In this show, Jen Novakovich, Canadian cosmetic chemist from The Eco Well, interviews international cosmetic scientists and industry leaders to bring you a fresh new conversation a week about all things beauty!
The podcast The Eco Well podcast is created by Jen@theecowell. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
This episode features a deep dive into the topic of greenwashing, featuring greenwashing researcher, Dr Wren Montgomery PhD. We get into the different forms of greenwashing, greenwashing specific to cosmetics, its impacts, how brands can avoid making greenwashed claims, how consumers can navigate green claims, and more.
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This episode features behavioural neuroscientist and academic sleuth with a seriously impressive resume spotting research fraud, Dr Mu Yang, PhD. The topic - research fraud and it’s many flavors. What’s the problem, why does it appear to be on the rise, what are the science factors driving it, can we trust peer review and… can science be trusted to self correct? And for that to happen, what else has to fall into place?
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and write a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon which you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
Beauty myths multiply! My latest podcast episode features OG beauty myth buster, Michelle Wong PhD, aka @labmuffinbeautyscience. What’s the latest trending beauty misinformation, where is it coming from, how is it growing and how does it impact both consumers and the beauty sector writ large. Probably not great - probably important for the industry to get behind addressing. We also dive into the importance of scicomm, current barriers for good independent scicomm - from the fact that so many of us do it for no pay on top of full-time jobs, how it impacts us personally when we debunk, to the rampant issues of plagiarism that adds to scicomm burnout. And what can be done from the beauty sector to better support independent beauty scicomm.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and write a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon which you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
This episode features safety assessor Mo Kanadil PharmD, otherwise known as @Moskinlab, in a conversation about safety misconceptions. What are common safety misconceptions amongst consumers, where is the misinformation coming from, what are the challenges in addressing it, and more.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and write a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon which you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
There is currently a war on science. What’s happening, what are the impacts, and what can we do about it? This week I was joined by 3 POVs to try to do the topic justice, coming at it from the public health and independent scicomm POV, with registered dietitian Dr Jessica Knurick, the science journalist POV, with Melody Schreiber, and the academia and academic scicomm POV, with Elisabeth Anderson.
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This episode is a 101 on skincare efficacy claims, brother and sister duo, dermatologist Dr Omer Ibrahim MD, and skin scientist, Dr Rania Ibrahim PhD. What’s the landscape of claims, what makes a claim stronger or weaker, what are common deceptive practices, what should brands know and also, what should consumers know? This episode had a special focus on clinical claims but still gave a good overview of the claims that are out there.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and write a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon which you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
This conversation dove into the topic of environmental contaminants related to cosmetics, in conversation with Prof Oliver Jones PhD. We focused on microplastic and PFAS, with an emphasis on the misinformation that surrounds these two groups of chemicals. What is the impact of misinformation about PFAS and microplastics?
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and write a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon which you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
This episode dives into the topic of nutrition misinformation - what is the problem and how did we get here? From the algorithm forces online to our human biases that make misinformation so attractive, the impacts nutrition misinformation has on individuals, to its greater impacts on society. Featuring with dietitian and nutrition misinformation researcher, Danielle Shine.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and write a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon which you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
This episode features a deep dive into the world of preservatives, featuring microbiologist Dr Sabrina Behnke. What are they, how and why are they used, how are they made, what are their supply chains like, what are formulation considerations we need to think about? And while a product may now be paraben free, how do those extra challenges impact product safety… and sustainability? We covered all this and more!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and write a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon which you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
This episode digs into the new trend of tweens and teens reaching for anti-aging skincare, and the “Sephora Kids” phenomenon. Coming at the topic from the derm POV with Dr. Aegean Chan - what are some of the skin concerns with this trend, and what should skincare regimes look like for this age group. And from the regulatory and legal standpoint, with Claire Bing of Confiance Cosmetics Group - who’s responsible for all of this and what do brands need to know (whether they’re intentionally marketing to kids/teens or not).
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A roundtable conversation covering: the rise of dermfluencers, misinformation, undisclosed ads, exploitation and the impact on dermatology as a field. Featuring the POVs of dermatologist and researcher, Dr Ade Adamson and lawyer specializing in cosmetics regulations, Avril Love.
