265: Taylor & Donna’s Healing Journey + Botox Horror Stories ft. Arielle Lorre

Summary

Pop Apologists Episode 265: Taylor & Donna’s Healing Journey + Botox Horror Stories ft. Arielle Lorre

Released on March 19, 2025 by PodcastOne

In Episode 265 of Pop Apologists, hosts Lauren and Chandler delve into a blend of personal updates, high-profile celebrity dramas, and an enlightening interview with wellness influencer Arielle Laurie. This episode masterfully navigates through the complexities of celebrity relationships, personal health struggles, and the often-overlooked challenges of maintaining a successful influencer career.

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I. Personal Health Updates

Chandler’s Gel Manicure Allergy

The episode opens with Chandler sharing a personal struggle that has significantly impacted her life just two months before her wedding. She reveals that she has developed an allergy to the chemicals in gel nail polish, resulting in blisters on her fingertips and lips. At [01:14], Chandler explains:

“I posted for our global elites that I am now suffering from a gel manicure allergy. So basically, the whatever chemicals are in gel nail polish are currently afflicting me... I have blisters on my fingertips that have now spread to my lips and it looks like I've got a crazy case of herpes.”

Lauren empathizes with Chandler’s predicament, highlighting the unpredictability of health issues:

“This is one of the worst things that could be happening. Just any type of affliction, your body not being predictable is the worst thing that could be happening” ([03:34]).

They discuss the potential impact on Chandler’s upcoming nuptials, with Lauren offering reassurance:

“Thank goodness we're not two weeks out or a week out. I feel like we're six weeks out. There's still plenty of time to get this under control” ([03:53]).

II. Celebrity News and Discussions

A. Kim and Kanye's Song Conflict

Chandler shifts the conversation to the ongoing turmoil between Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. She details Kanye’s latest musical endeavor, which features their child, North, alongside Diddy. Kim responds by issuing a cease and desist, claiming trademark ownership of her daughter's name. At [07:48], Chandler recounts:

“Kim serves him with a cease and desist... Kanye then responds and says, amend it, or I'm going to war. And neither of us will recover from the public fallout...”

Lauren criticizes Kanye’s actions, emphasizing the negative impact on their children:

“No, I can't imagine having my daughter's voice on a song with a guy who's in jail right now for raping underage girls. It's pretty abhorrent and disgusting” ([09:18]).

The sisters express concern over Kanye's custody and parenting capabilities, advocating for Kim to gain full legal custody to protect their children’s well-being.

B. Release of JFK Files and Conspiracy Theories

Lauren introduces the topic of the imminent release of the JFK files, addressing the public's fascination with conspiracy theories surrounding JFK Jr.'s purported assassination by the CIA. At [05:33], she muses:

“I want to know if those sexy conspiratorial friends are correct, because if they are correct, then I'm a little scared about the other things they think in this life.”

Chandler adds to the discussion, acknowledging her limited awareness due to her preoccupation with her own health issues:

“I haven't really been watching the news... I would love for those documents to become unsealed” ([06:03]).

C. Decline of the Kardashians Show

The discussion shifts to the Kardashians' reality show, with both hosts observing a decline in its popularity and authenticity:

“I feel like so much of the show is manufactured, fake, dumb little drama” ([12:17]).

They express frustration over the superficial content and diminishing genuine engagement from the audience.

D. Megan's New Podcast: Confessions of a Female Founder

Lauren announces Megan’s upcoming podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, and both hosts critique its concept and execution. Lauren appreciates Megan’s vision for candid conversations with successful women but expresses skepticism about the podcast's depth and authenticity:

“I would love if it wasn't also just like interviews with women who have made it big... it'd be more interesting and honestly more helpful” ([16:32]).

Chandler concurs, doubting the podcast's potential for genuine, unfiltered dialogue:

“I think it will be a very artfully curated conversation... maybe I woke up on the wrong side of the bed” ([17:51]).

E. Meghan Markle's Instagram Praise for Taylor Swift

A notable highlight is the sisters' take on Meghan Markle’s Instagram story celebrating Taylor Swift's achievements. They humorously analyze Donna Kelsey’s seemingly uncharacteristic effusiveness:

“I await Lilibet's memoir someday about the trauma from the Honey Stick party favors” ([23:26]).

Chandler critiques Donna’s sudden enthusiasm, speculating about possible underlying reasons:

“Donna Kelsey was really vibing hard on Taylor Swift for the first time in her life... Maybe she was chemically altered” ([30:44]).

Lauren and Chandler share laughs over the situation, emphasizing Donna’s usually reserved demeanor and questioning the authenticity of her praise.

