Latest / Skin Anarchy / Solving The Eczema Puzzle By Correcting Skin pH with SOTERI SKIN

Transcript

Solving The Eczema Puzzle By Correcting Skin pH with SOTERI SKIN · Skin Anarchy

• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: Because I really, really love skincare that is meant to target concerns.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I I think that we're seeing some of that coming up, you know, in the industry overall right now, but no one's really doing that as you know meticulously as this brand.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: So I really um I find that to be such a unique point about the brand we're going to be interviewing today.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I can't wait to dive in.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: So without further ado, I would love to introduce you guys to the founder of Soteri Skin, uh Rafal Pilak.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the show, Rafal.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so excited to be interviewing you.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_01: Well, thanks for having me.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, it's a pleasure to be here with you, Hecta.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's a pleasure to host you.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I really love the line, and I think you guys are so unique, you know, in in your approach and the products and the way they're designed.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: So I can't wait to dive into that, but I would love to learn about you first and your background and um everything that really led up to the founding of the brand.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: And if you could walk us down the memory lane, that'd be a really great place to start.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: Sure, of course.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so um, you know, I'm a biomedical scientist by training.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so I received my PhD from Harvard Medical School and spent several years doing biomedical research at biotech, at different academic institutions, work on the development of a number of different therapeutics.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_01: But my career path took an unexpected turn when I was recruited by L'Oreal to launch L'Oreal Tech Technology Incubator in San Francisco.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: And at the incubator, I led product innovation team, and I developed and launched a number of products for brands like La Roche-Posay, Lancombe, or Skin Suiticals.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: And during this time, uh my wife developed eczema.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: Her eczema was triggered by uh by her pregnancy.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_01: She was um on standard uh eczema treatment that involved topical corticosteroids, moisturizers, and ointments.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, but the treatment provided only temporary relief, and her symptoms kept coming back and getting worse and worse.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_01: So motivated by her struggle with eczema and also my scientific curiosity, I started extensive research in eczema and discovered the link between disrupted skin surface pH and eczema.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: So, having biomedical background, I understood critical importance of pH.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and pH is an important factor for all biological processes, for all processes in our body.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_01: And because of that, it is highly regulated.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_01: So most organs and tissues they have very specific pH ranges, and these pH ranges are critical for their functions.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_01: And skin, it's not different.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um, skin has very specific pH, and this pH is acidic, and this acidic pH is critical for skin uh function.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_01: And so uh so the fact that skin pH is elevated in eczema has tremendous effect on skin health.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_01: And this is supported by a number of studies demonstrating that indeed this pH is uh involved in eczema pathophysiology.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_01: Moreover, there were um more recent studies showing that when you actually correct this pH, it can have therapeutic effect.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_01: So this was very promising, um, very promising studies, very promising results, and really encouraged me to launch Soteri skin with the goal of developing products that can correct skin surface pH and maintain it long term.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_01: And and then after several months of uh development and clinical testing, we launch a line of products that can restore healthy uh skin acid mantle and maintain the acidic pH of the skin long term.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love that.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: I I think that's so unique that you you really saw this to be, you know, a hallmark of skin health, you know, because I think very few times, I mean, I know in the recent years, you know, Rafael, everyone has been talking about, you know, skin pH or whatever, but no one really did anything about it.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: You know, like I feel like we know certain facts about skin health, but like very rarely do I see brands like honing in and being like, you know what, this is a problem, you know, and it's leading to a lot of subsequent problems, you know, and we have to fix it.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's where I'm like, I'm so interested in you guys targeting this idea of balanced pH because it's so hard to get to that point.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I love what you had said.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: You had mentioned the acid mantle of the skin, because, you know, this is a topic that I think, you know, like a lot of marketing things, people have overlooked.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: You know, they've really overlooked this idea that there is an acid mantle.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: And then what is the acid mantle?
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: Like what does it mean?
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's one thing to understand words, but it's a whole different thing to understand the concept.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: So I think my first question for you, really to kind of set the stage for the listeners, is really diving into this idea and having you educate us, you know, on what is this, what does it mean to have, you know, the right balance of pH for your skin and how does the acid mantle really work with that, you know, and and create this balance for us?