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This episode features Immunologist & Microbiologist, and fellow science communicator, Dr. Andrea Love, in a deep dive into the EWG. Views expressed in this episode are in our honestly held opinions.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and write a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon which you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
There was a lot wrong in the recent Huberman podcast featuring Shanna Swan - the misinformation was rapid fire. This episode features Lyle Burgoon PhD in a toxicologist reacts episode to break down some of the things that came up. From phthalates = endocrine disruptors? to feminization and the threat of human extinction?? There was a lot there, but we tried our best to cover their main points.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and write a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon which you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
This episode is about conspiracy thinking, featuring Derek Beres from Conspirituality. What are the dangers of conspiracy theories, how does fear and uncertainty play into them, how are conspiracy theories and thinking being capitalized on, from a company and individual POV, and more.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and write a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon which you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
This episode features Neil Burns in a deep dive into surfactants. Previously on the show we’ve covered the topic in the context of formulation, this time I thought it would be interesting to take a different angle - what is the history of surfactants, how are they made, what are their supply chains, how do they contribute to society, from cosmetics to air travel, what are some of the big sustainability challenges faces the space, misconceptions, and lots more.
Interested in supporting the podcast on Patreon? Find me at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This episode features Erica Douglas, otherwise known as @sisterscientist, cofounder of the contract manufacturing business mSEED, in a deep dive on contract manufacturing. We covered the contract manufacturing landscape - who works with them and why? what’s up with minimum quantity orders? What do brands need to know to successfully work with a CM? And lots more!
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This week's episode goes on a deep dive into corporate sustainability - specifically, why isn’t it working? Over the last few decades, we’ve seen lots of new reporting requirements for companies. On the flip side, during that same time frame where sustainability has become fashionable, things have gotten, for the most part, worse. This episode features Dr. Mark Trexler from Climatographers on where have we gone wrong? And what can we do about it?
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Why is the media so rife with inaccurate reporting on epidemiological studies? To help guide us through this topic, I was joined with Gideon M-K PhD, epidemiologist, fact checker and content creator. We go through what epidemiology research looks like and some of the inherent challenges, research bias, the sensationalism pipeline that benefits everyone… except the public, a few examples of recent headlines and the studies connected to them, and more.
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Why is the media so rife with inaccurate reporting on epidemiological studies? To help guide us through this topic, I was joined with Dr Gidion MK, epidemiologist, fact checker and content creator. We go through what epidemiology research looks like and some of the inherent challenges, research bias, the sensationalism pipeline that benefits everyone… except the public, a few examples of recent headlines and the studies connected to them, and more.
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With the press around "forever chemicals" and the moving regulations related to biodegradation, the topics of biodegradation and persistence are increasingly important to understand. This episode is a deep dive into the topic, featuring Chris Hughes from Embark Chemical Consulting. Disclaimer, this one is a little more into the weeds, but a good 101 if you want to get a handle on the topic!
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The skin microbiome and products geared to supporting it have been a hot topic in beauty for the last decade.Where are we at with the science? What is the skin microbiome, how do cosmetics interact with it, what are common misconceptions, and what does a healthy skin microbiome look like… or do we even know that yet? This podcast featured microbiologist Dr Kristin Neumann from MyMicrobiome
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What is up with endocrine disruption in beauty? There is so much about this topic in the media, seemingly disproportionately focused on cosmetics. What does it all mean, where is the science and are the concerns actually relevant? This week, Dr Lyle Burgoon is back for a deep dive into the topic.
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What do we mean when we say science integrity? What is good evidence, and how is evidence incorporated at a policy level? This was the topic of this podcast, which featured toxicologist Lyle Burgoon PhD.
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This episode focused on the issue of misinformation and bad behaviour in the science and medical influencer space. Disclaimer, special attention was given to the rise of dermfluencers. This episode featured a roundtable discussion between dermatologist Anjali Mahto MD, cardiologist Rohin Francis MD, immunologist Andrea Love PhD and cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong PhD.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and write a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon which you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
This episode features the pre-recorded conversation of the scicommer panel I moderated at NYSCC Suppliers Day earlier this month, brought to you by the Independent Beauty Association, and in conversation with Kenton Hipsher, who is on the ingredient supply side of things, Erica Douglas, aka sisterscientist, from the contract manufacturer POV, and Dr Andrea Love from the consumer misinformation impact side of things. This conversation looked at misinformation along the supply chain and production of cosmetic products.
