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Jerrod Blandino, cofounder of Too Faced and now Polite Society, returns to Skin Anarchy to talk about building a beauty brand the hard way: self funded, formula first, and without celebrity hype. He unpacks what real success looks like, the private equity trap, and why the industry is overdue for a clearing out.

Why did Jerrod Blandino start Polite Society after Too Faced?

To get creative freedom back. After 24 years building Too Faced and selling it to Estee Lauder, Blandino found the final years creatively stifling, so he launched Polite Society within a day of his non compete ending. "It reinvigorated that fire under my ass to be creative again and be rebellious again," returning to the organic, fan first approach that built his first brand.

How do you build a beauty brand without celebrities?

By meeting the customer directly and letting the product prove itself. Blandino deliberately avoids big celebrity faces so the brand is not absorbed into someone else's personality. "We're creating a world that I want to live in... and together we can be happy here," building a relationship rather than renting someone's fame.

What does a formula first approach mean?

Letting the formula lead instead of the packaging or story. In his old life a theme or package might lead; at Polite Society the formula comes first. "When you pick a product up, it serves and it delivers on its promise," Blandino says, and when the payoff surprises you, it becomes something you repurchase.

Why do so many hyped products disappoint?

Because marketing outran the formula. Blandino says there is more great product than ever, but also more "crap," as private equity chased quick money over passion. "They promise you the world, and you get it home and you're like, is it me? Am I using this wrong?" The fix is formulas that genuinely deliver.

What makes a product a true staple?

Owning the formula from the beginning rather than relabeling a stock one. Blandino contrasts founders who develop from scratch with brands that buy an off the shelf formula and add a name. "You don't always have to invent it, but you have to put your own spin on it," he says, which is costlier but creates products rivals cannot reproduce.

Why did Blandino keep Polite Society self funded?

To never answer to anyone again. Having lived through both supportive and destructive private equity relationships, he and his partner funded the brand themselves to protect control. "It really is about maintaining control, artistic integrity, and keeping your vision tight," recalling an executive who once threatened to destroy everything they built.

Should beauty brands target teenagers?

Not with potent formulas, in his view. Blandino argues Wall Street turned beauty into entertainment for 14 year olds, but strong actives are not made for young skin. "Efficacious formulas are not made for fragile young skin," he says, noting Polite Society performs across Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z by pairing glamour with formulas that work.

What gives a brand lasting power?

A heartbeat that comes from the founder. Blandino says the thing customers feel, and keep coming back for, is authenticity that cannot be bought. "Your brand has to have a heartbeat... and if I see something that does not strengthen the heartbeat, it's gotta go," protecting that emotional connection above hype or logo.

Where is the beauty industry headed?

Toward a clearing out of the noise. Blandino believes distrust and oversaturation have made products stop hitting the way they used to, and that quality will rise as the clutter thins. "You're going to see quality rise and really unique individual, special brands strengthen," predicting more genuine creative moments will break through again.

Listen to the full episode with Jerrod Blandino of Polite Society on Skin Anarchy, available wherever you get your podcasts.

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In this episode of Skin Anarchy, Dr. Ekta Yadav sits down with Dr. Samuel Lynch, Founder and CEO of Lynch Regenerative Medicine (LRM) and a pioneer in regenerative medicine whose groundbreaking research helped establish the role of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in tissue healing and contributed to the development of FDA-approved regenerative therapies. Drawing from more than three decades of scientific research, Dr. Lynch explores the biological mechanisms behind tissue regeneration, the importance of growth factor signaling, and why the future of regenerative aesthetics must be grounded in clinical evidence rather than marketing claims.

Who is Dr. Samuel Lynch?

A regenerative medicine pioneer who spent 35 years studying how the body heals. Working beside the American Red Cross, he isolated the protein in platelets that signals injury and triggers repair. "I spent my whole career trying to answer two very simple questions. One, how does a body know that it's been injured... and two, how does it stimulate the healing process?"

What is PDGF?

