Divine Skintervention
Divine Skintervention is an angelic exploration of skincare, beauty and culture. Hosted by cosmetic chemist Ramón Pagán and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Angelo Landriscina, each episode delves deep into the phenomena defining aesthetics, personal care and the current zeitgeist to unlock the celestial truths surrounding beauty… with a side of sass.
Divine Skintervention
Summer Faves and Empties
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In this week’s Divine Skintervention, Angelo and Ramon share with their Heavenly Thotties what skincare and makeup they’ve been loving during the summertime! Whether it’s empties or just top shelf go-tos, the boys break down what goes into a summertime holy grail, and which products have made the cut this year!
Ramón
https://www.instagram.com/glowbyramon/
https://www.tiktok.com/@glowbyramon
https://www.youtube.com/glowbyramon
Angelo
https://www.instagram.com/dermangelo
https://www.tiktok.com/@dermangelo
https://www.youtube.com/dermangelo
Hi Angelo.
SPEAKER_00Hi Ramon. How are we doing? Fabulous. It's still summertime.
SPEAKER_02There's no summertime sadness here.
SPEAKER_00Right? Especially when you're listening to Divine Skin Intervention, which is why you should be subscribed on whatever platform you're listening to us on. So do that right now so you don't miss an episode.
SPEAKER_02I'm your sign language interpreter.
SPEAKER_00Thank you for that. Yeah. So uh what like trends have you been loving this summer? I have a few in mind from social media.
SPEAKER_02What do you say, like uh audio trends or like just like little TikTok thing trends? Yeah, anything like that.
SPEAKER_00Like, yeah. I right before this, I was going, Gocona water.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, little sound bites. We would talk about little sound bites. I think the so there right now uh we're in the middle of the five things that are worth the money. And there's like the different editions. So someone was like, five restaurants in New York that are worth the money. Okay. And I just gone to one of them, Lourdes in West Village.
SPEAKER_00Lords.
SPEAKER_02It's like a British pub style thing. I want my best friend because she's pregnant and she's trying to eat her way through like all her favorite restaurants. But the shtick with Lord's is apparently they only make 12 hamburgers in a day. And that's like you have to get there right at open, request the burger right when you sit down, and they you only the first 12 people get them. So we were there right at open.
SPEAKER_00Did you get the burger?
SPEAKER_02It was a good burger, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Okay, is there a reason why they should only be making 12 of them? I do not have a reason.
SPEAKER_02But it's a British pub style restaurant, so like they have other staples. Um, I didn't get them, but the Scottish eggs.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_02Which are really good.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, and yet other stuff.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Okay. What are what are five things exp well does it have to be expensive things?
SPEAKER_02Just like things that are worth investing money in.
SPEAKER_00It doesn't have to be expensive, but if you can have a cheaper versus more expensive version, then I made one of these videos, but if you had to off the top of your head name five things that are worth it. Um we could go like one for one.
SPEAKER_02Comfort plus. Ooh. Because usually, I mean, especially I'm a Delta girl, delta down. Um, you get the you get the bag automatically. Um, also you get unlimited booze. Um and we've talked about that before. If it's international, I if I can justify it in terms of like the flight being 10 hours or more, maybe eight hours or more, I will get first class.
SPEAKER_00On that, okay, I think I'm becoming a delta person slowly, but checking a bag is worth it to me. Even if I'm not carrying a huge bag, like I hate walking through the airport, like lugging the carry-on, and I want to be able to bring whatever product I want and not have to like stick it in the little bag.
SPEAKER_02I I love a full-size product for body and hair, especially. I like a bigger size product. Uh, travel size is just not worth the money, it's not economical. And you can decant, and like I'm grateful I have the ability with lab stuff I can like decant into like uh we call them stability jars. But why not just pack? I'm not doing that with uh body oil, for example. But uh booking flights for friends and whatnot, or just hearing other people, like Delta has, I guess, the most unanimous across the board, uh positive customer whatever is other airlines. You have to pay for bags, I think any tier that you purchase your ticket in. Delta, I have status with Delta, but Delta's really good about um accommodating things, they're really customer focused, in my opinion. So Delta's where it's at.
SPEAKER_00Okay, this is not an ad, but Delta, if you do want to sponsor us.
SPEAKER_02Delta, I'm Delta Platinum.
SPEAKER_00Ooh. Why aren't you diamond medallion yet?
SPEAKER_02Girl, I don't I don't ball out like that. Let me tell you right now. Again, I only fly first class if the flight is eight hours or longer. And thankfully, between here and Europe, you can usually do that for like six.
SPEAKER_00What is your second thing that you would say would be worth it? A good shoe. A good sturdy shoe.
SPEAKER_02Um, I'm wearing Alohas right now because I really like these like casual loafer style. They say leather. I don't know about all that, but um, I have some pairs of like really nice high-quality leather loafers that I bought in London. I have walked hundreds of thousands of steps in those loafers, and what's nice is I can take the loafers to the actual store. I forgot what brand it is, like Crockett and Jones, I think. It's like a British leather goods brand.
SPEAKER_00Sounds British.
SPEAKER_02And they they just repair the shoe. Scuffs, chips, all that. They just, it's like a brand new pair, basically. So it's having a good quality leather shoe loafer that uh, especially like the brands are really good about maintaining them. Because like you can do that with uh, for example, like Gucci in the wallets, no?
SPEAKER_00I don't know about Gucci, but there are certain um yeah, like high-end uh brands that will do like after sales stuff. Like Hermes is y'all are gonna hate me for saying that. They're like notorious for this, and so um even I have bought like vintage Hermes pieces that I bring to them and they'll like repair it for you. They don't care if you if you're the one who bought it from the boutique. So right now I just bought a bag that's like from 1968 or something, and they've like restored it for me. It costs money, but like they they just worked on it.
SPEAKER_02They honor the fact that it is still Hermes, so they're yeah, that's cute.
