Hot Girls' Face Tape: The Natural Botox Alternative | Frownies CEO Helen Morrison

Summary

Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark Episode: Hot Girls' Face Tape: The Natural Botox Alternative | Frownies CEO Helen Morrison
Release Date: April 15, 2025

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Introduction

In this insightful episode of Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark, host Alex sits down with Helen Morrison, the fifth-generation CEO of Frownies, to explore Frownies' innovative approach as a natural alternative to Botox. The conversation delves into the origins of Frownies, its unique mechanism, personal testimonials, and the broader implications for the beauty and wellness industry.

Background of Frownies

Helen Morrison provides a rich historical backdrop of Frownies, tracing its roots back to 1889. She shares how her great-great-grandmother, Margaret Crozen, alongside her daughter Alice, pioneered the creation of Frownies to combat unwanted facial lines stemming from constant muscle tension.

Helen Morrison [04:17]: "My great great grandmother, Margaret Crozen and her daughter Alice kind of invented Frownies... Alice was a concert pianist and a model, and she played the piano in a lot of big Hollywood circles."

Difference from Other Face Tapes

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on distinguishing Frownies from traditional face taping methods. Helen emphasizes that unlike silicone scar tapes or kinesiology tapes, Frownies are made from a water-activated adhesive that hardens, creating a splint-like effect to retrain facial muscles.

Helen Morrison [02:12]: "Frownies actually dry hard and stiff, more like a cast or a splint for your facial muscles... it's a whole different mechanism."

Helen's Anti-Botox Stance

Helen shares her unwavering stance against Botox and fillers, highlighting the potential side effects and the diminishing results over time. She recounts numerous customer testimonials where individuals transitioned from Botox to Frownies, often experiencing superior results.

Helen Morrison [06:41]: "I will never do Botox or filler. Our customers, many of them are like, I used Botox and I didn't ever get the result that I get with Frownies."

How Frownies Work

The conversation delves into the science behind Frownies. Helen explains that Frownies work by retraining facial muscles through a water-activated adhesive that contracts as it dries, lifting the facial fascia and holding muscles relaxed to prevent tension-induced wrinkles.

Helen Morrison [16:30]: "Frownies work by retraining your facial muscles so they have a water-activated adhesive... you're holding your facial muscle, you're lifting the fascia and holding the muscle relaxed."

Customer Experiences and Testimonials

Helen highlights the overwhelming positive feedback from thousands of customers, showcasing before-and-after photos that demonstrate significant improvements in both minimal fine lines and deep wrinkles. She underscores the authenticity of these testimonials, noting that they are organic and unsolicited.

Helen Morrison [20:12]: "We have thousands and thousands and thousands of customer before and after pictures... it's all organic people's testimonies, real people, real customers."

Marketing and Social Media Strategies

Since joining Frownies in 2020, Helen spearheaded the brand's transformation through robust social media strategies. She recounts the explosive growth on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, attributing success to authentic content and tapping into the growing demand for natural and holistic beauty solutions.

Helen Morrison [09:08]: "I opened the TikTok account, and the very first video from zero followers got over 60,000 views in 24 hours."

Challenges in the Market

Helen discusses the dual challenges of facing criticism from both Botox proponents and advocates of other face-taping methods. Additionally, she touches upon the skepticism surrounding natural beauty remedies in a market dominated by synthetic products and examines the financial incentives driving the anti-aging industry.

Helen Morrison [43:36]: "There's a lot of pushback against the anti-aging industry... there's a lot more money in Botox and fillers."

Usage Instructions

Helen provides a comprehensive guide on how to use Frownies effectively. She explains the importance of applying them to a clean, moisturized face, typically focusing on the forehead. She also shares tips on overlapping patches for enhanced stiffness and discusses removal techniques to protect the skin.

Helen Morrison [32:19]: "You can experiment with it. The most effective area is the forehead... you overlap just like a cast that you wrap layer after layer."

Addressing Misconceptions and Criticism

The episode addresses common misconceptions about Frownies, including claims that they block lymphatic drainage or freeze facial muscles. Helen refutes these notions by clarifying Frownies’ true mechanism and emphasizing their benefits compared to other face tapes.

Helen Morrison [37:06]: "Everything that they say that is critical of Frownies applies to face tape and silicone patches... Frownies are actually helping allow that."

Skincare Routine

Helen shares her personal skincare regimen, which remains simple yet effective. She emphasizes the compatibility of Frownies with a full nighttime skincare routine, highlighting products like serums and moisturizers that complement the use of Frownies.

Helen Morrison [34:37]: "I use the Franny skincare line... I apply an apple stem cell serum instead of retinol or other oils, then spray my face with our rose water hydrator."

Future Goals and Vision

Looking ahead, Helen aspires to capture a significant portion of the Botox market by promoting Frownies as a superior, natural alternative. She expresses a vision of empowering individuals to embrace natural beauty practices and reduce reliance on synthetic interventions.

Helen Morrison [54:53]: "I want to take a slice of the Botox industry... there's a lot more money in Botox and fillers, but Frownies offers a simpler, natural solution."

Advice and Final Thoughts

Helen encourages individuals to embrace natural beauty solutions and emphasizes the importance of consistency and personalized skincare routines. She reiterates the company's commitment to supporting customers through direct communication and comprehensive guidance.

Helen Morrison [56:34]: "I'm here for you. If you're feeling intimidated, send me a DM and I will walk you through it."

Conclusion

This episode of Culture Apothecary offers a compelling exploration of Frownies as a viable, natural alternative to Botox. Helen Morrison's passion for empowering individuals to embrace their natural beauty shines through, providing valuable insights into sustainable skincare practices and the importance of holistic wellness.

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Notable Quotes:

• Helen Morrison [04:17]: "Alice was a concert pianist and a model... she didn't want these lines in between her brows."

• Helen Morrison [16:30]: "Frownies work by retraining your facial muscles so they have a water-activated adhesive."

• Alex Clark [06:44]: "Frownies is not a sponsor of the show... Frownies is just a company that I think is really cool."

• Helen Morrison [43:36]: "There's a lot of pushback against the anti-aging industry... there's a lot more money in Botox and fillers."

• Helen Morrison [56:34]: "If you're feeling intimidated, send me a DM and I will walk you through it."

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode, providing a thorough overview for those who haven't listened while highlighting the core messages and notable quotes.

Transcript

[Alex Clark]

Can I ask how old you are?

[Helen Morrison]

I am 42.

[Alex Clark]

Do you have anything in your face at all?

[Helen Morrison]

No. Nothing.

[Alex Clark]

All you do is use Frownies at night.

[Helen Morrison]

That's it.

[Alex Clark]

You're the fifth generation owner of Frownies. Is face taping the best all natural alternative to Botox?

[Helen Morrison]

Frownies are different because they actually dry hard and stiff. More like a cast or a splint for your facial muscles. So it's kind of a whole different mechanism. The Kennedy women used Frownies and it was always known as Hollywood's beauty secret.

[Alex Clark]

Are you totally anti Botox or. Not necessarily.

[Helen Morrison]

I will never do Botox or filler. Our customers, many of them are like, I used Botox and I didn't ever get the result that I get with Brownies.

[Alex Clark]

Is there really a natural alternative to Botox that works just as well? Frownies founder Helen Morrison believes there is. And once you see her face, I think you will too. I find Frownies to be a fascinating natural beauty product. And for months I asked Helen to come on to explain why and how they work. I think those of you who are beauty junkies are going to love this episode. And this episode is not sponsored. Frownies is just a company that I think is really cool. I wanted to learn more about them and I figured that you guys would as well. I also thought, you know, this has been around since the 1800s. I mean, that kind of speaks for itself. Definitely watch this episode on the real Alex Clark, YouTube or Culture Apothecary on Spotify. Leave a five star review if you love the show. Please welcome the CEO of Frownies, Helen Morrison to Culture Apothecary. You're the fifth generation owner of Frownies. Is face taping the best all natural alternative to Botox?