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, definitely.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_01: You know, um, and so as as you mentioned, you know, I think the pH is often overlooked by most of the brands and and it's not paid attention to um uh you know by the industry.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: But really, you know, I think the main misconception is that you know the skin barrier is just a mere um physical shield, but really in reality, it is a very complex ecosystem that not only um encompasses the cellular and lipid elements, but also the acid mantle and skin microbiome.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: And all of these components have depend on each other.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_01: And central really to this ecosystem is the acid mantle because it is critical for so many processes on the skin.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_01: So, for example, the acid mantle regulates your skin pH and maintains skin pH on the skin.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_01: It is critical for skin enzymatic reaction.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_01: For example, ceramite formation depends on the acidic pH and the acid mantle.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_01: It keeps your skin hydrated uh through natural moisturizing factor, which is a component of the acid mantle.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_01: And it also prevents microbe pathogenic microbial growth, and it source it serves as a source of nutrients for the good microbiome.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um, as well, it is important for skin renewal and healing processes.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, and when the acid mantle is disrupted, uh, as it happens in eczema, all of these processes are affected.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_01: And when they are affected, skin barrier becomes compromised, and many unwanted substances such as allergens, um irritants, or even pathogens can penetrate the skin, activate the immune system, and cause inflammation.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_01: And this is exactly what's happened in eczema.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_01: So, really, our product addresses this issue at the core by restoring the acid mantle and rectifying skin pH imbalance.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: I love how you explain that because I think you know, we don't we don't really understand, you know what I mean?
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: Like you said, it's a very complex um thing to understand, you know, what is the skin barrier?
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, I think one of my biggest questions then is that, you know, when we think about, as a scientist, you know, obviously you have a much more extensive background in this.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, when I look at it just from a general science perspective, I think of, you know, okay, what is an acid and then what is a base, right?
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: When it comes to chemistry.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: And we know about, you know, hydrogen ion concentrations, but I know a lot more goes into creating, you know, products that are going to maintain your skin, uh, you know, the low pH that's required for your skin than just understanding that there's more hydrogen content, you know what I mean?
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_00: Ion content there.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: So I would really love for you to dive into that in terms of, you know, when you were creating soteri skin, like, you know, what were the components that you realized were very, very critical in maintaining a low pH, you know, and keeping it there?
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: Because when we apply, as you know, you know, when we apply topical products, they can become very unstable, you know, when they come out of the packaging.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: So to maintain that, I mean, what were some of the things that you knew that were going to be hallmarks and creating this balance and keeping it throughout the day with our skincare?
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, you know, it's um so pH, it's one of these things that everyone heard about it, but um not many people really understand deeply how to create a product that can maintain pH over a longer period of time, because one thing it's to have pH that it's at certain value, but the other thing it's to maintain it over time.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_01: So many products right now on the market, there are products that are um claim that they are pH balanced, but they cannot maintain.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, what it means is that they have maybe have a little bit lower pH, but as soon as you put it on the on the skin, the pH may change and they don't have the buffer capacity to maintain the pH over time.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_01: So we knew that from the beginning, I understood that you know, to prepare product that can maintain pH over time, you have to construct proper um buffer that can stay on the skin in this very dynamic environment of the skin and can maintain this pH over time.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_01: So the technology that we develop, uh we call it pH lock.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's composed of combination of different um hydroxy acids, amino acids, fatty acids, carbohydrates, and they are specifically selected and formulated to mimic the skin acid mantle.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_01: So they have specific properties like pKa value that make them uh good for maintaining pH at the optimal level.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_01: And they have also other specific properties that it limits their diffusion through the skin.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: As you know, that skin is a very dynamic environment.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_01: There are many molecules that are released from the skin, many molecules can be absorbed through the skin.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_01: So you have to design a buffering system that can actually stay on the skin surface and maintain this this pH long term.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so that's exactly what our formulation do.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_01: They um maintain this pH long term and they also um reconstitute, so you know, they reconstitute the or um uh they mimic the acid mantle and and also the natural moisturizing complex, which is really um a component of the acid mantle.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's so interesting.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: And I I I find that to be really fascinating because I think, especially when it comes to eczema, right?
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: They always say that, you know, moisturization obviously is key.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you have to keep it very moisturized, the skin has to be very balanced in that way, you know, and I think this kind of applies across the board from what I've been hearing, you know, that moisturized skin is just healthy skin, which I think makes sense, you know, because the top 10 layers are dead skin cells, right?
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_00: But like when it comes to the moisturization properties, how does that all play into the pH of the products that we're using?