SPEAKER_00Quite often when you buy stuff on the secondary market for Hermes 2, like that's your way of authenticating it because they could tell if it's fake and they won't send it back to you. That's crazy. They say it's illegal to ship counterfeit merchandise, so like once it ends up in Paris at their thing, they're they're they're just like, we're not sending it back.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_00T. Okay. So what would my second thing be? Um, good sunglasses, I would say. A lot of people say, Oh, I lose them. I can't for me, it's like I'll have sunglasses for like I've had some for over a decade, like 15 years or something. And I think protecting your eyes is really important. You will not not catch me outside during the daytime without sunglasses unless the visibility is bad.
SPEAKER_02Is it a matter of the lens themselves and how they're protecting their actual eyes, or more so the like uh this part protecting here from like UV and all that?
SPEAKER_00I would say, like, for me, the thing about like good sunglasses is yeah, having something that you know has good UV protection. So that would be UV 400, meaning it provides protection across the entire spectrum. Um, and I think having something with a nice frame, like a sturdy frame, is good too. It's one of those things where it's like if they break on you, it's like you could be replacing them over and over and over again versus if you get one really good pair, it could last you like like I'm saying, I have some for 12, 13 years at this point. So it was worth it.
SPEAKER_02I think mine is like, and here's the deal, we talk about this, and I'm gonna preface this right now because people always take things out of context. I love drugstore products, I love drugstore sunscreens. Those are some of my favorite sunscreens, but if investing in a sunscreen that you really love and that you'll want to wear every day does it for you and makes you want to reapply and apply enough uh religiously, investing in a sunscreen that you really like, no matter what price category it is.
SPEAKER_00That was one of mine that I put in my video on TikTok. It's like getting one that you know you will actually use.
SPEAKER_02And for some people that involves importing them, which I also do love. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00We've had a lot of people in our comments recently talking about how like they are diehard Korean sunscreen people, and like, you know what? Good. Wear it.
SPEAKER_02So as long as it incentivizes you to use your sun protection, and that extends also just like UPF clothing, plugging sole right now. Um, yeah, just your suns, your sun protection wardrobe. Whatever's gonna make you be sun safe, invest in that.
SPEAKER_00Hmm, what else could I say? Okay, for content creators, uh buying a microphone.
SPEAKER_02Oh yeah. Obviously, we upgraded our setup a few episodes back, and that was a godsend. And for for me, I say the first upgrade should be lighting.
SPEAKER_00Lighting, yeah. You know what? Um getting a good ring light, I think, is very helpful. For me, like my classic setup for my short form is literally just a ring light, and I have a little road microphone. I think the model that I have is like they don't even make it anymore, it's discontinued. But antique. Antique. But like, yeah, getting set up with that, it's like the quality goes up so much, and it's such a small investment, and it's easy to the point where it's like I'm still using it so many years later. I haven't done anything fancy. Well, except for this. But yeah.
SPEAKER_02Uh, my next one is I love a topical product, and I do believe that topicals can get you so far, but investing the money in a proper treatment or procedure to really get the skin goals in a more realistic way, like uh especially when it comes to fullness, smoothness, sometimes you need the Botox, you need the injectable, or you do need a peel or laser.
SPEAKER_00Obviously, I co-sign that. I think for a lot of things that people are looking to work on, especially things like discoloration, um, sun damage, dark spots, textural issues, it's like, yes, top goals will help, especially if you're making your way up toward the prescriptions, but um, nothing is gonna really hit like an energy-based device and injectable. And I've said it here before: if your VIB rouge at Sephora, you could afford a laser treatment. So, you know, if you're already dropping all of that money on just like products, maybe think about, you know, going more on the drugstore end and then saving that money for uh in-office treatment.
SPEAKER_02That's why I love the high-low moment. Really great affordable skincare to maintain, a lot of preventative stuff, and to achieve, again, some degree of a topical benefit, but really investing the money, the the real brunt of that uh financial not burden, but financial expenditure on an actual treatment.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Ooh. That brings to mind right now, it's like I laser myself all the time because I have access.
SPEAKER_02Um like laser hair removal smooth.
SPEAKER_00Ooh. No, I'm just naturally smooth like that. But ooh, um, yeah, but of like, yeah, and then I'm going home and like using my Neutrogena cleanser and my hydro boost. So it's like, you know, high low really is a thing.
SPEAKER_02It is.
SPEAKER_00Ooh, I have to give you one more.
SPEAKER_02Um was that number four or five?
SPEAKER_00That was four, I think, for you. Yeah. You know what? A good meal sometimes, like at a nice restaurant for an occasion. It's not something that like usually I cook at home. I don't go to a ton of restaurants, but I think having a culinary experience every now and again at a place where it's like it's a good story, it's maybe a tasting menu and like treating yourself to that. Um, I actually went to one with my sisters not long ago that's somewhere in Brooklyn where it was like um, you know, very artfully prepared Mexican food with drink pairings and everything. And it was like truthfully not as expensive as I thought it would be for like 11 courses. But like a meal like that to enjoy with people, I think is definitely worth it. Like it's something I'm I'm still thinking about like a month later.
SPEAKER_02So no, I agree, especially when you're traveling, like really finding one good spot. Or there's uh Edinburgh is one of my favorite cities I've ever gone to randomly. There's not much to do there, but it's still a gorgeous city. We went to a restaurant that was multi-course, I don't think it was like super expensive, but gorgeous, gorgeous um meal. And like what stood out to me, and I still think about it to this day because it was still fucking good. They it's not humane. It's a crab stew, and they serve it inside the crab shell, and it was like really buttery, really decadent, really rich. I think about that so often. It's so good.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's like sometimes it's like you'll have that sense memory from something. Yeah. So, what's your fifth?