Platelet derived growth factor, the protein released from a blood clot that kickstarts healing. Lynch isolated it, mapped its gene, and produced it in yeast cells as pure recombinant human PDGF. "It remains the only growth factor to have ever gotten FDA approval for tissue regeneration," he says, after treating over five million patients in dental and bone medicine.

Why is PDGF so effective for regeneration?

Because it is both the most potent and the most balanced growth factor. Unlike actives that force one type of collagen, PDGF raises types one, three, and six collagen, elastin, and natural hyaluronic acid, plus blood supply. "It gives you a really nice, balanced rejuvenative and regenerative response," Lynch says, taking healing capacity from how it is at 50 back toward 18.

What makes PDGF-BB different from other forms?

It is the only form that activates both PDGF receptor types. Other isoforms each reach only one receptor, limiting the response. "PDGF-BB... is the only type of PDGF that stimulates both isoforms of receptors in your body," Lynch explains, producing its whole body, holistic effect.

Do the growth factors in exosomes and PDRN actually work?

Rarely at meaningful levels, according to Lynch. Many products claim growth factors, but the amounts are tiny and, in his view, subtherapeutic. "To detect a growth factor on a laboratory bench... is a night and day difference from using it therapeutically," he says, stressing medicine requires consistent, reproducible doses like insulin.

Do topical growth factor serums work on intact skin?

Mostly unproven, Lynch says. A serum may deliver a short glow, but lasting regeneration needs the growth factor to reach past the surface. "To get the longer lasting true tissue regeneration... you need to do something to disrupt the surface of the skin," whether microneedling, peels, or lasers, so the molecule can penetrate.

How does PDGF reduce downtime after microneedling or laser?

By speeding you through the inflammatory phase of healing. PDGF modulates inflammation and upregulates the body's other growth factors, moving skin faster to repair. "Your redness, your swelling, your pain, the heat... after a laser or a microneedling treatment is significantly reduced," Lynch says of topical PDGF after a procedure.

What is the PDGF under eye trial?

A Phase 2B FDA trial injecting pure PDGF for under eye hollowing, which Lynch reports is the first pure growth factor to reach this stage with FDA approval, a randomized controlled study in up to 75 patients. "The safety of this molecule has been established beyond any other growth factor, period," built on two decades of injection studies.

Why is under eye hollowing so hard to treat?

Because it is multifactorial, and existing options fall short. Fillers can migrate or cause vascular problems, and PRP and PRF have underwhelmed, which is why Lynch sees heavy off label PDGF use there. Most patients, he argues, "would rather have their own tissue regenerated than... a filler injected."

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Cosmetic chemist Lei Smith, founder of Leitin Skincare, joins Skin Anarchy to pull back the curtain on formulation: what barrier repair really means, how to tell if an active is actually dosed to work, why price rarely signals quality, and why hyperpigmentation is so hard to treat.

How did Lei Smith get into cosmetic chemistry?

Through curiosity and a string of passions. A former banker turned landscape gardener, Smith started formulating as a hobby about six years ago after struggling to find skincare that worked for him. "It's like an endless, you can never know everything. And I love that about it," he says of the field that finally held his focus.

Why does he keep his brand out of retail?

To protect the quality of his formulas. Smith explains that retail forces formulations down to roughly 10 to 15 percent of the selling price, leaving little room for real ingredients. "In order for me to keep formulations where people get good value... I have to do it in house," running his cost of goods near 30 percent instead.

What does barrier repair really mean?

More than slathering on ceramides. Smith stresses that barrier health is tied to lifestyle, stress, and finding the right formula for your skin type, not a single hero ingredient. "It's not a specific set of ingredients," he says, noting a popular ceramide cream might dry his own skin out, and that skincare should be revised every decade.

How can you tell if an active is dosed to actually work?

Often by the math behind the price. Smith notes a $30 toner built on a 15 percent cost of goods contains under $4 of ingredients, which limits what can truly be inside. "Just because the cosmetic product is expensive... that is definitely not the case," he warns, since price misleads in both directions.

