Skin Anarchy

In this episode of Skin Anarchy, Dr. Ekta sits down with Natasha Denona for a rare, reflective conversation that traces the creative and philosophical roots of one of modern makeup’s most influential brands. Known for palettes that have become industry benchmarks, Natasha opens up about how her work has always been driven less by trends—and more by intention, education, and respect for the user.Growing up between science and art shaped everything. Natasha’s mother, a chemist in inorganic chemistry, exposed her early to laboratories, precision, and technical thinking. While chemistry itself didn’t immediately click, the discipline behind it did. That structured curiosity later resurfaced in how Natasha approaches formulation, texture, and product architecture—where creativity is always grounded in control.Before makeup, there was painting, theater, and dance. Natasha shares how color became both emotional language and psychological tool, first explored through art and stage makeup. That foundation explains why her palettes feel cohesive yet expressive—each one designed as a complete story rather than a collection of random shades.A defining theme of the episode is education. Natasha doesn’t create products to sit on a shelf; she designs tools that teach. Long before “educational beauty” became a marketing buzzword, her launches embedded technique—guiding users through layering, sculpting, and dimension the way professional artists actually work.Rather than chasing novelty, Natasha deliberately builds for longevity. Palettes like Biba and Camel weren’t designed for a moment—they were designed to last across ages, skin tones, and styles. Inclusivity, she explains, has always been non-negotiable, not performative. Her decision to launch 52 foundation shades wasn’t strategic—it was personal.Throughout the conversation, one belief remains constant: the product should be the star. Natasha never wanted her image to overshadow the work itself.Listen to the full episode of Skin Anarchy to hear Natasha Denona reflect on creativity, inclusivity, and why true innovation in beauty comes from intention—not trends.SHOP NATASHA DENONA CHAPTERS:(0:02) - Welcome & Introducing Natasha Denona(1:14) - Growing Up Around Science, Art, and Photography(4:43) - Early Relationship With Color, Makeup, and Expression(6:11) - From Dance & Modeling to Makeup Artistry(7:26) - Building Iconic Color Stories & Palette Philosophy(9:05) - Inclusivity as a Core Creative Principle(13:19) - Creating Complexion Products at Scale(17:05) - Longevity, Creativity, and Avoiding Trends(24:08) - Entrepreneurship, Visibility, and Authentic LeadershipPlease fill out this survey to give us feedback on the show!Don’t forget to subscribe to Skin Anarchy on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred platform.Reach out to us through email with any questions.Sign up for our newsletter!Shop all our episodes and products mentioned through our ShopMy Shelf! Hosted on Acast. See

In this episode of Skin Anarchy, Dr. Ekta sits down with Denise Vasi, founder and creative force behind MAED, for a thoughtful conversation about building beauty with intention, patience, and care. Denise’s path into the industry began early—signed to Ford Models and immersed in on-set artistry long before social media shaped beauty culture. Those formative years, paired with memories of her grandmother’s at-home esthetic rituals, planted the seed for a philosophy rooted in preparation, respect, and craft.Before MAED ever existed, Denise built something rarer than hype: community. Through years of honest storytelling around wellness, motherhood, and clean living, she created a dialogue with women who trusted her voice. That trust shaped MAED’s slow, deliberate evolution. Rather than chasing trends or speed, Denise chose to listen—developing products only when they solved real, lived problems.At the heart of the brand is a deceptively complex product: the red lip. Denise unpacks why most formulas fail—dryness, poor undertones, and exclusion baked into development—and how MAED set out to fix that. Comfort came first, followed by rigorous testing across skin tones, lip shapes, ages, and backgrounds. Inclusivity, she explains, isn’t a campaign—it’s formulation, design, and function.Central to MAED’s ethos is one guiding principle: care before color. Lips lack oil glands and cannot repair themselves without real barrier support. MAED’s formulas focus on hydration, resilience, and wear—so color performs because the foundation is healthy.Beyond product, the conversation explores beauty as ritual and self-expression. The red lip becomes more than pigment—it’s confidence, protection, and presence.Listen to the full episode to hear Denise Vasi share the philosophy behind