SPEAKER_02My fifth one, and it's really random. I don't think, and it it's not so much uh expensive, it's just one of those things where spending the money for the memory is if you're traveling anywhere or even like wherever you live, look it up. An Airbnb experience.
SPEAKER_00Oh, really?
SPEAKER_02Somewhere, I forgot. I think my best friend told me about it, and we did our first one in Paris, and it was a pastry making class, and we got to make croissants, chocolate croissants, cinnamon rolls. So we got to bake and like learn how to like actually prep them, and then we prepped the dough for the next class after us so that we could do like all steps of it. That was really fun. In Italy, we no, in uh France we also did a champagne tour, and then in Italy we did a Prosecco Hills tour. Ooh, and it's fun, it's not super expensive, it allows you to try something really different, and a lot of times you're doing it with other people as well, so it's a cute little like socializing moment.
SPEAKER_00I think my last one, you inspired me, like good cookware.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00I mean, if you're somebody who like cooks all the time, like I'm cooking every single day, and uh there's some things that like I think oh people think they could cheap out on. I'm thinking right now of like enameled cast iron, cheap knives, cheap knives that don't cut. Like that's actually dangerous. It's like easier to cut yourself if you have like knives that aren't sharp. But I'm specifically remembering I wanted an enameled cast iron skillet, and I did get one from Le Crusade. Like, I have a lot of their stuff, and it's very expensive. You can find it on sale a lot though. Um, and I needed another small one, so I just found a really well-reviewed, cheap one that was like 20 bucks, and then like all of the enamel is cracked now, like, and I'm just using it regularly, and like all of my Le Crusse stuff is like pristine, still really nice. So I think uh yeah, sometimes you get what you pay for, and also with things like that pots and pans, that's another thing that you could have for years. Like it could, especially some of this cast iron stuff could last longer than years. Generations. So I think it's worth it, especially if you cook a lot.
SPEAKER_02Okay, paint me a picture. I'm going to your house. Yeah. You're making me a meal. What's like the Durham Angelo special?
SPEAKER_00The Durham Angelo special. Um, I would say, and I think this came up before, like, if I'm really trying to impress people, I will do a um pizza homemade, everything from scratch.
SPEAKER_03Ooh.
SPEAKER_00Like I make the dough and everything.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_00Um, or I like doing brunch at my house, and I'll make like a Dutch baby. It's cute. Or um if I really wanna like pull out all the stops, like if I'm like when I host Thanksgiving, I don't like turkeys, so I don't make turkey, so I'll like braise some chicken. Speaking of Le Crusade, that Dutch oven, it's like so tender.
SPEAKER_02That sounds delicious. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So um another trend recently is the you shaved your bush trend.
SPEAKER_02Oh yeah, the the the tone.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so I think the first is I think it's supportive or excited or wait, yeah. Can you look this up, Jorge? Thank you. This is why we have a producer. Okay, so you go first, Ramon. Supportive.
SPEAKER_02You shave your bush.
SPEAKER_00That was pretty good.
SPEAKER_02I'm a great actor.
SPEAKER_00Damn, and so humble.
SPEAKER_02You shaved your bush! That's good, that was good. You shaved your bush.
SPEAKER_00Oh I felt like you were disappointed in me.
SPEAKER_02I did I just started watching Sex in the City, so in my head I'm just channeling each of the different characters. That was Charlotte.
SPEAKER_00You shaved your bush?
SPEAKER_02I was more like questioning. Like judgmental.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Because I was disappointed.
SPEAKER_02Oh, I'm bad at angry. You shaved your bush.
SPEAKER_00Which one was that?
SPEAKER_02Angry.
SPEAKER_00Who?
SPEAKER_02You shaved your bush. Thank you.
SPEAKER_00I think my angry would be like you shaved your bush.
SPEAKER_02It's very like Italian. You shaved your bush.
SPEAKER_00Okay, what would my sarcastic be?
SPEAKER_02Also Italian.
SPEAKER_00You shaved your bush. Okay. Oh the giggles.
SPEAKER_02I gotta see this, I can see a second. You shaved your bush.
SPEAKER_00Did that get you a little wet? You shaved your bush.
SPEAKER_02Is that it? The Oscar goes to me. Oh, I'm so bad at this. I can't do scared. So I'm trying to try to characterize this. Why am I scared that you shaved your bush? I'm saying what's underneath it. You shaved your bush. No, I can't do it. I tried.
SPEAKER_00Um you just scream.
SPEAKER_02You shriek.
SPEAKER_00I was thinking I was gonna do that. You shaved your bush!
SPEAKER_02Wait, that's really good. You know what I thought of? You know Mia Goth.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Have you heard her like talking voice? Yeah, she's like Australian. She's British. She's British.
SPEAKER_01But like her talking voice is like very light, very sweet. And she's like, no, I have a really good screen. If you want to hear it, and then she like fucking shrieks.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I I've seen this video. Yeah. That's what that gave.
SPEAKER_02Hi, Angelo.
SPEAKER_00Hi, Ramon. How are we feeling today? I'm feeling, you know what? Great. I have been trying to keep up with some of the daily habits that, you know, keep me on track.
SPEAKER_02So it's funny you say that. It's we're in New York right now, middle of summer. Granted, this is like this weird cool lull that we have where the temperatures are only up to the low 80s. High humidity, high heat. It's hard to really do comprehensive skincare. Feel like you've gotten all the things you need without feeling like heavy, greasy, nasty. Um, for me, though, I've always talked about simpler is better. One step, maybe two steps is all you need. What do you feel?
SPEAKER_00You know what? Music to my ears and to our audience. Just letting you know that this segment of our episode is sponsored by Haru Haru Wonder. And we're gonna be talking a little bit about, yeah, the overall routines and steps that help us really stay on track. I know for me, when it comes to lifestyle, when I am in the gym several days per week and I keep that as part of my routine, that definitely keeps me on track. I feel like I sleep better, I have better energy levels, my mood is better, I, you know, feel better about myself. Um and I have to find ways to find time for that to integrate it in and make it easier for myself.