Does skincare need a penetration system to work?

For many actives, yes. Smith says peptides and other actives often struggle to cross the skin, so a serum should make its delivery method clear. "I wouldn't buy a peptide serum if it wasn't in some type of" penetration system, he says, pointing to encapsulation, liposomes, or carriers like urea as what separates a working formula from a hopeful one.

Can you use copper peptides with vitamin C or acids?

Keep them apart from pure vitamin C, with nuance. Smith explains that low pH acids can disassociate the copper and cause inflammation, and that the caution around vitamin C applies mainly to ascorbic acid. "I would definitely keep it away from ascorbic acid, but when it comes to derivatives, there is no data," he says, so he plays it safe given the cost.

Why is hyperpigmentation so hard to treat?

Because it runs across many pathways at once. Smith breaks it down: UV creates oxidative stress, inflammation degrades collagen, and melanocytes must be controlled at several steps, from tyrosinase to pigment transfer. "There's not a product really out there" that hits all of them, he says, which is why calming inflammation early matters as much as targeting melanocytes.

Does a higher price mean better skincare?

No, and the assumption costs consumers. Smith is blunt that expensive does not equal effective, and that cosmetic chemists formulating in house often beat retail on value. "If I was led by price, I wouldn't produce a good formula," he says, because he formulates for efficacy first and prices second.

How can consumers spot real value in skincare?

Look for a visible difference and read the label. Smith and the host agree good skincare should show a result, and that buzzy peptide names parked at the bottom of an ingredient list signal very low doses. His advice is to stop trusting brand prestige and start reading formulations, because efficacy, not packaging, is what delivers.

Listen to the full episode with Lei Smith of Leitin Skincare on Skin Anarchy, available wherever you get your podcasts.

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Cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Shino Bay Aguilera joins Skin Anarchy to reframe how we think about aging: the psychology behind aesthetic choices, why filler alone can backfire, how the face ages decade by decade, and why the future is about rescuing cells rather than replacing tissue.

Who is Dr. Shino Bay Aguilera?

A cosmetic dermatologist who grew up in poverty in Panama and knew his path at five. Childhood asthma and skin boils taught him how appearance shapes how people are treated. "The way my skin looked like it dictated the way I would feel that day. And how people would treat me," driving a mission to help patients physically and emotionally.

What is the psychology behind aesthetic treatments?

A primitive survival instinct reading skin for health. Aguilera says the reptilian brain scans skin, hair, and nails for genetic fitness signals, which is why beauty is a multibillion dollar industry. "Skin is so important... because it advertises youth, beauty, and fertility." We are judged by our skin, consciously or not.

Why can filler alone backfire over time?

Because replacing tissue with gel does not age naturally. Aguilera warns against what he calls transhumanism in aesthetics, using synthetic filler to replace every imploding tissue. "You cannot look human if all you have in your head is a synthetic gel to replace every single tissue." He uses filler for support and beautification, and collagen stimulators to preserve the bone.

How does the face age decade by decade?

In predictable, staged implosions: the skin loses hyaluronic acid and collagen first, then facial fat in the 40s, then bone in the 50s, then laxity in the 60s. "By the time you're 40, 45, you lost 25% of the collagen on your skin, and that's why you see saggy skin." He describes two rapid aging spurts, 40 to 45 and 60 to 65.

What should you do for your skin in your 20s?

Less than you think, and nothing aggressive. Aguilera cautions that being proactive does not mean starting filler early. "Don't think that being proactive means that you need to start doing fillers and sculptra... if you don't need it." Protect the skin, avoid sun and smoking, rest well, and treat breakouts with a dermatologist.

What are zombie cells, and why do they matter?

Senescent cells that accumulate when you overwork aging skin. Aguilera says forcing older fibroblasts to perform through constant lasers and injectables exhausts them into dysfunctional zombie cells, so skin keeps aging despite treatment. "I'm exhausting my fibroblasts, I'm contributing to zombie cells," he realized, shifting to cell centric treatment.

