Latest / Skin Anarchy / Dr Manuela Maria Vazquez OB/Gyn, founder of LaMaria Skincare

Transcript

Dr Manuela Maria Vazquez OB/Gyn, founder of LaMaria Skincare · Skin Anarchy

• 0:04
  SPEAKER_01: Hi guys, welcome back to Skincare Anarchy.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_01: This is your host, Ekta, and I'm very, very excited about our guest today because um I think I found my new favorite moisturizer thanks to her.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_01: So uh without further ado, I want to introduce you guys to the founder of La Maria Skincare, Dr.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_01: Manuela Vasquez.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the show, Dr.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_01: Vasquez.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so, so excited that you are here.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so excited that we finally get to chat.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, me too.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: I know this has been a long time coming, but I I can't wait to hear all about your vision.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_01: So um I want to get started by talking about your medical journey and um just your background a little bit so the listeners can, you know, kind of get to know you a little bit.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, great.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: So I am um an OBGYN and I'm a practicing OBGYN.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: I see patients daily, and um I've I practice in Southern California and um I've been out of OBJN for the past, I think, 12 years now.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: It's been so long, I'm not exactly sure, but it's been a while.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um and it was actually, you know, my my patience that inspired me to start this brand along with a few other people.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: I love when doctors say, like, you know, from your patient experience, like you had something, you know, really come come out of that or bud some kind of innovation.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I want to talk about um just like the idea of skincare and mixing OB with like this idea of, you know, um really bringing the skin into the picture.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you know, can you talk to us about that whole journey and like the the mindset you had and the the whole innovative process when you were crafting your products?
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, well, it I it actually starts um, you know, so La Maria, it's um a skincare line that focuses on clean beauty for your hormonal changes, and um it's one that supports the skin changes that occur as your hormones change and what you know your hormones are are what they uh their um importance in your skin.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: And as our hormones change, our skin changes.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: And so um it's actually the brand is is an homage to my mom, Maria.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: And oh wow, yeah.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: You know, my mom is Brazilian, and I don't know if you know anything about Brazil, but Brazilians love to celebrate, they love to find any reason to have a party, and ever ever since I was little, um, my mom has been celebrating the fact that I'm I was a female and my you know, my sisters, I only have sisters, and so she was always telling us, you guys are so lucky to be girls, you're you know, you're I love a true feminist, you know.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: For sure.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: Ever since I was little.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, she would say things as you know, as cheesy as they sound, they they I still remember she would say, Your body is a temple, you need to take care of it, you need to honor it.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: Other people should honor it.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you need to that's a great mom.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's a great mom.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: And my my mom has always approached all of women's life transitions in a very positive manner, you know, with with everything in life, there's positive and there's negative, and you kind of choose if you're gonna focus on the positive or if you're gonna focus on the negative.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: And it was her, you know, her um affirmations that really inspired me to be a gynecologist, where I was like, you know, I love, I love who I am, I love women.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: I want to, you know, take care of women for the rest of my life.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I was just so interested in women's health and and their bodies.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: And um, and and I love the way she approached everything.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember very I remember very vividly when I was 13 and I got my first period at school.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I I came, I came home on the school bus and um I got in the car and I just started to cry.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: And my mom turned to me and she said, Why are you crying?
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: This is the congratulations, this is a big day.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: You're part of you're part of the yes, you're part of the club.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you're you're now one of us, and your body, you and and but she didn't ever say, like, oh, but just wait, the the cramps that you're gonna feel every month are horrible, or you know, you're gonna be so embarrassed the times I have to pick you up from school because you bled through your pants and you didn't have an extra pair of pants.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: And so she she chose to focus on the positive.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: And then when I got pregnant, you know, I went and I told her, and this time she started to cry, and she said, This is so beautiful, you're bringing another little girl in the world, you know, the future generation of feminists.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: And this is like the coolest person on the planet.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_02: Like, I want to be your mother.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: She's so amazing, she's so fun.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: And and but she never said, you know, but just wait till you're in labor.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: Contractions are the worst experience you'll ever experience.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: Or, you know, the back pain in the third trimester are horrible.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: Again, she only focused on the positive.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: And then when I became a gynecologist and I started to see women who came in to talk to me about, you know, their hormones changing, you know, they came in and they were they were confused and they didn't really know what to expect, and they were disheartened and they sounded disappointed.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: And and right then I thought, where is my mom now to give them this this pep talk of what a beautiful time in their lives this is?