SPEAKER_02That's literally the reason why I don't work out on a regular basis. Oh, really? Yeah, girl, because I'm just like, ugh, I'm not a morning person. And by the time I'm up, I'm like, ugh, it's too late in the morning. I don't want to work out or go on a run. Also, it gets too hot at some point, or you're just like, I cannot be outside. Um, I hate going to the gym.
SPEAKER_00So, what are what are your habits that keep you on track?
SPEAKER_02I mean, I do skincare every morning. I do skincare every morning, and then my nighttime routine, it's a very involved routine, but that's like my me time. Okay. I just love being in the bathroom, doing like the pre-shower routine, shower routine, post-shower routine. But yeah, in the morning, the process doesn't have to be difficult. It doesn't have to be long. I'll do a cleanse. And then, depending on what the vibe of the day is, sometimes that sunscreen step is the only step. I have oily acne-prone skin. And so sometimes sunscreen is the only step, especially because with a certain type of sunscreen. Today we're talking about this IntelliCome Cloud SPF from Haru Haru Wonder. This is FPF 60 Plus Broad Spectrum. You have the option to have a really lightweight milky texture, but still have it be moisturizing enough, like an oily skin, and still get that broad spectrum protection that you want every day.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think that's really important, especially for somebody like me. Like I have a kid. When you have kids, you know that the morning can be really hectic, and quite often you don't have time for that big extended skincare routine. So having a multifunctional product and something that you know you're gonna like reaching for is so important. Um, you know, what's something that you're looking for in a multifunctional product or a sunscreen that you know you're gonna want to use?
SPEAKER_02Fundamentally, it's like this could really be, this could really be your CRM moisturizer sunscreen in one. So that's why it's like really comprehensive post cleanse. Your sunscreen is basically a moisturizer with EV filters incorporated into it. And so with the Centellacom Cloud SPF, for example, you have Centella, you have hyaluronic acid, you have steramides, soothing, supporting the skin barrier, helping to moisturize the skin, and That way it's kind of like, okay, three steps in one. Just slap it on. While it's setting down, I'll brush my teeth, do my hair, get dressed. And then after that, by that point, this is set. I'll just go on top of my makeup. I actually have underneath my makeup today.
SPEAKER_00Ooh. Looking good as always.
SPEAKER_02Thank you. I mean, I always say it's not a matte formulation by any means, but it's really lightweight, sets down really quickly, really easily. And I love a semi-glowy sunscreen underneath underneath a really matte base. Because then it gives that really like natural skin finish vibe that I really like. It's glow by Ramon for a reason.
SPEAKER_00Ain't that the truth? Um, yeah, I think a lot of people don't realize that you don't need a separate moisturizer and sunscreen, that a lot of the ingredients are pretty similar. Not to say that you can't do that if you feel like it works for you, but um yeah, I'm quite often just splashing my face with water in the morning and then putting on my sunscreen and going. So having that one and done product, I think, is is so helpful.
SPEAKER_02And we we've talked about before your three essential steps in a morning routine or in a skincare routine overall, like the essentials good cleanser, a moisturizer, and then a sunscreen. So your morning routine can be no cleanse or quick cleanse, sunscreen done, nighttime cleanse the day away, moisturizer, ready for bed. But if those steps can include extra benefits, so again, daytime moisturizer, antioxidants, moisturizing ingredients, your sunscreen, it's three in one, a little bit more comprehensive. And with that, kids, play safe.
SPEAKER_00Always. Ramon, it's summer summer summer time. Um, and we have brought some of our summer favorite products. So, do you want to start?
SPEAKER_02Um, sure. I've done some content about this recently where in the US sunscreen launches have been more interesting to me. So I've shifted a lot of my sunscreen usage back to either American brands or the Korean brands who are coming to the US dropping FDA approved formulations. Uh, one of my favorite launches, and I bought these myself, uh, banana boat. They're sheer sensitive. This is uh supposed to replace their light as air.
SPEAKER_00Oh. I love light as air.
SPEAKER_02I know they're not the same, girl. I'll be so honest with you. It's literally like I have assumptions, but realistically, I don't know. And this is not like, oh, it has a new filter. No, it's the standard US filters. But this feels exactly like the Beauty of Joseph and Aquafresh to me.
SPEAKER_00Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_02It's really lightweight, super hydrating. The body version on the body disappears. Like you do not feel it. On the face, it's moisture. I have oily skin. It's really moisturizing and it's glowy, but it's not greasy. But uh 80-minute water resistant, this was like $10.
SPEAKER_00Um, I gotta check that out. She's very cute.
SPEAKER_02And she's like almost empty.
SPEAKER_00My first one is Differin Epiduo Acne Gel. So it's new, right? Yes, new as an OTC. So this is an acne medication. It actually has two medications in it: adaplene, which is a synthetic retinoid also known as differin gel, and uh benzoyl peroxide 2.5%. Um, this was prescription until like this month. It's now over the counter. I bought this myself because I've been breaking out. So I was like, I wanted some, but I prescribe this all the time. I think the key with this uh product, with this medication that I like is it's easy to be compliant with it because it's two medications in one. Benzoyl peroxide as a leave-on is still really effective at this lower percentage of 2.5%, even though in the wash-offs you're seeing anywhere from like four to ten percent. Um, for a lot of people, if they were restricted to over-the-counter before, doing a wash with the benzoyl peroxide, I think sometimes made things a little bit tricky as far as like when you shower and what time you do it, and like doing that at the same time as stretinoin doesn't work because stretinoin's unstable. This is like one thing that people could put on. The retinoid in it is like really good for sensitive skin. I'm glad that it's over the counter now because I mean, this three-month supply I think was like $35. Look, if you could get the prescription version covered by insurance, great. But I think, yeah, anytime that something like this comes out as an OTC, I get very happy. It like just adds access for people.