This episode features a deep dive conversation into the world of research fraud, featuring research fraud researcher Reese Richardson. What is the issue, why is it happening, and how should we think about all of this when we’re thinking about the quality of scientific research and science itself. We also explored turmeric research as a case example of research fraud in action and the impacts that’s had both on society.
This weeks’ episode features the pre-recorded pre-show run of the Sustainability in Cosmetics panel I moderated at NYSCC Suppliers Day in new york a few weeks ago! In conversation with Amol Kirtikar, Senior Manager of Sustainability & Innovation Americas at Clariant, Kurt Reynertson PhD, Global Lead for Ingredient Policy at Kenvue and Akemi Ooka PhD, Head of Global Supply Chain and Sustainability Resources at Independent Beauty Association - the main topic of the panel was around how sustainability misinformation is impacting the cosmetics sector’s ability to pursue sustainable development, and steps moving forward. This conversation was made possible by Clariant, who are the sponsors for this podcast episode.
This podcast featured a 101 about the timeline of product development; from brief to formulation to testing to scale up. To help us cover the topic, this episode featured Lorna Radford from ENKOS. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
Somehow I still haven't covered oral care on the podcast, so to help fix that, this week's episode features oral care formulation chemist Natalie Hendrix! This episode was a 101 on the topic - hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
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This episode is an extension of the cosmetic formulation myth busting fireside chat with Gabriella Baki PhD that happened at the Skincare E-Summit in December! 20 minutes just wasn't enough!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and write us a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page that you can find at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This podcast features Milan Scott, otherwise known as @thecosmescientist in a conversation about diversity and inclusion. From the POV of what’s happening in the wider industry, formulations and what’s currently available on the market, to current gaps that should be addressed.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, write a review and subscribe! If it's accessible, we also have a patreon page that you can find at Patreon.com/theecowell
This podcast features a conversation about the current state, and future, of indie beauty, in conversation with Kelly Kovack from BeautyMatter, Rob Akridge PhD from OPULUS Beauty Labs, and Akemi Ooka PhD from Independent Beauty Association. This was the closing panel for our So, You Want to Start a Beauty Brand? E-Summit - find the full replay on our blog! Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, subscribe and consider writing a review. If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page that you can find at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This episodes features a deep dive conversation into silicones in cosmetics; what are they, why are they so useful, and what are some of the environmental draw backs we're currently contending with. To help me tackle the topic, this week I was joined by Mike Fevola PhD. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share, write a review and subscribe! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page that you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
This pocast features a 101 on the current state of animal testing in cosmetics featuring toxicologist Barae Jomaa PhD. We cover why animal testing testing started in the first place and what prompted all the animal testing bans we see today, the history of animal testing bans globally, alternative test methods, misconceptions, the REACH vs EC conflict we're seeing today, and lots more!
Interested in supporting the show? Please leave us a review wherever you listening, subscribe and share! If it's accessible to you, we also have a Patreon page which you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
This week's episode is a 101 on cosmetics formulations; what are the ingredient types that make your products work and why? What’s up with surfactant and preservative systems? What’s the difference between skin and hair care, what’s an emulsion, and what do you need to know about pH? o help me cover the topic, this week featured Ava Perkins, PhD student at the University of Cincinnati in their cosmetic science program.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please share and give us a review! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page that you can find at patreon.com/theecowell
This podcast features an acne 101 conversation with dermatologist Dr Mara Evanglista-Huber MD, otherwise known as @dermomtology.
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This podcast was about false balance; what it is, how to spot it and what the greater issue with it is. What's wrong with public form debates on science? Particularly on topics that have a lot of evidence to support one POV vs a fringe viewpoint. For example, sunscreens aren't the cause of coral bleaching, widely supported by the evidence, vs it is, supported by outlier data. This episode features Canadian sci-comm treasure, Tim Caulfield for our 2023 finale!
This week's episode is a cosmetic chemists reaction episode, featuring the POV of cosmetic science PhD student Lanesa Mahon @raya.faces and myself. Topic: beauty trends. Trends we reacted to include: microbiome skincare, biotech beauty, menopausal skincare, dermatologist brands, green beauty and more!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This podcast episode is a 101 on microplastics in beauty. What do we mean when we say "plastic" and "microplastic"? What's the microplastic issue like in beauty? To help me cover the topic, this week I was joined with microplastic researcher, Laura Markley PhD. Enjoy!