What skincare ingredients is he most excited about?

Those that rescue cells and support the matrix. Aguilera points to hyaluronic acid conjugated with alpha lipoic acid, needle like heparan sulfate for hydration, and new compounds that rescue cells from senescence. "I want bioregeneration," he says, meaning skin that looks like a healthy, younger version of itself rather than just more collagen.

How does a dermatologist vet skincare products?

With evidence, not marketing. Aguilera wants novel molecules backed by studies, histology, and gene analysis. "I don't just want to see a histological slide. Let me see what gene you upregulate." Before bringing anything into his clinic, he tests it on his own skin and interrogates the science.

Why does integrated skincare matter alongside procedures?

Because the right products protect the investment. Aguilera notes most patients otherwise buy the wrong things and risk reactions, so recommending skincare is part of good care. "That investment... is going to excel and perform and give them better results," framing the small added cost as what makes an expensive procedure deliver.

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Jon DiNapoli, founder of creative agency JMD and designer behind fragrances for Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, and Tommy Hilfiger, joins Skin Anarchy to unpack how a brand comes alive: where creative direction starts, why packaging now sells the product, and how to balance art, cost, and commerce.

How did Jon DiNapoli get into beauty branding?

Through a newspaper ad his mother circled. A graphic design graduate, he answered an Estee Lauder listing 27 years ago and was mentored by industry figure Catherine Walsh. "It's this one little push from mom that kind of catapulted this career in a direction that I'm still pushing in," he says, having worked under Walsh over 15 years before founding JMD.

Where does creative direction for a brand start?

With questions, not sketches. DiNapoli's first move is extracting everything he can before designing, because a brand only works if it is true to itself. "Anyone can put a brand out on the market, but it's not going to work unless it's authentic to that brand itself." A Marc Jacobs fragrance has to feel like Marc Jacobs, not like him.

What white space led him to start JMD?

The gap between creative talent and business know how. As a creative lead at Coty, DiNapoli sat in sales, PR, and financial meetings, learning what sells and how products get made. "There were many agencies that were amazing... but they didn't have that back end knowledge," so he built JMD to pair design with years of brand side experience.

How important is sustainability in beauty packaging now?

It is no longer optional. DiNapoli says clean and sustainable design has shifted from a differentiator to a baseline expectation. "It used to be you stand out if you're sustainable... now it's the price of doing business. If you're not, you fail." His team revisits even launched products, like a Clean Reserve cap moved to fully wooden construction.

How do you design a brand that can grow?

By building expansion in from the first bottle, so a single launch can become a franchise. With Sabrina Carpenter's Sweet Tooth, the pink chocolate bar bottle was designed to extend into flavors. "When she launched... the song Espresso, we quickly did an espresso fragrance," because the brand had legs to grow with the artist.

What makes packaging rise above the noise?

A clear hook and a story that reads instantly. DiNapoli treats packaging as art you want to display, and tests it ruthlessly: picture only the box on a shelf. "Is that gonna tell the story? Are they gonna know what we're trying to say? And if not, we're not doing our job right." The constant is balancing commerce against art.

Why is packaging more important than ever?

Because people now buy fragrance without smelling it. With digital retail and social media replacing the store counter, the bottle is the first and often only point of entry. "People are buying fragrances now without knowing what they smell like," DiNapoli says, which magnified the role of packaging.

How do you balance packaging cost against the formula budget?

By knowing the budget before designing anything. DiNapoli says nothing frustrates him more than a brief with no real budget, because beautiful work that runs triple the cost is pointless. "If they're three times over the budget, what's the point?" Experience lets him design within the right price world from the start.

How does skincare branding differ from fragrance?

Efficacy comes first, packaging second. For skincare, DiNapoli says the clinical result matters most, and the design must still tell the story without overshadowing the science. He points to the Italian brand Aquium, created by an oncologist for dry, cracked skin, where "the two came together," pairing a proven formula with elevated design.

