The Eco Well podcast

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. 

Interested in supporting the podcast? Please subscribe, review and share! If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page which you can find www.patreon.com/theecowell

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!

Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on patreon at www.patreon.com/theeecowell

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. 

Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell

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. 

Want to support the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell

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!

Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell

This one featured Michelle Wong, Lalita Iyer and Esther Olu. Our take on Not So Pretty.

Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell

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!

Want to support the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell

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!

Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell

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

This podcast featured Dr. Ricardo Diez, AKA The Prof - industry veteran, he’s now a professor in the cosmetics science masters program at Rutgers University. Part 1 of our 2 part season finale on the rise of the “alternative” (facts) cosmetics industry. This was one of my favorite interviews to date! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

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This week we spoke with Sam Farmer. In an industry led by pseudoscience marketing noise, Sam is someone I’ve long admired for going against the grain with his brand to stand up for reason in the cosmetics space. This conversation aired live on our discord and featured Sam’s perspective on what it means to ethically navigate the cosmetics industry as a father, an indie beauty brand and as a consumer. Enjoy!

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This week I talked with cosmetic chemist Esther Olu, otherwise known as @themelaninchemist on IG. This episode focused on the testing brands should be doing before placing their products on the market - what are the tests, what do they involve, why do they need to be done, which order makes the most sense, regulations, misconceptions and more. This is something that I’ve seen a lot of confusion on, especially with smaller brands in the North American space. Whether your a prospective brand founder or a curious consumer, I hope you find this episode helpful.

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How can biotechnology help us create greener, and better products? This podcast featured a roundtable discussion with Christian Euler, strain engineer at Phycus Biotech, Jasmina Aganovic, entrepreneur in residence at Ginkgo Bioworks, and Kevin Folta, horticultural researcher and host of the Talking Biotech Podcast. We talked about what's out there and what may be out there over the next decade, impact, challenges (e.g. with scaling up), certifications and how they should and could grow with the science, regulations, and the hot topic of "GMOs" - misconceptions, which there are A LOT of, vs reality. What does the body of scientific evidence have to say at this point? This was one of my favorite panels recorded - the potential of biotechnology is something that I'm really excited about. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!

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This episode featured Marisa Plescia on how to become a cosmetic chemist! What is a cosmetic chemist? Educational requirements and job opportunities? How to land your first job, and how to grow in your career. If you are considering a career in cosmetic sciences, I hope you find this conversation helpful! 

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This week's episode featured a roundtable discussion on the topic of the Skin Microbiome and Skin Microbiome Related Products, featuring pharmacist and founder of Gallinee, Dr Marie Drago, dermatologist and dermatopathologist, Dr Aegean Chan, and microbiologist studying the topic over at Henkel, Dr Rainer Simmering. What is the skin microbiome? How does it relate to the condition of your skin? Can cosmetics impact it - for the better or worse? Where are we at with our current understanding and what are the limitations? While we may have a long way to go to impact the skin microbiome in a meaningful way, the future of skin microbiome skincare is bright. This was an information packed conversation, hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

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This episode featured regulatory toxicologist Stephen Kirk, cosmetic chemist Dr Anke Ginzburg, and Dr Theresa Callaghan, the woman who literally wrote the book on claims for the cosmetics industry, in a roundtable discussion to answer the question ‘what can cosmetic products really do?’ From safety to efficacy, what’s on the label to what’s not. This conversation addresses skin physiological impacts, claims, toxicology, regulations and more. Disclaimer - this is definitely one of our more into-the-weeds episodes. If you’re into the nitty gritties, this one’s for you!

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This week's episode featured a conversation with Gloria and Victoria from Chemist Confessions. We covered A LOT: What it’s like to be a cosmetic chemist, tips to become one, effectively communicating science, managing an online platform - navigating brand partnerships while still keeping true to your message is tough. Launching a brand, and keeping the brand going during the pandemic is too - we’re all surviving the supply chain disruptions that have become the norm. For anyone looking to jump into something with both feet, the start of Chemist Confessions should give you some inspiration. Enjoy!

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New podcast alert! This week's episode featured Marcel Schnyder, Head of BASF's global technical center for suncare in a deep dive into sunscreens. From filters and their performance and safety, to misconceptions, environmental impact, to regulations. Variability in SPF testing results have been a hot topic as of late. Why can/do different labs produce differing SPF results for the same product? Are there inherent limitations with the way we are currently testing SPF? Also covered - why DIY sunscreens aren't a good idea, the complexity of suncare formulations, and tips for brands thinking about launching a sunscreen. This was an information packed episode. How you enjoy it as much as I did!

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This episode featured a roundtable discussion with 3 indie brands I think are doing an excellent job, especially around, in my opinion, ethically marketing their products. Included in the discussion was Natasha from Apothaka Skincare, Jordan from Jordan Samuel Skin, and Natalie from Deviant Skincare. We talked about the challenges for small brands in the current marketplace - from ethically marketing, to accessing minimums, finding a good contract manufacturer, to taking the right steps to safely, and effectively, launch a product. Whether you’re a consumer looking for a behind the scenes look at what it takes to launch a brand, or a brand looking for insights for growth, I hope you find this conversation helpful!

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This week featured claims expert, Carys Smith, who is the current regulatory and sales director over at Ayton Global Research, a company who helps brands with their claims substantiation. Despite some misconceptions online, claims are regulated, and no, companies can not just say what they want. In this conversation, we dove into what a claim is, what the different types of claims out there include, and what is the level of evidence behind them, regulatory enforcement from region to region, brands falling through the regulatory cracks, what claims we deem as ‘unethical’ and why, a general how-to for brands to effectively make compliant claims, and a run down for consumers for what to look for with respect to noncompliance.

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Something that I have personally noticed online, is that there seems to be quite the disparity in credibility from estheticians. While there are so many in my network that put out fabulous information, there are also many perpetuating the same old marketing myths and misinformation. On our season last year, feat. @andymillward_ - I found out that this disparity may come down to the gaps in training and, perhaps, lack of standardization, at least from the UK perspective, where some facialists may have years of training, some may have days. Some may have gotten their hands on experience under a single brand - who may or may not be giving them correct information, some with many. I can only imagine how frustrating this may be for both estheticians, especially highly trained ones, and their clients, where finding a good one may feel a bit like Russian Roulette. So in this episode, I wanted to broaden the conversation to a roundtable featuring estheticians from around the world. What is the variety of training in your region? Is there any kind of standardization to ensure everyone is trained to a sufficient level? How can things improve in your area? And for the everyday person, with all of this in mind, how can we go about finding a good esthetician? Featured in the conversation, Andy Milward (@andymilward_), Eunice Cofie-Obeng (@eunicecofie), Presley McGlashing (@presleycharlotteskintherapy), Justin Spracklin (@maximumskin), and Jillian E (@estheholic)

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