Latest / Skin Anarchy / E.323: Learning The Basics Of A Healthy Skin Routine Ft. Shani Darden

Transcript

E.323: Learning The Basics Of A Healthy Skin Routine Ft. Shani Darden · Skin Anarchy

• 0:11
  SPEAKER_00: Five powerful clock progressive figure play style fit with your friends fourth player co-op with cross play across progression on all platforms.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Diablo 4.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Available now, rated and premature.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: Tap the banner or visit this episode's page to learn more.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so excited.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_01: I absolutely love her line.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: I think she's definitely one of the brilliant minds in this industry, in the skincare industry.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_01: And I can't wait.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_01: So without further ado, I want to introduce you guys to Shani Darden.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the show, Shani.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so, so honored to be hosting you.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: I'm excited to be here.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yay.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so I was really looking forward to this because I love your line and I've loved it even long before we connected.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_01: Actually, you know, I was always like the person on Sephora.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_01: I just like, oh my God, Shawny Darden.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_01: Like, let me just add my pardon.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_01: Let me add this to my card.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_01: That makes me so happy.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_01: I'm really excited for you to tell us all about the line, but first I want you to tell us about yourself and your um wonderful career that led up to the creation of the line.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um, if you could just walk us down memory lane.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_02: So um I've always been obsessed with skincare since I was pretty young.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I grew up in a really small town.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_02: We didn't have a lot of, I mean, we definitely didn't have an esthetician.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I was always really obsessed with skincare.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I used to get rashes and breakout.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_02: My mom took me to a dermatologist when I was really young, which we didn't have in Plattsburgh.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_02: So we had to go to Burlington, Vermont, which was an hour away on a ferry to get there.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_02: But um, you know, I it's one of those memories that I I have that I was just so excited about everything that the dermatologist had to say.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um and then I ended up moving to Los Angeles uh later on um because I was um I had been modeling in Canada and a scout found me and said, come to LA, you're gonna be a huge model.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_02: So I packed my bags, went to LA, and I just got booked in music videos, like and never modeled, and um realized like that wasn't for me at all.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um and then were you in the R videos?
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_02: Were you in the RB?
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, and I truly don't know how to dance at all.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_02: So it was just like a hot mess.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it was I yeah, I just was like not my journey.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_02: So um yeah, eventually somebody, I I kind of I don't even know how when I knew this, but I knew I wanted to work in a spa.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_02: And so I went to school to be a massage therapist.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_02: I realized I also that wasn't my journey.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_02: And then I went to school to be an aesthetician.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_02: And when I went to school, I knew this is it.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_02: And um I worked as uh I worked the front desk at every spa that I could work at.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_02: So eventually I would get hired, hoping that I would get hired, which I didn't right away.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_02: But one of the aestheticians helped me get a job working for a dermatologist right out of school.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_02: So that's kind of where I learned everything.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_02: And also um it was just like such an amazing opportunity.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_02: It's not usually easy to get a job working for a dermatologist right out of school.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_02: So that's kind of where I learned everything.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_02: That's when I got into retinol, and kind of that's where it started.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: That's so cool because that makes a lot of sense to me now that I look at your line because it's such a like it's literally like a clinical grade line.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_01: And I love how you've, you know, you've approached the skin health category because it's obviously like when you even if you don't know, like if someone doesn't know like a consumer about you and and just your name, you know, just the buzz in the industry, they can still look at the line and tell that whoever crafted this knows their stuff, you know, when it comes to Durham.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: So like that's really interesting to me that you say that, that you um from the get-go were being trained in this derm, like, you know, environment.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: And I love that.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: So, but so okay, tell us about your first product.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_01: I know it was the retinol, right?