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III. Interview with Arielle Laurie

The episode features an in-depth interview with Arielle Laurie, a renowned wellness and beauty influencer. Arielle shares her harrowing experience with botulism following Botox injections, providing a rare glimpse into the potential risks associated with cosmetic procedures.

A. Arielle’s Botox Experience

Arielle recounts the onset of her symptoms shortly after receiving Botox injections:

“In August 2023, I got my normal injections... The next day I woke up and I had a weakness in my extremities... It felt like my body was stuck in fight or flight” ([55:15]).

She describes the escalating severity of her condition, leading her to seek medical assistance without immediate answers:

“I felt like I was on something. I was like, I feel like I have to go run laps or something... So, yeah, my best thinking in that moment was, we need to go to the hospital” ([51:09]).

Despite exhaustive consultations with various specialists, Arielle struggled to have her symptoms correctly diagnosed, ultimately receiving minimal support from medical professionals. Her journey underscores the often underreported and misunderstood complications of Botox use.

“It's so underreported and she does Botox all day... It can happen... it's so hard to detect anyway” ([60:58]).

B. Impact on Arielle’s Career and Advocacy

Arielle discusses the challenges of maintaining her influencer career amidst her health crisis, highlighting the demanding nature of podcasting and content creation:

“So much work goes into [podcasting]... maintaining that perspective because that's how the Internet is now” ([37:14]).

Her candid sharing aims to raise awareness about the potential dangers of cosmetic enhancements, advocating for greater transparency and safety in the beauty industry.

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IV. Closing Thoughts

The episode concludes with Lauren and Chandler reflecting on the interconnectedness of personal well-being and public image in the influencer sphere. They emphasize the importance of authenticity, resilience, and mutual support within the community. Lauren shares her current ventures and personal reflections, while Chandler highlights her strategies for coping with online negativity and maintaining her creative drive.

“We are all in the same, no matter how big your audience, how big you are” ([35:19]).

The hosts reaffirm their commitment to providing valuable content for their dedicated listeners, wrapping up the episode with hope and encouragement.

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Notable Quotes:

• Chandler on her manic reaction to the gel manicure allergy:

  “I could not imagine if sex offender, sex offender. I'm asking dumb questions like, what kind of father does this? But clearly Kanye does not” ([10:51]).

• Lauren on the impact of Taylor Swift’s absence:

  “Her music makes us feel alive. And all Taylor content makes us feel alive. And when she deprives us of it, it's a dark world” ([28:11]).

• Arielle Laurie on the challenges post-Botox complications:

  “It can happen. But again, nobody would really acknowledge that it was the Botox” ([61:10]).

This episode of Pop Apologists offers a compelling mix of personal narratives and critical celebrity commentary, enriched by Arielle Laurie's insightful experiences. Listeners are left with a deeper understanding of the intersection between personal health, public life, and the intricate dynamics of modern celebrity culture.

Transcript

[Lauren]

Something tells me everything is not as it seems in Montecito. I am just saying it's a canary in the coal mine. I think I'm onto something. And I await Lilibet's memoir someday about the trauma from the Honey Stick party favors.

[Chandler]

Well, well, well. Dearly beloved sister.

[Lauren]

What?

[Chandler]

No, I'm just. I'm just referring to as dearly beloved. Welcome to the podcast.

[Lauren]

Oh, I thought you were gonna say dearly beloved listeners. No.

[Chandler]

Well, yeah, they also would be considered dearly beloved.

[Lauren]

Dearly beloved listeners. Dearly beloved Chandler, we're so grateful to be gathered with you here today on another episode of the Pop Apologist podcast. By the way, if you are an avid watcher of the Pop Apologists, okay, And you like to just pop some popcorn and melt some butter, pour in a little salt and just sit on your gorgeous sectional and listen to two blondes gab and watch them. Actually, I just want to apologize. Chan's yawning because this disclaimer is going on too long.

[Chandler]

So it's too long. Just like the preamble alone.

[Lauren]

Okay, I'm sorry, everyone. We are not on video for the first part of this episode. Chandler, do you want to explain why?

[Chandler]

Okay, I guess. Yeah. Let's just get right to it, everyone. I am currently suffering from a life altering affliction. I keep referring to it as a life altering allergy because I posted for our global elites that I am now suffering from a gel manicure allergy. So basically, the whatever chemicals are in gel nail polish are currently afflicting me and I have blisters on my fingertips that is. That have now spread to my lips and it looks like I've got a crazy case of herpes.