[Helen Morrison]

Well, I wouldn't say that face taping is, but I would definitely say that frownies are because there's a difference between just traditional face taping and frownies.

[Alex Clark]

Wait, I didn't know that. What is the difference?

[Helen Morrison]

Well, most face tapes, you're going to have silicone scar tape or like a kinesiology tape, and they're soft and flexible. And Frownies is different if you've used them, and I know you have, Frowny's different because they actually dry hard and stiff, more like a cast or a splint for your facial muscles. And frownies are actually targeting your facial muscle muscles versus taping. And people who advocate for taping talk a lot more about the skin and just the surface of your skin. So it's kind of a whole different mechanism.

[Alex Clark]

Can I Ask how old you are.

[Helen Morrison]

Yes, I am 42.

[Alex Clark]

You're 42 years old? Do you have anything in your face at all?

[Helen Morrison]

No, nothing. This is nothing.

[Alex Clark]

All you do is use frownies at night.

[Helen Morrison]

That's it.

[Alex Clark]

Now, do you ever get people that don't believe you on online all the time, Yeah.

[Helen Morrison]

I mean, honestly, when I started being a part of Frownies and really kind of the face of the brand in 2020, I. I always felt good about my skin, but I didn't really think much of it. And immediately when we started going viral, people were coming out of the woodworks like, you're a liar, like you have Botox. And still to this day, so many people always, you know, accuse me of having had Botox or fillers or something. And I was like, you think? You think it looks that good?

[Alex Clark]

Well, and I think it's funny too, because, see, I have gotten those things before, but it's been years since I've gotten it. There's nothing in my face now. And so I, like, literally will tell people, like, I don't have anything, and then they accuse me of lying, whatever, and I'm like, well, I'm doing okay, I think. Yeah.

[Helen Morrison]

Okay.

[Alex Clark]

So how did your family discover then that face taping or frownies as we know it now really works when it comes to anti aging and preventing wrinkles?

[Helen Morrison]

Well, the business was started in 1889. Right. So this is all like family lore, like historical thing, stories passed down. Right. So the story goes, my great great grandmother, Margaret Crozen and her daughter Alice kind of invented frownies. And Alice was a concert pianist and a model, and she played the piano in a lot of, like, big Hollywood circles. She played at the White House. So quite good, I guess.

[Alex Clark]

Yeah.

[Helen Morrison]

But, you know, when you're playing the piano or doing anything now we're staring at our screens. You're constantly furrowing your brow and in concentration. That's kind of a concentration face. But because she was doing the modeling and the things like that, you know, she didn't want these lines in between her brows. So somehow they came up with frownies and were just doing it for themselves. And people started asking, what are you doing? You know, it looks so good. And so they started making it for friends and giving it as gifts. And then as she started traveling more and playing the piano and this became a thing. Around about that time, my great great grandfather died and he was a part of, like, a barber supply company. And somehow she like, purchased out the rights to the rest of the company from the other men that were involved in it. And then she started manufacturing frownies under that business name. And so she kind of kicked it off.

[Alex Clark]

In the 1800s, there was a product called Frownies out there.

[Helen Morrison]

Well, they originally were called Wrinkle Eradicators.

[Alex Clark]

Okay.

[Helen Morrison]

And then very, very early 1900s, like, I think we have a letter from, like, 1904 or something, the FTC, the Federal Trade Commission, said, you can't call it Wrinkle Eradicators. This has to be evaluated by a doctor. This is a medical claim, which we also have the letter from the doctor who evaluated and said, yes, indeed, you can say that you can get rid of wrinkles using this product. It's working. But with all of that going on, they changed the name to Frownies. So very early on, early 1900s, they officially switched the name from Wrinkle Eradicators to Frownies and started selling it. And it was mostly word of mouth and primarily in a lot of Hollywood circles, a lot. And the Kennedy women used frownies. Like, there's just a lot of, you know, high society people. And it was always known as Hollywood's beauty secret. So, in fact, we have an old magazine, Life magazine, from like, 1920 something, and it has frownies on an actress who was popular at the time named Dixie Dunbar, and she was at Fox Drama school. And it showed the actresses and the things they do at drama school to, you know, learn to be what they are. Yeah. And they had the frownies on in there, and. And they kind of were noting, like, this is Dixie Dunbar learning not to frown with her brownies. You know, and so it's just basically spread word of mouth all throughout Hollywood, and that was kind of where it was known for a really long time.

[Alex Clark]

So are you totally anti Botox or. Not necessarily.

[Helen Morrison]

I am anti botox for myself, 100%.

[Alex Clark]

Okay.

[Helen Morrison]

You know, I know that it's kind of a controversial hot topic, and I understand why people do it. I get it. And I think skincare, and I think your face and beauty, it's a very personal subject. It's like, we live in this skin. It's what we show the world. And so people can feel a lot of pressure, especially women. So I understand. But I will never do Botox or filler. I think that for me, the research that I have done and, you know, my health and wellness is really important to me, and I just can't justify putting something like that in my body. There's too many side effects and too many things that you'd have to be willing to take that risk. And I know a lot of people do, and I know most people are fine, but also in my position, and I interact very closely with all, like, our customers, and in hearing stories from them and people who've come to frownies from Botox, who've become Botox resistant, or who've had really horrible reactions or even were using Botox, but they just weren't getting the results they wanted. And then they start with frownies, and they'll tell you. And I don't say this, we don't make these claims, but our customers, many of them are like, I used Botox, and I didn't ever get the result that I get with brownies.

[Alex Clark]

You're joking.

[Helen Morrison]

No. And I mean, that sounds crazy, right?

[Alex Clark]

Yes.

[Helen Morrison]

But, you know, I'm looking at you.

[Alex Clark]

And then it doesn't seem so crazy.

[Helen Morrison]

Well, some people's bodies metabolize Botox quickly, or, you know, it maybe takes more than they're willing to, to get to get the result that they want. I. I will never do Botox or filler. And. But quite frankly, I also feel like, why would I?

[Alex Clark]

Right. Well, and I just want to. Full disclosure, Frownies is not a sponsor of the show. I'm not getting paid to do this interview, like, you know, to interview you. I have just been fascinated by your brand. I feel like there's been an explosion around the area of face taping or frownies. Like, so I just thought this was interesting in my audience. You know, we're all very into, like, holistic things. And so a lot of us, including myself, have kind of ditched Botox recently and are looking for alternatives. So for months, we've been, like, back and forth trying to get you on the show because I just thought, like, well, I want to hear more about this from, like, the people that do it, because also, I feel like doing it wrong. So I just want all the tips. And I also am just fascinated by the business perspective. So there's so many avenues I want to go down with you today. First of all, your fifth generation. So does that mean there have been five women in your family that have been, like, acting CEO before you or four others?

[Helen Morrison]

Yes. So my great, great grandmother invented the product. Her daughter Alice worked in the business with her. My grandmother, who I was very close with, I didn't know the others, but my grandmother was the first generation I knew. Well, her mother, Alice, actually passed away in her 50s from a cancer. And so she mostly was raised by her grandmother who invented frownies.

[Alex Clark]

Okay.