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: So, like, I want I I want to know all about that.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what were things that you really had noticed you wanted to create, or you know, a white space that you were gonna fill.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_02: So at the time, well, from working with the derma the dermatologist, so many people were on retinol.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_02: So that's when I first got to see, you know, oh my god, this keeps you young forever, because I worked on older people, and then for younger people, it was helping with acne and scarring.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_02: But it also was very harsh on the skin, which by the way, I love prescription retinols, but it was just harsh, more peeling, dryness, irritation.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_02: So I knew I wanted to make one, and I knew I wanted it to be for like all skin types, just as effective, but without the downtime.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_02: So that's where it started for me.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_02: Also at the time when I made my retinol, there really weren't any other than skin seuticals.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um, there weren't a lot of retinols.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_02: Now every line has a retinol, but at the time there weren't a lot.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_02: So I just I made it at the perfect time.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_02: By the way, I didn't realize until after, but I it was just like the perfect time to have um a retinol out.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_01: No, I mean, I still think that you have one of the best retinol products, though.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, thank you.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_01: No, you do because it's really it actually works.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_01: And I love that you called it retinol reform.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, for everyone listening, if there's one product you should buy, it's this one because it is for everybody.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_01: It's like, you know, the ability to incorporate an active like this into your routine, I think is one of the biggest struggles, Shawnee, that I've noticed.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_01: And so, like, even now, people will message me and they'll be like, Hey, can you recommend a retinol product to me?
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, I am not going to recommend anything to you because I don't know what your skin looks like.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_01: But when you have a product like this that you know is safe and that you know, you know that people can incorporate, that's huge.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's a huge like yeah, yeah, it's a great one, and it's also great for someone if they still want to use a prescription retinol, they can add this in on nights that they aren't using the prescription, or they can start with this, and then if they want to move up to a prescription retinol, they can do it that way too.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_02: So it's it's pretty amazing.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and it's like a like an intro to retinol.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's like a exactly, exactly.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_01: And also, I wanted to ask you because I mean, since we're talking about the product, anyways, the consistency is so lovely.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I know the lot of retinol products, uh, at least the experience I've had.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_02: Sorry.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_02: Oh goodness.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_02: Hold on one second.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_02: We lost.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, he's gone, he's gone.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_02: Sorry about that.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_02: Sorry, he's a crazy animal.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_01: But with retinol products, I was gonna say, like, I've noticed that there is this weird consistency sometimes.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_01: And so for me, it's like very similar to like sunscreen, if you know what I mean.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_01: It's like I like it or I hate it.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_01: And it's like when yours is so light and it just absorbs right in.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_01: So, like, how was the formulation aspect for this product?
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, how many iterations did you have to go through to really get it?
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_02: And I think it took, I don't know if it was over a year.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but it took a while.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, it also my first products were just like so nervous to put that out.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_02: But I was so lucky, I had all my clients test it out for me.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_02: So I tested it a lot before on clients, before it really before I was ready to put it out.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_02: But that's how my clients have been the best at testing products because they will tell me, like, nope, don't like this, or they like it.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_02: It's just like done.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_01: No, I mean that makes sense.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm glad that you tested on people who are like used to getting facials and they're used to like yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, honestly, it's I think it's a brilliant product, and you know, it also moves me into the category of like, I don't think everyone who has a skincare line should be creating actives.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, I I'm not a believer in that.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like if you don't know what you're doing and you don't have a background as an aesthetician or a dermatologist, or in you shouldn't be doing that.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_01: So, like, you know, I want to move I want to move on to your lactic acid serum because I really enjoy that one as well.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I think for me especially, I'm very sensitive to the if I use something that has an acid in it and I don't it my skin doesn't like it, it'll immediately show me.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_01: So like I am very careful when I use like actives, you know, for my skin.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_01: And this is a beautiful product.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_01: Like, again, you know, once again, so what about that one?
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_02: Tell us all about it.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_02: You know, so I have always loved lactic lactic acid.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_02: I use it, I have a peel that I do in my studio that's like my signature peel.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_02: I've just always loved the ingredient, it's something that almost any skin type can use.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it gives you an immediate glow.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_02: So why it's just something I always wanted to do.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um, also, I wanted to have a product for people that didn't want to use a retinol for whatever reason or couldn't use one because they were pregnant or breastfeeding, um, or maybe wanted to alternate the two.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_02: So I I just kind of needed that.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I needed another active.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_02: And like I said, lactic is just always been my favorite because of that like instant glow.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_02: I also have lactic in my retinol.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, a lot of people will use my retinol like the the first night and then text me and say, Oh my god, I it it's amazing.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_02: I can already tell.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_02: And that's the lactic, because that's the lactic that gives you that immediate glow right away.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, I'm really proud of that one.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_02: That also, I I always say this every product takes me so long, but that I just kept going back and forth, and it's also pretty active.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_02: It's a nine percent, so it's it's also, you know, it's got a bite to it as well.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I love that.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_01: I think that if you're I mean, it really comes down to that whole point I made about like if you don't know what you're doing, don't make an active, you know?