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_00: Because I know that you had mentioned briefly like ceramides, for example, you know, like um those kind of components, you know, and or like humectants, you know, as another example.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: How do all of these different ingredients really play into this, you know, overall balancing the pH in a formula, making sure that it stays stable?
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, I mean, do they work with each other, or is it there like one key ingredient that we should be really honed in on?
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, what's your what's your uh opinion on that?
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so I I think it's um um in a combination of different things.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_01: So ceramites, we definitely we use ceramite in all of our products because these are important components of the skin barrier.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_01: And these are the lipids that keep um uh your skin barrier, they prevent water evaporation.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_01: So they work in very different ways than, for example, small molecules like hydroxy acids and amino acids that are on the skin surface and they bind water molecules and often diffuse into the skin and keep the skin hydrated.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_01: And um so um and the acid mantle, it's really you know, have a couple of different or many different uh roles.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_01: So one you know uses the same molecules, like for example, hydroxy acids, amino acids, or fatty acids to um to maintain pH, but also it attracts water molecules.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_01: So, like as I mentioned earlier, the natural moisturizing factor is a component of the acid mantle and it's composed of also hydroxy acids, amino acids uh that help to hydrate the skin.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: So both of this uh depends on each other uh to a great extent, I would say.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it makes sense.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: That makes sense.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for explaining that.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's really important for us as consumers to understand this because I think it's go it makes you know a huge impact when you're purchasing products.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I can't for me, for example, like I can't tell you how many times people will reach out and say, I have really dry skin, you know, actually I have really dry skin or really like you know, what you had mentioned, like eczema prone skin, and recommend a product to me.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, well, it's very difficult, you know, because like it's different for everybody.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: But at the same time, I think education will lead you to an answer, you know, and understanding that the skin physiology, the way it works, it is very important.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_00: It's very key to this understanding, right?
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: So I that leads me to you know, your products because I find them to be so unique.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: I think that the way you've approached skincare is very fascinating.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_00: You know, obviously the pH technology that you've created, I'm all the way here for that, but also the fact that you have one product, right?
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_00: For like depending on what you're really targeting with your skin.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I know that the line is uh, you know, it's really geared in a way where you can go onto the website, and this for everyone listening, you can go onto the website and then when you see the products, it's easy to figure out what you can kind of connect with, you know, which product can be good for you.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: And so I guess, Rafael, my question is, you know, what what was that process like for you, you know, from like the entrepreneurial uh perspective, when you were creating something that you knew would be a good fit for everybody, you know, under certain categories, like if you have sensitive skin or if you have eczema prone skin, like how was that formulation process and you know, getting that in a way that you can also create a brand, you know, and bring the science to life?
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_01: Right, yeah.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_01: You know, so um, yeah, definitely.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, we we knew from the beginning that we wanted to um that eczema was um you know part the that was the uh we wanted to create products for for eczema to help people with eczema, but we also wanted to create products that people can enjoy.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so maybe a little bit less sterile and you know medically looking, but something that people can enjoy, and they contain also all the other ingredients that help with skin health.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_01: So all of our products feature this pH lock technology that restores the acid mantle.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but we also embrace a less, it's more approaching skincare.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_01: So our formulation remains minimalist with the focus on essential active ingredients while reducing the filler ingredients to a minimum.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_01: We don't add fragrance, we use airless packaging, and this allows us to use low concentration of non-irritating uh preservatives.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, all of these are things are important, and we here, as we mentioned, you know, we have um a number of products.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we usually uh our intro product is a gentle start.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, this is our gentlest formulation.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_01: We usually recommend uh to start with this product, especially if you're new to our brand, um, or especially if you have extra sensitive skin, um, active flares, lasions.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_01: And after three, four weeks of using this product, we recommend to transition to one of our full strength products, such as No More Rough Patches, which is uh one of our uh body products, or um Balancing Act or Give Me More, which are face product.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_00: So balancing give me more, by the way.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_00: That's a great product.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's a really, really good one.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, definitely.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_01: I think both uh Balancing Act and Give Me More are different products, and um, you know, the diff the main difference is the texture.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_01: So Balancing Act has very light formulation, it's a great product for hot, humid weather.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_01: It goes well under makeup, under sunscreen, um, and it contains high concentration of ceramite, uh, niacinamate, niacinamite, antioxidants, uh, and um hyaluronic acid.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_01: And give me more has a little bit thicker texture.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_01: So definitely for people who prefer this creamier and thicker texture, that's the right product for them.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_01: And it's better product for cooler um climate.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_01: And give me more also contains ceramite, niacinamite.