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This is a replay of a panel I moderated at the SCC California Suppliers Day, presented by Independent Beauty Association. The conversation was broadly about the impacts of misinformation in beauty, and opportunities for course correction. Panelists included some of my favorite LA based sci-commers; Allison Kent-Gunn @allisonturquoise, Javon Ford @javonford16, Jane Tsui @janethechemist and Valerie George @cosmetic_chemist. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
What is the current state of animal testing in cosmetics? Why has it happened, does it still happen - if so, where and why? And where are we at with alternatives? New podcast alert! Our latest episode featured Dr. Carol Treasure from XCellR8, an animal-free in-vitro safety testing lab. There’s so much complexity to this topic, and I think there have been some seriously missed opportunities from the cosmetics industry for communicating what’s happening and has happened. I hope the episode does the topic justice. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
A deep dive into claims with claims expert, Craig Weiss of Consumer Product Testing. What do the claims you see on labels actually mean? What's a strong claim and what's just puffery? And how can you as a consumer more effectively read labels? This podcast explored all this and more!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This podcast features a 101 episode on toxicology, featuring toxicologist Dr Pushpa Rao. With all the noise and confusion about product safety out in the zeitgeist, I thought this was an important topic to cover. We covered the basics of what toxicology is, how it’s applied to cosmetics, fundamental toxicology themes like hazard and risk, safety substantiation, misconceptions, and more!
Interested in supporting the podcast on Patreon? Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell
There have been so many class action lawsuits in beauty over the last few years. What does it all mean? Are products on the market unsafe? Have these lawsuits become a cost of business in the USA? Are they making products safer? To help me unpack the topic, this weeks episode featured Avril Love, counsel at K&L Gates. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us at Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This episode featured hair scientist, Dr Crystal Porter from Mane Insights, in a deep dive into curly hair. We dove into the nitty gritty of the structure of curly hair, and the science behind keeping it in good shape. Hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did! Quick edit - in this episode, Crystal mentioned "consumer scientist." She meant "citizen scientist" :).
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This episode features a deep dive into state law, featuring Dr. Simone Swafford, regulatory consultant at Vogue Regulatory. What’s happening at the state level in terms of cosmetic regulations, and how does that impact both industry as well as consumers? We specifically dive into how misinformation is driving some of the recent legislative developments.
Big thanks to Essential Labs for sponsoring this episode. Use the code ELABSPOD for 15% off!
Interested in supporting the podcast on Patreon? Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This week's episode featured Bart Maxon - cosmetic scientist, creator of 20 patents, and recent recipient of the SCC Merit Award. Important to this conversation, he's achieved all of this as a 4’6” achondroplasia dwarf who's had several spinal surgeries, operating in an industry where accessibility has been an ongoing improvement for those with disabilities. I'm really inspired by Bart's story. From being told that he'd never work in a lab, to becoming a Senior Development Scientist at Dow. In this conversation, we talked about diversity and inclusion, through the lens of individuals with disabilities. What are we doing right as an industry, and where do we need to improve?
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This episode featured the closing panel from Michelle @labmuffinbeautyscience and my Sunscreen E-Summit, which happened a few weeks ago. On the topic of Challenges and Opportunities for the Suncare Sector. In conversation with Meredith Petillo, Senior Director of Technical & Regulatory Services at IBA, Stan Krus, Senior Technology Manager Sun Care at BASF, Carl D’Ruiz, Head of Personal Care and Pharma Regulatory and Scientific Affairs at DSM, and Michelle Wong, PhD. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This episode was about beauty science communication, from the perspectives of Michelle @labmuffinbeautyscience and me. What is sci-comm, why is it important, what are some of the challenges, and importantly, why are there so few sci-commers able to make sci-com a full-time, long-lasting endeavor? In this episode, Michelle and I announce the social enterprise we've been working on together: Beauty Sci-Comm Group.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us at Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell. Massive thank you to all of our Patreon supporters for helping make this show possible!