[Lauren]

This is going to be a really fun look for your nuptials. I mean, just imagine when you are sharing the photos with your kids someday and you're like, no, that wasn't a sexually transmitted infection. Everyone that had migrated to my mouth, it just was a gel nail polish allergy that I developed trying to save a little coin by not getting my nails done professionally.

[Chandler]

Oh, I already know what the story is going to be for this. It's Ben's fault. Somebody in my household wanted us to save a little bit of cash, and so I had to, you know, then take on the manicure process myself. I'm not professionally trained. I cannot be blamed for giving myself this allergy. Apparently. Everyone, I'm going to make. Okay, I'll just start at the beginning. I'll make this story quick. I've been doing My own nails for a long time and I like got all this stuff. I have truly been actually loving the, the process. But apparently I, I had seen this on Reddit. You can start to develop an allergy to gel polish if maybe you aren't doing it perfectly correct. And you can also just get it if you go to the salon. So I had seen this and I was like, thank God I don't have that. That'd be terrible. That would literally ruin my life because I a nail biter. And so having my nails, like looking pristine is something that like, I really like. Well, God had other plans because Saturday I did a gorgeous set of red nails on myself. And that night, and the next two nights, even last night, I woke up itching my fingertips so badly I, I thought they were going to like be like bleeding or something because I was itching so aggressively. I immediately, I talked to a couple friends, they were like, it's probably an allergy. You should definitely take off whatever nails you have on. So I took them off and then I discovered that some of my nail pads, your finger pads I think is what the term is, have like some blisters on them, which is just classic case of a gel allergy. And I think I have to go get some type of panel done to know what chemical it is exactly. But this is the last thing I need two months before my wedding.

[Lauren]

No, I mean, this is, to be honest, one of the worst things that could be happening. Just any type of like, affliction, your body not being able to be predictable is the worst thing that could be happening. But the one thing I will say is thank goodness we're not two weeks out or a week out. That would be really bad. I feel like we're six weeks out. There's still plenty of time to get this under control.

[Chandler]

There's time to heal. I am just not sure that if it's gonna have to get worse before it gets better or if I caught it early enough and to where I can, you know, have it just heal from here on out. Cause right now it doesn't look that bad. But yeah, I mean, you guys, if I'm wearing gloves on my wedding day, you'll know why.

[Lauren]

Well, keep us posted on your healing journey. We want to be abreast of all updates, truly. What else is happening in your world, Chan?

[Chandler]

Well, it's funny, I was actually, you know, aside from my life altering allergy, I was actually excited to record with you because I feel like there's like a smattering of topics that I am excited to dig into and the first one that I want to talk about that we haven't yet discussed between the two of us is the Kim and Kanye stuff.

[Lauren]

Oh, yeah, there's so much to get into. Also, today should be the day where the JFK files are released. By the way, have you been thinking about that? Does that mean.

[Chandler]

No?

[Lauren]

Okay, well, you know that there is a huge faction of people who think that the CIA killed JFK Jr. And today, like the entire trove of documents that have been classified up until this point are going to be released unredacted. So I actually am very intrigued by this because my favorite sexy conspiratorial friends are pretty hot on this topic. And I want to know if those sexy conspiratorial friends are correct, because if they are correct, then I'm a little scared about the other things they think in this life. But if they're not correct, then I can keep living in the world I like to imagine exists, which is one where we're not ruled by lizards. So I'm keeping my eyes peeled for news on this front.

[Chandler]

I like how I was going to talk about a topic and then you just fully steamrolled.

[Lauren]

Well, I just thought we needed to at least address that issue. I mean, weren't you thinking about it whatsoever?

[Chandler]

Well, actually, I'm just going to totally come clean. I've been consumed by my allergy, my life altering allergy, so I, I haven't really been watching the news and so. Yeah, but that will be crazy. I would love for those documents to become unsealed. Is this because it's finally like been long enough to. Where things can be declassified?

[Lauren]

I don't actually think it's because we've hit a certain timeline. I wasn't in the room, you know, with the head honchos as they were making this call. I think it's truly at the behest of whoever is in charge. And so the person who is in charge, his behest is for us to behold these documents.

[Chandler]

Well, thank you, Lauren, for that lengthy response to what I was going to talk about.

[Lauren]

You're welcome.

[Chandler]

So have you seen what's been happening with Kim and Kanye in Northwest?

[Lauren]

I absolutely have. I found it pretty riveting.

[Chandler]

So I, I feel like everyone. There's always Kanye bullshit happening in the background. Like he's always kind of up to something. You know, whether it's him and Bianca or it's him doing something that's wildly offensive. He's always up to something. But this and usually I don't care about it. Usually it's just like another day, another Kanye stunt. This, though, I think, is really interesting. And I think it just, like, reveals that he will literally go to new lows. It doesn't matter that he is a father, that he has children. And so, anyway, I'll explain what's happening.

