It also means recognizing consumers whom beauty has too often made invisible, particularly Gen X women over 50. The most meaningful form of reinvention may not be looking younger. It may be learning to see aging as movement, possibility and the privilege of becoming someone new. In this episode, you’ll learn: How a wartime injury ultimately inspired Elizabeth Grant to create Torricelumn™ and launch her skincare company; Why the brand experienced a remarkable second beginning decades after its original founding; How Margot went from packing boxes in the family basement to representing the company on television around the world; Why inheriting a family name did not automatically earn her authority inside the business; What working alongside her mother and grandmother taught her about leadership, disagreement and generational change; Why Margot believes Gen X and women over 50 have become largely invisible to the beauty industry; How skincare brands can advocate for visible improvement without presenting aging as failure; And what Margot hopes her own generation will contribute to the Elizabeth Grant legacy. Connect with Margot Grant Witz on Instagram at @margotgrantwitz and learn more about her story here. Follow Elizabeth Grant Skin Care on Instagram at @egskincare and explore the complete collection at elizabethgrant.com. Carmine’s featured products include the Collagen Re-Inforce 3D MarineDNA Day Cream and Professional Institute Niacinamide Booster Drops. Skincarma listeners can receive 25% off at elizabethgrant.com with code SKINCARMA25 at checkout. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: Collagen Re-Inforce 3D MarineDNA Day Cream Professional Institute Niacinamide Booster Drops Supreme Essence of Torricelumn™ Serum Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

Hair loss is often treated as a cosmetic problem—or simply accepted as an unavoidable consequence of genetics. But what if we’ve been asking the wrong questions all along? This week, Carmine sits down with Jared Reynolds—biochemist, molecular biologist, founder of Zenagen and ACTIIV, and a scientist whose research has focused on inflammation, receptor biology and scalp health for more than two decades. After experiencing significant hair loss himself while in medical school, Jared began questioning why so many traditional approaches focused on stimulating hair growth rather than understanding why healthy hair stops thriving in the first place. That journey led him into the biology of inflammation, the scalp’s role in supporting healthy hair, and the emerging science that may reshape how we think about aging itself. Together, they explore why inflammation has become one of the most important concepts in both skincare and hair science, how genetics and environment work together to influence hair loss, why the scalp deserves the same thoughtful care we give our facial skin, and how advances in regenerative medicine—including Yamanaka factors, cellular reprogramming and AI-driven research—may eventually transform the future of hair health. Along the way, they discuss the gut-brain-inflammatory axis, why hair loss isn’t simply “genetic,” what AI is already changing inside scientific research labs, and why maintaining healthy tissue may ultimately prove more important than forcing hair to grow. Key Takeaway Hair loss may be one of the earliest visible signs that something deeper is happening beneath the surface. Rather than viewing thinning hair solely through the lens of genetics or cosmetic correction, Jared encourages us to think more broadly about inflammation, tissue health, hormones and the biological environment that supports healthy follicles. As our understanding of regenerative medicine and longevity continues to evolve, the future of hair care may depend less on forcing growth and more on preserving the health of the scalp itself. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Jared believes hair loss is often a scalp health issue rather than simply a hair problem; How inflammation influences hair shedding and long-term scalp health; Why genetics alone don’t fully explain hair loss; How hormones, environmental exposures and lifestyle contribute to inflammatory signaling; Why reducing inflammation may be more effective than simply stimulating hair growth; What scientists currently understand about Yamanaka factors and cellular reprogramming; Why the gut microbiome may influence inflammation throughout the body—including the scalp; Why cleansing the scalp consistently may be more important than many people realize; And why the future of hair health may increasingly resemble the future of longevity medicine. Connect with Jared Reynolds on LinkedIn here and on Instagram at @zenagenhair and @actiiv. Learn more about Jared's research, Zenagen's science-driven approach to scalp health, and ACTIIV's professional hair care solutions at zenagen.com. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: Zenagen REVOLVE Women’s Trio Kit - hair and scalp wellness system Zenagen REVOLVE Men’s Essential Trio Kit - hair and scalp wellness system Zenagen Certification Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