New podcast! This week, we tried something a little different with a Toxicologist Reacts episode, featuring Tony Simion, Ph.D. Industry veteran and adjunct professor. You guys sent in media headlines and posts, and we responded. Disclaimer, before I go on here; all the views expressed in this post and podcast are all in our honestly held opinions. I hope by the end of this episode, it’s clear who that is for when it comes to cosmetic product safety.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon.com/theecowell
This week’s episode took a look at MoCRA - What’s happening? What do we know? How is going to impact industry, and also consumers? There has been a lot of noise about MoCRA, what does it all mean? To help me do this topic justice, for this podcast I was joined by Kerry Tassopoulos, Of Counsel and a corporate, regulatory and compliance attorney with Platt Cheema Richmond PLLC.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This episode featured the closing panel for our Sustainable Beauty E-Summit that happened back in January on Sustainability Challenges and Opportunities for the Cosmetics Sector. We came at the topic of sustainability challenges and opportunities from a wide scope of expertise. Featuring Akemi Ooka, Ph.D., Head of Global Supply Chain and Sustainability Resources at the Independent Beauty Association, Mike Fevola, Ph.D., Vice President of R&D at Inolex, and Mark Trexler, Ph.D., director at The Climatographers. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This week, we covered the topic of corporate sustainability management and reporting through the lens of… is this actually going to help combat climate change? From measuring greenhouse gases to carbon offsetting, is current corporate sustainability and policy pointing us in the right direction? Or is there potential for it to do more harm than good? Joining me for this conversation is Dr. Mark Trexler from The Climatographers. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please subscribe and write a review. If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page. Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell. Massive thank you to all of our Patreon supporters for helping make this podcast possible!
This episode featured a conversation with Tim Caulfield, Canadian sci-comm treasure, prof at the University of Alberta, and author of books like Is Gwenyth Paltrow Wrong about everything? A few months ago Tim participated in a “clean” beauty debate - he was anti-clean, against someone else who was pro-clean… In this episode, Tim and I talked about his experience in the debate, his thoughts on why misinformation gains the traction it does, and tips to decipher fact from fiction.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please subscribe and write a review. If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page. Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell. Massive thank you to all of our Patreon supporters for helping make this podcast possible!
Our latest episode featured Javon Ford - fellow cosmetic chemist and beauty scicommer - in an AMA style interview. You guys sent in questions, we tried our best to answer! From bunk marketing claims to how to become a cosmetic chemist, we covered a lot! Hope you enjoy the convo as much as I did.
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please subscribe and write a review. If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page. Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell. Massive thank you to all of our Patreon supporters for helping make this podcast possible!
For this week's episode, we take a deep dive into regulations that impact the cosmetics industry, with a focus on the USA market and the many misconceptions people have about it. Are products sold in the EU actually safer than those in the USA? Spoiler alert, the answer is no, and in this conversation, we dive into the why that’s the case.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER - THIS PODCAST WAS RECORDED BEFORE MOCRA. THE FDA NOW HAS RECALL AUTHORITY.
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This was a live panel discussion in LA, hosted by the Independent Beauty Association and moderated by yours truly, about science communication in the cosmetics space. In conversation with Esther Olu (@themelaninchemist), Gloria Lu and Victoria Fu (@chemist.confessions), and Valerie George (Co-host of The Beauty Brains Podcast, @cosmetic_chemist). Extra shout out to the Gold sponsor for this event, Federal Package, Silver sponsors, Prestige Testing, CIS (insurance), NYSCC Suppliers Day, and other event sponsors, Gordon Labs, Coptis, Croda, and Beauty Matter.
Interested in supporting The Eco Well Podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
Kicking off our first episode back for 2023 with a deep dive into intimate care and hygiene - a space gaining a lot of traction in the beauty industry. There are so many products launching of late to purportedly address all of your sexual wellness needs - from vulvar washes to enlargening breast creams. To give us a lay of the land, I was joined by Dr. Tanaya, aka Dr. Cuterus. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please subscribe and write a review. If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page. Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell. Massive thank you to all of our Patreon supporters for helping make this podcast possible!
This week, we dive into the nitty gritty of INCI. Perhaps one of those topics that don’t seem like there’s anything to it, but scratch the surface just a little? There absolutely is. From how the INCI standard got started, the process of getting an INCI name to common misconceptions. How much can an ingredient list really tell you? Does getting an INCI designation mean that an ingredient has been approved as safe? Joining me to unpack the topic is Dr. Mindy Goldstein, previous president of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, recent recipient of the Florence Wall Women in Cosmetic Chemistry Award & member of the INCI nomenclature committee - the group responsible for giving ingredients INCI’s. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Please subscribe and write a review. If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page. Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell. Massive thank you to all of our Patreon supporters for helping make this podcast possible!