MAED, the science of lip health, and why meaningful beauty innovation starts with care—not trends.SHOP MAED and learn more on their social media!CHAPTERS:(0:02) - Introduction & Welcoming Denise Vasi(0:59) - Early Career: Modeling, Beauty Sets & Formative Influences(2:16) - Building Community Through Editorial & Made.co(4:48) - Slow Beauty, Brand Intention & Resisting Trend Cycles(7:13) - Reimagining the Modern Red Lip(8:04) - Formulation, Testing & True Inclusivity(12:16) - What Inclusivity Really Means in Beauty(16:30) - Lip Health, Barrier Science & Care-First Formulation(23:10) - Care Before Color & The Cultural Power of a Red LipPlease fill out this survey to give us feedback on the show!Don’t forget to subscribe to Skin Anarchy on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred platform.Reach out to us through email with any questions.Sign up for our newsletter!Shop all our episodes and products mentioned through our ShopMy Shelf! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Skin Anarchy, Dr. Ekta Yadav sits down with Michele Henry, founder and CEO of FACE FOUNDRIÉ, to explore how the facial industry is being quietly—but fundamentally—rewritten. What began as a personal frustration became a scalable solution: professional skincare that’s consistent, accessible, and designed for real life, not just special occasions.After her third child, Michele found herself stuck between facials that were either overly luxurious, prohibitively expensive, or wildly inconsistent. She wanted results, education, and efficiency—without the intimidation. When that middle ground didn’t exist, she built it. FACE FOUNDRIÉ's facial-bar model challenged long-standing spa norms by focusing exclusively on high-quality facial services delivered quickly, clearly, and consistently.A central theme of the conversation is accessibility. Michele rejects the idea that skincare should feel exclusive or confusing. Transparent pricing and monthly memberships make frequency possible—and frequency, she explains, is what actually drives results. Prestige may impress, but approachability scales.Behind the scenes, FACE FOUNDRIÉ's real innovation is operational. Standardized protocols ensure clients receive the same experience across locations, while personalization comes through targeted enhancements layered on top—not improvisation. Technology tracks treatments and progress, reinforcing consistency as a clinical standard.The episode also tackles a common misconception: that advanced at-home products can replace professional care. Michele makes the case that treatments and products work best together—services like dermaplaning, peels, and extractions create the conditions for skincare to truly perform.At its core, FACE FOUNDRIÉ is about emotional safety as much as skin health. Clients choose how they want to experience their facial—quiet or educational—in spaces designed to feel welcoming, not intimidating.Listen to the full episode to hear how Michele Henry is redefining professional skincare—making results-driven facials scalable, sustainable, and built for everyday life.Learn more about Face Foundarié on their website and social media!CHAPTERS:(0:02) - Introduction & Face Foundrie Overview(0:59) - Michele’s Personal Journey & The Origin Story(2:16) - Reimagining the Facial Bar Model(3:23) - Early Trial, Error & Rapid Pivot(5:26) - Accessibility, Memberships & Breaking Prestige Barriers(7:16) - Results-Driven Protocols vs Luxury Spa Experiences(8:23) - Consistency, Personalization & Scalable Systems(10:26) - Franchising Face Foundrie & National Growth(13:35) - Technology, AI & The Future of Skin Care ExperiencesPlease fill out this survey to give us feedback on the show!Don’t forget to subscribe to Skin Anarchy on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred platform.Reach out to us through email with any questions.Sign up for our newsletter!Shop all our episodes and products mentioned through our ShopMy Shelf

In this episode of Skin Anarchy, Dr. Ekta Yadav sits down with Smitha Rao—biotechnologist, longtime beauty innovator, and founder of Pareva Beauty—for a grounded, science-first conversation on what skin longevity actually means. Part of the Lessons in Longevity series, this episode challenges the tired idea of “anti-aging” and reframes skincare as long-term biological support rather than surface-level correction.With nearly two decades in biotech and beauty, Smitha brings a rare perspective shaped by molecule development, patents licensed across major brands, and leadership roles behind more than 200 products. That experience revealed a growing disconnect: while consumers want clarity and real science, the industry often defaults to hype, fear-based claims, and trend chasing. Pareva Beauty was born as a response—built