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_02: So, like, yep, yeah.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_02: I agree.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_02: I agree.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: That means um, so I want to know actually, because I had asked about lactic acid, um, I think on another interview, and we were talking about how it is like a larger molecule than glycolic.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, and it's like there's all these like reasons to use lactic acid.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um, is there anything else you prefer, like maybe in your private practice where you enjoy in terms of actives uh are concerned, just for consumers to know about, you know?
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I I use I use a lot of lactic, I do use glycolic, salicylic.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_02: I don't use a lot of benzyl peroxide.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it's not that it's not a great ingredient because it is, it's just not something that I use a lot.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_02: But as far as like peels, yeah, I use and I use I have a few peels that's a combination of all of them, but all great ingredients as far as actives for sure.
• 11:46
  unknown: Right.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_02: Lactic is just like my starter peel.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_02: If you come in for the first time, it's kind of where I can gauge where your skin is gonna let me take it.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_02: So it's just yeah, I can use lactic acid on someone with rosacea, I can usually use it on somebody with sensitive skin.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_02: So it's just something that's almost great for every skin type.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_02: Also, slightly hydrating as well.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_02: So it's not going to dry your skin out.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_01: That's something that I think is such an interesting point because no one talks about that with acids.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_01: And when I talk to chemists, they're like, I we, I mean, we get it because they're chemists, right?
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_01: And so they understand like the chemical side of things and how acids actually are, you know, they're really great for attracting water.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_01: But like people always, I think they consumers tend to relate acids with like yes, you know, sensitive skin or dry skin.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_02: I'm just like, it's not to be like that.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_02: No, they do not, and that's the great thing about using lactic acid on somebody with dry skin.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_02: Like, I can do lactic acid peel on somebody with dry skin and they're not gonna get dry.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_02: Whereas if I did a salicylic, they would probably peel and get, you know, at least a little bit dry.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_01: No, that makes sense.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_01: Now I want to talk about your eye renewal cream because I'm not kidding.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_01: I love it.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_01: It's so good.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: And also, especially because it targets dark circles.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I love the product.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_01: And I think as a woman of color, I think it's so important to highlight the good eye creams out there because we have very few choices, you know.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, what was the what was the whole you know concept behind that?
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_01: When did you create that?
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_02: So that was before pandemic, I had created it, but then everything stopped, and then I had I went back, um, and then ended up launching it.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_02: And you know what?
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_02: So you can use retinol reform, most people can use retinol reform around your eyes.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I wasn't going to make an eye cream, and I also think that the majority of eye creams are just dumb that are out.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_02: They're just like a moisturizer.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_02: So I didn't want to make one unless it was really good.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_02: And so I worked with someone great.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_02: I worked with a really great lab and I wanted it hydrating and I wanted it to actually do something.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_02: So it does reduce dark circles by 39%.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_02: We did all the testing on it, um, and it does help with fine lines, and it's also really hydrating.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_02: So once I was able to get all those claims and did all the testing, then I was like, well, I have to put this out because not everyone can use retinol around their eyes.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_02: Some people want to use both.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_02: So um, yeah, it is pretty amazing.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I don't always use eye cream under my eyes every day because I do use retinol and I don't get dry around my eyes.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_02: But when I put it on, I'm always like, Oh my god, this is so good.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_02: Like it's it's really a good one.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm I'm really proud of that um as well.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it took forever, but it's a really great product, and I really like it because I even put it around like you know, like the corners of my lips, or I'll put it like on yep, like the labial folds, and it's just like you know, it's really great, especially like now that we're traveling again.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like whenever I go onto an airplane, my skin freezes.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yep, yep, that's for everyone.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_02: The air and everything.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and and this is one of those products I feel like you can drop in your bag and you can just actually put it anywhere you want on your face, it's gonna look fine, you know.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_01: So I love it.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's a really and you know, I have noticed a difference in my dark circles because that's like a perpetual problem for me.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I get it.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I'm glad you like it.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, I I really like it.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, and also I just want to talk to you about because your line is not it's not cluttered, and I think that's one of my biggest like pet peeves about the skincare industry with a lot of brands is like no one needs 50 products in their line, you know.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_01: And I want you to speak about that a little bit in terms of like what you know, when you were envisioning like what you thought a healthy skin routine should look like, what were some of the essential things that you knew we all needed?