Is 'clean' beauty actually making cosmetics safer? This was the closing panel of our latest e-conference, the 'Safe' Beauty E-Summit. Topic: How is misinformation in the beauty world impacting cosmetics product safety, and how can we start to course correct? Panelists included Michelle Wong Ph.D. AKA @labmuffinbeautyscience, Esther Olu AKA @themelaninchemist, and Lalita Iyer AKA @skinchemy. Main take home: If we want to pull ourselves out of the BS Bandwagon we've ended up in the cosmetics industry, good science communication needs support. Hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
Closing out season 7 of the podcast featuring a conversation with Jess Stokesparish, Ph.D. about the science of science communication. A deep dive into what it is, why it's important, what the evidence shows in terms of effective science communication, the emotional toll to scicommers, misinformation online and more. Hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did! Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This was a curly hair AMA episode, featuring Heleen Kibbelaar, the brains behind @sciencemeetscosmetics - one of my favorite hair science accounts on IG. Hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did! Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This episode was a cosmetics contract manufacturing 101 featuring Richie Rubin, Executive Vice President at Garcoa. What it looks like, what brand founders should know as they navigate the space and common challenges. If you're considering launching a cosmetic brand, or are interested in learning about the behind-the-scenes of getting products onto the market, this conversation was information packed. Hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did! Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This week I talked with Dr. Andrea Love and Dr. Jess Steier, immunologist, and public health scientist, respectively, and hosts of the Unbiased Science Podcast. We dove into the weeds about health and wellness misinformation online. What’s the problem, how did we get here and why does it matter? Hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This week we look at the tumultuous world of supply chains. How did we get here? And when are things going to go back to normal? Are things ever going to go back to the way they were pre-pandemic? Joining me this week is Tony Hoth, supply chain expert and General Manager of Global Distribution at SharkNinja. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! Interested in supporting the show? Find us on patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
ESGs are one of those topics that, IMO, everyone should understand. And what they do and do not mean. For better or worse, ESG ratings will, and already are, have a profound impact on how business is done, on emerging regulations, and in the world of corporate investment. There's a lot to unpack. For this week's episode, I was joined by Gracee Shorter, who is a sustainability solutions provider at Ecovadis to help break it down. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
An honest conversation about the body of evidence related to sunscreen, and it's benefits, for skin of color. In conversation with dermatologist and skin cancer researcher, Dr Ade Adamson.
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This episode featured fellow cosmetic chemist, Lalita Iyer, otherwise known as @skinchemy. A 101 on cosmetic regulations in the US. We broke down myths and misconceptions, and also have some general tips for brands in navigating the space. Hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
And we're back! Kicking off season 7 with a convo feat Dr Rohin Francis, otherwise known as MedLife Crisis, about (medical) experts behaving badly online. Enjoy! Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
Featuring Lalita Iyer @skinchemy, Esther Olu @themelaninchemist & Michelle Wong @labmuffinbeautyscience. A few weeks ago you guys sent in questions via IG, in this episode we tried to answer them all! This is our last podcast before we take a summer break to record more for the next season. We’ll be back with our podcast in September! Thanks to everyone who tuned in to season 6!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This episode featured Adam Ford, Ph.D. Canada Research Chair in Wildlife Restoration Ecology at UBC, on the topic of misplaced conservation. What it is, how it happens and why we should care. While misplaced conservation may seem like something far removed from cosmetics, as you’ll hear once we get started, it really isn’t. The misinformation in our space has a tremendously negative impact, including potentially on conservation efforts. With that, I’ll leave you with the episode. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
Hope you enjoy the convo as much as I did! Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
A few weeks ago, Michelle @labmuffinbeautyscience and I launched the Sunscreen E-Summit. As part of the conference, we hosted this e-panel about how misinformation is impacting the sunscreen sector, featuring Michelle Wong, Ph.D., Thomas Myers from the PCPC, and Myriam Sohn, Ph.D. from BASF. So many important insights, hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! If you would like to catch up on the full e-summit, you can find a conference replay on our blog!
Interested in supporting our work? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This week's episode featured plant scientist, Professor Monique Simmonds from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. She is my literal idol in this space, and it was such a treat to pick her brain on the topic of botanical safety and sustainability. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
This week's episode is sponsored by Herbal Essences, who works closely with KEW to confirm the species and chemical composition of all the botanicals in Herbal Essences bio:renew. Thank you Herbal Essences for making this podcast possible!