[Helen Morrison]

So they. She talks about, you know, Doing business with Grammy when she was a little girl and all these things and she has all these great stories. Well, she has passed away since. She passed like 96 years old a couple years ago. But then my mother came in 20 2001, 2002, when my grandmother started getting older. And at that time, so Botox was made legal or approved for cosmetic use that same year. And there was this big article in Good Housekeeping magazine. Renee Rousseau, who is an actress. It was like her 40th birthday and the she was on the COVID and it was fabulous. Over 40, all of Renee's beauty secrets. And we didn't know this at the time, but she used frownies and they put like a three page spread in Good Housekeeping magazine. This was like the COVID article had no idea. And we were just a little small family, small Hollywood circle thing. And the phone started ringing off the hook. And my grandmother called and was like, I don't know what's going on. We're getting all these phone calls. And so we told her, well, the next time somebody calls, ask them where they're seeing it. And it was Good Housekeeping magazine.

[Alex Clark]

Whoa.

[Helen Morrison]

So that was like this initial explosion into more at that time, still, it was small, but it was a big thing. And with my grandmother getting older, it was a little much. So my mom kind of came in at that time and then expanded the product line and started getting involved.

[Alex Clark]

So when it was your turn to step up, what did you want to do differently with the marketing and the direction of the company that your previous family members hadn't done that you're like, I want to freshen things up. What was your big idea?

[Helen Morrison]

I came in in 2020 and like I had said, I never envisioned myself to be a part. But the world was very different when I was a kid as compared to now. What I do now didn't exist. Yeah. And so my family, my siblings and I are actually the owners. I'm one of five. Was passed to us from our grandmother. And I started looking at the company social media. And I did social media on the side for my own little like, mom side hustle. And, you know, I had learned all the ins and outs of social, which is always changing all the time too. But I just took a look and I was like, oh, gosh, this is like a real business and this is. We need to do more with our social. This is not going to work. And so I thought when I was coming, I was like, oh, sure, like, I'll do some Instagram stories and just kind of get us up to speed a little bit. That was right around when Instagram Reels was being released. And obviously TikTok was a big deal in 2020. That was kind of like the big explosion of TikTok. And I had someone send me a video personally right about when I started at Frownies, that it was a video on TikTok that I called, like the first Frownies TikTok and it had over 2 million views. And I was like, I don't want to be on TikTok. Like, I don't want to do this short form videos a lot. But I also felt very comfortable doing video and making content. And I just kind of knew, well, we need to do this. So open the account, started the TikTok, and the very first video from. With zero followers, the very first day got over 60,000 views in 24 hours.

[Alex Clark]

And that's amazing.

[Helen Morrison]

Whoa. And we're talking about, like, we would post to Instagram and you know.

[Alex Clark]

Yeah.

[Helen Morrison]

Like 10 views.

[Alex Clark]

Oh, totally. You know, there's no I get the game.

[Helen Morrison]

Yeah, right. And so I was like, oh, my goodness. And so little by little, it just was like one after another after another. And it was kind of. I knew I wanted to come in and spruce up our social media, but I didn't know this was gonna happen. But I think that it was really the right time. Like the world was wanting an alternative. I feel like there is like a little bit of a Botox and filler fatigue.

[Alex Clark]

Yep.

[Helen Morrison]

And also frownies are very scroll stopping and very like, what is that? What's on your face? What's going on?

[Alex Clark]

Well, totally. And I also think that when it comes to filler anyway, Botox is different. I think some people are starting to realize they're getting sick. Filler, I think, was a trend, and I think that trend is dying.

[Helen Morrison]

I totally agree. Like, I totally agree.

[Alex Clark]

Look, different beauty looks and aesthetics go in and out. And I think filler look is out.

[Helen Morrison]

Yes, I totally agree. And also it's pretty great that a lot of facial plastic surgeons and even injectors are coming out and saying things like, we're going in to do facelifts and we're scraping filler off people's faces. It doesn't dissolve like we think. And you know, and so not only is it out the look, because you're seeing these movie stars who they've gotten it for so long and. And you see what the long term looks like and it's not great, but people are also finding out that it's more dangerous or more of a problem than you think. It's not a long term solution that's going to age well.

[Alex Clark]

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[Helen Morrison]

Frownies, honestly, it's the same concept as Botox and that's why they're so powerful. And people are always like, what's the ingredient? Right? What' the secret? And if you think about why Botox works well, Botox is injected into the muscles and essentially it paralyzes the muscle. So people, now even we're getting, you see, people are getting Botox in their jaw, people are getting Botox in their traps and their calves. They're getting Botox in all these places for the purpose of basically relaxing muscle tension. So I always say frownies don't reverse aging, and Botox doesn't reverse aging. We think of wrinkles as a sign of age. I think of wrinkles as a sign of tension because if you think about furrowing your brow, you can do that at any age. And I've seen young teenage girls who have forehead wrinkles and 11 lines because they sit around with their brow furrowed holding tension. And so this tension develops and then it becomes the shape of the muscle. So Botox basically just instantly relaxes that tension because the muscles, for lack of a better way to put it, is just like dead. Yeah, it can't move, it can't contract and it's relaxed. Well, frownies work by retraining your facial muscles so they have a water activated adhesive. So this is another reason that it's different than tape or any other wrinkle patches. They are just adhesive. They self stick. Right. Frownies are not. You have to wet them. And if you think about the science of like liquid to a solid, when they're wet, they're soft and flexible. When they dry, they harden. And when a liquid hard hardens to a solid, it contracts. And so you put them on and it contracts and it creates this lifting effect for the. And on your face, the skin, the fascia, the muscles, it's all attached. It's not like that in the rest of your body, but on your face it's all kind of interwoven. So when you put frownies on your skin, you're literally holding your facial muscle, you're lifting the fascia and holding the muscle relaxed. So you're basically retraining the facial muscles. Think about doing a plank. You're just holding, it's like an isometric, right. So you're holding it relaxed and it is splinting the muscle, preventing it from contracting. And a lot of people think like, well, I'm not doing this in my sleep. You are. You don't realize how much muscle tension and things you can hold in your face while you're sleeping. But not only that, there is this aspect that just like you do a bunch of bicep curls, you're going to get this round bicep, you're shaping the muscle. You can see people who, you can tell they have these like strong muscles here that are in that kind of grooved, wrinkled form. And then the skin settles into the wrinkle. And then you see this, the wrinkles on the surface of the skin, but it's really in the muscle. Anywhere where you see lines, you're probably holding tension in those areas. So you can retrain your facial muscles. You don't have to do that. And you can live your life without furrowing your brow. So it's kind of this whole holistic sort of stress relaxation, learning to retrain your habits and then the lines can go away.

[Alex Clark]

So does it only work for like minimal fine lines or can it reverse or help alleviate like deep wrinkles? Like a deep 11?

[Helen Morrison]

I have seen the most mind blowing results from people. And to be honest, we have thousands and thousands and thousands of customer before and after pictures. We don't. If you ever go on our Instagram and you scroll through, we have highlights where we have so many before and afters. I'll save them and customers just share and tag us. I'll save them in there. And you can scroll through any before and after. You ever see from us, it's a customer photo sent in, not paid, not sponsored. We don't pay any influencers other than we have affiliates. Right. Who they get commission for their links. But it's all organic people's testimonies, real people, real customers. And sometimes the photos are kind of blurry and people are like, oh, this isn't real.

[Alex Clark]

Yeah.

[Helen Morrison]

You know, it's like, hey, this is a screenshot customer. They don't know what they're doing.

[Alex Clark]

Yeah.

[Helen Morrison]

But yes, we have seen people with very, very deep lines that I am shocked. And I, I look at these pictures every day and, and I still, every day I get a new before and after and I am shocked.

[Alex Clark]

How long do you have to do it to see results and do you have to commit to doing it every single night or it's going to go right back?