If you’ve spent any time exploring longevity, healthy aging or premium skincare lately, you’ve probably heard of glutathione. Often called the body’s “master antioxidant,” it’s become one of the most talked-about molecules in wellness. But what exactly is glutathione—and why does the body manufacture it in the first place? This week, Carmine sits down with Dr. Nayan Patel—pharmacist, educator, founder of Auro Wellness and adjunct faculty member at the USC School of Pharmacy—to explore the biology behind one of the body’s most important endogenous defense systems. After spending more than three decades studying glutathione, Dr. Patel explains why this remarkable molecule is far more than another antioxidant, how it protects cells from oxidative stress, and why supporting the body’s own antioxidant defenses may be one of the most important investments we can make in healthy aging. Together, they unpack how glutathione works alongside Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and other endogenous antioxidant systems, why oxidative stress begins inside the cell, what causes glutathione levels to decline over time, and why conventional oral and intravenous approaches have struggled to deliver glutathione where it’s actually needed. They also explore the philosophy of prevention versus treatment, how diet and lifestyle influence our antioxidant defenses, and the decades-long scientific journey that led Dr. Patel to develop a novel topical glutathione delivery technology. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why glutathione is often called the body’s “master antioxidant”; Why every healthy cell manufactures glutathione—and what essential jobs it performs; How glutathione works alongside Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), catalase and other antioxidant defense systems; Why oxidative stress begins inside the cell—and why that matters for aging; Why glutathione levels naturally decline as we get older; Why getting glutathione into the bloodstream isn’t enough—it has to reach the cell; Why Dr. Patel believes prevention should become a central focus of modern medicine; And how nutrition, lifestyle and reducing toxic exposures may help preserve the body’s own antioxidant defenses. Key Takeaway Glutathione isn’t simply another supplement—it’s one of the body’s own essential defense systems. Produced inside every healthy cell, glutathione helps neutralize oxidative stress where it begins while also supporting the body’s natural detoxification pathways. As Dr. Patel explains, healthy aging isn’t about finding a miracle molecule. It’s about preserving the body’s remarkable ability to protect, repair and restore itself—and giving those innate systems the support they need to keep doing the jobs they were designed to do. Connect with Dr. Nayan Patel on Instagram at @dr_nayan_patel and on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Dr. Patel's work, his bestselling book The Glutathione Revolution, his podcast The Vitality Pharmacist, and Auro Wellness's topical glutathione technology at aurowellness.com. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: The Glutathione Revolution by Nayan Patel PharmD Glutaryl Topical Glutathione for Longevity and Daily Defense G Antioxidant Serum Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

Healthy skin doesn’t necessarily need more products, stronger actives or the latest trending ingredient. Sometimes, what it needs most is consistency—and a healthy environment in which to function. This week, Carmine sits down with Dr. Brent Ridge, physician and co-founder of Beekman 1802, the goat milk skincare brand he built with his husband, Josh Kilmer-Purcell. Before entering beauty, Dr. Ridge practiced medicine at Mount Sinai and served as Vice President of Healthy Living at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Today, he brings that medical background to a philosophy Beekman has championed for years: supporting skin health rather than constantly trying to correct it. Together, they explore why the skin barrier went from an obscure scientific concept to one of beauty’s biggest conversations—and how over-cleansing, over-exfoliating and simply using too many products can leave otherwise healthy skin sensitized. Dr. Ridge explains why he still considers cleansing the foundation of healthy skin and how the surface microbiome contributes to the remarkable resilience that allows our skin to adapt to changes in its environment. They also go deep on the science of goat milk, including how its oligosaccharides may help nourish microorganisms such as lactobacillus, why Beekman’s Bloom Cream was actually named for the concept of a microbial “bloom,” and the surprising oncology research that first led Dr. Ridge to investigate goat milk-derived exosomes years before exosomes became one of skincare’s buzziest technologies. Carmine and Dr. Ridge also tackle one of beauty’s enduring assumptions: that expensive skincare must work better. Dr. Ridge explains why price and efficacy aren’t directly correlated, when paying more may be worthwhile, and why the texture, sensory experience and pleasure of using a product can still matter if they encourage something far more important—consistency. Finally, they examine the increasingly blurred boundaries between medicine, wellness and beauty; the promise and risks surrounding peptides, supplements and emerging health trends; and why scientific language can empower consumers to understand their bodies while also making it easier to sell them things they may not need. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Dr. Ridge believes consistency is one of the most important principles in both health and skincare; How over-cleansing, over-exfoliating and using too many products can compromise the skin barrier and contribute to sensitization; Why the skin’s microbiome plays an important role in skin resilience and its ability to respond to a changing environment; How goat milk oligosaccharides may help support microorganisms such as lactobacillus on the skin; The unexpected oncology research that led Dr. Ridge to begin investigating goat milk-derived exosomes years before they became a skincare trend; How Beekman approaches innovation without chasing every trending ingredient; And, where Dr. Ridge sees both opportunity and risk as medicine, wellness and beauty increasingly borrow from one another. Key Takeaway Healthy skin isn’t necessarily the result of doing more to it. Dr. Ridge makes the case that the fundamentals—thoughtful cleansing, protecting the skin barrier, supporting the microbiome and, above all, consistency—may matter more than constantly chasing stronger actives or the newest technology. Innovation still matters. But price, novelty and scientific-sounding claims don’t automatically translate into better results. The best skincare product may ultimately be one that respects the biology of the skin, delivers what it promises and feels good enough that you’ll actually use it consistently. Connect with Dr. Brent Ridge and his husband and Beekman 1802 co-founder Josh Kilmer-Purcell on Instagram at @joshandbrent. Follow Beekman 1802 on Instagram at @beekman1802 and learn more about the brand’s pioneering work in goat milk skincare, skin barrier health and the microbiome at beekman1802.com. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: Beekman 1802 Bloom Cream Beekman 1802 Milk RX Advanced Better Aging Cream Beekman 1802 Milk RX Advanced Better Aging Wrinkle Serum Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

GLP-1 medications have transformed weight management—and introduced “Ozempic face” into the aesthetic conversation. But are GLP-1s themselves changing the face, or are we seeing the natural effects of significant weight loss unfolding faster than the skin can adapt? This week, Carmine sits down with Dr. Daniel Gould, a board-certified plastic surgeon with a PhD in bioengineering and Section Editor for Regenerative Medicine at Aesthetic Surgery Journal. Dr. Gould has coauthored published research examining both facial changes associated with GLP-1 use and the role facial vectors play in natural-looking face and neck lifts. Together, they unpack what “Ozempic face” really is, including the loss of facial volume and structural support that can leave skin looking deflated, crepey or lax. Dr. Gould explains why nutrition, protein and essential vitamins become especially important when appetite and calorie intake decrease—and why patients may need to give their bodies considerably more time to adjust before pursuing an aesthetic treatment. They also explore why adding filler can sometimes make the face larger without correcting descended tissue; how surgeons decide between filler, fat transfer, energy-based treatments and surgery; and why the direction in which facial tissue is repositioned can mean the difference between restoration and the unnatural, pulled look patients fear. Finally, Carmine and Dr. Gould examine the beauty industry’s rush to turn the visible effects of weight loss into another problem consumers are told they need to fix—and why a healthier body, loose skin and all, should still be recognized as an extraordinary accomplishment. In this episode, you’ll learn: What “Ozempic face” actually is—and whether GLP-1 medications uniquely affect facial fat; Why rapid weight loss can leave the face looking deflated, crepey or lax; How inadequate protein and nutrient intake may affect the skin and the body during weight loss; Why Dr. Gould recommends allowing time for weight and facial tissue to stabilize before considering surgery; Why adding facial volume doesn’t necessarily correct tissue that has shifted or descended; What a facial vector is and why it matters for natural-looking facelift results; Why the aesthetic industry was so quick to market solutions for “Ozempic face”; And, how patients can approach aesthetic changes without diminishing the health achievement that weight loss may represent. Key Takeaway “Ozempic face” is not a single condition with a single solution. Significant weight loss can affect facial volume, structural support, skin quality and nutrition—and those changes may continue evolving long after the weight comes off. Before rushing toward filler, devices or surgery, patients should allow time for their weight to stabilize, protect their nutrition and determine whether the concern is truly lost volume, descended tissue or both. As Dr. Gould emphasizes, the goal should not be to create a different face. It should be to restore the face naturally—if the patient decides anything needs to be corrected at all. Connect with Dr. Gould on Instagram at @faces_by_dr_gould and at dr.gouldplasticsurgery. Discover his groundbreaking work at Gould Aesthetics on YouTube here. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: Book a Consultation Good Day LA 2026 Plastic Surgery Results | Dr. Daniel Gould Plastic Surgery Natural Beauty’s Back for 2026: Looking Human Is in Again Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

