Happy Tuesday, STT Fam!

We are back with our final episode before we head off on our summer hiatus, and wanted to leave you with a good one. This week we are talking Extractions 2.0, where we dive deeper into the topic that sits at the heart of the Pacific Touch method. Nichola breaks down why extractions matter so much when you're healing without suppressants, what actually happens in the follicle during a purge, and why purging isn't something to fear, it's a sign your skin is finally releasing what's been trapped.

They also spotlight maturation arrest acne, one of the most stubborn conditions in acne care, unpacking what causes it (hello, stress and DHT), what it looks like on the skin, and why professional extraction is essential for clearing it. Plus, Nichola maps out the realistic 6-8 month timeline for congestion clearing, month by month, so you know exactly what to expect on your own journey.

This episode also marks the launch of two new offerings: a 60-minute Pacific Touch Method Essentials facial and a 45-minute extraction session designed to help clients get through the toughest, most purge-heavy stretch of healing.

It's the Skin Talk Tuesday season finale, so enjoy, and use code SKINTALK for 20% off the PT sheet mask. We'll see you back here September 15!

Happy Tuesday, STT Fam!

Your skin barrier is the foundation of healthy skin, and when it's compromised, everything from acne to rosacea can get worse. In this episode of Skin Talk Tuesday, Mary and Nichola break down how to spot a damaged skin barrier, what's really causing the current epidemic of sensitive, reactive skin (hint: it's not just one product), and the exact step-by-step approach the Pacific Touch team uses to repair it in the treatment room and at home.

They cover the telltale signs of barrier damage, why over-exfoliating and layering too many actives backfires, the real link between your skin barrier and breakouts, and why "going back to basics" for six weeks can undo years of damage. Plus: the PT starter pack for rebuilding a healthy, resilient skin barrier.

Ere Perez Foundation

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Happy Tuesday, PT Fam!

The girls that get it, really get it. This week we are joined by our very own PT fam member and founder of Radius, Emma Parven! Radius is a real-time, in-person connection app designed to facilitate face-to-face "meet-cutes" by eliminating traditional digital dating features like swiping, bios, and messaging.

In this episode, Emma opens up about her skin journey, from spironolactone and chronic dehydration to finally uncovering a histamine response, and how that struggle shaped her confidence while dating.

We also break down the emotional side of dating with acne, from covering breakouts on dates to the self worth work that got Emma through it, before diving into how Radius works, why it only lives in real world spaces like coffee shops and bars, and her go to market plan across New York City.

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@radiusappco

Happy Tuesday, PT Fam!

Fitness trainer and Reiki healer Alexa Hirschberg (@alexahirschberg) joins the podcast to share how sudden, severe cystic acne showed up at 29 after years of clear skin, and what her fast recovery revealed about the link between stress and breakouts. Alexa breaks down her work as a Fuze House instructor and Holy Fire Reiki Master, walks through how chakras, tarot, and daily manifestation practices show up in her healing, and explains why she believes manifestation only works when it comes from a place of security, not desperation. The conversation covers adult acne, Reiki healing, energy work, and how she manages heated workouts without wrecking her skin barrier.

Happy Tuesday, STT Fam!

This one's for everyone who's been requesting it: melasma and pigmentation.

Nichola breaks down:

• What melasma actually is
• Why it gets called "the mask of pregnancy"
• Why heat (not just sun) might be the biggest trigger nobody talks about.
• Th real difference between melasma, PIH, and PIE
• Why hydroquinone isn't the long-term fix a lot of people think it is
• The ingredients that actually help calm an overactive melanocyte (vitamin C, niacinamide, tranexamic acid, kojic acid, and more).

Nichola also walks through the Pacific Touch Method approach, from sun protection to lifestyle shifts that bring down internal heat, plus a myth busting round to close it out.

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Happy Tuesday, STT Fam!!