There are some potentially big changes coming in the EU regarding chemical management under the new Green Deal which will directly impact the cosmetics industry. Joining us for this episode is regulatory toxicologist, Fred Lebreux Ph.D., CEO at BIORIUS. What's happening, how might it impact the cosmetics sector, and how can brands best prepare for these changes? One of the biggest suggestions for the final question is trying to stay on top of what's happening, and this episode is a great start! Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This was a 101 episode on the Topical Delivery of Skincare Actives, with Gabriella Baki, Ph.D., cosmetics researcher and prof in the University of Toledo Cosmetic Science program. Enjoy!
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This one featured Michelle Wong, Lalita Iyer and Esther Olu. Our take on Not So Pretty.
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New podcast alert! A deep dive into ethoxylated ingredients, breaking down the facts, and fiction, with Prof Ricardo Diez. We covered how ethoxylation has allowed for better-performing products, end of life, 1,4-dioxane, PEGs and so much more. This episode was a little in the weeds, but if you want a thorough (and factual) take on the topic, this is the episode for you. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
Unless you live under a rock, I am sure you have seen some scary headlines about PFAS. This episode featured analytical chemist and PFAS researcher, KC Hyland, Ph.D. We explored what they are, where they are, the major issues and challenges, and key things everyone should know. This conversation was more of a general one on PFAS rather than specific to cosmetics, albeit cosmetics certainly came up. While it may not be a comfortable conversation for everyone, if there's anything I can leave you with; don't let people scare you about this topic, and there's no need to stress. Hope you find this episode as informative as I did!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This week we take a look at the deceptively complicated world of product sensory. Featuring cosmetic chemist and formulation aesthetics expert, Mark Chandler. Disclaimer - this episode is on the technical side. But if you want answers on what people really enjoy about skincare products, this is the right episode for you. Enjoy!
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In this episode, Annalisa @skinperspective and I set out to answer some specific questions about slept-on ingredients and ended up answering all of your formulation and ingredient inquiries. This one starts in the weeds and trudges through it for most of the conversation, so if you're looking for something a wee bit more technical, you're in the right place. Hope you enjoy the discussion as much as I did!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
Entrepreneurship in Beauty, with the most badass entrepreneur I know, Jasmina Agonovic. Previously a founder at Mother Dirt, her new company Arcaea was born out of her entrepreneur in residence journey with Ginkgo Bioworks. We talked about entrepreneurship and biotech. Disclaimer, at some point I seemed to have forgotten who was interviewing who, but I think the conversation turned out pretty well! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This was the closing panel at our Sustainable Beauty E-Summit last week, in conversation with Dr. Rene Van Acker, Dean of the Ontario Agricultural College, Dr Akemi Ooka, Head of Global Supply Chain Resources at the IBA, and Dr Iain Davies, Director of the Environmental Sciences Program at the PCPC. How does misinformation about sustainability impact sustainable development in the cosmetics sector? Hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
From not disclosing sponsorships to flat-out misrepresentation of topics, the trend of experts behaving badly online seems to be growing. This roundtable discussion included 3 experts we so appreciate on this platform for continually leading by example on social media - Jess Stokesparish, Ph.D., Anjali Mahto, M.D., and Michelle Wong, Ph.D. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
From the perspective of a cosmetics safety assessor. What "clean" beauty gets wrong about product safety. This was an information-packed episode - hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Coming at the topic from a stats POV with biostatistician, Julian Sass, otherwise known as @scamander14. We dove into the weeds around statistical analysis, p-value hacking, common practices in the cosmetics world, science washing, and lots more! Hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.theecowell.com/theecowell
This episode featured hair scientist, Dr Jeni Thomas. A deep dive into hair loss and hair loss products. What works, what doesn't, and where's that line for regulatory compliance? Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! Big thank you to KeepItAnchored for sponsoring this episode! Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This week's episode featured Dr. Mara Evangelista-Huber (@dermomtology on IG) in a deep dive into the deceptively complex subject that is "good evidence." 'Backed by science', 'medical grade', 'clinically proven', 'clinical formulations' - what do these claims even mean? Covered in the show - how does evidence grow in strength? what's common practice in the cosmetics world? Issues of pseudoscience and why they come up, and lots more. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This week's episode went into the weeds of "sustainable" packaging, featuring packaging technologist, Dan Coppins. We dove into the pros and cons of the many packaging types out there, widely held misconceptions (maybe plastic isn't the demon packaging we all think it is), the challenges of non-experts continuously getting a platform to political virtue signaling. Huge topic, but I think this conversation was a good 101 breakdown. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