[Lauren]

Yeah, explain what's happening for all of our audience who is currently blissfully unaware.

[Chandler]

So Kanye released a new song. Okay. And the new song features Diddy. And he, like, has a recording from, like, a jail phone call with Diddy. That's how he got a fresh Diddy track. The song also includes some rapping by Northwest. And what happened is that I think Kim got wind of this before it was released, and so she sent him a cease and desist, saying, I own the trademark for Northwest name. You cannot put her in the song. And Kanye. I'll actually. I'll just read you the text messages because it's pretty crazy.

[Lauren]

Yeah, please read.

[Chandler]

So basically, Kim serves him, I think, with, like, a cease and desist, and then he sends her a picture of it and says, I'm never speaking with you again. Then she responds, I asked you at the time if we can trademark her name. You said yes. When she's 18, it goes to her. So stop. I sent paperwork over so she wouldn't be in the Diddy song. To protect her, one person has to trademark. We agreed when they were born, I would get all of our kids and names and trademarks so no one else would take them. So she's basically saying, because I own this, you cannot put her in this song. And I'm doing this because I don't want her in this song with this criminal, this alleged, terrible, terrible person. And so Kanye then responds and says, amend it, or I'm going to war. And neither of us will recover from the public fallout. You're going to have to kill me.

[Lauren]

I don't know why this guy still has joint custody of their kids. I mean, he's clearly the biggest loose cannon.

[Chandler]

I don't know either. And I guess when he got the track from Northwest, it was like, one of the first times he'd spent time with the kids in a while, and he, like, took them to the studio, and then he got north to, like, rap or whatever. And it's just like, I. I listened to the song in preparation for this, and it's like her sweet little voice, and it's just on this song with this alleged monster, and. Oh, like, I just can't even imagine if sex offender, sex offender. I'm asking dumb questions like, what kind of father does this? But clearly Kanye does not. You know, he just. He's not ruled by any of those normal behaviors or logic or anything like that. It's so sad that her, like, sweet little voice is a part of this song that features Diddy and gives him any more airtime. He should be locked away and we should throw away the key anyway. And I just can't imagine if I was Kim.

[Lauren]

No, I can't imagine having my daughter's voice, the voice of an underage girl on a song with a guy who's in jail right now for raping underage girls. It's pretty abhorrent and disgusting. I really hope that Kim uses this opportunity to get full legal custody and that she. So Bethany Frankel has put out a response video. Of course. Bethany Frankel making a fruit salad, has weighed in and given some legal advice to Kim. And I think what she said was really insightful. She said, you need to use this time to get decision making power over the future of your children. That way, when it's coming to all future decisions, major or minor, you're not going to have to have some sort of committee or get approval from Kanye. I find it almost ludicrous and crazy that this has not already happened, just given the sheer malevolence that he's clearly capable of. It's actually shocking to me that this guy. Guy even spends time with his kids because he's. I mean, what did I call him? A loose can at the beginning of this. That it does not even come close to scratching the surface. The guy is fully dangerous. I think if you're capable of doing what he's been doing recently, who knows what else you're capable of. So it's particularly important that he also is able to spend ostensibly unsupervised time with his kids. So I hope that Kim takes Bethany's free legal advice well.

[Chandler]

And I think north is just a child. And so the fact that she's now on this song with Diddy, it's putting her in the spotlight in such a. An awful twisted way. It makes no sense to me.

[Lauren]

And it.

[Chandler]

It's one of the worst, like, celebrity parenting situations I've ever seen.

[Lauren]

Yeah, I think with Kanye, it's all the same. It's all shock value. And it's the same thing as him showing up with Bianca on the red carpet and her being naked. It's the same thing as all the horrible stuff I'm not even gonna mention, like Truly, the unmentionable stuff he's done recently, it's all the same. It's all to get a reaction out of people and what I would love on some level, it's like, let's move on. Let's not even talk about this anymore because it's disgusting and it's almost giving him exactly what he wants, which is air time. And it's taking up part of our brain cells, which I'm just over expending over this man.

[Chandler]

Yeah, completely. So anyway, we'll see what happens there. I wonder if this will also be in the Kardashian and their show. I wonder if they're filming now.

[Lauren]

That will be interesting to see. Are you watching the Kardashians at all the new season?

[Chandler]

Are you?