SPEAKER_02I remember the Epiduo commercials back in the day when that first launched as a drug.
SPEAKER_00I remember different gel commercials, like from what before Epiduo existed. There's also a stronger version of this that's still prescription called Epiduo Forte, which has instead of 0.1% adaplene, 0.3% of it has been shown that 0.3% adapene actually treats existing acne scars, so actual depressed scarring, like defects in the skin. They did show also with the split face study that using regular epiduo prevented acne scarring in people with acne. So, which makes sense, you're treating the acne, you should be preventing scarring. Um, a great option.
SPEAKER_02Does it mean irritation potential still higher or I mean it's uh with what? Just a combination of both of those together, and obviously the retinoid and benzo peroxide is a leave-on.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, there is uh definitely irritation potential. So just like any retinoid product, people should work into it slowly, start out like three days a week, work up to daily. One of the good things about using adaplene, also is like it doesn't really matter if you use it in the morning or at night. So another reason why this is easy to integrate into people's routines, do whatever's easier for you. Um, if you're like literally running out the door in the morning, but you spend more time on your skincare at night, you can integrate that step. Always use it with moisturizer, sunscreen during the day.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. Speaking of which, another sunscreen. Uh Geek and Gorgeous, their Zero Fuel SPF 50. Um, this is like the sunscreen of the summer. Geek and Gorgeous's whole thing is really amazing formulations for their skincare. They're really transparent about like what uh complexes they use. So really fun formulations, but they're really affordable. I believe this, so this is 75 mil, 2.5 ounces. You can get this for less than $15. Um, SPF 50. Um, so here's the deal. This is a European brand, uses international filters. Oh, this is also like they confirmed it is 40-minute water and soil resistant. They sell the same exact formulation in the US, filters and everything, under their zero field day cream. Caveat to that is I don't know how legal that is. Regulatory-wise, and we've seen other brands do this in like the last five years. Um if you sell an EU sunscreen with the EU filters in the US, but don't say it's an SPF, that's a very, I think it's actually a little bit less of a gray area. I think it's still very like, mm, you shouldn't be doing that. They are, they told me via DN that they're trying to ensure and make sure that it is fine, but in the meantime, it's still available for sale in the US under the day cream, same exact formulation, but I like this because it's a nice creamy texture. Matt. Matte.
SPEAKER_00Does it have an SPF rating on like the US version, the day cream?
SPEAKER_02Because they can't they can't say anything about SPF protection. But it's the same exact formulation.
SPEAKER_00Okay, interesting.
SPEAKER_02Also, the UVA PF of this is actually really high. I think it's like 20, it's above 20. I forget what number it is. It's on the international website.
SPEAKER_00Okay, slightly. We love a good sunscreen.
SPEAKER_02For again, less than $15.
SPEAKER_00Okay. I have on, for those of you who could see us, I'll describe to those of you who can only hear us, uh, from my brand Soul A, my brand of Sun Protective Clothes, we have a new uh line of sun protective gloves. I have glove one here, which is like three-quarter fingers, and glove two, which is full finger, with a little finger scape for your index and your thumb to use your touch screen. Um, they both come in two colors. One is carbon, which is black, and the other is called agar, which is uh light gray. The gaggy thing about these is that we have elements in them that change under UV. So glove two here, the full finger, has little nails on it inspired by our logo, and when you shine UV on them, it changes colors.
unknownWow.
SPEAKER_00So on Agar, on the gray color, they turn to pink, and on our black color here, it turns blue. Um they are, I would say, yeah, they're our cheapest products right now, actually, and people have really been loving them. Um, UPF 50 Plus, rated like all of our products, and I have been loving them, and I do love a little bit of self-promotion, so thank you for indulging me.
SPEAKER_02I just love how like whimsical that is.
SPEAKER_00I I wanted to do something cunty.
SPEAKER_02Also, you did not show me the finger part before. So I'm like legitimately gagged about that.
SPEAKER_00So you could use your touch screen. They also have like silicone grips on the palms so that you know you have dexterity, you're able to go about your day.
SPEAKER_02Do they come in different sizes or just one size each?
SPEAKER_00Just one size fits most.
SPEAKER_02Most. Most. Another promotion. It's not a self-plug, but this is um Angelo's collab with Experiment. I love Experiments. I talk about uh their software all the time, super saturated all the time. Um, this is Continuum, which is a product Angelo developed with them. It features azolic acid derivative.
SPEAKER_00It features what's in this encapsulated salicylic acid, fullerenes. Sorry?
SPEAKER_020.5% salicylic acid?
SPEAKER_00Uh yes. And uh it has uh also like a ceramite complex. So yeah. Barrier enhancing, redness reducing, discoloration reducing. Our idea behind this was to create a sort of breakout product for people uh who like may not be on acne treatment or are already on some of the common acne treatments, so we're not multiplying actives for them. Uh, it really is trying to get people to fluctuate a little bit less with their breakouts. Uh, it's not, you know, something that we're saying is gonna cure breakouts completely, but it has been shown to reduce some of the signs that people see either after blemishes happen or while they happen. So redness, darkness, things like that.
SPEAKER_02And she is she was empty. I thought she was empty. Well, I got on the mic. Oops.
SPEAKER_00Well, she has uh refillable packaging as well.
SPEAKER_02And I do have the refills. Um yeah, really light texture. I thought I emptied her, I swear. Yeah, I use it enough where I emptied it. It took me, I use it day and night. I think six weeks, six to eight weeks.
SPEAKER_00Damn. Yeah, and we usually recommend that people use it once daily. Uh, I guess there's no no issue if you use it twice a day. I'm built different. We know this. So thank you for that endorsement.