We hear the word innovation constantly in beauty. A new ingredient launches. A familiar technology gets a new name. A product claims to repair, rebuild, strengthen or transform — and consumers are left to figure out which breakthroughs are real and which are simply very good stories. This week, Carmine sits down with Nathan Puksta, founder of Filament Sciences, an R&D company developing proprietary technologies for professional haircare. Nathan brings an unusually broad perspective to the conversation. Before becoming a founder, he spent nearly two decades inside beauty — including leadership roles at L’Oréal and Kiehl’s — and trained as both a stylist and an esthetician. Today, his work at Filament combines molecular development, consumer research and feedback from salon professionals to create technologies designed around measurable hair performance. Together, Carmine and Nathan explore what genuine innovation actually looks like, why large beauty companies often optimize products for the average consumer rather than the outliers, and what smaller companies can learn by looking where the biggest players aren’t. They also unpack how Filament develops proprietary molecular technology, why product format matters as much as the active technology itself, what consumers should ask when a brand claims to “repair” damaged hair, and why testing methodology may be more important than any percentage printed on the packaging. The conversation also gets personal as two former Kiehl’s insiders revisit the brand’s unique approach to education, community and luxury — and consider why human connection may ultimately be one of beauty’s most valuable forms of scarcity. Finally, Nathan shares where he believes haircare is heading next, from scalp health and hair growth to longevity and the changing biology of hair itself. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Nathan believes luxury is increasingly about knowledge, experience and human connection rather than price; Why Nathan believes beauty has become increasingly commoditized; Why big beauty companies often optimize innovation toward the average consumer; Why the outliers in consumer data may reveal where an entire category is headed next; How Filament Sciences combines molecular research and consumer insight; How consumers can evaluate hair-repair claims more intelligently; Why “How did you test it?” may be the most important question consumers can ask a beauty brand; Why Nathan believes scalp health and hair growth will play an increasingly important role in the future of haircare; And, why “bond repair” may have become one of haircare’s most overused marketing terms. Key Takeaway Real innovation in beauty isn’t defined by how scientific a product sounds. It begins with identifying a meaningful problem, developing something genuinely different to solve it, and being able to clearly answer one deceptively simple question: How did you prove it works? Connect with Nathan on LinkedIn here and on Instagram at @nathaninthelab. Learn more about the trailblazing work he and his team are doing at Filament Science on their IG at @filamentsciences and on the company website at filamentsciences.com. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: FILAMENT TS.02/Tt : Tensile Strength Hair Treatment Mask The Power of Tensilyx™ Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

One of the biggest blind spots in beauty isn’t a new ingredient, procedure, or technology—it’s what happens after. Every year, millions of people undergo cosmetic procedures, reconstructive surgeries, C-sections, cancer treatments, and other operations that leave lasting scars. Yet despite the emotional and physical impact scars can have, scar care has remained surprisingly overlooked by both the beauty industry and, in many cases, medicine itself. This week, Carmine sits down with Jadis Montijo, founder and CEO of Motivo Scar Care, to explore why recovery deserves a much larger place in the conversation around healthy skin. After undergoing gender-affirming top surgery, Jadis found himself frustrated by the scar-care products he was prescribed. When those products ultimately failed—leading to scar revision surgery—he partnered with renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Keith to rethink an entire category from the ground up. Together, they explore why scars are far more than cosmetic; how they shape confidence, identity, and healing; and why recovery may represent one of beauty’s next major frontiers. Along the way, Jadis shares his personal journey of transitioning, the unexpected path that led him into entrepreneurship, and why building Motivo has become about far more than improving scars—it’s about helping people move forward after some of life’s most significant moments. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why scar care has remained one of beauty’s most overlooked categories; How Jadis’s experience with gender-affirming surgery led to the creation of Motivo Scar Care; Why recovery often falls into the gap between medicine and beauty; How scars can affect confidence, identity, and emotional healing; What differentiates modern scar-care products from traditional approaches; Why nutrition, consistency, and overall health influence how scars heal; How plastic surgeons and dermatologists are beginning to rethink post-procedure care; And, why the future of beauty may be just as focused on recovery as transformation. Key Takeaway Scars tell deeply personal stories, but they shouldn’t define how we see ourselves. As cosmetic procedures, reconstructive surgery, and aesthetic treatments continue to grow, recovery deserves far more attention than it has historically received. This conversation reminds us that healing doesn’t end when the procedure is over—and that caring for a scar is ultimately about supporting the person behind it. Connect with Jadis on LinkedIn here and on Instagram at @jadismontijo. Explore Motivo Scar Care’s innovative scar-care products and brand ethos at motivoscarcare.com. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: Motivo Scar Tape Roll Motivo Scar Tape Sheets Motivo Intensive Repair Scar Cream Motivo Advanced Early Scar Serum Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

One of the most persistent myths in beauty is that aging happens entirely from the outside in. We focus on wrinkles, volume loss, skin laxity, and facial contours—yet rarely consider the structures beneath the surface that help support everything we see in the mirror. This week, Carmine sits down with Beverly Hills cosmetic and neuromuscular dentist Dr. Arthur Glosman to explore what our mouths may reveal about the way we age, feel, and function. Drawing on his background in dentistry, architecture, art, and design, Dr. Glosman approaches the mouth as far more than a collection of teeth. He sees it as part of a larger system involving the jaw, facial muscles, bite, sleep, inflammation, and overall health—and believes dentists may be uniquely positioned to recognize clues that other healthcare providers can miss. Together, they unpack how chronic clenching and an unstable bite may place stress on the jaw, why worn teeth can change the proportions and support of the lower face, and what Dr. Glosman means when he describes restorative dentistry as an “internal facelift through the teeth.” The conversation is also deeply personal. As a chronic migraineur who receives Botox in his masseter muscles and has experienced grinding, cracked teeth, and tooth loss, Carmine examines the possible relationship between jaw tension, TMJ dysfunction, and headache disorders. Along the way, Dr. Glosman shares why he believes dentistry should feel more like hospitality than healthcare, how fear and shame prevent people from seeking treatment, and why simply walking through the door may be the most important first step. In this episode, you’ll learn: What neuromuscular dentistry is—and how it looks beyond the teeth; How bite imbalance, clenching, and overworked facial muscles may affect the jaw, head, and neck; Why worn teeth can change facial proportions and reduce support for the lips and cheeks; What Dr. Glosman means by an “internal facelift through the teeth”; What the gums, tongue, bone, and other oral tissues may reveal about broader health; Why dental anxiety and past trauma can delay essential care; How comfort, listening, and hospitality can improve the patient experience; And, why dental problems rarely become less complicated—or less expensive—with time. Key Takeaway The mouth does not exist separately from the rest of the face or body. From bite function and facial support to inflammation, pain, and overall health, this conversation is a reminder that caring for our teeth may be one of the most overlooked parts of aging well. Connect with Dr. Glosman on LinkedIn here and on Instagram at @dr.arthurglosman. You can also contact his practice for an appointment on their website at arthurglosmandds.com. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

Ingredient savvy isn’t the same thing as ingredient literate. We know to hunt for ceramides. We compare Vitamin C percentages. We scan for peptides, retinoids, and niacinamide. But when we turn over the carton and browse the full ingredient list, can we actually tell whether a product is well formulated—or whether we’re simply responding to clever marketing? In this episode of The Skincarma Pod, Carmine welcomes back Annie Graham, cosmetic chemist and co-founder of Atomic Pom Labs, for a practical and refreshingly honest guide to reading skincare ingredient lists. Annie explains why an INCI list is first and foremost a regulatory disclosure; what ingredient order can—and cannot—tell us; why effective ingredients may appear surprisingly low on the list; and why percentages, botanical overload, and hero-ingredient marketing can lead even experienced skincare shoppers in the wrong direction. Carmine and Annie also compare different forms of Vitamin C, unpack the anatomy of a thoughtfully formulated moisturizer, and discuss why texture, stability, delivery, and the overall experience of a product cannot be judged from the ingredient list alone. Then they put those ideas to the test by decoding three very different formulas: spa brand EPICUTIS’ Hydrobiome Serum, the $400 La Mer The Concentrate, and rhode Barrier Restore Cream—the best-selling moisturizer at Sephora. The larger lesson is reassuringly simple: start with a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen; choose products that