All Things Vitamin C with BeautyStat’s Ron Robinson

Summary

Gloss Angeles Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: All Things Vitamin C with BeautyStat’s Ron Robinson
Release Date: June 13, 2025
Guests: Ron Robinson, Cosmetic Chemist and Founder of BeautyStat

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of Gloss Angeles, co-hosts Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan welcome back Ron Robinson, a seasoned cosmetic chemist and the mastermind behind BeautyStat. As a two-time guest, Ron delves deep into the world of Vitamin C, its applications in skincare, and the latest trends shaping the beauty industry.

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BeautyStat’s Vitamin C Innovation

Encapsulation Technology:
Ron Robinson highlights the groundbreaking encapsulation technology used in BeautyStat’s Vitamin C products. This method ensures the stability and effectiveness of L-ascorbic acid without the typical drawbacks like an unpleasant odor or orange hue.

• Quote:
  "This encapsulation, this little popping of it where it was the L ascorbic that wasn't going to turn orange or didn't smell like hot dog." [02:47]

High Potency Formula:
BeautyStat’s Vitamin C serum boasts a potent 20% concentration of pure vitamin C, significantly higher than many competitors offering 2-3%.

• Quote:
  "And that's why it's so key. So that's why I love it. Antioxidant protection stimulates collagen and evens out skin tone by lowering the melanin production." [06:56]

Consumer Experience:
Sara shares her personal testimonial about the serum's transformative effects, noting significant improvements in her skin’s clarity and tone after just one day of use.

• Quote:
  "I might as well try this. I had just left PopSugar. My skin was a wreck... It was a day later. My skin. Maybe I should post this again. You should, because the before and after was bonkers." [02:13]

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Optimal Use and Ingredient Synergy

Ron discusses the ideal age to incorporate Vitamin C into a skincare routine, emphasizing its suitability for individuals in their 20s and older rather than adolescents.

• Quote:
  "Not for the tweens. Not for Gen Alpha. It's too strong." [05:37]

Combination with Other Ingredients:
Exploring the synergy between Vitamin C and other skincare ingredients, Ron advises separating the use of Vitamin C in the morning from potent actives like retinoids and glycolic acids, which are best applied at night.

• Quote:
  "Use vitamin C in the morning... and then use the other ingredients, the tret, the hydroxy acids at nighttime." [09:08]

Sunscreen Integration:
Highlighting the importance of pairing Vitamin C with sunscreen, Ron emphasizes their combined protective benefits against UV rays and free radicals.

• Quote:
  "The combination of pure vitamin C and sunscreen, synergistic protection benefits against UV and UV rays and free radicals." [21:04]

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Current Ingredient Trends: Overhyped and Emerging

Overhyped Ingredients:
Ron criticizes the surge in popularity of beef tallow in skincare, citing a lack of clinical data and potential for pore clogging.

• Quote:
  "The one that comes to mind is beef tallow... it's very greasy. So you think about your pets licking your face... it's absolutely crazy." [10:36 - 13:15]

Emerging Ingredients:
Discussing NAD (Nicotinamide Adenosine Dinucleotide), Ron expresses curiosity about its topical benefits, drawing parallels to its use in longevity therapies like IV drips and injections.

• Quote:
  "NAD... is nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide... I'm very curious about it as well." [14:27 - 15:35]

Exosomes:
Ron addresses the buzz around exosomes, explaining their role as delivery vehicles for skincare ingredients but urges skepticism due to insufficient evidence on their efficacy.

• Quote:
  "It's a lot of marketing... is there any beef behind that? No." [19:13 - 20:35]

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Introducing the C Lip Serum

Product Features:
BeautyStat’s latest innovation, the C Lip Serum, combines Vitamin C with mineral sunscreen, offering both protective and treatment benefits for the delicate lip area.

• Quote:
  "The combination of pure vitamin C and sunscreen... delivers shine and gloss." [20:57]

Formulation Challenges:
Ron discusses the intricate process of creating a lip serum that is both protective and aesthetically pleasing, overcoming issues like chalkiness and unpleasant aftertastes commonly associated with mineral sunscreens.

• Quote:
  "The flavor... it's a creamsicle flavor to it. No chemical sunscreen like, you know, bad aftertaste at all. It's so juicy, it's inviting." [22:16 - 22:41]

Market Impact:
The C Lip Serum addresses specific consumer needs, such as pigmentation issues prevalent among people of color, coupled with the necessity for lip protection from UV damage.

• Quote:
  "Listening to the consumer beauty set is all about consumer insights and data... addressing that as well." [27:09 - 28:17]

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Business Insights and Rebranding

Rebranding Strategy:
Ron reveals BeautyStat’s strategic rebrand aimed at maintaining stock levels before economic challenges like tariffs emerged, ensuring product availability and stability.

• Quote:
  "We rebranded before this tariff fiasco even happened. So we got into a real good stock capacity." [34:37 - 35:02]

Pricing and Accessibility:
Emphasizing affordability without compromising quality, Ron discusses the balance between innovation and accessible pricing, especially in a volatile economic landscape.

• Quote:
  "How do I deliver great results at a very affordable price and still maintain a profitable business?" [33:00 - 34:37]

Competitive Landscape:
Ron addresses the competitive nature of the beauty industry, referencing the expiration of patents and the subsequent emergence of high-quality, low-priced alternatives that captivate consumers.

• Quote:
  "One of the best selling vitamin C serums... their patents just expired... new brand coming out with... similar ingredients for less than a tenth of that price." [32:27 - 32:58]

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Highlighting Other BeautyStat Products

Pro Bio Moisturizer:
Often overshadowed by the Vitamin C serum, the Pro Bio Moisturizer is lauded for its barrier-repairing capabilities and bio-fermented mushroom extract, providing deep hydration and skin barrier support.

• Quote:
  "It's a great barrier repair moisturizer. Drenches the skin and moisture... uses a bio fermented mushroom extract that helps to repair the skin's barrier." [35:42 - 36:12]

Triple Plump Coconut Milk Serum:
Designed to offer an instant and lasting hydration boost, this serum combines hyaluronic acid with polyglutamic acid and coconut derivatives to ensure continuous moisture retention.