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_01: It's rich in antioxidants, uh, but also contains shia butter and coconut oil.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, interesting.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because I found I think I that's why I like it so much, because it's got that rich texture, like you said.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: And for night, like it's a great night cream.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_00: Like I love night creams.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: Like for me personally, as a consumer and for everyone listening, if you're anything like me, you don't have a lot of time.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_00: So I really focus on my night routine.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_00: And this product is like game changing.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_00: Like, if you do not have time, um, a lot of times I'll come home, you know, very late, and then I have to strip my skin, you know, do the cleansing step, and then I can apply this product directly.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I wake up with great skin.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it's a really great product, especially like you had mentioned, cooler climates and also with winter coming up.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's a really, really great option.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: So you really nailed it with this one.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: I I really enjoy it.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_01: So definitely, yeah, I perfectly agree with you.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_01: You know, uh, give me more, it's a good night product, and balancing act can be great day product because it's very light texture.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_01: And if you want to use makeup or you want to use sunscreen, it's a great product to go under under makeup, under sunscreen.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_00: Right, no, exactly.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I think one of the coolest parts is that your skincare is like genuine, like you're you guys have genuine one-step products, you know what I mean?
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: Like routines, like in the skincare.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: So that's something I really wanted to talk to you about because I think right now we're really hitting on this like whole skin minimalism trend, you know what I mean, in the industry.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: And we've been on it for I think a year now.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm I'm here for it.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I recently I did a podcast, you know, with somebody else like on another show, and they were asking me, you know, they were like, Ecta, what do you think is, you know, important with our steps?
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, well, the less steps you have, the better, because we have dead skin cells on top of our skin, you know, the surface.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_00: So you're not gonna reach them after a certain point.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_00: You know, if you have seven layers in your routine, you're not the third layer and up, you're not gonna really penetrate, right?
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_00: So at that point, you have to really consider like whatever I am putting on my skin, it better do what it's supposed to do.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: So I think from that perspective, my big question is how how was it formulating something that has you know multiple ingredients because I know we get confused you know as consumers often where you know what ingredient is good for my skin you know what ingredient works for me or doesn't work for me and I think that question for me has always been kind of mind boggling right and in terms of like how to create you know skincare that has all the key ingredients but then you know obviously making sure they're working together so if you could like talk to us a little bit about that and like you know just the science of that you know creating efficacious products that are multi-ingredient right yeah and you know this is a great point I think um you know we tend to over overuse skincare and um you know overcleanse uh our skin and so um so I think it's important and this is especially important in eczema where you have very sensitive skin often when you have compromised skin barrier so you don't want to overcleanse you don't want to apply ingredients that are um not going to help you which are not necessary so this part was very important for us to keep the formulation very simple and avoid any unnecessary ingredients and focusing on the key ingredients and definitely you know it is a different it is a difficult choice often uh what um active ingredients are best for your skin we have different skin types but we focus on this very fundamental needs of your skin so for example ceramides are the main building block of the skin so it was important for us to use high quality ceramides that have very similar composition to your to our skin composition so ceramide complex that uh contain not only ceramides but also cholesterol and fatty acid because these are the main components of our skin and in eczema your skin your skin barrier is disrupted so um so having ceramides there it supplements the skin and provides uh this um uh immediate relief and help to your skin and then of of course um you know the acid mantle it's such a fundamental property of the skin and it is disrupted in eczema that we wanted to make sure that we have all the components of the skin acid mantle properly uh formulated so uh our product can maintain skin pH and I guess another component that was important molecules like niacinamide because they are known that they also help with skin renewal process um and um antioxidants which you know are important for almost for most environmental stressors whether it's pollution UV radiation or or uh even microbial uh protection antimicrobial protection right right now that's very I I like that I mean I think that that's those are kind of the key ingredients you know when I think of like good skincare you know I recently had this conversation with somebody about niacinamide for example like we were talking about niacinamide and people were saying well you know why does niacinamide have to be in all these formulations and I was like well it's one of the best ingredients I've ever used you know in skincare and like I think a lot of times people don't understand the skin because we know that it's an organ there's a lot of key things that are just going to work you know they work all over your body like for example like niacin like niacinamide and and niacin like they are known to be great for every organ you know because they they're proven to shrink brain tumors you know they're great for like you know for example like cellular um energy production you know it's it's really a great ingredient and I think when you look at the formulas you know that you've created here like you guys are really from my perspective as a physiologist as well you're really hitting like the key hallmarks of what is true cellular you know um like I guess support you know if if you were to come up with a term I mean at the end of the day the skin is composed of cells and we need to support those cells you know and whenever I look at skincare I'm always looking for that you know as a consumer like I'm always looking for products that are gonna support my skin more so than things like what's going to exfoliate my skin, what's gonna, you know, get rid of the cells.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_00: That's really not what I look for anymore.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and I think for me as a consumer I've I've evolved a lot in my own journey you know of what is good skincare?