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_01: Like if you can walk us through that, like a 101, you know, of skin health.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I just wanted it to be easy.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_02: I'm pretty lazy.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_02: I I definitely want to stay as young as I can, but I'm very lazy and I just don't, I mean, I know that you don't need much.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_02: So it was it's really about having like a good active in the day to protect your skin and a good active at night, and then making sure that you exfoliate um at least once, one to two times a week.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_02: So in the morning, like the simplest routine would be to cleanse, use a great vitamin C serum, and um then an SPF with a moisturizer in it.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_02: And that's really as long as you're you're protecting your skin and you're using a great, a great vitamin C product, if your skin can tolerate it, that's all you really need.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_02: And then at night, cleansing, and I always like a gentle cleanser, something that won't strip your skin.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_02: And then, you know, whether it's retinol or lactic acid, or it's the nights that you peel, um, you do your chemical exfoliant, and then your eye cream, and then your moisturizer.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_02: That makes sense.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I like to keep, I just think it's it's who needs to do it's it's about the ingredients that you're using and how effective they are.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_02: That's the most important.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_02: Not not all these other millions of steps.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_02: And and right now, with there's so many products out there now, it's like overwhelming, and it doesn't so much of it doesn't make any sense.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_01: It's really overwhelming.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_01: I completely agree with that.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_01: I think that it's I mean it's overkill, you know, it's just your skin, and this is something I think you know it's important, you know, since we're talking about dimension, is that your skin's an organ, you know, for everyone listening, you can't you can't put like 18 layers on top and then be like, oh, I'm gonna use all of that stuff.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_01: No, it's gonna be oversaturated and you're gonna have you know, no effects, or maybe you're canceling things out, or who knows, you know.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, for sure.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's just it's definitely gotten to be too much.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_02: I do think so many people nowadays are starting to realize that with different, like you know, people buying skincare or people really into skincare are starting to understand that you don't need as many products.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: I I feel like people are starting to get that.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_01: I hope so.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_01: I hope so.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that you know, I think if you start seeing results, it's really easy to start like kind of getting towards that.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_01: And I could you not, you know, Shawnee, like when people reach out to me, they're like, Well, what you've interviewed so many brands, which one do you recommend?
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_01: And I'll tell them, like, you know, like I'll tell them, okay, Shawnee Darden's line, go use that.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_01: And they're like, Okay, well, what should I buy?
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, just buy the line, you know?
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_02: I love that.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_02: I love it so much.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, well, I mean, it's the truth, and because at the end of the day, you don't like even as somebody who's recommending something to someone, I'm never gonna be like, okay, I'm gonna recommend 20 steps to you.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_01: Why, like, what am I doing that's gonna, you know, why would I do that?
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_01: That's like injustice, I feel like.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_01: And two, you're spending all your money on things you don't need by doing that.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_02: So a hundred percent, a hundred percent.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_02: I totally agree with you.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I I mean, I don't think that I'll ever have a line that's too big.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's, you know, I keep adding in things that you know my clients asked for, things that I feel like we need, but other than that, I think I it will always be pretty small.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, um, but I wanted to ask you, um, because you have created some, you know, tools, and there are some tools in the line.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_01: And I would love for you to talk to us about this LED um product that you have, which is for the neck and it's for the face.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_01: And I would love to hear about your thoughts on LED therapy and you know, how much of it should we be using and all of that good stuff, if you can tell us.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_02: So I love LED therapy, um, and we've been using it for so long, but now obviously things have changed.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um, as far as you know, there's better devices, um, you know, more testing on them.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_02: So I started using it in my facials.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, I don't even know how long ago, but once I got a professional LED light, it literally changed my facials.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_02: It it was so great for people with acne and for anti-aging.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_02: So I was always very, very, very obsessed with um with LED light.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_02: And so um, you know, one of my clients brought me the first DEC mask that I started, I eventually started selling.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_02: And I decided there were things about it I just wanted to change, and so I worked with them um to create my own.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_02: And obviously, like it didn't make sense for me to not be able to treat the neck.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_02: So I just did a ton of testing on it.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_02: It's FDA cleared.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so everything that I say that it does, it actually does do that, which is so important to me because I feel like there's so many, there's an LED light on every device at this point.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_02: And like, do you know if it actually works?