• Quote:
  "Delivers moisture to the skin instantly as well as over time... we have the clinicals to back it up." [36:39 - 37:19]

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Conclusion and Future Outlook

The episode wraps up with heartfelt congratulations to Ron Robinson on his recent engagement and successful Ulta event. The hosts express their admiration for Ron’s contributions to skincare innovation and BeautyStat’s growth. Ron also teases upcoming products, including a new mineral sunscreen designed for improved sheerness and suitability for all skin tones.

• Final Remarks:
  "This was such a beautifully formulated product. And also $42. Am I going to sound insane? That's a great price point, in my humble opinion." [37:19 - 37:42]

Availability:
Listeners can purchase the C Lip Serum and other BeautyStat products via beautystat.com and Ulta.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• “I'm so honored I cannot tell you.” [01:03]
• “We were blown away with that. I'm like, oh, my God, you discovered us.” [02:38]
• “No, antennas on you need a vitamin C in your sunscreen.” [10:02] (Note: Representative of an earlier comment's context)
• “Your content's like some of my favorite content.” [38:42]
• “You're not a mass market brand. And you're not... a for-profit business." [33:19]

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Key Takeaways

• Vitamin C remains a cornerstone in effective skincare, offering multifaceted benefits from antioxidant protection to collagen stimulation.
• Innovative formulations, such as encapsulated Vitamin C and hybrid products like the C Lip Serum, are setting new standards in product efficacy and user experience.
• The beauty industry is witnessing a surge in both overhyped and emerging ingredients, necessitating consumer discernment and reliance on scientific backing.
• Accessibility and affordability are paramount as brands navigate economic challenges, striving to deliver high-performance products without exorbitant price tags.

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For more insights and detailed discussions on the latest in beauty, makeup, and skincare trends, subscribe to Gloss Angeles on your favorite podcast platform.

Transcript

[Ron Robinson]

Ready to order?

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Ron Robinson]

We're earning unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment with a Capital One Saver Card. So let's just get one of everything.

[Sarah]

Everything.

[Ron Robinson]

Fire everything. The Capital One Saver card is at table 27, and they're earning unlimited 3% cash back. Yes, Chef.

[Sarah]

This is so nice.

[Ron Robinson]

Had a feeling you'd want 3% cash back on dessert.

[Sarah]

Ooh, tiramisu.

[Ron Robinson]

Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment with the Capital One Saver Card. Capital One, what's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com for details. G L A M. Los Angeles.

[Kirby]

Hi, Kirby.

[Sarah]

Hi, Sarah. Welcome to Los Angeles. It's a two timer. It's a two time repeat guest.

[Kirby]

We should have like a circle or.

[Sarah]

Something like SNL does. Like the five time host, Ron Robinson.

[Kirby]

Not everyone gets asked back, Ron.

[Sarah]

And truly, we tell people this.

[Ron Robinson]

I'm so honored I cannot tell you.

[Sarah]

When people come to us and say, hey, we'd love to have our client on because they newly acquired a brand at their agency and we're like, first of all, Google it. They've been on the podcast A B.

[Ron Robinson]

What?

[Sarah]

Wasn't that great of a nut? We don't tell them that, but we're like, I think we're good.

[Kirby]

Oh, now they know the secret. Sorry, everybody.

[Sarah]

No, y' all. If you've been listening from the jump probably since 2019, right?

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Since 2019, you've heard us talk about beauty stat. This is still, to this day, my favorite vitamin C product of all time.

[Kirby]

Kirby has to be, like, one of the first people talking about literally. Literally the first.

[Ron Robinson]

She posted about it, and I was like, what? Oh, my God. She discovered us.

[Kirby]

I mean, she's the one who told me about you.

[Sarah]

To. Violet Gray didn't walk. I drove there, and then I walked into Violet Gray. Because that's the only place you could get it in person here in LA.

[Ron Robinson]

That's right.

[Sarah]

It was still mostly D2C.

[Ron Robinson]

Correct.

[Sarah]

And Violet Gray had it. I walked in and I said, you know what? I've seen this. Like, I had just maybe gotten, like, it in my feed.

[Ron Robinson]

Right.

[Sarah]

And said, I might as well try this. I had just left popsugar. My skin was a wreck.

[Ron Robinson]

Yes.

[Sarah]

Like, I was. This was like two apartments I was living in ago. By the way, you look so beautiful. She's like, thank you. Thank you. And I was like, I'm gonna just see how this works. And I'm not kidding. It was a day later. My skin. Maybe I should post this again. You should, because the before and after was bonkers.

[Kirby]

Also, your testimonial was just like, convincing.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Like, everyone was like, I need it.

[Ron Robinson]

We were blown away with that. I'm like, oh, my God, you discovered us.

[Kirby]

It was so innovative. Right. Like, obviously there was C ferulic and, you know, the tried and trues, but what you were doing was very different.

[Sarah]

This encapsulation, this little popping of it where it was the L ascorbic that wasn't going to turn orange or didn't smell like hot dog.

[Ron Robinson]

No hot dog water. No, no, no hot dog water.

[Sarah]

I remember when I put it on, I was like, this is such a unique texture. And one of the things that I really like about beauty products is learning how to use a product effectively. So I remember when I posted about it, people then bought it and they're like, it feels gritty. I'm like, good.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

If you don't feel the little encapsulation kind of popping, then you probably have a bad product.

[Kirby]

Exactly.

[Sarah]

You need that in there.

[Ron Robinson]

And there's 20% of a solid powder, vitamin C, L ascorbic acid powder, and it's encapsulated and it goes in. It disappears instantly as soon as you apply and start to rub it into the skin, but it works. You feel that tingle. That's your signal. That's 20% pure vitamin C working to do all the good things, Reduce that hyperfigment, pigmentation, even out the skin tone, stimulate collagen, all of those things it's doing. And that's 20% pure vitamin C that, you know, we. We're innovative around.