[Helen Morrison]

To be honest, it really depends on the person. Right. And I always kind of bring up fitness. If we all follow the same 90 day fitness regimen, every single person will get different results, right? You, there's different skin types, different age, different amount of collagen in your skin, different lifestyle habits. Are you drinking? Are you smoking? Do you eat healthy? Are you eating garbage food? Are you exercising? Are you stressed out? Are you getting good sleep? All of these things will contribute to what your skin looks like. So the thing is that frownies is not the magical end all, be all instant cure if you're not going to be doing everything else. And isn't that the way that anything that's like natural and holistic kind of works? It all goes together. So how long? If you are in your early 20s and you have minimal fine lines, I have girls who they'll say on online, well I use this for two weeks and now I just do it once every couple weeks or I do it once a week, or I do it two times a week. And then I have women who start in their 50s with very deep lines and it takes them, you know, several months to get to where the end of the day result looks better than it did in the beginning. And that's really what I say with results. You'll wake up the first morning and you're gonna see a sneak peek of what it could be like. But a lot of people will say, well my, my lines came back right away.

[Alex Clark]

I'm like, how many, how many days a week do you do it?

[Helen Morrison]

I personally maybe two or three. But you have to understand, I started like I put them on the first time at like 18 years old. You know, like after a day at the beach and I'm feeling a little like, oh my skin. I would wear frownies and then not wear them again for six months.

[Alex Clark]

That was when I started too with anti aging skin care and eye creams and stuff, was 18. And I wonder if that did play a part. But I also, you know, you have these middle schoolers now that are going to Sephora and like using all this retinol and anti aging skincare. I mean, what do you think about that?

[Helen Morrison]

Well, I, you know, when it comes to skin care, actives and anti aging ingredients are usually more intense. It's not going to be beneficial for your skin barrier at that age. It's a little too much now. Something like frownies. Though, to be honest, I have seen, you know, 16 year olds out with their mom, and I'm like, they can use brownies because it's natural and it's not going to bother your skin. I mean, I have used brownies for 22 years. But again, it's been a gradual thing. And the reality is, once you learn to, like, probably, like, people watch me and they're like, well, you have Botox and you're not moving your face. I'm like, well, this is just my natural habit now. I just don't really furrow my brows. Exactly. So that's why if you can retrain your muscles and you can learn to just keep your brows relaxed, you don't have to use it as much.

[Alex Clark]

So that's what I tell people, too. And they get so ticked when I say, you know, I think that me getting Botox, it ended up filling up my toxin bucket to where it did eventually overflow. And then the last time I got it a couple years ago, I had like Botox flu symptoms for a week. So that's when I was like, okay, that's super scary. I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna chance it again because what if those symptoms the next time just never go away? So I kind of got the hint. Plus, I found out I had autoimmune disease. And I think that that exacerbated it, made it worse. So that being said, what ticks people off is, I say what's controversial is I think me getting. Starting to get Botox in my mid to late twenties and training my face not to go into those muscles. I think that really did play a part in that. I look a lot younger than I am now because now I'm 32.

[Helen Morrison]

Yeah.

[Alex Clark]

And I don't think I look 32. I think I look younger than that. But people get mad that I attribute that to Botox. Now, I didn't know about frownies, but, like, I think that has to do with it. It's that I wasn't spending all my time frowning and like in squishing my muscles like that and flexing my muscles like that so my face doesn't do it. So that's why I think people also accuse me of having it now. And I don't. But I mean, if I sit here and squint and move my forehead, you can see I have full movement and wrinkle my forehead. But my natural face doesn't do that when I'm just sitting here.

[Helen Morrison]

Well, and some people don't, you know, I mean, sometimes people are kind of critical online.

[Alex Clark]

Yeah.

[Helen Morrison]

And I've seen people in comment sections say things like, I'm 50 years old and I never even got any wrinkles until I was like 48. These people don't need this. And it's like, maybe someone is in their 50s and they just don't have a habit of froing the brow. They say you mimic as a child, you mimic the facial expressions of your primary caregiver. So, you know, people sometimes say this is genetic. I got this from my dad. It's like, well, maybe you are mimicking that face he makes. Totally.

[Alex Clark]

Yeah, that's a good point.

[Helen Morrison]

But if you don't do that, you don't, you don't get the lines.

[Alex Clark]

Do you think it's frustrating the women online? That it's almost like a self righteous, like, well, I don't care about aging. I'm fine with having gray hair and wrinkles and not ever doing skin care and I never wear makeup. And it's like trying to be better than us. I'm like, well, that's fine if that's your choice. But I also don't think there's anything wrong with women who don't want to show wrinkles and stuff. And if there's a natural way to do it, why is that demonized?

[Helen Morrison]

Right. Well, and on top of that, because we do get that criticism from both ends. We get the criticism from the Botox people who are like, you're ridiculous. This is insane, this doesn't work. And then you get the criticism from the people who are like, just let women age, you know, and like I said, I do not, I do not think of this as an anti aging product because I, there are wrinkles that you will get as you age and frownies won't stop that. We will all eventually have skin that gets older. And even if you get Botox, you can tell a woman's skin who is in her 70s does not look like a woman's skin in her 20s. Even if she got Botox, even if she got a facelift, like, your skin's going to be different. It's going to age. And frownies, nothing, nothing's going to stop that.

[Alex Clark]

Right.

[Helen Morrison]

But frownies will stop the tension. And also the thing that we hear from a ton of customers, some people get a lot of tension headaches and some people get Botox for migraines and tension headaches. We've had a ton of people tell us, I use frownies and they took away my tension headaches. And it doesn't surprise me because it's like, yeah, that's what's happening. There's actually physiological benefit to not furrowing your brow all the time. You're sending that. It's like they say when you, if you just smile, you send signal to your brain that you're happier.

[Alex Clark]

Same.

[Helen Morrison]

If you're sitting around frowning, you're sending the signal to your brain, you're more upset. So I'm like, this doesn't have to be about age and aesthetics. Even though, yes, I do want to be beautiful. And there's nothing wrong with that. It's like, listen, we do squats, we work out, we worry about our bone density and our muscle ability as we age. Why is this any different? You know, like age however you want to. If you want to end up in the nursing home because you don't want to move your body and you just want to. Okay. And if you want to have wrinkles on your face and you want to do all that, that's great. And if you don't, that's great too. Like, leave people alone.

[Alex Clark]

I agree, I agree. Like, let people do what they want to do. Okay, so what are, what materials are frownies made from and why were those materials chosen?

[Helen Morrison]

Well, frownies are made from unbleached craft paper and a starch based adhesive. Again, really, the product hasn't changed since the beginning. It is what it is and it works the way it works. And so don't mess with the good thing. Right. But I think the way I envision it is like great, great grandma got out some brown paper painted on some like, I think about like cornstarch, you know, old school ironing. You spray cornstarch on clothes and then you would iron it and they would stiff.

[Alex Clark]

Yeah.

[Helen Morrison]

So it's kind of that same like starch hardens and it's natural and it's gentle on your skin. And so I think she just kind of created this at home. And then once it was like, oh, this is a thing. People want this. Then when they started manufacturing it, they figured out how to do it in bigger batches and it stayed the same ever since. So it's biodegradable, it's compostable, it's breathable. That's another thing is a lot of other silicone patches and things like that. They are comedogenic, like they're going to clog your pores. They do trap sweat and bacteria and you're really just puffing up your skin. Like, if you think about a soggy band aid and your finger turns white and puffy. Yeah. You're doing that on your face and you're not training your facial muscles, so it's not going to make the difference. That frowny says.

[Alex Clark]

Okay, so when you are putting these on, is it just getting them barely a little bit damp? Are you saturating them with water?

[Helen Morrison]

Essentially, you're just going to get them a little wet. This the shiny side where the adhesive is. You don't go crazy. Just wet them. And then I always just kind of take my finger and spread the water around. You want it to cover the area, but you don't need to soak it. But even if you get it too wet, that's okay, too. You want to wet it. You're going to set it down, and then you just wait a minute because when you first wet it, it's just slippery and wet. It's not sticky yet. So the adhesive kind of needs a minute to start to get tacky and sticky. So it dries down a little bit, gets a little sticky, and then you put it on so you're not. It's not super soaking wet. Just a little bit.