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_02: So I just really wanted to be able to have those claims, but I think it's one of the most amazing things you can do if you can do it daily.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um, mine is set for 10 minutes, which is all you need based on all the testing we did.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_02: But it's great for anti aging, it's great for pigmentation, and it's great for acne.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_02: So Yeah, I think it's really, it's, you know, mine's pricey and there are other ones that are less expensive, that are handheld.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_02: There's different options, but I do think it's something that you should definitely do at home.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, I think that it's really interesting to me how it's become so like, you know, available and a lot of brands are kind of gravitating towards it because I actually I published a paper about like blue light and like what that means, and you know, in terms of our health, and is it gonna cause you cancer?
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_01: Is it not?
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_01: And I when I was uh digging into the research, it's crazy how much benefit there is to, you know, and it's like the science behind it is crazy to me.
• 22:41
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's so cool to think that you know, this is the kind of uh technology that we're going towards, and this is what really helps with things like acne, you know.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm I'm when I look at it, I'm like, here we are, post-acutane, you know, like almost yeah, like yeah, I mean, I would rather like tell somebody use an LED mask for your acne treatment than go get Accutane.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_02: That would be like I totally agree with that.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_02: And it's something, you know, it's something that I think they should offer in treatments at dermatologists' office and things like that, rather than give Accutane, you know, that shouldn't be the first thing that they're giving out.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_02: But um, using blue light for to kill bacteria is game changing for sure.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_02: You just have to put the time in.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you have to you have to do your homework and and and do it, you know, actually stick to it.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_01: Now I want to ask, this is actually um for me, I think it's important to understand this, like you know, I guess place where dermatology and aesthetics meets because I feel like when I talk to aesthetics, I learn so much more.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I'm not no no shade to dermatologists out there.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_01: I love you guys, you know, you're my colleagues.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: I love, I love all of you.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: But at the end of the day, like aestheticians have this approach where it's like, you know, it's more detailed, I feel like, and it's more like it's more forgiving in terms of like there's a lot more options.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_01: Whereas if I talk to a darn most of the time, it's usually, well, we've got these drugs that are approved, yeah, you know, and that's pretty much what we stick to.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's I I totally agree, and I don't know like the rest of the world, but especially like Los Angeles, it's it's hard to find that dermatologist that isn't going to push all of these other things on you, like lasers and all of these other treatments.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_02: And it really is a lot more simple than that.
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_02: But I but I was really lucky to work for Dr.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_02: Benitez, and she had the most simple approach to skincare.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_02: She didn't have lasers, she didn't have any of that.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_02: She knew topical medications really well.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_02: So when she retired, I like it was so hard for me because I felt like any any client that I had to refer to a derm ended up where they were like, Oh, well, these lasers and you need to do this, and it's you know, thousands of dollars.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_02: Because, you know, that's kind of where they're gonna make their money.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_02: They're not gonna make it on a topical medication.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm not saying this is for all derms, I'm just saying this is what I've seen.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_02: So um that's um that's where I think it's a little different, you know what I mean?
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_02: Um compared the two.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_01: No, the laser thing, especially.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so glad you mentioned that because I I'm still like kind of like skeptical when it comes to anything.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, and maybe it's because we're taught, you know, in medicine, we're taught don't be invasive if you don't have to be.
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_01: Don't be, you know, don't put things on people's body or inside people's bodies if you don't have to, you know, don't do surgery.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_01: And so um, for me, like that's really where my love for skincare comes from is this idea of you're doing something that is non-invasive, you know, and half the time, if you stick to it, you're gonna see results.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_01: So it's you know, it's kind of like a balancing act, I think.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_01: And for a lot of consumers, I see a lot of young, younger people now just going immediately to these, like uh, you know, to either a derm or a surgeon and just saying, just lay I'm like, you're 25 freaking years old, you don't need, you know.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_02: And I think over time too, a lot of these lasers are making your pigmentation worse and causing more damage than anything else.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_02: And I do see it, I see it all the time.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_02: I just had a client in yesterday, and I was like, if you just come once a month and stop doing all of these crazy treatments, I promise you your skin's gonna change.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_02: So I agree.
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_02: I I'm I'm not a big fan of a lot of them.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not saying that they don't, you know, there aren't some that work, but a lot of them I just I don't think they're doing that much.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_01: I agree.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_01: No, I agree.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I've I'm not a I'm not an avid, you know, like visitor of of these kind of med spa kind of places, but I I agree with you.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_01: I think the literature doesn't support it either.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I'm really into the science side, obviously, and I I haven't seen the papers, you know.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_01: I haven't seen them.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_01: So until I see that, I'm really not gonna be able to get behind it either.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_01: So I I hear you now.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_01: I wanna I wanna ask you, Shani, honestly, I have a request actually for you is make us a primer, like for real.