New podcast alert! What is science communication, why is it important, and can it really make a dent in the overwhelming amount of misinformation out there - in the beauty space and beyond? This episode featured a roundtable discussion with Nini Munoz (@niniandthebrain), Esther Olu (@themelaninchemist), Jess Stokesparish (@j_stokesparish), Lalita Iyer (@skinchemy) and Michelle Wong (@labmuffinbeautyscience), 5 scicommers that are doing a fantastic job online. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This episode featured Jeroen van den Bosch, zinc oxide expert over at EverCare, a company that specializes in producing zinc oxide ingredients. We talked about sourcing to production, formulating, sustainability, regulations & lots more. Pretty much everything you ever wanted to know in one spot :). One major take-home - despite the reef safe claims out there, whether the sunscreen is organic ("chemical) or inorganic ("mineral"), these claims are not supported by the evidence. Enjoy the show!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us at Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This episode featured an interview with Dr Raven (The Science Maven) Baxter, one of my favorite scicommers on the internet today, about Science Communication - what is it, challenges, why it's important, how to get into it, and lots more. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This week’s episode featured Canada’s favorite OBGYN and a scicomm idol for me, Dr Jen Gunter, helping us navigate the world of women’s intimate hygiene. Some quick take homes: purity culture dominates this space, your vagina does not have lungs and the colour of your underwear is irrelevant. ALSO - menopausal beauty is a scam. Enjoy the show!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
For this week's episode, we were joined by Heleen Kibbelaar @sciencemeetscosmetics, PhD candidate in complex fluid systems who is focusing her research on the hair! We talked about hair damage, hair strength, tips for keeping your hair in good shape, product claims substantiation and what that looks like, misconceptions and lots more. Enjoy!
PS, this podcast comes with a transcript! Head on over to www.theecowell.com/podcast if you'd like to download it!
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A roundtable on sponsored content in the beauty world, in conversation with Nilki at @uglyducklingskincare, dermatologist, Davin Lim at @drdavinlim and Michelle Wong at @labmuffinbeautyscience. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell
Looking for a transcript? We're now publishing all new podcast transcripts from here on out on our website podcast page - www.theecowell.com/podcast
This week we look at the polarized world of fragrance through the lens of one of the world's most decorated and celebrated perfumers, Christophe Laudamiel. We talked about fragrance formulas, the challenges of labelling “fragrance”, misconceptions, misinformation, and lots more! Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This week's episode featured Jaana Ailus. Formulation chemist and PhD researcher, Jaana is part of a growing Scandinavian skincare movement that is starting to emerge as one of the most influential markets in the world. We talked about trends, the cosmetic science scene, what products we wished we had developed and why, education opportunities and lots more. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
This week's episode is a 101 on the skin microbiome (and related skincare). There are so many bold claims in this space. What is the skin microbiome? How much do we really know at this point? Skin microbiome skincare - what’s out there, and is it worth the hype? To help us take a deep dive on this topic, this week’s episode featured microbiologist and skin microbiome researcher at Henkel, Dr Rainer Simmering. Enjoy!
Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
A few months ago on our discord server we hosted a panel discussion with a few industry experts across the cosmetics field and tried to tackle this common claim from a formulation perspective. Formulating with naturals. Are natural ingredients inherently better in some way? What about safety? Are you always better off with the natural option? I am joined in this discussion by regulatory expert Marie Dehlinger, perfumer and all around fragrance expert Pia Long and cosmetics formulator Annalisa Branca. So without further ado we’ll let the panel introduce themselves and we’ll start with Marie. Enjoy the show.
Interested in supporting the work we do? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
New podcast alert! Part 2 of our 2 part season finale featuring Dr Ricardo Diez. In part 1 we talked about the rise of the alternative (facts) cosmetics industry. This episode dove into the how. From false equivalency via self proclaimed experts, to wide spread fallacies that are spread as fact. The bastardization of science, to the EWG - how they cherry pick research to drive their agenda, and use fear to capture the market. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! Want to support the podcast? Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.