SPEAKER_03Of course.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_00Um Jurigan's natural glow. The body lotion. She's cute. Okay. I do like a little bit of a sunless tan, especially in the warmer months. The thing that I love about Jurigen's natural glow, like the original uh like gradual tan version, is that it's basically foolproof. So you're using this as your daily moisturizer. If you miss a spot or you create a streak or something, it's like very faint, and you're going over that area again the next day with it, and it builds up to a nice natural-looking tan. It's basically foolproof. So, for those of you interested in at-home tanning products, I think this is really the place to start. It's a drugstore product, it's really inexpensive. It goes on sale. $8. Probably like yeah, eight to ten, twelve dollars around there for like a 221 milliliter tube. Um, one of my eternal faves.
SPEAKER_02She's cute. I use her as well. Um, I've been playing a lot with Stunless Tanners this summer. Um, that one, when you used it, are you applying it with bare hands? Yes. Do you?
SPEAKER_00And then I wash my hands.
SPEAKER_02But like you're doing full body, that's you're so you're doing that for like a couple minutes and you're not getting any development of the fingers?
SPEAKER_00Nope.
SPEAKER_02Okay. I'm more of like an express tanner, so I'm using like the extra dark one-hour express tan, leaving that on for like three hours. But these are really nice because yeah, they help you either maintain an established on this tan, or if it's just a lot more foolproof.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's just easy. Like I was playing with some more like express tanning products, or even I tried another gradual tan product from like a more expensive brand recently, and I found that it like it developed too much. It was like uh it was not gradual to me.
SPEAKER_02So another MD. This is from Remedy. I like Remedy. Me too. A lot. Um, I always say like I can tell a man made this product because it's very multi-active focus. This is specifically remedy for pore size, very acne prone. So I'd actually use this in conjunction with continuum. Um, this be this one specifically has retinol, salic acid, niceinamide, green tea, and perlite. Um, I will say these were spicy. Remedy, they um they're a little bit more high octane. They have, I was playing more with the ones that have retinoids in them. So this is remedy for pore size, they have remedy for wrinkles, and remedy for dark spots. All of those feature retinol, retinol, or both. Um, they were spicy. They took a minute to adjust to. But I just like the convenience of salsylic acid and retinoid and a retinoid, the way that with uh continuum in salsic acid and the azalic acid. Oh yeah, salsic acid and the azalic acid derivative. So just like multi-active, very comprehensive formulation. Um, I emptied this. I do want another one, but I'm playing with some of the other remedy products right at the moment.
SPEAKER_00You heard the man.
unknownPlease.
SPEAKER_00Gem some more.
SPEAKER_02Dr. Shaw, please. Come on. Babano, she's cute.
SPEAKER_00I'm gonna get cancelled for saying this, but in my hand I have Chanel Sublimage Le Bomb. Um and I really like anything that I've gotten my hands on from the Sublimage line. Their regular cream, their eye cream, even though I'm not really an eye cream person. The quality is so good. Um, they do their little Chanel thing with their um proprietary ingredient in here is a camellia extract, so from a flower. And if you know anything about the Chanel fashion house, they're big on vertical integration. So um they recently bought like a storied shirt maker in Paris because they were already using them to make their shirts. Uh, they kept a lot of like eau couture uh ateliers in business, so uh places that do embroidery or feather work. They're just like buying and uh creating kind of quality control at every level. It's the same thing with this. It's like they're basically running farms in different areas of the world and doing batch control on all of their actives. Does that make a difference? I don't know, but I do like the products. I feel like my skin looks so good when I use them. This uh La Balm is like very thick, great for at night. Or I like this a little bit more in winter, the cream is a little bit thinner. I just really enjoyed it. And you know what? Maybe it is I don't want to look up how much this is.
SPEAKER_02I think I know, but um, I was gonna ask you, is it heavily fragranced?
SPEAKER_00So the balm is not, the eye cream is not the cream, the regular cream is the regular moisturizer.
SPEAKER_02So fragrance-free?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, this is fragrance-free.
SPEAKER_02So it's a very on-brand for Angelo.
SPEAKER_00Well.
SPEAKER_02Between you and Sam by the counter, you're the two creators I see that talk the most about like Chanel skincare.
SPEAKER_00I've not tried that many skincare products from them. I had another, they have like a very simple moisturizer too, which it's called like La Solution 10, like or something like that, and it's only 10 ingredients, and I did like it, but I don't feel like it's giving you anything that you can't get from the drugstore. Their makeup, very nice.
SPEAKER_02You were telling me about the foundation earlier.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's like if you they make makeup that that is for people that want to look like a little bit more natural, subdued, low-key, like some of it looks very like undetectable, a lot of it is very buildable. It's not, yeah, like I feel like people who like want that va va boom would not like it. So, but I'm low-key.
SPEAKER_02Clearly. With your Chanel moisturizer. Um a lot of drugstore makeup recently. One of my favorite brands is Milani, and I've tried their entire setting spray array, minus the one-size dupe that they have. I only just learned about that a few weeks ago. But this is their Make It Last Moisture Boost. It's alcohol-free setting spray. Um, I just like that it's it feels like a standard face mist, but it does have the longevity uh from the film forming polymers. So my thing about Milani is it's affordable. I think this was like $10 or less. I bought this at Ulta in Washington State. This features polyglutamic acid, glycerin, um, and promises up to 16-hour wear. I have it on now. I will also say their matte setting spray, the black bottle. Holy grail setting spray, one of the only true mattefying setting sprays. I buy the jumbo bottles just because I burn through it. My husband and I burn through it. Um, but Milani for setting sprays is one of the best drugstore foundation or best drugstore setting spray options.
SPEAKER_00You know who makes a good dupe for the one size, for like the aerosol version, is L'Oreal. L'Oreal Paris. I love that one.
SPEAKER_02The red bottle, yeah.
SPEAKER_00The red bottle. I don't know if it's a dupe because I bought the one size, I used it, and it was giving me headaches, so I didn't really test it out for that long.