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_01: Because like I and like I mean that because I'm not a makeup person, but one thing I do really miss in this industry, and that is that there's not a good skincare-based primer.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I have not found one to this day.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_01: This is good.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_02: I'm glad that you're giving me this idea.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, I feel like because the way your products feel, I feel like it would be such an easy thing for you to do because it's like the products already have such a smooth like consistency to them, right?
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_01: So that be it becoming, you know what I mean, like a primer, like a lot of the things.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I would love if you did that.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, okay.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna get on that.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_01: I'm actually gonna get on that.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_01: That's a good one.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_01: And what about and also I wanted to ask you, what about your thoughts on SPF?
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_01: Are you gonna be launching your own SPF or do you think Yes?
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_02: So SPF is hard, as you know.
• 28:29
  SPEAKER_02: And yes, I've been trying for years and years and years, and I went back and forth of chemical to mineral.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_02: So I I will I will do a mineral sunscreen, but I mean, there it's like one of those things, like I'm not gonna rush.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_02: So um, and also right now, who isn't putting out a mineral sunscreen?
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_02: So I always feel like I'm not gonna put it out if it's not really good.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_02: So I've been working on it.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_02: I'm just working on other things that are that one stresses me out more because the reality of it is is most mineral sunscreens aren't they don't feel as good.
• 29:09
  SPEAKER_02: So it's like it's gonna take a lot of time.
• 29:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, I can I can definitely see that.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm I'm glad that you're taking take all the time you need because we know that what I'm gonna have is gonna be great.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, there's other I have other good things, and I'm making another retinol that will come out, and that I think is pretty much done.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um, there's a lot of things that I have that are pretty much done, but that I'm is gonna take longer.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, I I'm all about the retinol side of things as far as it's you know your products go because obviously they're they're great products for everybody, and I'm really I'm a huge advocate of lines that I can recommend to literally anybody.
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm excited.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_01: I'm excited to see everything you come out with next, Shawnee.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_01: And this has been such an honor just hosting you, learning from you, and I can't thank you enough for giving.
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my god.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for having me.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_01: Oh no, it was an honor.
• 30:05
  SPEAKER_01: And I like I said, everyone listening, I'm gonna tag everything in the concept art for this, but go check out Shawnee's line if you have not already.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_01: And if you if you're a skincare nerd like me, I mean I'm pretty sure you've already done it.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_01: But it's shonnydarden.com.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_01: You can check out her line there, or she's also on Sephora.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_01: She's you know, you you can find the line pretty much anywhere um as long as you Google it.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_01: So check it out.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_01: And then if you have any questions for me, or if you have any questions for Shawnee's team, leave them in the comments section.
• 30:33
  SPEAKER_01: We'll be happy to pass them along to her team.
• 30:36
  SPEAKER_01: But thank you again, and I will be back next time.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_01: Hey guys, so I hope you love that episode.
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_01: Please make sure to hit subscribe if you're tuning in to us on any podcast platform.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_01: We are available on so many different platforms.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_01: So wherever it is that you're tuning in, just go hit subscribe.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_01: You will be immediately notified when we publish new episodes.
• 30:57
  SPEAKER_01: This way, you're able to tune in to amazing insights from experts, brand founders, industry leaders, authors, all the wonderful people that we host.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_01: And that's very important for me because I love to hear from you guys and really understand what you love and what you want to hear more of.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_01: Also, make sure to give us a follow on all of our social media outlets.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_01: We're available on Instagram, TikTok, X, you name it, we're there.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_01: We also have a blog on Medium.
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_01: So if you're a reader and you love medium blogs, check us out on Medium.
• 31:26
  SPEAKER_01: We publish some really great articles on there that do deeper dives than just what's available on the podcast.
• 31:31
  SPEAKER_01: And it's really a great place for all of you science geeks out there that want to learn a little bit more.
• 31:36
  SPEAKER_01: We go above and beyond with our research and making sure we're bringing you information that you usually probably won't hear about in other outlets.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_01: So check us out, leave us a comment, leave us a review, and we'll be back next time with another episode.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.