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_00: You know, what does it mean to be good skincare?
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_00: And I think I always come down to this realization that those ingredients that you mentioned, they are tried and true.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_00: You know, they always work.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_00: They're always providing nutrients they're always providing stability and efficacy for my you know my my goals and so I you know I think it's just a really brilliant approach that you've taken.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_00: I think we need to really hone in on you know as a consumer what do I need you know like what does my skin need and how can I give that to it and without you know overwhelming it with the crazy amount of ingredients that are in some products I think uh you know for a while there we're seeing like 20 ingredients in some products and it was like why you know why do you even have that many ingredients so I really really like your approach and I think that the the products speak for themselves you know because you will definitely see a result you know for everyone listening like it's one of those lines that I think you know when you use it you start to notice like okay yeah you know I'm happy you know this is the this is my product this is the one I can go to time and time again and it works.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_00: And and I I love that you've created that Rafael so thank you for bringing us that line no thanks so much um yeah definitely you know this this was very important for us to to have the basic ingredients that keep your skin healthy and on top of that you know if you have any other concern whether anti-aging or other you can add retinol or other other um other ingredients but really people especially with eczema they have very basic uh needs for their skin just to restore their skin barrier and skin health and that was uh very important for us to have all the ingredients to that support healthy skin uh skin barrier uh but skin barrier you know uh not just the the physical not the skin barrier that uh that we often think um lipids and and cells but also the skin microbiome and the acid mantle which is the integral component of the acid of the skin bar as skin barrier yeah no I I completely see that you know it reflects because you know one interesting part is that we you had mentioned antioxidants right and I think a lot of times for example with retinol people always say you know my skin is freaking out when I use retinol and I often ask them I'm like well what else are you using you know like in addition to the retinol and they usually don't have an answer you know they'll say well I just apply the retinol you know three times a week two times a week and I say well where are the antioxidants because if you're you know with uh active like retinol or any retinol product vitamin a derivative you're gonna cause some sort of cellular you know damage to your skin because what it's doing is it's causing turnover.
• 29:33
  SPEAKER_00: So I always ask them well where are the antioxidants because they're gonna be mopping up those free radicals.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_00: So it's gonna kind of like blunt the response like the damage that you're doing in in some ways you know so it's actually going to make your product work better.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I I've noticed that a lot is that you know sometimes consumers will use these these really heavy actives right on a day like a routine in their routine but they don't have that supportive skincare to go with it.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_00: And that's where I feel like you guys are great.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_00: You know it's like you can still like you said you can use the retinol but then you have one product you know and this one product is nourishing and supporting your skin and your barrier.
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that goes such a long way because with something like retinol essentially I know I always tell people this like what I've noticed is with those kind of products you're disrupting that barrier.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_00: So you need something that's going to add all that good stuff back in and it's going to give that stability again.
• 30:27
  SPEAKER_00: And so you have to think about it from this perspective of like what am I taking away and what do I need to keep adding you know what I mean to maintain it.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_00: And I and I don't really see that often you know in skincare because oftentimes you'll go onto a website there's like 50 products you have to pick like you know whatever you need and then consumers get lost in all of that.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_00: So I think with your line I think it's such a it's a great option for those people you know in the sense that you can go on here you can find a product that works for you and you can use utilize the same product with the extra you know stuff that you're adding on.
• 30:59
  SPEAKER_00: So I agree with you.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's a really really great option to have you know it's kind of like your secret weapon you know at the end of the day like I'm gonna use this no matter what kind of thing.
• 31:10
  SPEAKER_00: So thanks yeah so one of my I think one of my questions is that you know um when it comes to like I guess overall skin health right we always talk about people sticking to a product you know and um really utilizing it.