[Kirby]

That totally continue to be like the bestseller and the entryway into the brand.

[Ron Robinson]

It's our cult best selling product. And, you know, we have a new. A new item that just launched where we're bringing that same stabilized technology of vitamin C into the lips.

[Sarah]

Ooh, okay. Yeah, we'll get to that. We will get to that for sure. I'm actually curious. Can we go back to when you first. Cause you launched in 2019 or 2018.

[Ron Robinson]

2019.

[Sarah]

Okay. Yeah. So we were. It was really fresh then. Yeah, so were we. We were also. It's like we were babies. You and Amy Lou?

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

2019.

[Ron Robinson]

2019. That's right. Yes.

[Kirby]

I think SEI also launched in 2020.

[Ron Robinson]

Lainey from SAE launched was a big time pre pandemic.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Ron Robinson]

These were the few brands that we launched pre pandemic. And it was like, what is going on now? It's like, boom.

[Sarah]

Okay, right? You're like, okay, we got to figure this out. First year of business.

[Ron Robinson]

Oh, crap.

[Sarah]

No, but I'm curious, what made you decide to encapsulate a vitamin C powder versus maybe, like, a liquid form of L ascorbic acid?

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah. First of all, I love vitamin C. It's an essential nutrient. Our bodies can't make it. We either have to ingest it or apply it topically, and it's essential. So vitamin C, three great things. It does. It's a powerful antioxidant, so it's going to protect your skin from free radical damage. It helps to stimulate collagen, which helps it reduce fine lines and wrinkles, firm the skin. What it's most known for is reducing the hyperpigmentation evening at the skin tone because it really blocks melanin production. So that's why it works so well. It does everything. It's a jack of all trades ingredient. I love working with it because of that.

[Sarah]

Got it.

[Kirby]

At what age do you think you should start using a vitamin C in your routine?

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah, definitely not for the tweens. Not for Gen Alpha. It's too strong.

[Kirby]

Yep. I asked that because I know we have listeners who have kids who are like, I need the vitamins.

[Sarah]

We have some teenagers that write into us, Right. Like, you're our beauty big sister, which I think is so sweet. But then I'm like, oh, I have to be super. I feel like we have to be more cognizant of saying this is not for, like, under 20.

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah. Older teens.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

Older.

[Ron Robinson]

When you're in your 20s. Fine. Because when you want the most is when you're really trying to treat that. Hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, lower levels of vitamin C are great as a protective ingredient. It's antioxidant benefits, protecting the skin from free radicals.

[Sarah]

So do you think that's why when I used it, when I was breaking out, when I had, like, these, like, deeper cystic pimples, like, I probably had, like, five on my face, and I used it. And then the next day, I mean, truly, it was like night and day in terms of how clear. What was the L ascorbic acid doing in that sense?

[Ron Robinson]

All the things I mentioned.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Ron Robinson]

Helping to stimulate collagen.

[Sarah]

Oh, the collagen.

[Ron Robinson]

The collagen piece. So that's helped. Helping to firm the skin, level out the skin. That's what it's also known for.

[Sarah]

Got it.

[Ron Robinson]

And that's why it's so key. So that's why I love it. Antioxidant protection stimulates collagen and evens out skin tone by lowering the bat melanin production.

[Sarah]

I was curious if there was anything else though in it that was like, specifically helping with like my breakouts.

[Kirby]

You're like in the redness or the inflammation.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Ron Robinson]

Keep my acne scarring, acne pockmarks, acne marks. That's hyperpigmentation.

[Sarah]

But what I'm saying is like, it was an act.

[Kirby]

It was like calming.

[Ron Robinson]

It was calm.

[Sarah]

Yeah, it was like a calming.

[Ron Robinson]

Yep.

[Sarah]

Like reduction, the antioxidant protection.

[Ron Robinson]

Okay, so that's the benefit that you're saying again, those three things that vitamin C does, you experience and happen to experience it really quickly. That's a magic. And 20%. We're not doing 2%, 3%. It's potent, right? Yeah, we know our vitamin C. It's one of the most potent on the marketplace. It works.

[Kirby]

But stable.

[Ron Robinson]

It's stable. May tingle a little bit when you first apply it. You'll adapt, your skin will adapt and you will adjust and reap the benefits.

[Sarah]

Of that vitamin C. Were you scared to do 20% or were you like, no, it needs to be 20%?

[Ron Robinson]

You know, I was, I knew it was a lot. And keep in mind there was a little bit of this level game, that percentage race, if you will, in the market. Oh, I've got 10. Oh, I've got 15. So there's a little bit of that going on. But I tested all of those, 10, 15, 20. And my thought is if we could give really the most, the maximum amount, percentage of vitamin C, but make it comforting anti inflammatory as much as possible, we could get consumers great benefits in that high potent formula. And also we also recommend you follow with a moisturizer as well. So that'll help to soothe the skin and repair your barrier while that vitamin C is working to do its magic.

[Kirby]

Speaking more on vitamin C, especially after you launched, I feel like we saw a lot of formulations that were like 20, like, you know, like trying to really. And so in your mind as a consumer that knows nothing, you're like, oh, the higher the better. Right? We're seeing a lot of that. We're also seeing a lot of formulas that have vitamin C with other ingredients.

[Ron Robinson]

Sure.

[Kirby]

And I think that that's where it gets very. It's like a slippery slope for a lot of people with their skin. Right. They're like, why am I breaking out? Like, it's just vitamin C, but then there's niacinamide in it, there's peptides. So can you talk about like the nuance behind the formulations and why it can sometimes work and then sometimes not.

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah, Vitamin C, it plays nicely with most ingredients. The key thing I want to keep vitamin C away from are a lot of other functional, high performing ingredients. So retinoids I don't recommend combining, especially if you have sensitive skin. Glycolic acids, all the hydroxy acids, I don't recommend combining them. So what I recommend to my customers, use vitamin C in the morning. You really want that antioxidant protection during the day. And then use the other ingredients, the tret, the hydroxy acids at nighttime. So separate them in your routine.

[Kirby]

Okay. Should we be wary if we are seeing like this new product that has a vitamin C and other ingredients? Just make sure that it's not anything super, super active.

[Ron Robinson]

The ingredients that you can combine with vitamin C that work well, niacinamide, like you mentioned, peptides plays nicely. It's not going to irritate the skin too much. So totally fine to combine those ingredients with vitamin C C. Okay.

[Kirby]

Do we need a vitamin C in our sunscreens?

[Ron Robinson]

Yes. So the new research on vitamin C and sunscreen is that they provide synergistic results.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Ron Robinson]

Against protecting you from UV as well as free radicals. So I love the combination of the two. Go ahead.

[Kirby]

Okay. So you like it? I mean, definitely, like, you know, like use your vitamin C and then wear your moisturizer, then sunscreen. But like if there is a sunscreen that has vitamin C in it, is that okay?

[Ron Robinson]

I love it.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Ron Robinson]

I love it.

[Kirby]

You heard it here first.

[Sarah]

Okay. Are there any ingredient trends that you think are being overhyped right now? Especially ones that are not backed by strong clinical data?

[Ron Robinson]

Yes. Yeah. The one that comes to mind is beef tallow.

[Sarah]

Oh my God.

[Ron Robinson]

I mean, when did this ingredient become this do all. I mean, it's a sunscreen, it's anti acne, when actually it's at. It's poor clogging. So I don't know where consumers have gotten that. It's anti aging. So let's think about what beef towel is. It's, it's the fat that's rendered from beef. So it's very greasy. So you think about when you get these delicious french fries. That's. That's beef tallow.

[Sarah]

Like go get Crisco.

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah, Crisco, basically. So you're really asking for clogging of pores. Yes. It's a great emollient. If your skin is not, you know, tend to get acne or tend to get clogged pores. Fine. As an Emollient moisturizer. If you could withstand that fatty type of beef smell on your face. Right?

[Sarah]

I want to smell like a cow.

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah, you're right. I mean, you think about your pets licking your face and just like, oh, my God, everyone, right? The dogs and cats must be.

[Sarah]

Like, wow, she really got the hint. She smells amazing.

[Kirby]

Where did this come from?

[Ron Robinson]

I'm not sure where it came from, but it's definitely interesting how that is being really overhyped. No data. I've not seen any. And I'm a scientist. I'm a cosmetic chemist. I'm open to seeing data. If anyone has it, please show it. I've asked, Share it. I've asked. No one has come forward with any. No one has come forward and actually provided any data saying that it does any of these things.

[Sarah]

Big beef tallow has banana bread from 2000s publicists, right?

[Ron Robinson]

Totally. Absolutely. A fantastic publicist.

[Sarah]

Yeah, I would love to. It's like, was like, USDA Beef Farmers of America, like, okay, people are stopped. They're going more vegan. How are we going to get the beef right?

[Kirby]

But do you see any beauty experts or beauty influencers or editors that are actually using it? I don't see any of those people talking about it.

[Ron Robinson]

I've seen none. I've talked to so many, so many of the derms of my friends. I've asked them. Nothing, no data. They've seen. They see nothing. In fact, they have their patients coming in with clogged pores. Like, what. What are you doing differently? Oh, I was. You know, I saw beef tallow trending on TikTok, so I tried. Well, you get what you deserve. You get what you deserve.

[Sarah]

No offense, but I find that the most people that post about this online go to Mommy University, where they're like, I'm a mom, so now I'm actually an expert on everything. And.

[Kirby]

And they're trying to find, like, a natural.

[Sarah]

They're like, you know, this has zero chemicals because it comes from a cow, and actually it's going to protect your skin from. I'm like, who made this up? This is crazy.

[Ron Robinson]

Like, absolutely crazy.

[Sarah]

You do a license to be giving this information out to people. This is crazy.

[Kirby]

Are there any other ingredients that you're seeing? Whether it's on TikTok or, you know, murmuring in the slacks and the Facebook groups that people are sort of excited about that. You're like, I don't get it.

[Sarah]

Like, more traditional beauty.

[Ron Robinson]

More traditional. Well, there are a couple of trending things. Obviously, salmon, sperm, facial oh, my gosh. Yeah, so that's, you know, trending in a big way. And, you know, derms and other experts are injecting them. That's one thing. You know, I'm a cosmetic chemist. I focus on topical. I don't see any results specifically anti aging wise, from applying salmon sperm. Topically, it may be a great hydrator, et cetera, which is fine, but it's not all of what it's cracked up to be based on the data that I've seen.

[Sarah]

Right. And we had a guest on a few weeks ago, Vanessa Lee, who's an rn, and she went to Korea recently and said that over there, they're like, why are y' all so obsessed with semen sperm? That was like, so two years ago for us. Like, we're on to the next thing. Like, okay, yeah, we'll do it for you. But not super popular over there. And we're now just, like, really getting into it. Like, how do we get this?

[Kirby]

Yeah, yeah. So funny. Okay. And then on the flip side, is there anything, any ingredients that you're excited about that you're starting to see pop up in the scene that we should be paying attention to?

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah, nad. I don't know if you guys have heard about some of the longevity experts talking about nad.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Ron Robinson]

They're infusing it. They're getting, you know, injections, or they're doing IV drips of it.

[Kirby]

Should we be doing that?

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah. Well, think about what that ingredient is. I mean, it's a precursor. It's a coenzyme in our bodies that works to kind of stimulate renewal repair. It energizes all of our cells. So they're dripping it to help provide those benefits throughout their body and just live longer and have more vitality. And topically, it's actually a precursor, or it's a precursor for. For niacinamide, which is a B vitamin very common in skincare. A lot of data showing it helps to even skin tone and texture. I love niacinamide. So can this ingredient that's derived from niacinamide, this nad, can it have some effects on the skin? Potentially. Definitely digging in to see what else it can do. So I'm very curious about it.

[Sarah]

What does NAD stand for?

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah, it's. It's. It's nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide.

[Kirby]

Go your turn.