[Alex Clark]

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[Helen Morrison]

No.

[Alex Clark]

Krampus. Now, if that thought alone doesn't make you want to hit the emergency stop button on those drugstore brands, maybe this will. Garnu is here to help you avoid that whole toxic Krampus mess. Their products are made from 100% organic cotton. No chlorine bleach, no dyes, no fragrances, just clean, pure cotton. Because your body deserves better than a chemical cocktail. Garnu's tampons, pads, and menstrual cups are 100% organic cotton. That means that they're as clean as a whistle. And don't worry about the applicators either. They're made from sugar. Sugar Cane. I might just chomp on it. Yeah, sugar cane. Why? Because Garnu wants you to have a period, not a chemical warfare situation in your vagine. And get this, they've just added light tampons for lighter days and super plus tampons for the heavier ones. So they've got your whole range covered. Not to mention panty liners and overnight pads. And when you choose Garnu, you're not just protecting your body, you are also supporting women and girls worldwide who are at risk of sexual exploitation in places like Nepal and Brazil. So you're doing good, you're feeling good, and dare I say, periods just got a whole lot better. Had head to garnu.com g-a r n u u.com use code ALEX to get 15 off your one time subscription or a purchase. That's garnu.com with code ALEX for 15 off the best organic period products I've used for over three years. So I did this thing where I had someone come to my place, draw my blood and bam, my help journey started. No, it wasn't a scam or some weird vampire kink. I'm talking about Jevity. Although my spooky behind would love that. Jevy is like having a health concierge, but without the fancy price tag. You know those annoy waiting rooms that you dread Gone with Jevy? They send a phlebotomist straight to your door. In less than five minutes. I was done. And I didn't even have to leave my couch. Jev's blood testing process is top notch. That's Jevy with a G. They don't just check a few basic things. They analyze over 90 biomarkers, giving you detailed insights into your health. Afterward, you'll have a virtual consultation with their team of functional medicine experts who will design a custom health plan just for you, including tailored supplements and even anti aging therapies and peptides. Oh, and your supplements are delivered right to your door in neat little soft travel packets. No more mess. Like three, four pills. I mean, it's like nothing. Plus, you can track your health progress in real time through the Jevy app. And did I mention the Jevy app says that my biological age is 17, so yeah, jail bait. I can brag about that. Want to start your own journey? Skip the wait list. Get 20% off your first month with code [e-mail] that's go G E V I T I.com with code Alex gets personalized care the Jevity way. All of your blood tests, all the Things in one place. Is there like a one size fits all application process? Like, you put it here, you put it here, you put it here on the face. It works for everybody. This is the spot. Or do you have to figure out for your own face where to put the frownies?

[Helen Morrison]

Essentially in when you first get started, what I usually recommend. And they're going to be most effective on your forehead, too. Just so people know. Yes, you could use them around your eyes and your mouth, but a lot of those lines come from smiling. And you're not going to unlearn smiling, so they're only going to do so much. But on your forehead, like I said, you don't have to furrow. But basically that's the most effective area. The most effective thing is to do what I call full forehead cast. And you do not have to make a symmetrical pattern or do them in a certain order. And there are days where you put them on and you have this nice little pattern. And people call it like my frowny's crown, you know, or there are days where I am just like slapping them on mosaic and you just cover your face and you want to overlap them, because the more you overlap it and people kind of complain, why can't you just make one big patch? This is annoying. And it's like, I get it, that's annoying. But this is why it works, you know? So you overlap just like a cast that you wrap layer after layer, it gets stiffer and harder. So you overlap, cover, and you're good to go. And that area where it's overlapped actually holds stiffer. So if you have really intense muscles in a certain spot in your face, then you would want to overlap there. But you can experiment with it. And little by little, as you learn, you could use less and you could do it a certain way. Just wear it. Like, I've had nights where I'll just wear it right here because I tend to raise this eyebrow by itself. And so I get my most my lines right here. And so sometimes if I'm lazy and I just don't want to deal with it, I'll just put one. And that's okay because my muscles kind of know, right? They're used to it. There's like a muscle memory.

[Alex Clark]

Is there a specific way to remove them in the morning?

[Helen Morrison]

Yes. And also do what you want. Whatever works for you. But generally speaking, I like to teach people best practice. And it's best to soak them off or get in the shower and let the steam kind of take them off or personally I always work out with them on because your sweat and body heat just kind of softens them and then they just fall off. You really want to re wet the adhesive because it dissolves in water also. That way you're not pulling on your skin, you're not over exfoliating your skin. Some people can just rip them off dry, and they love that. And I'm like, okay, do what you want. They love that there are people who do that. And then they feel like, oh, this was irritating. And I'm like, well, you really should soak them off because it's just more gentle on your skin. And I mean, it's always better to be more gentle.

[Alex Clark]

Do you put your frownies on after doing a full nighttime skincare routine or are you doing completely clean, dry skin? No skincare.

[Helen Morrison]

No, absolutely full nighttime skincare routine. And that's one of the reasons I love brownies too. A lot of other wrinkle patches made of other materials. They will tell you, do not use your skincare. And I'm like, I. I cannot skip my skincare. I like to go like glazed donut all the time.

[Alex Clark]

Okay, I want to know the whole skincare routine. Like, I don't care if it's 17 items. Like, what are you using? Tell us.

[Helen Morrison]

I actually keep it really simple. And I use the Franny skincare line, but we have a ph balancing face wash that like, no matter what face wash else. I've tried other stuff and I just can't. I am obsessed with this face wash is like my first love of skincare, but I wash my face with that. And then I apply an apple stem cell serum instead of like a retinol or Bakuchi bikuchi oil or whatever. And then I spray my face with our rose water hydrator. It has a little bit of hyaluronic acid. And then I put on our skin serum, which is actually a facial oil. And it's like sea buckthorn oil, macadamia nut oil, oat oil, which are all like, very healing for the skin. Sea buckthorn has really high concentration of vitamin C. So I do that and then I put my brownies on and I do the same thing in the morning.

[Alex Clark]

Now, I know you're not doing Botox or fillers. You doing any lasers or anything like that? We should know.

[Helen Morrison]

No, I've actually only even ever had two facials in my life. So I've literally. I'm a mom. I'm. I'm like overwhelmed and busy doing my thing, you know, and so I just have never taken the time. And a friend of mine, another mom at school, she's an esthetician. She's like, you got to come in and let me give you a facial. So probably about a year ago, I got my first facial ever. So I've never done anything else.

[Alex Clark]

I'm so shook.

[Helen Morrison]

It's all. All brownies.

[Alex Clark]

Okay. Are there any skin types or conditions that should avoid using frownies?

[Helen Morrison]

Well, if you do have a lot of irritation in your skin already, if you, you know, if you did get a laser or microdermabrasion or you are prone to irritation, we would recommend go to your dermatologist and make sure you're gonna be okay, or do a patch test and see. We have people with all different types of skin, all different skin conditions who've used brownies and they've had no problem at all. But then at the same time, there's not any one product that works for every single person everywhere. And so we always just recommend, if you're concerned, do a patch test. We're really great about our 30 day money back guarantee. Like, just call us and it's. It's no big deal. Like, we'll give your money back. And yeah, you know, so there's really not any reason that you couldn't unless it was just individualized and it just didn't work for you.

[Alex Clark]

Have you ever received any pushback from dermatologists or skin care professionals about the efficacy of fronies?