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Dr. Barbara Paldus of Codex Labs joins Skin Anarchy to explain how cancer treatments affect the skin barrier and what gentle supportive care can look like. This episode is educational only, not medical advice, and everything here should be run by your oncology team first.

What is the skin barrier?

Not one wall, but a living defense system. Dr. Paldus describes five interconnected barriers: physical, chemical, microbial, immunological, and neurosensory. "We go from the physical to the chemical to the microbial to the immunological and to the neurosensory." Each one, she notes, affects the others.

Why do cancer treatments affect the skin?

Because treatments target rapidly dividing cells, and skin renews constantly. Chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, and radiation each hit renewing tissue differently. "Any tissue in your body that is continuously renewing itself, like your skin or your gut, will be affected," Paldus explains, which can slow repair, reduce oil, and disrupt the microbiome.

What is radiation dermatitis?

The skin reacting within the area exposed to radiation, from mild redness and dryness to burning, peeling, tenderness, or breakdown, usually building gradually over sessions. "It may not happen during your first treatment, but it can happen maybe on the second or the third one," Paldus says, stressing the radiation team must monitor it.

What is hand foot syndrome?

Redness, swelling, tingling, and pain on the palms and soles during certain treatments. Because hands and feet face the most friction, heat, and pressure, symptoms can disrupt everyday life. "They can interfere with walking, putting on your shoes, exercising, cooking," Paldus notes, advising patients to report it early.

What skin symptoms during cancer treatment need urgent attention

Several warrant immediate care. Paldus lists rapidly spreading rashes, extensive blistering or peeling, severe pain, open or draining wounds, honey colored crusts, and fever or chills with a skin problem. "Any kind of swelling, especially facial swelling or lip and tongue swelling," plus trouble breathing, means emergency care.

What does a gentle skincare routine look like during cancer treatment?

As simple as possible: lukewarm water, brief showers, fragrance free cleansers that never leave skin tight, patting dry, and moisturizing within three minutes. "When you start cancer treatment, that is usually not the ideal time to experiment with multiple potent active ingredients." The keyword is monitor.

Is "natural" skincare safe during cancer treatment?

No, not by default. Paldus is direct that a natural label guarantees nothing, and that formulation matters more than any single word on a label. "Natural ingredients can irritate the skin, cause allergies, or interact with the treatment just as much as synthetic materials." She urges fragrance free products, patch testing on intact skin, and clearing any routine with the team.

How should you manage itching during cancer treatment?

Gently, and with a threshold for escalation. Mild dryness and itch can ease with moisturization, soft clothing, cool compresses, and short fingernails to limit scratching. "If it's persistent or intense, that can also be a reaction to medication," or a sign of deeper issues, Paldus cautions, meaning it needs medical evaluation.

What is the one thing to remember about skin care during cancer treatment?

That the skin is a system to support, not a surface to treat alone. Paldus frames supportive care as improving comfort and quality of life while staying coordinated with the oncology team. "The skin is a protective system, not a passive covering," and any worsening symptom should be assessed, never self treated.

Listen to the full episode with Dr. Barbara Paldus on Skin Anarchy, available wherever you get your podcasts.

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*This episode is educational and does not provide individual medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding symptoms, skincare, diet, supplements, and treatment decisions.

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Double board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic specialist, Dr. Jacquiline Hakim, joins Skin Anarchy to explain what actually drives facial aging: bone loss, collagen decline, and the science of radiofrequency skin tightening, including why results take time and who to trust.

Who is Dr. Jacquiline Hakim?

A double board certified dermatologist and cosmetic specialist who leads Divina Dermatology in Beverly Hills. She frames aesthetics as a medical discipline first, not a trend. "It's still medicine. And I think that's such an important factor to hone in on," a lens that shapes her whole approach.

Where does facial aging actually start?