• 31:24
  SPEAKER_00: I know you guys have you know for depending on how sensitive your skin is or what your skin needs you have different products but um what would you say like in terms of like the results you've seen or the feedback you've gotten like what's the time frame that you've seen people really notice like significant results with your products?
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah you know this is a great question because actually um this is very important um when you especially with people with eczema which where they have um you know disrupted skin barrier and skin barrier takes time to to heal uh to um to rebuild uh a healthy skin barrier so we um we run several clinical studies and you know we show that um uh our product can help provide this immediate help so you right after if you have flares you have disrupted skin barrier you see some initial results already in the first uh week or couple of weeks but um what we hear from our uh customers is that the healing uh goes much further especially for people who use the product for three to four months they experience that the skin becomes um more resilient and they experience less flare ups and over time many of them uh become uh even symptoms free so for example my wife was our patient number one and the product had dramatic effect on her skin so first they had the product helped her to heal her lesions her eczema lesions and after a few months of application uh her flares stopped coming back and she's been eczema free for two years so you know it is it is a long process often you see the first effects immediately where the product helps you uh heal the lesions but eczema it's a chronic condition and requires time so uh if you want to see the long-term benefits you have to stick with the product for at least three four months and we recommend to keep it even even if you get to the point that you're free of symptoms and your symptoms don't come back we recommend to keep using the product because with eczema there's a genetic component there's environmental components and if you lower your guard it can come back and our product helps to keep your skin um in this healthy optimal state and uh and um and defend you against some of these environmental factors that can trigger eczema so when your wife developed eczema what were the what were the things that led to her the developing them developing the condition yeah so she uh her eczema was uh triggered by her pregnancy so she suffered actually um from eczema when she was um uh when she was young a kid but she grew uh out of eczema at some point and then her pregnancy triggered it back and it started be getting more severe and um worse and worse uh pretty much oh wow yeah I mean that makes sense pregnancy is such a is a very harsh state for your body to be in so that that makes sense that you know a lot of people develop a lot of you know severe conditions after you know post postpartum you know for example like I we see that all the time but yeah that's uh it's unique you know for me to learn about that because I I know that eczema is something that a lot of people experience like their whole life but I think we're seeing that more and more now you know where people are starting to experience the development of eczema later on in their life you know and um it's kind of like what you said I think it is a lot of environmental factors come into play here you know especially with like the way climate change has been you know obviously things like pregnancy and autoimmune conditions for example that can lead to it so that's interesting um that you know we're seeing that but I mean I think at the end of the day like that's where I find it to be so unique that you know there are eczema products out there but I think you can still utilize them you know even if you don't have eczema you can still utilize eczema products they just offer more I think I look at it as like they're almost like packed with more um uh goodness you know like good stuff in it so it like kind of nourishes your skin regardless you know no matter what so even if you don't have eczema you can still use products that are geared towards especially you know in the line like it's a great product regardless so I recommend it to anyone who has like even really dry skin it's great for you you know it'll really really relieve the dryness so yeah definitely you know if I I say that you know if it's good for people with eczema it's good for everyone because skin and eczema is just more sensitive and more picky about so you have to be a little bit more careful about the quality of the products you put on your skin.
• 36:44
  SPEAKER_01: So if the product is good for someone with eczema definitely it's good for anyone.
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly no exactly and you know it's interesting because I one of my first ever skincare products like a long time ago you know that I actually fell in love with was an eczema product you know and so I was like I didn't even know back then that I was using it and I discovered that like a year after using that product and I realized wow I love this stuff you know and so I think you're absolutely right you know with with something like eczema it's such a like you said it's such a finicky condition where it can get exacerbated.
• 37:17
  SPEAKER_00: It can get you know there's so many things that result in it flaring up or not you know as bad the next day and I think we can all relate to that especially with the seasons changing the environment changing I mean I mentioned climate change is a huge factor these days you know I I see a lot of people that are impacted by that so yeah I I mean it's important to have these options out there.
• 37:39
  SPEAKER_00: But one more thing Rafael I wanted to ask you and I found this to be so unique that you offer this near range and that is like a it's a baby product right like there's a baby uh product that's meant for um just sensitive skin I think or correct me if I'm wrong like if you could tell us about that I'd love to know that's right yeah we we have a baby product and we also have scalp serum so um and uh both of these products are um unique so our baby uh product uh baby skin uh it's a babe it's a moisturizer uh it's similar to gentle start it's one of our gentlest formulations it's specifically developed for um for the delicate skin of the babies and as all our products it contain this pH lock technology but this is the gentler version and also contains ceramite, niacinamite, shea butter, coconut oil and uh colloidal oatmeal and all of these ingredients are also great for eczema and they're great for the delicate skin of the baby.
• 38:46
  SPEAKER_01: And then another product that I think um it's interesting it's um our scalp serum scalp suther so this product um it's it's a great product for people who suffer from uh scalp conditions like uh scalp eczema scalp psrasis eczema or even dendruff uh and the product has very light texture doesn't contain any oils so it doesn't make your hair roots uh greasy and so you can apply it during daytime and it remains invisible but maintains your proper skin pH on your scalp um so is that similar then like scalp pH like is that similar to like our face like a facial skin or like what was is there a difference or how does that work?
• 39:38
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah so uh exactly so skin pH uh scalp pH is similar to the rest of your skin it's also acidic but it's more often affected because you have um sebum that it's often released and because of the hair the pH can increase uh more easily and it's affected and I think this is another area or place where you know people don't pay attention to their pH but this um when pH increases it predispose you to microbial infections and many of these conditions um you know involve uh some microbial imbalance or overgrowth yeah yeah there's a lot of people that have like fungal dandruff and they don't know they have it you know what I mean because they don't uh they don't know the difference I think and it's just there's not enough education out there because I know a lot of um a lot of times somebody will have dandruff but you don't know if you have like a condition or if it's you know what I mean norm under the umbrella of what we consider I guess typical so that's that's interesting that you say that because with scalp health we have a lot of products out here but no one's really talking about pH and I always I I think that's very very relevant with scalp because you don't um you don't really expose it to a lot of you know sunlight or you know normal things that your normal other parts of your body are exposed to.
• 41:05
  SPEAKER_00: So it's very interesting definitely you know that area of research as well is very interesting.
• 41:10
  SPEAKER_01: Right exactly and you know fungi they love higher pH so and I think above pH six it's perfect for them to grow to you know to overgrow.
• 41:19
  SPEAKER_01: So and low pH keeps them in check and slow down the growth.
• 41:24
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 41:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah that's a that's a very very good to know and I think it's definitely worth investing in scalp health because you know the more and more I keep noticing our industry is evolving and we're really incorporating uh scalp products but no one is talking about the science you know what I mean like in terms of like the different pathologies you see on the scalp, you know, why they come up and it's very important to really kind of have this preventative approach I think you know from what we've learned you know over the years just with facial skin it's important to be preventative and I I love that you have this product in your range I think that pH is definitely at the center of scalp health and I it you know as it should be.
• 42:04
  SPEAKER_00: So I I think it's a great great start and if you're somebody out there you know for the listeners and you don't really have a scalp product in your routine this is a great place to start and really incorporate because you will notice a difference.
• 42:16
  SPEAKER_00: I mean pH will make a world of difference just balancing that one thing you know even though it's it seems like one thing but it's very complex like Rafal explained to us here, you know, but it it's definitely a great starting place and then figuring out you know if you do have something that's going on other than you know the normal conditions that we're used to then you can really target and hone in on what's going on.
• 42:37
  SPEAKER_00: But you know getting that pH balanced and having a starting place is so key, you know, even if you see a dermatologist regularly, you know, to understand your body and your skin in that way, it can really help you narrow down what's going on.
• 42:50
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm a huge fan of that.
• 42:52
  SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm so glad you guys offer that option, Rival.
• 42:55
  SPEAKER_00: But um I wanted to just you know I just wanted to get your advice you know as as a round out question for the interview like you know for all the budding entrepreneurs out there I know it's very tough starting a brand you know even if you have a very uh awesome science background like you do I I'm sure you know the entrepreneurship journey is just something we can't really prepare for but if you have any words of wisdom that you can offer to our audience I would love that.
• 43:19
  SPEAKER_01: Right yeah well um you know definitely you know for me that would it has been a great journey and I I think um definitely starting a company um it can be very exciting and rewarding a rewarding venture um however it is a long journey right um it requires a lot of sacrifice a lot of hard work um so um I would say definitely gain some experience um ideally working for larger company at the beginning who is a leader in this space uh and once you are ready um Uh clearly define your mission and vision and stick to it and address a real problem or need with your products or services.
• 44:10
  SPEAKER_01: There are so many products that you know don't don't address any problem, they're out there, just um you know, um they don't address any new problems.
• 44:22
  SPEAKER_01: So I I think this is uh important to have this in mind.
• 44:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's a that's a really, really good point.
• 44:29
  SPEAKER_00: I'm glad you said that.
• 44:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, there's a lot of redundancy in the industry.
• 44:32
  SPEAKER_00: I agree.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_00: And it's a great that's great advice, thank you.
• 44:36
  SPEAKER_00: Because I I think a lot of entrepreneurs or budding entrepreneurs, they think that, you know, let's I need to start a brand, but it really comes down to well, what's your white space?
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, really thinking about that is so important, especially now.
• 44:48
  SPEAKER_00: Like you said, there's so many products.
• 44:50
  SPEAKER_00: Every day there's a new brand.
• 44:51
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, yeah, and definitely, you know, it's easy to launch a new product.
• 44:55
  SPEAKER_01: It's difficult to launch the product that actually solved some problem for customers and people who want it.
• 45:03
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 45:04
  SPEAKER_00: 100%.
• 45:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's it's very, very difficult.
• 45:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that there's a lot to be learned still, you know.
• 45:09
  SPEAKER_00: I I would be excited to see some colleges offering classes, you know, in entrepreneurship because I feel like the younger younger generation nowadays thinks, you know, we can just get on, get start a brand and life is great, but it's really a lot of hard work.
• 45:23
  SPEAKER_00: So um definitely something to keep in mind.
• 45:25
  SPEAKER_00: But Rafael, thank you so much for coming on to the show.
• 45:27
  SPEAKER_00: This has been so great.
• 45:28
  SPEAKER_00: And I love, you know, I love Soteri's skin.
• 45:31
  SPEAKER_00: It's a really great uh range for everyone listening.
• 45:34
  SPEAKER_00: You know, if you guys are looking for products that really, you know, it's like a one and done kind of deal, but you're not compromising efficacy, you're getting the job done, your skin is loving it.
• 45:44
  SPEAKER_00: This is a really, really great line for you.
• 45:46
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I I've been using it, I've tried it, and I love it.
• 45:49
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I think that we need more products like this because it's a really, you know, just complicated market that we're in right now.
• 45:56
  SPEAKER_00: You know, there's products everywhere you look.
• 45:58
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes it can get very overwhelming.
• 46:00
  SPEAKER_00: So um, I just want to thank you for coming on the show.
• 46:03
  SPEAKER_00: I really am a huge fan.
• 46:04
  SPEAKER_00: And um, you know, if anyone has any questions about the about the line, about the science, definitely reach out to us.
• 46:10
  SPEAKER_00: You can reach us at skincareanarchy at gmail.com, and I will definitely pass your questions and comments on to Rafal's team.
• 46:18
  SPEAKER_00: But thank you so much for coming on to our show, Rafall.
• 46:20
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks so much, Ekita.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_01: It was a pleasure talking to you.
• 46:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, likewise.
• 46:25
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much.
• 46:27
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 46:28
  SPEAKER_00: Hey guys, so I hope you love that episode.
• 46:30
  SPEAKER_00: Please make sure to hit subscribe if you're tuning in to us on any podcast platform.
• 46:35
  SPEAKER_00: We are available on so many different platforms.
• 46:37
  SPEAKER_00: So wherever it is that you're tuning in, just go hit subscribe.
• 46:41
  SPEAKER_00: You will be immediately notified when we publish new episodes.
• 46:44
  SPEAKER_00: 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.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_00: 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.
• 46:59
  SPEAKER_00: Also, make sure to give us a follow on all of our social media outlets.
• 47:03
  SPEAKER_00: We're available on Instagram, TikTok, X, you name it, we're there.
• 47:07
  SPEAKER_00: We also have a blog on Medium.
• 47:09
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're a reader and you love Medium blogs, check us out on Medium.
• 47:13
  SPEAKER_00: We publish some really great articles on there that do deeper dives than just what's available on the podcast.
• 47:18
  SPEAKER_00: And it's really a great place for all of you science geeks out there that want to learn a little bit more.
• 47:23
  SPEAKER_00: 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.
• 47:30
  SPEAKER_00: So check us out, leave us a comment, leave us a review, and we'll be back next time with another episode.
• 47:35
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.