on transparency, rigor, and the belief that longevity is about extending skin function and resilience, not reversing time.At the center of the discussion is Molecur 3™, Pareva’s proprietary, plant-based technology inspired by the Hallmarks of Aging. Smitha explains how targeting inflammation, cellular stress, and age-related decline—rather than isolated “anti-aging” claims—creates a more realistic and sustainable path for skin health. The conversation also dives into plant-derived exosomal signaling, why it differs from human-derived systems, and how it offers a safer, scalable approach for topical longevity skincare.Together, Dr. Ekta and Smitha unpack why fewer, better-designed products outperform complex routines, why transparency matters more than vague “clean” labels, and how longevity skincare must earn trust through data—not promises.Listen to the full episode to hear how Smitha Rao is helping redefine the future of skincare—where science, honesty, and long-term skin health come first.Shop Parëva Beauty and use code SA20 for 20% through 3/17.CHAPTERS:(0:02) - Introduction, Lessons in Longevity & Smitha Rao(1:21) - From Biotech to Beauty Innovation(2:50) - Why Pareva Was Created & The Longevity Gap(3:33) - Defining Skin Longevity & Extending Your Prime(5:38) - Rejecting Anti-Aging & Reframing Aging Quality(8:51) - Molecure 3™: Hallmarks of Aging Inspiration(10:27) - Plant Stem Cells, NAD⁺ & Exosome Signaling(14:00) - Exosomes Explained: Plant vs Human-Derived(22:51) - Simplifying Skincare: Fewer Steps, Better ResultsPlease fill out this survey to give us feedback on the show!Don’t forget to subscribe to Skin Anarchy on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred platform.Reach out to us through email with any questions.Sign up for our newsletter!Shop all our episodes and products mentioned through our ShopMy Shelf!*This is a paid collaboration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Skin Anarchy, Dr. Ekta Yadav sits down with Dr. Alexes Hazen—board-certified plastic surgeon, microsurgery specialist, and founder of Zen Essentials—for a thoughtful conversation on skin health, ethical aesthetics, and why real results can never be separated from whole-body well-being. With a background that spans public health, global medicine, and some of the most technically demanding surgical training, Dr. Hazen brings a rare depth to how she thinks about beauty, healing, and care.Her path to medicine was anything but linear. From working with the New York City Department of Health during the AIDS crisis to serving in the Peace Corps in Honduras, Dr. Hazen learned early that medicine isn’t just technical—it’s human. Those experiences shaped a philosophy she carries into every aspect of her work today: outcomes are influenced as much by mental health, sleep, nutrition, and support systems as they are by surgical skill.Throughout the conversation, Dr. Hazen challenges the surface-level thinking that dominates skincare culture. Skin, she reminds us, is an organ—and it reflects what’s happening internally. No product can compensate for chronic stress, dehydration, or exhaustion. When those fundamentals are addressed, skincare finally has the space to work as it should.She also speaks candidly about ethics in aesthetic medicine—why board certification matters, why saying “no” is sometimes the most responsible choice, and how listening to patients should always come before selling solutions.That same restraint and intention led to the creation of Zen Essentials, born from Dr. Hazen’s own struggles with severe skin sensitivities. Designed to be effective yet calming, the line reflects her belief that skincare should support the body—not fight it.Listen to the full episode to hear Dr. Alexes Hazen unpack holistic healing, ethical aesthetics, and why real skin health starts with caring for the whole person.SHOP Zen Essentials and learn more on social media!CHAPTERS:(0:02) - Introduction & Guest Welcome(0:46) - A Nonlinear Path Into Medicine(1:26) - Public Health, AIDS Education & the Peace Corps(2:46) - Falling in Love With Surgery & Plastic Surgery Training(3:01) - Early Burn Injury, Scars & Coming Full Circle(4:12) - Why Holistic Care Matters in Surgical Outcomes(8:40) - Skin as a Reflection of Whole-Body Health(11:22) - Ethics, Training & Responsibility in Aesthetic Surgery(26:21) - The Origins of Zen Essentials & Sensitive Skin SciencePlease fill out this survey to give us feedback on the show!Don’t forget to subscribe to Skin Anarchy on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred platform.Reach out to us through email with any questions.Sign up for our newsletter!Shop all our episodes and products mentioned through our ShopMy Shelf!*This is a paid collaboration Hosted on Acast. See