SPEAKER_02Ironically, I think one size might be more mattifying. The L'Oreal bottle's smaller, I feel like you get a lot more product out of that one. My thing is it's a time and place situation. It's literally you shellacking your face. It's like uh the hairspray polymers basically for over the makeup. Um, it's so it's very heavy duty. If I spray it for too long, sometimes my eyelids stick to my face and it's like a whole process because it's like super sticky polymers. So it's for me, it's like if I need that, like high heat, high humidity. I know the makeup has to like last through that. Like you're going out to the club.
SPEAKER_00For more kind of like every day. Right now, I'm liking the one size powder melt. Um, it's like a non-arosol setting spray that's supposed to be a little bit more glowy, take down the powdery look. I like that a lot. I'm wearing it right now.
SPEAKER_02For higher end, Danessa Myrix. For me, I have really oily skin, and there's a lot of brands that promise matifying setting sprays. Very few actually do that. Milani is one of them. Danessa Myrix is the other one. There's one more, but I can't remember which one that is.
SPEAKER_00Oh.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Okay.
SPEAKER_00I'll have to check out Danessa's. Um a sunscreen. She's cute.
SPEAKER_02I like that.
SPEAKER_00Uh La Rocheposay Anthelios, Ultra Protection, Ultra Water Resistant, Les Italitons. Uh, this is I got this in France. This is an international sunscreen. Uh UVA UVB protection. They got PA4 pluses on here, antioxidants. Uh, what do I love about that? It's just like the texture is that milky texture that you really do want. It blends in pretty nicely. It's kind of moisturizing, but like not crazy, not super heavy, perfect summer weights. Um, and it is one of those sunscreens that makes me angry. I can't get it in the US. So if you have access to it, check it out.
SPEAKER_02Is that that's not one of the UV Mune ones, is it?
SPEAKER_00No, it's not. Uh, it's hard with their sunscreens to delineate sometimes like which one you're getting, especially in Europe. I get confused. But yeah, I guess this is just the hydrating milk lotion.
SPEAKER_02I mean the EV the ones with the Mexico 400 will explicitly say UV Mune as well, so I don't understand why that's very specific to like certain lines for them only. I would have sprinkled that into everything.
SPEAKER_00I think potentially this is an older formula that they haven't upgraded yet. Um, and I think most of the UV immune stuff, they're sticking to ether. I'm not sure. I haven't been over there in a while. I'm about to go, but it was more like the liquids, or like they had two that came in pump bottles, but like one was like mattifying and one was hydrating, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Um, another drugstore product from Lori L, their infallible cushion. Um, I love a cushion foundation, and I got this after I saw Jane the Chemist and Demi uh talk about this. This was like $20. I bought a few of them to try out. I'm wearing shade 253. Um, I just like it's it's actually very natural, very low to medium coverage. It's buildable, but you get the optical of like your skin looks more refined, but you still see skin. So I like that fact. I'm questioning how much product is actually in this because I feel like I haven't used it too long and I feel like I'm having to push a lot more now to get a good amount of product on the cushion puff. But she's cute.
SPEAKER_00I've been trying it out too. I like it so far. I feel like these cushion products dry out so easily in general. Um, a new cushion that I've been liking is YSL makes one that's nice.
SPEAKER_02Which YSL is YSL D'L'Oreal?
SPEAKER_00I think so. No, no. Lancome. No, they're Cody. Sorry. Interesting to see Western brands doing cushions now.
SPEAKER_02Well, I mean, there's a massive viral success from tier tier.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_02Um, which tier tier is a great cushion. To me, tier tier has a lot more coverage than these, which actually is very interesting to me. Um, and the honestly, the tier tier range is a lot broader, even in like the sub-brands. So, like uh, the main tier tier one's the red one. I personally like the orange one, and then there's also the pink one for more oily skin as well. Those don't have the the as wide of a shade range as the red line does, but I think those still have a wider shade range than the L'Oreal one does, which is really weird to me.
SPEAKER_00I've tried the tier trip, the red, black, white, pink, and all of them seem like full coverage to me. Very high coverage. Like, like there's minimal differences, but yeah.
SPEAKER_02One little dab does the full face, lends it out, and you're still like pretty good medium coverage. Technically, the different colors are different finishes.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Okay. Next, I have a um moisturizer from Educated Mass. This is called Sake Bomb. Um, we had one of the founders on Alex Padgett. Uh, that was a great episode. Uh, but this is like a peptide moisturizer. The consistency on it, it's like so elegant. It's a super light gel with water break.
SPEAKER_02This is like the definition to me of like a water gel.
SPEAKER_00Like, when I say water break, how do I explain that to the layman? Like, it goes on as a gel, and when it hits your skin, it's literally like that visual of a water droplet, like breaking its tension and bursting. Like, even now, it's like I feel it, like the water in it evaporating and like cooling my skin.
SPEAKER_02So, this is a really unique formula. I got to uh she show she showed me how she formulates this. Um, it's actually the based off reverse engineering of one of my favorite, like really early on in my like skincare journey, holy grail moisturizers from Dr. Jart. Um, which literally think of water and humectance and then jellify that. And that's what the moisturizer was, and this one kind of is. Uh uniquely, it's a water and silicone emulsion. So this the silicone phase is the external phase, which allows for that water break uh sensation, but also why it feels so lightweight. It's amazing for oily skin. Um, one of my all-time favorite gel moisturizers. I last year I think I emptied five of those. Wow. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00See, great minds.
SPEAKER_02Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.
SPEAKER_00They have uh a targeted peptide.
SPEAKER_02Uh, I've had a uh for explaining it to me because she also has freeze frame. And so freeze frame is for like peptides targeting fine lines and wrinkles, all that stuff. This is more of a peptide, if I remember correctly. She's like it helps your skin, it helps support your skin's natural like hyaluronic acid production. So it's not like super strength peptide peptides, but it just supports general hydration.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And we're always talking about how like just saying that there's peptides in something doesn't really tell you its function. Different peptides, different functions. Correct.
SPEAKER_02Um a random favorite. I've been really into like getting I've been getting back into highlighters. Specifically, like I love a powder highlighter. The Fenty kilowatts. Oh, it's been holy grail since 2017. Love her. But just trying different textures, getting back into it. This one's from Neutrogena. This is their Glass Glow Balm. It's like a balmy texture highlighter, and it's so lightweight, really gorgeous texture and finish. I'll basically uh post sunscreen, I'll take this, I'll dab it basically everywhere from this part of the cheekbone down into my underwear area, and then just like put concealer on top of that. But it's really fresh, very glowy, really lightweight. Um, yeah. This is more shimmery, I will say that. So um be aware of that if you're putting it over foundation. But I've been really liking that, and it's Neutrogena, so it has to be like really affordable.
SPEAKER_00The back of your hand looks so so strobey right now.
SPEAKER_02I love strobing.
SPEAKER_00Um, alterna caviar replenishing moisture CC cream 10 in one complete correction leave-in. This is a hair product. Okay. I poo-pooed this. I saw this all over social media. It's not brand new, but to hold my curls, this has been the thing. And like it's not even supposed to be like a high hold like that. It's just like it allows my curls to be like held in place without being crunchy. Uh, they say on here multi-benefit moisture, shine, smoothness, softness, UV protection, manageability, strength, anti-breakage, heat protection, light hold. Oh, helps protect hair color from UV rays. Um, I don't know about all those claims. I just think it's a really solid product.
SPEAKER_02And the hell did you get that?
SPEAKER_00Sephora.
SPEAKER_02I have never heard of that brand before.
SPEAKER_00Alterna caviar?
SPEAKER_02No.
SPEAKER_00Alterna in general. You've never heard of Alterna. They make a very good clarifying shampoo, too. That's like not too stripping.
SPEAKER_02Have you heard of this brand?
SPEAKER_00Alterna.
SPEAKER_02Are they new?
SPEAKER_00No. C? C C. C C. You learn something new every day.
SPEAKER_02I'll do one last one so we can wrap up the episode. Maybe we'll do a part two if y'all want that. Um, but obviously, we're for I'm focusing a lot on sun care. I love different textures, different finishes because for me, it's just trying a bunch of stuff to have the best possible recommendations. Lip is a big one. Um, and I feel like when it comes to lip SPFs, I've tried a bunch. I usually don't have issues with them, but there is that SPF taste people always talk about.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, I hate it.
SPEAKER_02Which is associated to from what I was always taught um Avobenzone, which is a very necessary UVA filter. Um, but the prequel ones are ones that I feel like a lot of my followers were always like, no, they're the best when it comes to not having, or at least having a very small amount of the SPF taste. Um, they offset that with some of like uh like a minty flavorslash sensation. But the prequel but the prequel lip SPFs are gorgeous, they're very glossy. I also just love the applicator on these. Um I use the clear one, I use the tinted ones, and they're also like $14.
SPEAKER_00She is Q. I did get some taste off of it when I was testing it. Was it the worst? No, for sure. The texture's nice, really nice.
SPEAKER_02Depending on my level of self-tan, I'll use the darker tints. Right now I have the clear one on me. Um, it's SPF 30. What's really interesting too is that this uses avobenzone and octinoxate, which you do not see brands use octinoxate anymore due to um the reefsafe conundrum happening right now, but we know that reefsafe is not a legitimate claim. Um, and talking to some ingredient suppliers, there are some brands that are potentially reintroducing octinoxate back into their formulations.
SPEAKER_00You know what? It's like, yeah, enough with these like faux claims, bring back the octinoxate, throw some parabens in there.
SPEAKER_02Wasn't it they they did a recent safety assessments again and they found oxybenzen was actually one of the more safe uh EV filters as well.
SPEAKER_00I didn't see this. Oh, for the coral?
SPEAKER_02No, for like humans. My issue with the Reefsafe claims, looking at some of the studies is nothing is ever really consistent. And ironically, for a lot of these studies, zinc oxide and titame dioxide or I think mostly zinc oxide showed more harm than the chemical filters. But again, even across the board, very inconsistent as to what filters affect what species, the quantity, the dosage was actually a big factor as well. People don't really talk about so that's why we say reef safe is not at least a legitimate claim, and that there's no conclusive evidence for that.
SPEAKER_00I I have some people in my comments sometimes talking about this too, and I'm like, okay, if you live somewhere that's landlocked and nowhere near a coral reef, like a coral. A coral, not even a single coral, why do you care?
SPEAKER_02And even working at suppliers where knowing suppliers where Sun Care UV filters are their main uh bread and butter, they're like, yeah, like we make mineral filters. So for us, obviously, we're going to promote our entire category, but when the studies are taken in really weird context, they're not realistic in terms of concentration seen, it the evidence just doesn't make sense in that regard. Like these companies are not trying to ruin coral and like obviously kill the environment, but the focus is always put on cosmetics when in reality, like everyone's everyone ignores the American industrial uh military complex. Everyone chooses to ignore climate change, pollution, all these different factors, but it's the it's the UV filters that are the issue.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Turn it on.
SPEAKER_00I think it's because people, you know, the first thing that they go to is they want to go to individual responsibility and point the finger at somebody they can see. But remember what they say. Every time you got a you point a finger, you got three pointing back at you. Unless you the problem is you. And on that note, wear your sunscreen. Wear your sunscreen. Um, listen to us weekly. We have not taken a break since we've started.
SPEAKER_02And we don't plan to anytime soon.
SPEAKER_00No breaks. You can't stop us.
SPEAKER_02That being said, thank you guys for listening. Bye.