[Ron Robinson]

Nicotine acid Nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide. Yeah. Okay.

[Sarah]

We will commit that to memory.

[Kirby]

But are they all created equal? Because I feel like I see it popping up Everywhere.

[Sarah]

Like, come get your nad.

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know. I think more research needs to be done in terms of what. What's. What.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Ron Robinson]

And again, a lot of people are dripping it.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Ron Robinson]

Can't talk about that.

[Kirby]

Totally.

[Ron Robinson]

That's. But topically, I'm very interested if it does have benefits to the skin.

[Sarah]

Interesting. Okay, I love that. Okay, let's talk about this. So Sarah and I get nonstop pitches now about the first of its kind, skincare for semaglutides, essentially being like, you got on a semaglutide or tirzepatide. Is that how you say it? Tirzepatid. I'm not saying that.

[Ron Robinson]

Semaglutide. And yeah, yeah.

[Sarah]

Okay. The other one, that's like Bonjanjaro or Sembic. Yes. These weight loss drugs. Yeah. They're losing weight, and they're losing it substantially in their face because they're losing it so quickly, and then they look gaunt.

[Kirby]

Correct.

[Sarah]

So there's obviously a lot of practitioners saying, come get filler. I can help, you know, restore this lost volume. Now we're seeing skin care that is being pitched as a product that will actually help to reinvigorate your skin.

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah. To counteract that Ozempic face, if you will.

[Sarah]

What are your thoughts?

[Ron Robinson]

Well, I think we've always been working towards that. We know as we age, we lose collagen, we lose the fat in the upper part of our face. It starts to sink and drag our faces down. So we know that. And I think we've always been working at. On improving skin elasticity, firming the skin, lifting the skin. It's just really more dramatic now that consumers are on these semaglutide medications. So this rapid phalus, it makes it more rapid. So consumers like, oh, my God, I've lost body weight, but, you know, my face is sagging. I need skin care or treatments asap. And now all of the brands are starting to just pivot their marketing to talk to that.

[Kirby]

Okay, so marketing.

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah, it's more marketing than that is 100%.

[Sarah]

Right. Because I'm like, is this not anti aging?

[Kirby]

Right.

[Sarah]

This is literally.

[Ron Robinson]

It's what we've been doing all along.

[Sarah]

Restoring, you know, your elasticity, your firmness, your collagen. Like, what? And then, you know, it's pitched first of its kind. I'm like, I think this has been going on since, like, the 80s, since, like, skincare really became, like, you know, a commodity for people.

[Kirby]

Right.

[Sarah]

I'm glad that you said that, because I felt Like, I was going crazy for a minute. Like, Sarah and I are, like, just forwarding. Like, every time we get an email, we're like, oh, another first of its kind. Another one, and another one and another one rapidly.

[Ron Robinson]

But I know what I think is interesting, though, that's another tech that I. That I'm very curious about is topical semaglutide. Ooh. Literally the same ingredient or medication that folks are injecting to get the body benefits of it. What happens if we apply it topically? What.

[Sarah]

Why would you want to do that? Like, where would it be? Something like.

[Kirby]

Like on your.

[Sarah]

Like under your chin.

[Ron Robinson]

Under your chin. Any place there's jowls. Chin.

[Sarah]

Interesting.

[Kirby]

Like your cellular.

[Ron Robinson]

Of course, for body as well.

[Sarah]

Yeah, body would be really interesting. Okay. That is interesting to me.

[Ron Robinson]

And then from a sculpting perspective, thinking about place things we want to lift and maybe take away volume, we could do things like that.

[Sarah]

Oh, my God. It would put blephs out of business. Because you could use an eye cream with a semaglutide to, like, get rid of heavy lids.

[Ron Robinson]

Exactly. So we just don't know. So I'm very curious about that as well.

[Sarah]

That's a really good point, Ron. God, you're so smart.

[Kirby]

Yeah. Okay, what about exosomes?

[Ron Robinson]

Exosomes, Another hot ingredient.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Ron Robinson]

This is, you know, exosomes are messengers. They're vehicles for delivering ingredients to various parts of the skin.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Ron Robinson]

So I think it's a matter of one. Does that vehicle. Does it actually deliver? Is it working? And can it actually transport like it's meant to? And then what are you transporting? What are you putting into that vehicle? That vesicle, if you will, to deliver it to where you want it to go? So that's where I think the data. Not all exosomes are created equal. You need to understand what's in it. Does it actually deliver and get to where it needs to go and deliver results?

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Sarah]

I'm always a little, you know, judgy with an exosomes pitch just because I'm like. I think it just goes back to what you were talking about earlier, topically versus something being injected. Like, I feel like oftentimes with injections, we get a little bit more clinical data and studies around it, and then we don't get as much for topical, unless truly, it's like a topical prescription drug or something of that nature. So I'm always like, okay, but, like, where's the proof that this is actually doing anything?

[Ron Robinson]

So it's a lot of marketing. So A lot of brands are using it. It's a great mark. Oh, X now contains exosomes. This. This new thing contains ex. And it's okay. It sounds catchy. It sounds like people will stop scrolling and want to learn more. But is there any beef, Pardon the pun. Is there any beef behind that?

[Kirby]

You know, does it actually, I feel like it was like, with peptides, all of a sud, everyone started calling out that they had peptides. They had peptides. Yeah. But you're like, wasn't that always in there?

[Ron Robinson]

Right.

[Kirby]

Again, another marketing thing for sure. Okay, we got to talk about your new product. It is the C lip serum. So as you sort of teased in the beginning, it has your vitamin C in it, but it also has SPF in it.

[Ron Robinson]

That's correct.

[Kirby]

So you are obviously a believer in the hybrid of SPF with skincare.

[Ron Robinson]

Yes.

[Kirby]

So can this really deliver on both ends?

[Ron Robinson]

Absolutely. Again, the combination of pure vitamin C and sunscreen, synergistic protection benefits against UV and UV rays and free radicals. And it's not just a sunscreen. It's mineral sunscreen. So big challenge combining a mineral sunscreen in a product, making it sheer, and it being able to protect the skin. This was over two years in development. And you think about zinc oxide. It's a chalky white powder. It leaves the skin chalky matte. This delivers shine and gloss. So this took so long to get the formula just right to provide that shine. All that juiciness that you want out of a lip treatment, along with the protection benefits of, in this case, 16.5% zinc oxide.

[Kirby]

Oh, wow.

[Ron Robinson]

To protect the lips, broad spectrum uv.

[Sarah]

We just had somebody ask us what our favorite SPF lip products were.

[Kirby]

And this was not out yet.

[Sarah]

This was not out yet also. I was like, I don't have one, because everything tastes like spf. You know, it tastes like sunscreen.

[Kirby]

Yeah. And the formula is not elegant. Like, it just doesn't feel good. Yeah, yeah.

[Ron Robinson]

One of the biggest things consumers, I cannot wait for you guys to try this is the flavor. They're like, ron, this tastes so delicious. It has this creamsicle flavor to it.

[Sarah]

Ooh, I love creams.

[Ron Robinson]

No chemical sunscreen like, you know, bad aftertaste at all. It's so juicy, it's inviting. And that's what we wanted. We wanted that something that consumers are going to want to reapply and enjoy the benefits and the treatment benefits.

[Kirby]

And it's really pretty.

[Sarah]

Yeah, it is.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

This was your first lip product.

[Ron Robinson]

Our first lip product.

[Sarah]

Okay. But not your first Time formulating lip products.

[Ron Robinson]

That's correct.

[Sarah]

You have done many in your time. You obviously have your own brand beauty stat, which we talked about the rebrand that happened. And I don't know if you heard this episode, Ron, but we had somebody write in and say, is beauty stat going out of business?

[Ron Robinson]

I watched that.

[Sarah]

Oh, did you?

[Ron Robinson]

Okay, I did.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Sarah]

Because we got this question and I go, sarah, do we think that this is a possibility? Like, everything is really marked down. And then literally the next day.

[Kirby]

No, no, no.

[Sarah]

We got an email. It was like, there's a huge rebrand coming. And we were like, thank God. So we were really excited. It aligned with this AMA episode that we did. And then we were able to talk about it and say, surprise, surprise, there's a rebrand. They had, you know, you're getting rid of your old stock clearance.

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah, all clearance.

[Sarah]

Yes, all clearance. Which was like a benefit for the consumer. Cause they're like, yeah, I can stock up.

[Ron Robinson]

They stocked up. Boy, did they stock up good.

[Kirby]

We love to.

[Sarah]

Obviously, you have beauty stat. And then you're the brains behind Rhode Kay.

[Kirby]

Which congrats to Hailey Bieber. Because she was so smart.

[Sarah]

She was so smart.

[Ron Robinson]

Well, Hailey's the brand. She leads product development. She, you know, all of the ideation, conceptualization that is her. She is the product person. The only ways I step in is she says, ron, what do you think of this ingredient or that ingredient?

[Kirby]

And.

[Ron Robinson]

And I help her with understanding. Hey, hey, this is a good one. This one. Not so much that sort of thing. But she's the vision, she's the product, she's the ideator. She's everything for Rhode.

[Sarah]

I love to hear that, first of all. But also the peptide. I really do think that once she started saying, we have the peptide glazing fluid and then the barrier restore cream and all of these things, then we really saw the pop with the peptides. So did she come to you when she brought you in and said, listen, I think peptides are going to be it? Or were you like, you should look into peptides?

[Ron Robinson]

She came with peptides.

[Sarah]

Wow.

[Ron Robinson]

What I did is help. What type of peptides? What are the peptides that are going to fit the Rhode brand? The whole. The whole mission behind, you know, repairing the barrier and hydrating the skin, giving that glazed donut look. Okay, these. These are peptides that I recommend.

[Sarah]

Were you ever nervous about because your brain had been out by that point? Were you, like, when she came to you, I'm actually curious. Did she just DM you or reach Out. How did she get in touch?

[Ron Robinson]

She DM connected with me on Instagram. And this is during the pandemic. This is 2020. So we didn't meet in person for a year or so before we actually connected. So a lot of this was done via Zoom.

[Kirby]

You're like, hailey bieber's in my DMs.

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah. Right. And I knew again, Hailey is amazing. She's such a visionary. She knows product. Every product is her baby. And I just do what I can to help support that.

[Sarah]

Well, she was smart to tap you, obviously. But then how do you navigate your brand and separating it from Hailey's brand? Because, I mean, this is your first lip product now, and it doesn't say, like, peptide, whatever, when all these other brands were. I mean, it could have been really sexy for you to just be like, well, I actually made her, so why not throw a peptide in my and a lip product and call it a day?

[Ron Robinson]

Right? Yeah. What I look at is making sure we have two different consumer bases. So Beauty Stat focuses on millennial Gen X and hers Gen Z. Yep. So it was really clear that we had different audiences as well. And okay, now I am into the lip category, but I really wanted something really different. I wanted to offer protection with mineral sunscreen. We're about vitamin C. We're innovators in vitamin C. So what to bring that benefit to the lips? Because the lips do have pigmentation issues, they need to. Need to be brightened. So vitamin C is a great benefit, you know, in this product for the lip area and again, for the consumer that wants hydration and the peptide of road, they've got it. If they're looking for protection and the vitamin C benefits, they have ours.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Because I'm glad you explained it that way, because with this. So there's collagen stimulation here too, and especially for your demographic, that's something I'm personally looking for. If I'm putting a lip product on.

[Ron Robinson]

Great. For the lip lines as well. So again, as we're aging, we're seeing those lip lines come in with the protection of mineral sunscreen as well as vitamin C. You're getting that repair and protect.

[Sarah]

Amazing.

[Kirby]

So it's just as important to be applying sunscreen on your lips every day just like the rest of your face.

[Ron Robinson]

More so.

[Kirby]

More so.

[Ron Robinson]

The skin on our lips is thinner, it's more fragile, it's more sensitive. It's in a place where most a lot of skin cancer shows first.

[Kirby]

Oh, wow.

[Ron Robinson]

On many folks. So it's often overlooked. So I'm Thrilled with the fact that consumers are now wearing sunscreen regularly. They're forgetting their lips. Don't forget your lips.

[Sarah]

Also. Sorry to interrupt you. But for people of color as well, I find that I hear a lot that they will have issues with their lips in terms of pigmentation.

[Ron Robinson]

Absolutely.

[Sarah]

Or having more dark spots. So this kind of helps with that too. Because of the vitamin C. Because of.

[Ron Robinson]

Vitamin C. Got it. It's one of those things that consumers don't really know. They could do something about it. So, again, listening to the consumer beauty set is all about consumer insights and data. And our consumers have been telling me. Ron, what about the lips? I'm seeing this pigmentation issue. The same, you know, people that have, you know, hyperpigmentation on their face, they're seeing on their lips. So this is addressing that as well. So we're thrilled to be able to bring this to the market.

[Sarah]

I just saw a video of a black woman getting her lips lasered because of the pigmentation that she had on her lips. It was crazy. I mean, it was an instant change. Her lips went from brown to pink. It was bonkers. And the video has millions of views for obvious reasons, but I think that actually kind of speaks to having that vitamin C in your lip product. Yeah.

[Ron Robinson]

The feedback we're getting is amazing on it. The fact that consumers like, wow. Finally, finally, a lip treatment with vitamin C and mineral sunscreen. So, again, thrilled to bring this to the market.

[Sarah]

So excited for you, Ron.

[Kirby]

Ron, you had a sunscreen?

[Ron Robinson]

Yes.

[Kirby]

Are you still selling that sunscreen?

[Ron Robinson]

We know we discontinued that.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Ron Robinson]

We've got a new one in the works because sunscreen. Sunscreen has evolved, and I'm going mineral. I believe in sunscreen. No matter what chemical or mineral. Wear your sunscreen.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Ron Robinson]

I'm going mineral because I'm seeing innovation around making it more sheer, working on more skin tones. Consumers of color, they need sunscreen too. And our deep consumers, they want sunscreen protection, but they want it sheer. And that's in the works. So stay tuned for that.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

What are the challenges you're facing right now when you're trying to formulate this dream? Sunscreen?

[Ron Robinson]

It's working with mineral sunscreen. The challenge is the sheer. Getting it sheer.

[Kirby]

Okay. The sheerness. Okay.

[Ron Robinson]

The sheerness and not chalky and wiping.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Sarah]

And then also. So I feel like the consumer really wants this non nano zinc oxide. Right. Like, that's like a term in their head where they're like, non nano. We need the non nano. Okay. I personally don't care either way, if it protects my skin, I don't really care. And it's sheer, great. But this non nano, what I was told is that oftentimes because of the way that the individual particles are shaped, they're rigid, they're jagged, they're not perfectly smooth. And so that's why you're seeing more of it on your skin. If you can really get it to this like smooth particle point, that's how you achieve ultimate sheerness. Is that right?

[Ron Robinson]

It's right.

[Sarah]

It's part of it.

[Ron Robinson]

It's part of it. But the other part is also making it blendable and dispersed, really in a more even format.

[Sarah]

The dispersion.

[Ron Robinson]

That the dispersion matters. And that's where I'm seeing innovation. So I'm really pushing for that in this next NuFace sunscreen that we plan to launch.

[Sarah]

Okay. Do we have any ET on when that may be?

[Ron Robinson]

None.

[Sarah]

Okay, None.

[Ron Robinson]

None. Again. Again.

[Kirby]

Be watching.

[Ron Robinson]

We're not bringing it to the market until it's perfected.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Ron Robinson]

So it's gotta be perfect. So I will not put a timetable on it yet.

[Sarah]

I love that. Before we got talking, you said that you were excited to actually answer this next question. So with so many brands on the market, what does innovation look like to you in skincare today?

[Kirby]

We're tired, Ron. There's just so much we don't know.

[Ron Robinson]

There's so much buzz. There's so many ingredients. We've talked about some of the ones that are getting a lot of airtime without a lot of merit behind them.

[Kirby]

Oh, I wish I.

[Sarah]

Tell us afterwards. Mouth it right.

[Kirby]

You can subscribe for an extra $10 to buy.

[Sarah]

A version of this episode will be on Patreon.

[Ron Robinson]

But I think what's going on now is we're seeing so much of this race for this Birkin work in. How do we take luxury high tech and make it more accessible to everyone? One, how do we really give the consumer a lot more value? So what I'm really seeing is how do we give the consumer everything they want from a benefit perspective? Texture and aesthetics at the best price, at the lowest price? The consumer is no longer thinking that innovation and performance equals high price tag. They're going the opposite way. They're seeing innovation performance at lower price tags. So me as a cosmetic chemist, I'm looking at how do I give the consumer everything for the best price possible? One example of that is recent, is very recent. One of the best selling vitamin C serums, probably a bigger seller than ours, has been on the marketplace. A long time. Their patents just expired around their vitamin.

[Sarah]

C. Oh, ce ferulic. Yes, we are. You don't have to say, but we can. That's news. And I think that our listeners may be privy to that and information. But it was news.

[Ron Robinson]

It was news. It was definitely news. And then you saw, you might have seen a mass market brand basically lift that name. The name. The brand name of their product with similar or if not the same ingredients for less than a tenth of that price.

[Kirby]

Wild.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Ron Robinson]

And consumers are going bonkers for it.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Ron Robinson]

So that's a prime example.

[Sarah]

This is my personal conundrum because I feel like I'm a very logical person. I don't understand, like, for me, yes, of course I wish everything was given to me for free. I wish I didn't have to buy anything. However, how are companies and brands supposed to make a living?

[Ron Robinson]

Right.

[Sarah]

This is a business.

[Ron Robinson]

It's a business.

[Sarah]

Like these products don't exist because you deserve them. You have to buy them.

[Ron Robinson]

You have to buy them. Right.