We're back in the studio and officially fangirling. This week Nichola and Mary sit down with Sisley, aka The Acne Nutritionist (@theacnenutritionist), North America and Australia's leading acne-focused holistic nutritionist, to get into what's actually going on underneath your breakouts.

We cover the difference between an acne trigger and a root cause (and why cutting out dairy forever isn't the answer), plus the gut bacteria almost every acne-prone client is missing, why "eating clean" might secretly be undereating, and how "rushing woman syndrome" could be showing up on your skin. Sisley also breaks down the foods she actually recommends for clear skin (flax, wild salmon, sardines making their comeback), her honest take on the most overrated supplement in the acne space, and the truth about pregnancy acne. Plus, she gives us the one skin affirmation she comes back to again and again.

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Learn more about Sisley's Acne Protocol

Happy Tuesday, STT Fam!

It's a solo one this week while Nichola is away on vacation. Mary is getting into something real: the acne flare up she experienced last week, what triggered it (hello, wedding season and travel chaos), and the exact toolkit she used to calm things down fast.

She breaks down her full routine reset, including switching to the Ruby Cleanser, leaning on the Mandelic + Fusion, using the Clear and Calm Mask almost daily, icing, red light therapy, and stripping back to one targeted active instead of layering too much. Plus the supplement side of things (zinc, cod liver oil, probiotics) and why staying consistent with facials made all the difference this time around.

The big takeaway: a strong skin barrier is what helps you bounce back fast when a flare up hits. Hydrated skin heals.

Happy Tuesday, STT Fam!

If you have ever assumed that clearing your skin requires regular facials, this episode is going to change your mind. This week, Mary and Nichola break down what the Pacific Touch Method actually looks like outside the treatment room, and why everything you do at home between appointments matters more than most people realize.

They get into what a virtual consultation with Pacific Touch looks like from start to finish, how Nichola approaches a new client she has never met in person, and what she is actually looking for when she reads a skin health intake. Plus, the lifestyle factors that come up again and again with virtual clients, from blood sugar management to pore clogging ingredients hiding in plain sight, and why getting those basics right can move the needle faster than any product.

Whether you are not local to New York, cannot commit to regular facials right now, or are just starting to figure out what your skin actually needs, this one is for you. The PT Method works from anywhere. This episode shows you how.

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Follow Shelly Marshall, @beautyshamans

Happy Tuesday, STT Fam!

This week Nichola and Mary are diving into one of the most requested summer topics: SPF and acne-prone skin.

From mineral vs. chemical sunscreen and the white cast conversation, to why so many formulas get a bad rep for breaking people out, plus the truth behind the "sun clears my acne" myth that will not die. Nichola also breaks down the FDA's recent approval of a new UV filter ingredient, what it means for acne-safe formulations in the US, and her go-to SPF recommendations for sensitive and acne-prone skin.

Plus, her one non-negotiable for keeping your skin on track this summer, whether you're in the Hamptons, on a plane, or just trying to survive the heat. This one is packed.

AM Replenish Lightly Tinted by Tizo

Prism

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist

Happy Tuesday, STT Fam!

This week we are getting into something that is honestly the underbelly of so much of what we talk about on this podcast... nervous system regulation. And more specifically, what it actually has to do with your skin.

Nicola breaks down how a dysregulated nervous system triggers inflammation, ramps up oil production, and sends your skin into full overdrive. Plus, why stress is not always the enemy (yes, really) and what happens in your body when it tips out of balance.

We also get into:

• Why 80% of PT skin health intakes mark stress as high... and why working out might not be the fix you think it is
• The direct AND indirect ways stress leads to breakouts
• What Nicola actually feels on the facial table when a client's nervous system is dysregulated
• Why our digital habits are a bigger deal than we want to admit
• Practical ways to start calming your system down without overhauling your entire life

If you've been doing everything right and still breaking out, this one might be the missing piece. As always, tag us, share with a friend who needs to hear it, and leave us a five star review if you're loving the pod!