suit your skin, budget, and routine; and stop shopping from a place of skincare FOMO. There is no secret ingredient everyone else knows about—and an impressive ingredient list is never the whole picture. In this episode, you’ll learn: What an INCI list was designed to communicate—and why it is not a complete evaluation of a formula; Why the familiar “top ten ingredients” rule can be misleading; How low-concentration ingredients such as peptides still play a meaningful role; Why two Vitamin C products with dramatically different percentages cannot necessarily be compared at face value; What humectants, emollients, occlusives, emulsifiers, and preservatives contribute to a moisturizer; Why a simple ingredient list can produce an exceptional product—and a very long list can still underwhelm; How texture, stability, packaging, price, and the likelihood that you’ll use a product consistently should influence your decision; How to stop chasing the imaginary ingredient that will supposedly change everything. Products Decoded in the Episode EPICUTIS Hydrobiome Serum — a minimalist, water-based formula whose texture and humectant system become part of the analysis. La Mer The Concentrate — a lesson in silicones, sensory elegance, instant cosmetic effects, luxury positioning, and exceptionally cohesive storytelling. rhode Barrier Restore Cream — an ingredient-packed moisturizer that brings humectants, emollients, occlusives, niacinamide, peptides, and barrier marketing into one conversation. Key Takeaway An ingredient list is a disclosure—not a performance review. It may offer useful clues about a product’s base, structure, preservation system, and featured ingredients. But it cannot fully reveal the formula’s stability, elegance, delivery, tolerability, manufacturing quality, or suitability for your skin. The smarter approach is to begin with four questions: What is this product supposed to do? Does that function match what my skin actually needs? Can I comfortably afford and consistently use it? Does the finished product feel good enough that I will keep using it? That framing captures Annie’s recurring message throughout the episode: learn the basics first, experiment thoughtfully, and do not let ingredient marketing convince you that everyone else has discovered a secret you missed. Follow Annie and Atomic Pom Labs on Instagram at @atomicpomlabs. Learn more about the trailblazing work Annie and Diego are doing at Atomic Pom Labs at atomicpomlabs.ca. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: EPICUTIS Hydrobiome Serum La Mer The Concentrate rhode Barrier Restore Cream Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe

One of the biggest shifts happening in skincare isn’t a new ingredient or breakthrough technology — it’s a growing realization that healthier skin may come from doing less, not more. This week, Carmine sits down with Becca Zook, founder of Happi Rituals, to explore the growing movement toward simpler, barrier-focused skincare. After becoming frustrated with expensive products, complicated routines, and endless anti-aging promises, Becca set out to create something different — formulations built around grass-fed beef tallow, nutrient-rich botanical oils, and the belief that skin doesn’t need to be constantly corrected. It needs to be supported. Together, they unpack the marketing forces that shaped modern skincare, whether consumers are experiencing “skincare fatigue,” why barrier health has become one of beauty’s biggest conversations, and what makes beef tallow one of skincare’s most polarizing ingredients. Along the way, Carmine shares insights from three decades in beauty, including why he believes sunscreen remains the most effective anti-aging product ever created and the secret skincare philosophy he learned from celebrity aesthetician Angela Caglia. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why skincare routines have become increasingly complicated; The science and controversy behind beef tallow skincare; What “bioavailable” ingredients actually mean; Why healthy skin may require fewer products than you think; The difference between fighting aging and supporting healthy skin as we age; And, how beauty marketing has shaped the way we think about skincare for decades. Key Takeaway Whether you’re a minimalist or someone with a ten-step routine, this conversation is a reminder that healthy skin isn’t always about doing more — it may simply be about giving your skin the support it actually needs. Connect with Becca on LinkedIn here and on Instagram at @happi.rituals. Explore Happi Ritual’s beef tallow-infused products and brand ethos at happirituals.com. — Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners. Explore more: Happi Rituals RENEW + GLOW Face Mousse Happi Rituals SOOTHE + HEAL Face Mousse Happi Rituals FIRM + MOISTURIZE Body Mousse Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog: Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here. Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here. Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here. Explore the Best Acne Treatments here. Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here. Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here. The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter. The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe