Today we get LOUD with Maria Algren, co-founder of Common Clouds, Scandinavia’s first acne-positive skincare brand. Based in Stockholm, Common Clouds was built to challenge traditional beauty standards and the idea that acne needs to be “fixed.” In this conversation, Maria shares her personal journey with acne, rosacea, and skin shame, and how those experiences—along with years spent working inside the beauty industry—sparked the creation of a brand rooted in transparency, education, and compassion. We dive into how beauty standards differ between Scandinavia, North America, and Asia, why “natural beauty” can sometimes create even more pressure, and how acne stigma continues to affect mental health across generations. Maria also opens up about starting a fully female-led company, building skincare products without marketing fluff, and setting realistic expectations around what skincare can—and cannot—do. This episode is a reminder that skincare goes far beyond the surface, and that confidence, worth, and purpose aren’t defined by clear skin.

Find more from Common Clouds: https://www.instagram.com/commonclouds.official/?hl=en https://commonclouds.com/en-eu?srsltid=AfmBOop5ra4O0H0YC2GBo1pT6TnEgmt5T9XxmzU15RAUZgu_OkyaLacN

Shop real skin. real results: https://nine2fiveskin.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopk2v0D54GGBytjOROnxl5BkDhrJvUaxzx9fIQXnqogUbGbyZEL

Audio versions:

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Catch LTWL on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3lXkBxqJOYzwu3g15fCmCM

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Join content creator, engineering, and business student Lavinia Rusanda as she uncovers the secrets of the beauty industry, breaks down the walls of beauty standards, and encourages self-love and confidence while bringing awareness to acne and real, unfiltered skin.