Deeper than the skin, at the bone. Aging happens across multiple tissue planes, with bone loss, the scaffolding, beginning in the 30s, followed by fat pads, connective tissue, and finally skin. "Aging starts all the way down to the bone." Collagen declines about 1 percent a year from the mid 20s.

Why does your face change so suddenly in your 40s?

Because of a sharp estrogen drop in perimenopause. Estrogen receptors in the skin help maintain collagen, so when estrogen falls, collagen does too, sometimes overnight. "I woke up one day and all of a sudden I saw this, and it can be that drastic," Hakim says, noting women can lose 30 to 40 percent of their collagen in this phase.

How does radiofrequency work for the skin?

By using heat and your own tissue to trigger repair. Radiofrequency delivers controlled heat that the tissue resists, setting off a collagen and elastin cascade plus some contraction for tightening. "You're creating a cascade that stimulates collagen and elastin," and modern devices heat precise layers rather than bulk heating the whole area.

Is radiofrequency safe for skin of color?

Yes, in trained hands and with modern cooling. The risk with melanin is post inflammatory hyperpigmentation if the wrong layer is overheated, but newer devices cool the surface as they work. "We say it's even like a colorblind treatment. It's safe for everyone," she says, crediting built in cooling for the leap in safety.

What is XERF and what can you expect from it?

A monopolar radiofrequency tightening device Hakim was among the first in the US to offer. It reaches multiple tissue depths at once and cools the skin with every pulse, making it safer and comfortable enough that patients fall asleep. "It's one of the safest that's currently on the market... doing multiple depths at the same time.

How long until you see results from skin tightening?

About two months, after an early preview. Any collagen stimulation, from energy or injectables, takes roughly two months to fully show. "It takes a true two months to see your actual endpoint," Hakim says, describing a honeymoon glow that fades before real results build. She starts most patients with two sessions.

Why do the neck and hands age faster, and how should you treat them

Because they have far fewer oil glands than the face, and people neglect them. Signs of aging often appear first on the neck and hands, yet most routines stop at the jaw. "Everything you do for your face you can do for your neck," she advises, extending skincare, sun protection, and treatments to both.

When should you start aesthetic treatments, and who should you trust?

Around the mid 20s, when collagen loss begins, and only with a qualified expert. Hakim stresses that good work is invisible and that dermatologists train for years specifically in noninvasive aesthetics. "You have to really have someone that you can trust that's going to be honest with you," including telling patients no when a trend will not age well.

Listen to the full episode with Dr. Jacquiline Hakim on Skin Anarchy, available wherever you get your podcasts.

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Dermatologist Dr. Carl Thornfeldt, founder of Epionce and holder of 22 patents, joins Skin Anarchy to explain the science of barrier repair before it was a trend: the discovery of the skin barrier ratio, why ceramides alone fall short, and why high dose actives can do more harm than good.

Who is Dr. Carl Thornfeldt?

A dermatologist whose childhood eczema drove a lifelong quest to understand skin. As the only full time dermatologist across 30,000 square miles of rural Oregon, he saw skin pushed to extremes and realized most treatments failed. "I wanted to completely get clear and stay clear and not have recurrence," which set him on a nine year study of how the epidermis regulates itself.

Why is the skin barrier so important?

Because the stratum corneum is a regulatory tissue, not just dead cells. Thornfeldt's team found that disrupting the barrier triggers repair signaling within minutes. "When the skin was injured for any cause... that would trigger synthesis of cholesterol, a number of the ceramides, and certain free fatty acids." A damaged barrier, he showed, is the root trigger of the chronic inflammation now called inflammaging.

What is the 3 to 1 to 1 barrier repair ratio?

The gold standard for rebuilding skin. Thornfeldt found that a specific ratio of cholesterol, ceramides, and free fatty acids, with half the fatty acids as linoleic acid, dramatically accelerates repair. "The three to one to one ratio triggered a dramatic epidermal proliferation," producing a new barrier in about three days instead of 28. A two to one to one ratio is 40 percent less effective.

Why does linoleic acid matter for skin?

Because the barrier cannot form properly without it. Replacing linoleic acid with other fatty acids left the barrier incomplete, partly because it is needed to build the right ceramides. "Linoleic acid was necessary for the optimum barrier function." It also calms inflammation and aids delivery, yet rarely appears on ingredient lists now.

Are ceramides alone enough to repair the barrier?

No, and this is the ceramide hero product fallacy. Used individually, each lipid actually disrupted the barrier more; only all three together enabled repair. "It wasn't until we had all three there that we could start seeing some benefit." Ceramides also work best at a pH of 4.5, low enough to sting many people.

What is the difference between moisturizing and barrier repair?

They are not the same. Hydration raises water holding capacity; barrier repair rebuilds the wall, and speed matters because an open barrier lets damage in. Thornfeldt's ratio achieved 89 percent barrier closure in 45 minutes, while petrolatum reached only 65 percent at eight hours. "You want to slam the barrier shut."

Is high dose vitamin C actually good for your skin?

Not necessarily, and it can irritate. Vitamin C needs iron and zinc to actually build collagen, so high concentrations alone often just cause inflammation that temporarily plumps skin. "No place in the body where a single antioxidant works." Several trials of high dose single antioxidants were halted early for increased disease.

Do retinoids work as well as they are marketed?

Only partly. Tretinoin acts on three of the skin's many pathways and is photosensitizing, and Thornfeldt watched it raise precancer rates in his own patients. "You've got 13 pathways that need to be modulated, and it works on three of them." That risk, he says, is why maintenance dosing exists.

Does bakuchiol actually work?

The evidence says no. Thornfeldt points to a Cochrane review of 15 trials that found no benefit. "Bakuchiol doesn't work," he says, calling it a marketing story built on poor quality studies.

Listen to the full episode with Dr. Carl Thornfeldt of Epionce on Skin Anarchy, available wherever you get your podcasts.

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Dr. Drew Taylor, biomedical engineer and CEO of Acorn, joins Skin Anarchy to demystify regenerative aesthetics: what a secretome actually is, why exosome counts can mislead, whether older cells still work, and why banking your own cells early may matter.

Who is Dr. Drew Taylor?

A biomedical engineer who took a winding path through pro baseball. He played in the Blue Jays and Phillies organizations while earning a PhD at the University of Toronto, studying how a patient's own stem cells regenerate connective tissue. "I really do feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing."

What is a secretome?

The full set of molecules cells release to signal and repair. Taylor stresses the root word is secretion, not secret. "That entire secreted population of things is the secretome." It includes exosomes plus free growth factors, matrix molecules like hyaluronic acid and collagen, binding proteins, cytokines, and PDRN, an orchestra rather than one instrument.

What is the difference between a secretome and exosomes?

Exosomes are the delivery vehicle; the secretome is everything being delivered. Taylor compares exosomes to Amazon packages that unbox themselves inside your cells. "The exosome itself is not the signal, it's the contents of the exosome." The secretome captures those contents plus the free molecules that travel outside exosomes.

Do older cells still work for regenerative treatments?

Yes, with the right process. Older cells produce the same molecules at lower efficiency, so collecting their output over time builds potent volumes. "You're able to actually offset about 85% of the loss over a 30 year period of age difference," Taylor says, noting patients as old as 87 have seen results from their own secretome.

What is the problem with donor exosomes?

Expansion ages them fast. To treat many patients from one donor, cells are multiplied repeatedly, a photocopy of a photocopy. "We're basically taking decades worth of aging in the human body and fast forwarding through that in a matter of weeks." He cites work showing donor cells from young children can end up performing like ones decades older.

Does the number of exosomes in a product matter?

Far less than the contents. Taylor points to research showing that after the fourth passage, exosomes lose regenerative power even though their count stays the same. "Advertising on a number of exosomes means very little." One product boasting a trillion exosomes, he notes, held a fraction of the protein his secretome does.

Can regenerative treatments really reduce wrinkles?