[Helen Morrison]

Yes, there. There are those who have been in support of it, which is always really cool to see. But there's definitely been dermatologists who, if anything, they, they've made. There's been a lot of content online where they say, like, yeah, this isn't really going to work. There are some who will say, well, it would work, but you have to do it every day. Like, you should just get Botox. So there's kind of this. We administer Botox and we think it's easier, and it is. Botox is probably a lot easier. You do it and it's done. The thing is that anything that anyone has ever said in criticism of frownies, it's clear that they don't actually know how they work or what they do. And everything that they say that is critical of frownies, I'm like, that applies to face tape and silicone, scar tape and silicone patches.

[Alex Clark]

What is the beef with face tape? Like Japanese face tape? Is it just a hoax? It's just not doing crap or what?

[Helen Morrison]

No, I do think that there is benefit and it's more around like lymphatic drainage and that kind of thing. Because I use kinesiology tape on different areas where I'm like injured or I pull a muscle or have a, a thing. And it works great. And there is benefit to it, but it's not muscle training. It's not going to address. If you furrow your brow all the time, you can put the Japanese face tape on, you can still furrow your brow, you can still scrunch your face. And if that's your problem, that's what's creating the lines.

[Alex Clark]

So the people that are the hardcore face tape people that say, like, no, this is better than frownies, what is their argument for why that is better that you disagree with?

[Helen Morrison]

Well, some of them say frownies block lymphatic drainage. So they think that the, the true way that you need to smooth wrinkles is by improving your lymphatic drainage and that heals your skin. And I would agree, but they're wrong that frownies block lymphatic drainage. And again, there's a lack of understanding because they say frownies are freezing your muscles. And this is where it's funny, because you have the Botox people are like, well, frownies can't work because they don't freeze your muscles. And then you have these taping people who are like, well, frownies don't work because they freeze your muscles and they block lymphatic drainage. And it's like, you guys, yeah, go talk amongst yourselves. You know. But essentially, frownies, because they have that water activated adhesive and they're lifting, they're actually helping allow that. Just the way that they say KT tape or Japanese face tape, it has the adhesive that's like a wavy pattern. And they say that that's lifting the fascia and allowing for blood flow and lymphatic drainage. We've had a lot of estheticians also say the same thing about frownies because it's creating that lift. And even when people wear them, they're like, I feel like I have a bubble under my frownies. It's like, yeah, it's creating a lift and that's doing the same thing that the they say that the face taping is doing. And I do think that there is benefit, like if you hold tension in your jaw and stuff and you can use the face tape and that can help relax that just like anything else in your body. But here it's not strong enough. It's flexible and you can still furrow with the tape on. So I think there's a benefit to it and if there were no more frownies, I would do it.

[Alex Clark]

I had a birthday weekend plan for relaxation this year and fun. But instead I woke up with the worst crick in my neck. I could barely turn my head to the left. I was in agony. It was such a bummer because I had so many things that I wanted to enjoy and I still did them, but I was kind of miserable the whole time. But then I remembered that I had my JOOVV red light therapy device at home, so I decided to give that a try. I did a quick 10 minute session in the morning and another at night. And you know what? Within a day or two the inflammation in my neck severely calmed down and I could start slowly moving my neck again without the usual pain. That is the magic of red light therapy. I use my JOOV regularly as part of my wellness routine and it is so simple. Ten minutes in the morning to start my day and another session in the evening to wind down for night. Over time I've noticed less muscle soreness, reduced inflammation and I sleep much better.

[Helen Morrison]

Better.

[Alex Clark]

Plus JOOVV uses clinically proven wavelengths to target exactly what the body needs. It's a safe, effective and non invasive way to boost cellular health. Joov's medical grade panels emit the perfect dosage of red and near infrared light, delivering proven results that you can feel. It's a staple in my wellness routine and has been for, I don't know, maybe four or five years now because it makes healing easier and faster, whether it's muscle recovery or simply giving myself the support they need. I used to pay this like huge premium price, like a hundred dollars a month to be able to unlimited go to a booth and use a JOOV in Scottsdale. Getting my own not only saved money, but it is the same exact device that I was paying big bucks for right in my bathroom. Plus Juice devices are independently tested and certified for safety, so I feel confident using them. Check out JOOVV today. Get an exclusive discount on your first order by visiting Joovv.com Alex and using my code. It automatically pops up there at checkout, so you have to go to Joov Joo vv.com forward/alex and the code will automatically apply to your cart. Take your wellness to the next level with joovv. Are you tired of feeling like you have to apologize for your beliefs? It's time to join the Young Women's Leadership Summit, the largest conservative women's event in the country. June 13th through 15th. We're gathering in Dallas with top speakers like Leigh Allen Baker, Heidi St. John, myself and more to empower you to stand strong in your values, whether you're a student or an adult. Come celebrate what it means to be unapologetically conservative. This is your space and time. Get 25% off tickets with code [e-mail] One of the worst things about being gluten free is missing out on jams. I love spreading strawberry jam or apple cinnamon on a big fluffy breakfast biscuit or toast with a drizzle of organic raw honey. It's my jam. You know the kind of breakfast that makes you feel like you're just starting your day off right. Well now I found a way to get that back even though I'm gluten free with with AWG Bakery. So AWG Bakery makes gluten free bread and it is the perfect base for all of your favorite jams. It's rich, it's dense, it holds up so well. No sogginess, no crumbling. Whether I'm smearing on some strawberry jam, honey or even a little peanut butter, AWG Bakery makes it taste like you're eating real bread again with options like every day. Which is my favorite Rosemary everything and cinna raisin. It's the perfect canvas for all of those delicious toppings that you've been missing. Plus plus it's grain free paleo and made with ingredients you can pronounce. And if you want a little extra sweetness for your next breakfast, they even have jam worthy bagels and you can make your kids will love this mini pizza crust. Go to awgbakery.com use code Alex Clark for 10 off your order this is the only gluten free bread that I actually will eat. Awgbakery.com code Alex Clark for 10 off gluten free bread what challenges have you faced in promoting natural beauty remedies in a market that is just dominated by synthetic products?

[Helen Morrison]

Well, like I said it's it's always challenges on the opposite ends of the spectrum. I think with all of the anti aging and the marketing and even just the cultural attack on women like you're worthless once you get over a certain age or you're no longer attractive or you're no longer and so this messaging, I think culturally we're sick of it. Like people are done hearing that after a certain age you can't do or be certain things. And so I think that the anti aging industry, massaging the pain point of women's beauty concerns and insecurities, there's a lot of pushback against that. And thinking when you first see frownies, oh, it's just another anti aging product, like kind of like, please stay out of my face. But then when they come around and they hear how we talk about it and they hear really the empowerment of women that we try to promote, that helps soften the blow. But then with the synthetics, you know, so many dermatologists, there's a lot more money in those things. There's a lot more money in Botox and fillers. There's a lot more money in these, you know, clinically studied ingredients. And they can charge more and they can make more brownies. Is a simple little 24 box of facial patches. And there's not. Other people can't profit off of that the same and so they don't want it to work.

[Alex Clark]

So how long does a box typically last people for like how many days?

[Helen Morrison]

Depends on how big your face is. Some people need to wear a ton at night. Yeah. And some people have little tiny foreheads and they just wear a few. But anywhere from two weeks to six weeks at first.

[Alex Clark]

Okay.

[Helen Morrison]

In the beginning, you do need to be very consistent. You want to do it every single day at first.

[Alex Clark]

For how long?