[Sarah]

So how. I mean. And you're not. Yeah. You're not a mass market brand.

[Ron Robinson]

We're not a mass market. And we're not. We're where it's. It's a. It's for profit. We. We have employees. We put a lot.

[Sarah]

Actually crazy that we're not to say that really are doing for profit. Business.

[Ron Robinson]

Business. Yeah. And we, of course, my goal, what I love is delighting consumers, giving them products that really work. It's just that now my challenge is how do I do that and make it really accessible and affordable for them. We're in. We're in a crazy time economically. In a lot of ways. It's a very crazy, unprecedented time. And consumers are watching what they spend. And I think right now brands have to respond to that. And I think this example that we just talked about, this, you know, this one brand patent expired, now a new brand brand coming out with, you know, really a dupe, if you will, at a crazy low price. And this is kind of where we are right now. And I think that's where we're going. So I think about innovation again. How do I deliver great results at a very affordable price and still maintain a profitable business?

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Wow. I don't know. I'm glad that's not a problem. That's on you, baby.

[Ron Robinson]

Good luck with that.

[Kirby]

And I feel like everyone's talking about it. And I'm sorry to ask, but are you also being affected by like, the tariffs?

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah. Well, you talked about the rebrand.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Ron Robinson]

So we rebranded before this tariff fiasco even happened. So we got into a real good stock capacity.

[Kirby]

Perfect.

[Ron Robinson]

Before all of this. Good for you. So we're in a good place right now and I'm hoping it all dies down and we hope to get back to some sense of normalcy when it's time for us to reorder.

[Kirby]

Obviously we love the vitamin C. Is there a product in your lineup that you don't think gets enough shine?

[Sarah]

Oh, my God. I was literally going to ask that. That was my question.

[Kirby]

Okay, perfect. Great.

[Ron Robinson]

Oh my goodness. Okay. Our Pro Bio moisturizer. That's the one. We launched that Pro Bio moisturizer with that original cult following vitamin C serum. It really became this pair because it was the two.

[Sarah]

It was a duo. It was the two products that you had at the time. Yes, yes.

[Ron Robinson]

That one I feel is the most underrated.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Sarah]

Oh, really?

[Ron Robinson]

It's.

[Sarah]

So I'm looking to see which one though.

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah, it's. Yeah, it's a great barrier repair moisturizer. Drenches the skin and moisture. We tapped into bio fermentation as well because we use a bio fermented mushroom extract that helps to repair the skin's barrier as well.

[Sarah]

And I love a mushroom extract.

[Ron Robinson]

And I think when we launched it, the vitamin C got so much attention, which I'm so grateful for, but it kind of left the little Pro Bio moisturizer in the dark.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Oh. So we have to help the Pro Bio moisture.

[Kirby]

I think that the Pro Bio moisture boost cream is perfect for summer and summer, spring and summer. And especially if you're looking for something that's really light, absorbs quickly. It's beautiful. I also love the peptide wrinkle. Relax moisture. You know, I love that I go through that like so quickly. That's my favorite one. But also the triple plump coconut milk serum.

[Ron Robinson]

Yeah, that was last. That was a last year launch.

[Kirby]

So good.

[Ron Robinson]

The reason why I launched that product is that I felt there were a lot of hydrating there, a lot of hyaluronic acid serums. Launching so many. And what I felt, I've tested so many of them. I felt that you got this instant burst of moisture and hydration and then it left your skin dry. I'm like, where'd it go? Where did, where did it go? Where did it go? So I said I'm going to give and deliver a moisture serum that has hyaluronic acid but also polyglutamic acid. Every aspect of the coconut, the oil, the, the juice, the water, all of those Things to help bring moisture to the skin instantly as well as over time. And we have the clinicals to back it up.

[Sarah]

Amazing. Yeah, Amazing. This is such a beautifully formulated product. And also $42. Am I going to sound insane? That's a great price point, in my humble opinion.

[Kirby]

It is.

[Sarah]

I thought it was way more than I thought it was like a $68 serum.

[Ron Robinson]

Thank you. Thank you. We work to get that, again, accessibility. We really want to give the consumer a lot for their money, and we work to get that at a really, really good price. Accessible price point.

[Sarah]

Amazing. Ron, we could literally talk to you for, like, three more hours. We'll hop through the Patreon episode, Los Angeles After Dark with Ron, and he can spill. He'll spill all the tea. We'll name names there. No, just kidding. Okay, Ron. So the C Lip Serum. Available now.

[Ron Robinson]

Available now. Beauty stat.com ulta.com Ulta. Yes. Ulta.

[Sarah]

We haven't seen you since the Ulta the Ulta event.

[Ron Robinson]

Yes.

[Sarah]

Congratulations.

[Ron Robinson]

Thank you.

[Sarah]

That's such a huge deal. We also haven't seen you since you got engaged.

[Ron Robinson]

I know.

[Sarah]

Congratulations.

[Ron Robinson]

Thank you so much.

[Sarah]

We adore you. We're so proud of you.

[Ron Robinson]

Hey, Steve.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Ron Robinson]

We support you.

[Sarah]

He's here to support. It's so cute. On one last note to end on, when we interviewed you in 2020, you have come so far not only in just the brand, but you. I feel like you have this spark, and it's so different than when I first met you ever in person. So I just wanted to acknowledge that you're killing it.

[Kirby]

Your content's like some of my favorite content.

[Sarah]

Thank you so much.

[Kirby]

We need more of you.

[Sarah]

I see you on TikTok all the time. I heart everything.

[Ron Robinson]

Thank you so much.

[Kirby]

Heart more of this. More.

[Ron Robinson]

And you guys, you guys have a fantastic podcast. I'm addicted to it. I mean, so. So it's like easy, great, compelling listening. You make the time fly by when I'm. When I'm on the Stairmaster. So thank you.

[Sarah]

Thank you. We adore you.

[Kirby]

You always support us. We appreciate you.

[Ron Robinson]

Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Ah, really? Thanks. Capital One bank guy. What's in your wallet? Term supply. See capitalone.com bank capital1NA member FDIC.