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: Your hormones changing.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's a beautiful time.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's another transition that has so much positivity to in it.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's once you go through menopause, you never have to worry about buying tampons or pads again.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you can have intercourse without ever worrying.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, is there a condom?
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: Is you know, will I get pregnant?
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's a time in your life where it's like a freedom, a freedom that that you didn't have, and you're a wiser version of yourself and you know where you've been and and you you know where you're going.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: And and so I, you know, I heard my patients talking to me about this, and then they would talk about what they were experiencing physically, and I would hear over and over again, I just feel like everything is so dry.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: My hair is dry, my skin on my face is dry, the skin on, you know, my vagina is dry, the skin all over my body is dry.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: I even had a patient once tell me, I feel like my eyes are dry.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: And so and so, you know, what I think a lot of people don't know is that, you know, 50% of women over the age of 50 complain of vaginal dryness at some point in their life due to hormonal changes.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_00: And then women before menopause, about 20% of women will complain of vaginal dryness, whether it's from breastfeeding or um birth control pills or antidepressants or medical conditions.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, we usually offer them synthetic estrogens, but not everyone either wants to take synthetic estrogens or she shouldn't take them because of certain medical conditions.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: And our options for um treatment were really limited.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, what I would say I was actually gonna ask you, um, Dr.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_01: Russell, I want to I don't want to interrupt you, but no, please, please.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_01: I know they teach us in, you know, obviously like I went through medical school and like they teach us that, you know, with aging, you know, what happens in terms of just what you describe, the dryness and stuff, they they prescribe estrogen cream, right?
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: So is that so can you talk like just from my own nerdy knowledge um like the percentages and stuff?
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_01: Because that's this is so interesting to me.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um, how you you know approaching it?
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: So so it depends on on what you're what you're experiencing.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, if you're having abnormal periods as you're approaching menopause, then you know, and if you want to take hormones to to regulate your periods, we usually give you like a low dose, um, you can do it low-dose birth control pill, you can do hormones to just kind of regulate that, or if you're starting to have hot flashes, um, which is the most, you know, hot flashes and and um bleeding changes are the most common things that women experience kind of approaching menopause.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: And then once you go through menopause, again, that's most people will complain if they're gonna have a physical, um, the most common complaint is the are the hot flashes.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: And for that, you you can take hormonal therapy.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: And we have lots of different, like you said, different options for hormonal therapy, whether it's you know, a pill that you take every day, a patch that you put on your skin, cranes.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: So it we we really just try to treat the symptoms that you're having, and not always with, you know, hormones aren't always the answer to to everything for all of your symptoms.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but for like things like you know, the bleeding, abnormal bleeding or hot flashes, we usually do um the the most robust um studies do um say that estrogen is is the most helpful.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: You know what's really interesting?
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_01: What's really interesting what you just made me um, I just thought about this when you were explaining that is that um endocrinology really reminds me a lot about skincare, if if when I think about it in terms of the overall, you know, just how it works.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's it's a whole process, you know, that has multiple it is, yeah, like multiple factors have to come in and it takes time to work really well.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, it's very interesting that you went through that.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: It just the analogy was there for me in my yeah, it's funny because you know, it wasn't until I really, you know, I actually started um making the the feminine moisturizer first, where I was like, you know, I I really don't like the products that I have to offer.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the only thing that I really had to offer was I would say, okay, go to your, you know, local supermarket or the pharmacy and go down the yeast infection medication aisle and look for this gel that looks like a medicine and feels medicinal.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I just didn't think it aligned with how women should be feeling about something that's so natural.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, it's not a yeast infection where you it's a condition that is needs to be fixed.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: It's just something that needs to be supported.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I didn't feel like those products were honoring or supporting, you know, what was a natural process of life.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: And so about three years ago, I was just, you know, tired and decided to make my own.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: And I started with the feminine moisturizer, and um, I wanted to focus on three things.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: I I really wanted ingredients that were naturally derived because the ones that are out there have a lot of unnatural chemicals in them.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: And so I wanted it to be naturally derived and ingredients that had been scientifically proven to increase hydration.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I wanted to make that that first product, the feminine moisturizer, instead of a gel or a balm, which were the most common products out there, was I wanted it to be a cream, like the facial, like the moisturizers that use on the case.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_00: I love that it's a cream, by the way.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_01: It's it's an amazing product, and it feels like skincare should feel feminine skincare should feel.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_01: You know, totally beautiful.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I love the product.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_01: Totally.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: And that's what that's exactly what I wanted.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted it to be for women to be like, okay, my face gets dry, my hands get dry, my feet get dry, my vagina gets dry too.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: It's just like all any other dry part.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: And I really wanted it to feel like in the morning when you know, when you wake up and you wash your face and you put on your serums and your moisturizer.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: It's for me personally, I I feel so much better when I do that.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: It gives me a little extra pep in my step.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: And so I wanted it to be the same thing for your vulva and for your vagina.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: I I wanted women to feel like they were having a pampering spa experience for just another part of their body.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: Of course.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_01: And I want to actually ask you um a question is that what is the difference in terms of formulation um for a vaginal moisturizing cream and versus something for facial skin?
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, is there any difference?
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, there is.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: So pH, the pH of your vagina is incredibly important for maintaining what we call the vaginal ecosystem, which is, you know, we all have bacteria in our vaginas.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's what keeps it clean, it's what keeps it moist, but it has to be in a in a very um, it's very fickle.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: So if you add anything that has a different pH, it can change the pH and allow for bacteria to grow, for for vaginal irritation, for fungus or for other other the bacteria that shouldn't be growing to overgrow.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_00: And then you're in a world of hurt because your pH is off.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: And so it needs to be a moisturizer that is consistent with the normal vaginal pH.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: So anything between 3.8 to 4.5, 4.5 is the normal vaginal pH.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: And then you want to stay away from certain ingredients that might be in like a facial moisturizer or a body moisturizer that can cause irritation.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: So you don't want to you want to stay away from fragrances, from glycerin, um, from um parabens, from anything that um might cause irritation.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: And then the osm, believe it or not, the something that it's it's kind of scientific, but it's something called the osmolality, you where it basically it's um a balance of like the water within the moisturizer and your this the cells of of your vagina.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: And if that's not in a in a good balance, it's very interesting.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I mean, I can I can tell you how many patients I've seen who come in with vaginal infections because they they just were so desperate they tried anything, and it just you know, it caused uh a bad reaction.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: So it it really is important to to whatever you do put on your vulva and your vagina, which really if you if you're not having any issues, don't really you should leave your little vagina alone.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: Um you know, I wouldn't I wouldn't be putting stuff on there that's not meant for the area.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_01: You know, one thing I'm really curious about is if the if normal vaginal flora um impacts the the normal skin flora in the you know in the vulva area and you know just outside.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_01: Because like you know how they're talking about like the microbiome more now and skincare and stuff.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_01: That's why I asked.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, asking.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: Definitely, definitely.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I can't tell you how many times, you know, you I can tell you that a patient has an infection just by looking at her vulva, you know, the skin of her um the labia, essentially the the the skin that oh to the opening of the vagina.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: And and then, you know, sure enough, there's like a uh a raging infection inside.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: So yes, they are very um, there is a they're very connected, definitely.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, that's very I it's very interesting.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_01: And this area actually for me is very medically, you know, like from a medical standpoint, very interesting because I feel like it's you know, really um an innovation and a step forward in the specialty, uh in your specialty, you know what I mean?
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_01: Like I I want to see more papers come out like about um skin health are in in the vaginal area in the in the feminine area.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_01: And it's that would be very interesting for me to be.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_01: I agree, I agree.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: We're lacking, we are definitely lacking in in um our scientific journals of that area.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: I agree.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_01: No, how has that been though?
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_01: Now, knowing that and knowing that you're you know um you're an expert in your area and you you've seen so many patients and you have the experience, how does that feel um being a founder as well?
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_01: You know, because you obviously you know the science in your head, but then you're trying to apply it, but there's no papers out there.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_01: So how's that process?
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's it's a lot of research.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_00: It took it was a lot of, you know, like some some topics you look up and there are a million articles, and you could you could probably, you know, I can think of um, you know, scientific projects that I did when I was in medical school and or a resident, and it was, you know, I would do it in a night, no problem.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: I could get it done.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_00: But for this, I mean that's why it took three years.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: It was a very long process, especially because, you know, I was also making a moisturizer for the face at the same time that was based on your hormonal changes.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's a whole different set of research.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_00: So it it is a lot of um for me, it was you know, a lot of late nights and a lot of you know, discussing with colleagues and tapp, tapping into the the medical, beautiful medical library of other physicians that I have.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm it's like having an impromptu medical conference, you know.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you have you know, I you have no idea how many of my medical, um like my physician friends have have have been guinea pig were guinea pigs at the beginning to try this.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: So um it's been a fun process, definitely.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm glad that you brought up your facial moisturizer because that's in my introduction, that's what I meant.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_01: Is that is genuinely my favorite moisturizer.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_01: It's by my bedside, I use it every night.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_01: My skin has been responding from it, I think, better than any other moisturizer I've ever used.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_01: And so I do want to, yeah, it's it's nuts.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm not saying that lightly.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I I have before and after pictures for you, by the way, if you want them.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's it's really made a difference.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_01: And so I want to talk about the science of that.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm glad that you brought it up a little bit before about how you know it's a very different formulation.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_01: So can you walk us through that?
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_00: So I think what a lot of women don't realize is, you know, estrogen is one of the most um powerful hormones that we have.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: And as and what I don't think I didn't even know this until I started doing all this research, is that our skin is very, very dependent on estrogen.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: We need estrogen to produce collagen, to produce hyaluronic acid, to produce elastin for good wound healing.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: And as our estrogen levels start to decline, you know, in our in our mid-30s and on, um, we're we aren't as able to our skin doesn't heal as well.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_00: We aren't able to maintain that that hydration and that moisture at a molecular level.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we can't make the collagen and the hyaluronic acid and the elastin.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_00: So what I did was I found um these ingredients that basically work at the estrogen receptors to support as you know, those depleted estrogen receptors to support the production of those important molecules.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_00: And they're just such powerful antioxidants, which is why I mean I I've heard, I've heard many times over that I, you know, I wasn't expecting a lot of women were saying that it was really helping with their um acne, which I which you know, I I was for personally for me, it was more of like I think it helped with the fine lines, but the the I heard more about the acne helping with the acne than anything else with hormonal acne.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_01: So it's well, it's like you know, it's like topical birth control for your hormonal acne.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_01: Like that's the effect that you're getting.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_01: Seriously.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_01: I mean I think I don't think it's that strong.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_01: It's not, it's not massive.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_01: Well, it's not, but I'm exaggerating.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_01: But my, you know, I think it it's really working um on that molecular level.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_01: I think something is definitely happening that's very much in sync with our normal physiology.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_01: And it's almost, I feel like resetting my skin.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_01: That's how it feels.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_01: And that's why I said it's my new favorite moisturizer because when I don't use it, that there was like one night where I didn't use it, um, nothing happened or anything, but like I felt the difference.
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_01: Like I was like, I don't like this other moisture, I don't like the way it's sitting on my skin because uh La Maria's moisturizer sinks into my skin immediately.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_01: And it's like almost like it blends in and adapts to my skin.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_01: And I feel that immediately, and I'm noticing that that's exactly how my the effects are.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_01: It's an adaptation of my normal physiology.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_01: And it's it's I've noticed a glow, I've noticed, you know, obviously, like I I don't really have adult acne that much, thankfully, you know, at a long circle.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_01: But um, but yeah, you know, so just to adding to your point, like I think it's it's definitely very, very effective.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, thank you.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for saying that.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for saying that.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, and so now my follow-up question actually is more about um when you were coming out into the market, and you know, obviously the skincare industry is very saturated.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: There's a lot of people that have visions, you know, some are great, but some not so much.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, but you know, how was that, you know, in terms of introducing this to the consumers and really um relaying what your vision was and you know, really getting people on board with what you were trying to, you know, to bring out.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_00: So I think I think it's it's it was interesting because I at first was just because I made the feminine moisturizer first, I was gonna just introduce that.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: And and we got I was placed very early on into like the sexual wellness category because it was a feminine wellness product, which I isn't really aligned to what well, I mean, yes, I mean it it feels good to have intercourse when your vagina is not hurting because it's not so dry, but it's this isn't a lubricant, right?
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_00: There's a huge difference between a personal lubricant and a moisturizer.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_00: So a personal lubricant is something that you use for intercourse, it's meant to be a short, um, short amount of hydration just for, you know, while you have intercourse and then that's it.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_00: Whereas a feminine moisturizer is for women who have dryness, like on a chronic, at a chronic state where they're feeling dryness daily, you know, they don't even have to be having intercourse.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: I have some women who their dryness is so um debilitating that they they like aren't able to do certain activities.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_00: Like I had a patient who couldn't play her tennis anymore because it just she felt like when her labia were rubbing up against each other, it was like sandpaper.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: And so for women, like yeah, and so you know, I didn't want to be just placed in that sexual wellness category.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted it to be seen as a as a wellness brand for women in general, you know, from from head to toe, and one that was for our hormonal changes in general, because it's it's just the taboo out of the picture, right?
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_00: 100% more than anything.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_01: Why does everything have to be like feminine health, like super sanitary, like you know what I mean?
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_01: Like hospital.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_02: More than anything.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we don't we don't need to do that with everything.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: And it's like you I have a vaginal moisturizer, so what?
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's cool, I like it.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and that I mean that's what I I mean that's I thought of that as I was, you know, making the packaging.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: I want it to be a beautiful experience so that it it's something that would sit on your counter next to your favorite moisturizer that you use on your face, and it would just be uh, you know, a product that you are proud to be to share your with your friends because you're like, this is amazing and beautiful.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: And it, yes, this is what I experienced, and it's totally, totally normal, you know.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I know that there's a lot of buzz right now around packaging, right?
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_01: Um, there's a lot of and your packaging is absolutely gorgeous.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_01: And I want to ask you, like, when it comes to that, like, um, did you do you have like luxury packaging versus like when you were picking it out?
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what were some of the things that you had to choose from?
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I I knew right away what I wanted.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_00: I I actually, as soon as I made the product and I felt how luscious that the cream was, I was like, oh, I need like top of the line packaging for this because this feels so luscious and luxurious.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_00: And I wanted the packaging to align with the experience.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: And so I I actually um had I think it was a perfume box that I loved.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, it's my favorite perfume that my husband gave to me, you know, when we first started dating.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I like maybe because it had such a special place in my heart, I wanted it to be as special as that was.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_00: And so I actually took that box and said, I want this box and I want this, the these colors.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_00: And and that was kind of it, everything went from this box.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_00: It all started with the box, and then we worked around the box.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_01: I love them.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_01: Well, you know, you just need one little spark of inspiration in terms of like a palette.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, I like that because your your packaging is beautiful.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_01: And I think um that's why I asked about the luxury because you know, I think um right now the conversation is a lot around um sustainability and people love talking about that, but I think there's a very special place in all of our hearts for something beautiful and you know, something you're proud to put on a vanity and proud to put like I keep mine right next to me, like on my bed, you know.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_01: So I if someone walks into my bedroom, like I want them to like, I want it to be pretty, right?
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, so do I.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_01: I I too.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_01: There's there's just me too.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_01: Me too.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_01: But that also goes with being feminine, like that's the thing.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_01: Like, we don't have to apologize for wanting to be feminine, you know what I mean?
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_00: That's like or for being real, like this is me, and I'm I'm still amazing, you know.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_00: Not that I mean I'm still I am amazing.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_00: There's no still, I am amazing.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_00: And so I I don't think that they're it's just a part of life and who we are.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it's you know, unrealistic to think that this isn't gonna happen because guess what?
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_00: You're all gonna go through it.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_00: Whether you if you are a female, you will 100% go through it.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, you might as well embrace it and and and support it and honor it because it it's I mean, our bodies have done so much for us, they do so much for us on a daily basis.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_00: Why not give, you know, give it something that that it deserves the best?
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_01: No, absolutely.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_01: Now, I want to ask, like, how long did it take to formulate for you?
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: Because I mean it's it's a beautiful formula, both of the formulas.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: The formula took the longest.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_00: It it took about two years of so many renditions and so many um guinea, you know, first my family and friends were the guinea pigs, and then I had, you know, focus groups of women that I I didn't know.
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I think it was, of course, like, you know, your family says, Oh, this is so great, this is so great.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_00: And you, I just didn't believe it.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, you guys are all telling me this because you just want, you know, we want to make me happy.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_00: And then when I sent it out to the focus group, and it was amazing the the feedback I got.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_00: And they were they were also so wonderful to be, you know, guinea pigs.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, even even if like I, you know, I had a a few who are like, oh, you know, it it stung a little bit, but I and I'm still willing to do the next round because it was so good for these other reasons.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_00: And so it was really a fun, a fun process and many renditions until finally at the very end, I was like, this is it, this is this is it.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_01: I mean that that must have felt like you know, I that moment of aha, yes, love it.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_00: It is, and then you have to go through testing, right?
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: So then once once it's like, okay, this is the formula, then you have to, you know, go through stability testing and antimicrobial and um and uh irritation testing, and and that's where it's like, oh my gosh, uh what happens if this doesn't pass enough to start over?
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_00: And so it really there's a lot of stress involved in in formulation uh making as well.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: So, but it's it was I mean it's such a labor of love.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_00: It's definitely a labor of love.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_01: No, I mean I'm sure it is, and then I actually, you know, I I want to ask you like like when it comes to like in terms of like feminine health, I know there's a lot of products out there.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_01: I know that we have um now we have washes, which are very um, you know, specific for pH balancing and whatnot.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, in terms of a ritual, I want you to give everybody listening like a nice little short skincare ritual for our vagina, you know, something that's going to be something we can incorporate every day.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_01: Like, can you, you know, give us something like okay.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_00: So you cut out at the very beginning, but I think you're just telling me to tell you what the best ritual is for your vulva, your vagina, right?
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_00: So here, here is my number one recommendation.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: If if there is nothing wrong with your vagina or your vulva, you you don't need to do anything.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_00: But when you take a shower, let the soap that you use for your body just like run over the area.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you don't put anything in, don't put any soap inside.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_00: It, you know, if you have sensitive skin, then use something that's you know hypoallergenic or a sensitive skin soap more on the outside, you know, on the the lips of on the outside, but nothing on the inside.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I think the more you can leave your little vulva and vagina alone, the better, the better for it.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, of course, if you're having itching or irritation or um dryness, that I mean, I would definitely tell you to go see your gynecologist first to make sure that it isn't an infection or there are some skin conditions of the vulva that you know need actual um uh prescription medication.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_00: So I would first just check to make sure that it's just um dryness that is you know due to hormones up you kind of uh no any kind of over.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_00: Are you there?
• 27:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, go ahead.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, you can use any over-the-counter moisturizer.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but other than that, you there is really no routine that you that you need to use.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_00: But if you do have yeah, yeah.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but if you do have like, you know, chronic daily moisturizer, you can either you know use a moisturizer every three days or every day until you kind of are feeling like your moisture levels are better, and then you can kind of use and as needed.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_00: But I think maintenance is is the best key, like every three, three or four days.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um, if you do have dryness, that is kind of more of a chronic condition.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_01: That's interesting.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I I'm you know, I'm curious because you know, now that these products are coming out, like it's becoming more more normal, you know, to just to add this into your ritual.
• 27:59
  SPEAKER_01: So that's why I asked.
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_01: But I'm curious about um FPA stuff.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, I I think, oh, yeah, that as far as um, you know, the other, there are a lot of products that I have patients come in and ask me, oh, can I use this?
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_00: Anything that's to beautify your vagina, your vulva is is probably not not the best thing to use.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_00: Because, you know, there, you know, I have patients who, you know, things that are supposed to make the odor a different odor.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_00: If you have an odor that you you don't, yeah, if you don't think the odor is right, if it smells a little off, then go in.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_00: Because most of the time, if your odor is off, it probably means you have an infection that isn't going to be fixed with just an over-the-counter um, you know, beautiful vague.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, if there's something wrong, there's something wrong.
• 28:43
  SPEAKER_01: Like go to an op, you know.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_01: Or exactly.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_01: But I mean, I I definitely agree with you, but um, I want to know more about the FDA side of things.
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_01: Have you thought about going through FDA approval?
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, is that something you've considered, or um do you think it's even necessary?
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I absolutely think that um for anything that's gonna go inside your vagina, it should be FDA, either at least cleared.
• 29:09
  SPEAKER_00: So the difference between, you know, things that you put on the outside are, you know, they're considered more a cosmetic and they don't need FDA clearance.
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_00: But if you're gonna place something inside your vagina, it then becomes a medical device.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_00: And so it should have FDA clearance um because the absorption is so much more within the mucosa, the tissue inside your vagina.
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, it it is actually really important um if you know to have the products be FDA cleared or FDA approved before they go inside your vagina.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_00: Interesting.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I I wonder that because I know with skincare, um, even like, you know, um these days with other brands and it's mostly facial products, people talk a lot about, you know, FDA clearance or clinical trials and all that stuff.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, I I just wonder like how much that matters.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I mean, I know it matters, don't get me wrong, but like, you know, to what degree?
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_00: I think it does because you know, I think you know the FDA, they're looking to see, you know, what the pH of your product is and if it is, you know, compatible with the tissue and where it's where it's intended to be used.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it really is important if it's you know for a certain area that is a little bit more sensitive than other areas.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, like you know, if they have incredibly strong ingredients that you know are are working as medicines, then yes, I think definitely it needs it needs to um be looked at by the FDA.
• 30:33
  SPEAKER_00: Right, right.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_01: No, that makes sense.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I actually want to just you know close off by asking you, um, you know, any advice you have for everybody out there listening.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_01: I know that um, you know, the specialty you're in OBGYN is very, very competitive.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_01: And I know a lot of people listen in that might be interested in the medical route.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_01: So do you have any advice for our listeners?
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, for those that want to get into medicine.
• 30:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh.
• 30:59
  SPEAKER_00: I I it was this is the best decision I ever ever made.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_00: I was meant to be in OBGYN.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_00: So and I think, and it was a long haul.
• 31:07
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that there were many times that even even knowing exactly that this is what I want to do, there were so many times that I was discouraged because it's it's a hard road.
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_00: There are a lot of you know entrance exams and then more exams and a lot of you know isolation from your family and your friends.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_00: But it was, you know, I look back and it was so worth every every you know holiday spending by myself in a library for sure.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_00: And you just, you know, you just once you're you you know that that's what you want to do, you just have to kind of get through it and push through it.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_00: And there are not, I don't know many, at least in the OBGYN field, not a lot of physicians um really regret that decision because it is such a beautiful field to be in.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's for the most part, it's a we have the beauty of you know being part of people's lives when they introduce a new family member, you know, when they have babies.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's really and then we're there for, you know, as they transition into another beautiful part of life, menopause.
• 32:03
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, then then it's there's nothing more exciting than seeing one of a patient that you delivered as like a teenager when they get their first period.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_00: So it really is that's so cool, yeah.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_00: And it's and it's all women, right?
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_00: So I mean, and you have to really love women and feel very connected to women to do that.
• 32:22
  SPEAKER_00: And so if it's something that you're interested in, I can't, I cannot tell you um what a what a satisfying um career it is.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_00: And you just have to, you know, put your head down and study and go for it because it's there'll be some hard days, but it I promise at the end it's worth it.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, I love that.
• 32:39
  SPEAKER_01: I really love that.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for sharing that.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_01: That is really, really um, you know, true nuggets of you know wisdom and everyone listening.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_01: I hope you love this episode.
• 32:49
  SPEAKER_01: Please go check out La Maria.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_01: It's a beautiful line.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I can't rave enough about it.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, leave us some comments, some feedback if you have any questions for Dr.
• 32:58
  SPEAKER_01: Vasquez's team.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_01: I will definitely pass them along.
• 33:01
  SPEAKER_01: And I would love to hear your thoughts about what you guys loved, what you didn't love about any of the Sincure Anarchy episodes.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you and stay tuned for another one.
• 33:17
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• 34:24
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