[Helen Morrison]

I just tell people, look in the mirror at night. If you see lines, you need to wear your frownies. If you don't, then you can skip it. It general rule of thumb because people still push back. But how long? Well, it does take 12 weeks for full cell turnover of the skin. And generally in fitness it takes about 12 weeks to start to see changes in the muscles of the body. So if you've only done it for 30 days and you don't have this full result that you want, I am not concerned. I have customers who have super intense, very strong muscles and you've gotta, you've gotta let go of that. And your muscle needs time to take change shape. So it could be four to six months if your lines are very deep every day. If you are in your 20s and 30s, probably 30 days and you'll feel really good about your results and then you can use them for maintenance. And even then you said, like, how many nights a week do I wear them? Well, since being in Arizona this week, I've went hiking, I've been outside, I was with a friend, I'm talking a lot. So I actually wore frownies every night the past few days because by the end of the day, with all of the animation in my face face, I'm like, oh, I'm kind of seeing my lines. But when I'm just at home and I'm doing my thing, I don't really make that many facial expressions and I will go sometimes even a few weeks and not wear them.

[Alex Clark]

And the earlier in your 20s to start, the better.

[Helen Morrison]

Absolutely. If you think about preventing lines from forming is going to be much easier than lifting them once they're there.

[Alex Clark]

Okay.

[Helen Morrison]

And Also in your 20s, you have so much more collagen in your skin, which collagen is that bounce back ability. And that's why as we do get older, we start to see more lines because we have less collagen. So your, your skin is not as forgiving. And so if you start young and you learn early on, honestly I could probably stop using frownies and just with some face massage, I could probably maintain my results because I've learned, I know, like, I just don't fur on my brow a lot. But if you start young, you learn early and you don't develop those deep lines. My, my mom is 70 and she doesn't have any lines on her forehead either. She looks the, you know, her skin is seven year old skin. It's beautiful. But her face, her forehead looks just like mine.

[Alex Clark]

I'm just curious with the Maha movement and you know, everybody really caring about holistic health and natural remedies and all this kind of stuff. Back to basics. Have you guys seen like a uptick in sales, like a direct correlation with the, the popularity of the Maha movement going on culturally, you know, it's hard.

[Helen Morrison]

To say exactly what's attributed. We have seen a lot of growth since I started in 2020.

[Alex Clark]

Okay.

[Helen Morrison]

I mean the business has probably 10x since then.

[Alex Clark]

Oh, good job.

[Helen Morrison]

Thanks. And so it's definitely changed, but I think that this is the perfect storm. Like we're at the right point. There's that. There's also so much more awareness about skincare and the skincare trends and things that are happening online. There's this time where people are having this filler fatigue. There's more people speaking up about Botox reactions and illnesses and things. So there's just this perfect storm of all factors in culture that are happening right now that I think it's all contributing to it. And we have a lot of, you know, crunchy moms who use frownies and promote frownies and a ton of our affiliates that are right in the middle of the, of that movement. And so I think it all helps.

[Alex Clark]

What is the most rewarding aspect of working in the natural beauty industry?

[Helen Morrison]

Honestly, the most rewarding aspect is the way that people's lives are changed, it's pretty crazy. But the stories that we've heard where people are like, you've given me my life back. And I'm like, what? You know, but truly, when people look in the mirror, like I said, your skin is a very personal, very sensitive subject. You know, it's your face and people are looking at their faces and feeling horrible about themselves. And then there's social media filters and there's so much that's fake, but you don't know. You just see online and you compare yourself and people who have felt like, you know, they've gone through something traumatizing and their skin has aged really quickly and they will write us letters or emails and say, you know, I went through this traumatic thing or I went through cancer or whatever and my skin was just a disaster. And I, I hated what I saw in the mirror and I just felt depressed and the way I treated people wasn't good. And I started using frownies and I feel like this gave me my life back. And I'm like, I can't believe that. But the more and more stories that I hear, the more that I realize, like, this is really important for people to be able to accept yourself, look at yourself, love yourself. And that's really what then fuels. If you feel like you're valued and you feel that love that you matter and you're worth taking care of, you start doing other things too. It's like this little wrinkle patch. If it can kick off this storm of like, well, now I think I'm going to eat better. I think I'm gonna exercise more, I think I'm gonna notice what ingredients I'm putting on my skin and in my body. It just starts. This cascading effect of your brain is like, you're worth it.

[Alex Clark]

Yeah.

[Helen Morrison]

You know, and getting to watch that and getting to see people just transformed and their skin transformed and their self esteem transformed. It's like, this is so much more than I expected.

[Alex Clark]

What beauty trends or products right now are you personally really loving? Like what's in your makeup bag or what trends are you excited about?

[Helen Morrison]

I am a big fan of the glazed donut skin.

[Alex Clark]

Okay.

[Helen Morrison]

I don't care if people think I look sweaty.

[Alex Clark]

No, I.

[Helen Morrison]

Especially as women get like late 30s, like early 30s, late 30s, 40s. Like, I've watched a lot of my friends have not switched their skincare routine to that more moisturized, hydrated. Like, I'm all about like, like all the moisturizer, all the oils I Love seeing a lot people are using more cleansing oils to, like, double cleanse. I love. You know, and I know it's kind of controversial, like with the tallow, but just this idea of don't be scared of oils and fats on your skin. It's so helpful.

[Alex Clark]

So you're a fan of beef tallow?

[Helen Morrison]

I mean, I do use it sometimes.

[Alex Clark]

Okay.

[Helen Morrison]

I will say I'm not. I wouldn't. I'm not a huge advocate. The first time somebody sent me some, a girl had, like, this really sweet business. She made per. You know, products. She's like, can I send you this to try and. Okay. And at first I was a little freaked out. Yeah, I'm really going to put this in my face. But it. It does feel really good. I do it occasionally.

[Alex Clark]

Yeah. Not every night.

[Helen Morrison]

No.

[Alex Clark]

No, I don't. Holy Grail product. Like, you've been using this for 10 years. Besides frownies, obviously, that you were like, I'll never give this up.

[Helen Morrison]

I have this sunscreen that I'm obsessed with. It is a brand called Live Tinted, and it's a mineral sunscreen. And people always ask me to, like, so are you pro sunscreen or anti. I am anti sunburn, and I'm also anti tanning your face. I mean, I clearly have a tan. I get tan easily. I don't avoid the sun. I think there's a lot of benefit to it. But I have a sunscreen that I really just love. I feel like it gives you that glowy finish on your skin. So that's. That's probably my favorite. Outside of, like, the frownies, are there.

[Alex Clark]

Any beauty trends right now that you absolutely think are atrocious?

[Helen Morrison]

Well, like you said, I think it's kind of going out. But there's a lot with the filler stuff that I just.

[Alex Clark]

What about self tanner again?

[Helen Morrison]

Because I can be in the sun and I. My skin is good with it. I've never used a self tanner. And I understand some people are concerned about being in the sun, and so they want to have a glow. And I think it's okay if you're doing it naturally, but if we're going like, full orange.

[Alex Clark]

Here's my thing about self tanner. I am fine with it. If you are doing what it takes to make sure that it is on even and it isn't patchy, I think.

[Helen Morrison]

It'S just hard to do.

[Alex Clark]

There is nothing more disgusting and grotesque to me than the patchy. It's like, you know, gathering around your.

[Helen Morrison]

Wrists and your ankles and, like, in between your Face that looks absolutely treasures.

[Alex Clark]

Like literally be a beautiful pale vampire before you're that. Because that is gross to me. If you can't keep up with it to make it look flawless all the time and totally exfoliate before starting over. I don't think you should self tan. Tan? Yeah, that's my hot take on self tan.

[Helen Morrison]

It's definitely too much to keep up with.

[Alex Clark]

What advice would you give to individuals looking to simplify their beauty routines without compromising effectiveness?