Yes, but by stimulating tissue, not filling it. In clinical work Taylor reports reversal of fine lines and even shallowing of deeper folds. "We're actually stimulating your tissues to perform at a higher level." He is clear this is not filler and not instant. "Regenerative medicine is a long game."

Why bank your cells early?

Because there is only one of you, and cells age with every division. Acorn captures cells noninvasively by plucking scalp follicles rather than harvesting bone marrow. Taylor frames it as "your biologic health insurance policy," preserving your youngest biology before time and demand degrade it.

Where is regenerative medicine headed?

Toward rapid acceleration. Taylor compares the field to early flight: decades to become useful, then supersonic and lunar within years. "Right now in the world of regenerative medicine, we're crossing the Atlantic," with trials in hair, skin, orthopedics, and fertility.

Listen to the full episode with Dr. Drew Taylor of Acorn on Skin Anarchy, available wherever you get your podcasts.

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Celebrity esthetician and skincare founder Joanna Vargas joins Skin Anarchy to share what three decades of hands on work taught her: why LED and microcurrent changed her practice, what clients actually want, how she vets ingredients, and why the basics still win over hype.

How did Joanna Vargas get into skincare?

By a winding road. She moved to New York hoping to be a fashion photographer, found she was too shy for it, and enrolled in aesthetic school, then fell in love with the one on one work. "I felt like I could be the big sister in that situation and really help guide people." That was nearly 30 years ago.

Why did LED change her practice?

Because it works across every skin type and tone. Early in her career, most spas offered one kind of facial, and she saw that nothing worked for everyone. LED did. "Whether you have oily skin, acneic skin, super dry skin... LED is something that can help." She believes she was the first esthetician in Manhattan to offer it.

What made microcurrent a game changer?

Its evolution from painful to instant. Early microcurrent stung and reddened the skin, but a later device delivered a visible lift with no discomfort. "You could actually feel like one side of the face was lifted and the other side wasn't." It arrived as clients sought noninvasive alternatives to filler and Botox.

What do clients actually want from their skin?

Not what the industry assumes. Vargas expected her first hundred clients to ask for anti aging; instead every single one wrote the same three words. "They wanted clean, clear, glowing skin," regardless of age. It shaped her mission to help people feel better without feeding their self criticism.

Is exfoliation good or bad for your skin?

Good, when done properly. Vargas pushes back on exfoliation's bad reputation, stressing the method should match your skin. "Your keyword that you just used is proper," she says, noting pollution, oil, and mature skin all make gentle exfoliation essential for products to penetrate.

How should you balance dermatologist advice with esthetician care?

Treat both as trusted advisors, and keep your own voice. Vargas respects derms and urges everyone to get skin cancer checks, but warns against appointments that leave you feeling worse. "Not everybody has your best interest all the time if they're making you feel bad." Whether to get filler, she notes, is an opinion, not medical advice.

Why does she stick to tried and true ingredients over hype?

Because efficacy outlasts trends, and she trusts primary research and her own testing over hype. Vargas reads the actual studies, cross checks with experts, and tests on herself before adopting anything. "There's nothing that replaces being able to try something on myself." She has watched vitamin C, stem cells, and niacinamide cycle in and out repeatedly. "I don't think that at this point in skincare we need to constantly be reinventing the wheel."

What is the simplest routine that actually works?

Four steps, done consistently. Vargas tells clients to wash daily, use one or two targeted serums, and finish with a moisturizer, night and day is fine. "If we could just get you to do that as the baseline." From there she adds weekly exfoliation and a sheet mask as a ritual of self care.

What is her advice for someone who feels stuck with their skin?

Stop throwing money at it and pare down. Beautiful skin is possible with the right steps, not more products. She reframes cleansing as the most important step, done for a full minute with intention. "Think of something that you love about yourself," she says, because how you talk to yourself matters as much as the routine. 

Listen to the full episode with Joanna Vargas on Skin Anarchy, available wherever you get your podcasts.

Shop Joanna Vargas Skincare

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