[Helen Morrison]

Get a good cleanser that's going to go a long way and also just pick a few products that work really well for you and do it every day. It. The biggest thing about simplifying your routine in, in anything, skincare or anything is you have to be realistic of like I'm gonna do this, this and I'm going to do it every day. And if you try to go all in and you do have this 18 step routine, you won't keep doing it. Yeah, it's just important to just always, every night, wash your face, get a good moisturizer, make sure there's oil. I'm, I'm anti skincare that is oil free. You need oils on your skin. And I, when I was in my early 20s, had really like, I just had this react reactive, like acne nightmare and I thought like, I cannot put any moisture on my face, on my face. I need to just let it dry out. That's not going to help you.

[Alex Clark]

Right.

[Helen Morrison]

Because then your skin's going to overproduce oils and then you're just going to be kind of in a mess. So yeah, just get something simple that you know is going to work and keep doing it. Don't jump from product to product.

[Alex Clark]

Are there any misconceptions about the natural beauty industry that you want to address?

[Helen Morrison]

The idea that like you, you asked me earlier about beef tallow. Are you a fan? I think for some people it'll work and for others it won't. I think the misconception is that there's one way that does work for everybody. Yeah, everybody's skin may be a little different. And so it's not just because it's natural and it's working for someone, it might not work for you. So I think, you know, we just have to be more individualized, looking ahead.

[Alex Clark]

What are your goals for frownies in the next five to 10 years?

[Helen Morrison]

To be honest, I want to take a slice of the botox industry. Ooh.

[Alex Clark]

Yeah.

[Helen Morrison]

You know the, if you look at like cosmetic, the cosmetic industry and, and even just botox in general and the statistics of people from 18 to 25, the increased rate at which people are getting Botox in that age group is like 93 sensitive, 20, 22 or something like this. And that kills me. I get it. Like I said, if you are older and you decide, okay, it's time, I want to do some Botox, fine. But there is absolutely no reason for someone 18 to 25 with no wrinkles to be going and getting preventative Botox. I think that's a huge crock and a scam because you don't need it and you're in the name of fear of wrinkles. You are getting Botox just in case so you hopefully don't ever get wrinkles. When it's going to be so expensive, you will build up to where you're going to need more and more Botox. Your body gets used to it. I have so many customers come to us because their body got used to Botox and it got too expensive or it wouldn't even work anymore. And so if you're starting at 18 to 23, I just think, well, they say it's safe and all this okay, but we don't know anybody who's used it for 20, 40, 60. Are you gonna really go from 20 to 80, 60 years of Botox and think you're gonna get out with no side effects? I don't know.

[Alex Clark]

What message would you like to share with individuals who are like, I don't know, I'm. I'm intrigued by frownies, but it seems intimidating or overwhelming. I don't know if I can do it. I feel like I don't know how to do it right.

[Helen Morrison]

I'm here for you. Truly. I think we do our business and our customer care and our social media very differently than most brands. Literally. Still to this day, I answer Instagram DMS every day. Not all of them. I used to answer them all by myself. But I have one girl who helps me. And otherwise, like, I'm in there too, here and there, because I want to stay connected to the customers. But it's like, if you're feeling intimidated, send me a DM and I will literally talk to you. We send voice messages back. I will explain it to you, I'll walk you through it, I'll send you a video, and if you're stuck, I'll show you little ways to do it. But you're not alone. We are super hands on. Just the same as you're gonna go to an injector and you need to go to a Good injector. Who's gonna listen to you, who's gonna hear what your goals are and they're gonna do it right. We're essentially providing that same support for you. So reach out because I am talking to people who feel that way every day and I get them started and then they're like, oh my gosh, like what would I do without you? I'm like, exactly.

[Alex Clark]

What is it?

[Helen Morrison]

Just message me.

[Alex Clark]

What's your social media?

[Helen Morrison]

Well, you can just message me on frownies at Frownies.

[Alex Clark]

Okay.

[Helen Morrison]

Super easy.

[Alex Clark]

And then where can you buy frownies? Because I feel like there's a few.

[Helen Morrison]

Different places you can buy them on the website brownies.com you can purchase them on Amazon. You just need to be careful because there are a lot of like fraudulent sellers and people have made like brownies dupes and they are not going to work. They're not the same. They generally just fall off your face. So you want to be sure that if you're purchasing from Amazon that you see that it says Frowny's beauty products as the seller.

[Alex Clark]

Okay.

[Helen Morrison]

Anyone else? No that's selling brownies. We do not sell wholesale so people can resale. So if you're looking on the tick tock shop right now, those are all fake. Walmart.com all fake. Don't go outside of like Amazon and the website.

[Alex Clark]

Right now the Walmart website is a mess.

[Helen Morrison]

It is a mess.

[Alex Clark]

I don't understand.

[Helen Morrison]

It's a disaster. They. Well, and I think that they're trying to make improvements. They just launched this like premium beauty category where a brand will be able to own their product sales and they have to approve any other sellers because yeah, right now anyone and everyone can pop on there and be like, I'm selling.

[Alex Clark]

Yeah. It's a bizarre website. It like seems like really weird to me. But you guys are also in Whole Foods, right?

[Helen Morrison]

We were for a long time. And so Whole Foods, it was store by store. So there, there could be Whole Foods there some. We do have a store locator on our website. You can check that out if you want to buy it in person.

[Alex Clark]

But that if you could offer one remedy to healistic culture physically, emotionally or spiritually, what would it be?

[Helen Morrison]

Breathing.

[Alex Clark]

Breathing.

[Helen Morrison]

Yeah.

[Alex Clark]

Elaborate.

[Helen Morrison]

Well, and I guess this kind of does connect in with frownies, but there is a lot about breathing that reduces stress. There's a lot. There's a book actually should check it out. It's called Breathe. It's a bright yellow book.

[Alex Clark]

Is it James Nestor? I interviewed him last summer. He's Phenomenal.

[Helen Morrison]

Yeah. There's just so much about breathing that if you aren't breathing right, you're gonna have a lot of problems even if you're doing everything else right. And in so many different realms, stress wise, jaw development, health. There's even all the links between scoliosis and everything with breathing with children and ADHD and all the problems that people have have very much connected to their airway and the lack of development proper breathing. And then there's so much in the aesthetic world that if you're not, if you are breathing right, you will be more beautiful. Like so there's just a lot, I think, I think we definitely under rate things that are more gentle in the health and wellness. Like everybody likes to be intense.

[Alex Clark]

Yeah.

[Helen Morrison]

You want to work out hard, you want to like cut out seed oils, you want to, you know, do the things with all the products and all the stuff and, and it's really. There's a lot of beauty and benefit in the simple, slower breath.

[Alex Clark]

It's gentle, natural and free.

[Helen Morrison]

Yep, yep, that's right.

[Alex Clark]

Oh my gosh.

[Helen Morrison]

Breathing and breathing. Right? Not just breathing, but yeah, breathing.

[Alex Clark]

Helen, this has been like so many months in the making. I was just so morbidly curious about frownies. I feel so encouraged now to like buckle down because I have them in my cabinet. But I've been a little intimidated. I'm gonna commit now to making sure I'm gonna do this. Like I'm gonna do like 90 days every night. Frownies.

[Helen Morrison]

Yes.

[Alex Clark]

See where it gets me. Thank you for coming on Culture Apothecary.

[Helen Morrison]

Yeah, thanks for having me.

[Alex Clark]

If anyone in my audience has their own before and after from using frownies, post the pics in the cute servatives Facebook group because I want to see. Let me know in a five star review if you enjoyed the beauty episodes and if I should do more of them. Mondays and Thursdays at 6pm Pacific, 9pm Eastern, new expert guests bring their own unique remedy to heal a sick culture physically, emotionally or spiritually. Subscribe to Real Alex Clark on YouTube. There's tons of extra content there beyond Episodes and follow me on Instagram eal Alex Clark. You can also find the show on Instagram at Culture Apothecary. I'm Alex Clark and this is Culture Apothecary.