[Lauren]

I feel like it's completely fallen off. I don't know anyone who's talking about it. I almost feel like with the Hollywood gossip podcast I listen to, I don't hear anyone talking about Kim and Chloe's trip to India. I don't hear anything about the new episodes. The only reason I even know that it's featured in this show is because I saw promo on Instagram that I think one of them posted.

[Chandler]

Yeah, I am right there with you. I think that so much of the show is like, manufactured, fake, dumb little drama. And I think when there is anything worth noting, we, you know, you see one Daily Mail or one Page Six article about it, and that's fine. You don't need to, like, go watch the episode.

[Lauren]

Right.

[Chandler]

I feel like the Internet is just now catching on to protein, but I'm just gonna go ahead and come right out and say it. I've been on my protein grind for years, and you want to know why.

[Lauren]

I've been on my protein grind.

[Chandler]

Clean some beliefs.

[Lauren]

Clean some beliefs. You guys, this brand has so many incredible products so you can get more protein in. Here's the thing. We all know it helps you build muscle, but I feel like what we don't talk about enough is how good it makes you feel when you're hitting that at least 100 grams of protein a day. You feel better. Your energy is better, your skin is glowier, your hair is healthier. Your body really needs this nutrient. And unless you're shoveling piles of meat in your mouth, you got to be intentional about how you get it.

[Chandler]

Wow, what a visual you just painted, everyone. Thank goodness you don't have to do that because we have Clean Simple Eats. Go toClean Simple Eats.com and use our code pop apologists.

[Lauren]

I love the Simply Vanilla. The protein powder is exquisite just with milk or water. I also love their clear protein drinks. You cannot go wrong. Go to cleansimpleats.com use code pop apologist for 10% off.

[Chandler]

I always know the Early Bird is hitting because I will be watching some Instagram reels and I will just start furiously sending them to all my friends and everything I see is funny.

[Lauren]

That is honestly one of the best parts about Early Bird CBD gummies. They just make whatever you're doing just a little bit easier. They remove the friction in your brain. So whether you're trying to get into a show, enjoy a beautiful meal and not be thinking about your to do list, or fall back asleep in the middle of the night, half an early bird. It's kind of a panacea.

[Chandler]

Absolutely. Couldn't agree more, everyone. If you're new to Early Bird or you've never tried them before, I recommend getting the travel packs because they're a little bit more inexpensive and you can try out all the flavors and just see if they work for you.

[Lauren]

Go to earlybirdcbd.com use code pop20 for 20 off your order. And also if you do splurge for a bottle, it'll last you a long time. My favorite flavor is the watermelon. Go to early bird cbd.com use code pop20 okay. Well, in other news, Megan's coming out with a podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder. So there is another podcast being released, Chandler, another I love it competitor to pop apologists that we're going to have to contend with. So she announced on her Instagram that she is dropping Confessions of a Female Founder in partnership with Lemonada. We can all remember that Lemonada announced that they were a partner with Megan to bring a podcast to our ears and in February 2024. So roughly what is that? Thirteen months later, here we are with the announcement that this is dropping next month in April. The podcast is going to feature candid conversations with amazing women who have turned dreams into realities and scaled small ideas into massively successful businesses. Megan says they're opening up, sharing their tips, tricks and tumbles, and letting me pick their brains as I build out my own business. As ever, thoughts on this new show.

[Chandler]

Well, I like the way she kind of ended that little blurb about it because I, for a split second I was like, okay, I don't know that Megan's the right person to be like, I've built something amazing, so let's now, like, let me host the panel about it. But then I like the way that she landed that plan where she said as I build out my own business right. I think that was smart. We asked for the more output from her and this is what we're getting. I'm definitely not going to listen to it. I just don't really listen to Bettering myself podcasts. I just fully don't do that at all.

[Lauren]

You're already pretty good where you are, so there's not much more on the mountain to climb, baby.

[Chandler]

Yeah. Like if I'm gonna kill an hour just listening to something, I want to hear Heather McDonald juicy scoop. I want to hear entertainment. I really don't want to think about how I can be a better person.

[Lauren]

Yeah, no fair. I personally do like business chatter.

[Chandler]

I will say, don't I know it.

[Lauren]

I have more of an appetite for these conversations. I do think that the theme is a little cheugy. There's just a part of me that doesn't love all of the like female founder and girl boss and international Women's Day of it all. It's just a little infantilizing. It's like can't we just talk about building businesses and it doesn't matter what what you are.

[Chandler]

I think that It's a little 2012, a little too completely. I think that it's giving like Women's March.

[Lauren]

No fully. And so I'm not super into that lens. I will be interested to see if Megan can hold long form discussions with other people that just don't come across as super produced and edited. Like if she can just hold an hour and a half conversation with someone about what it was like to start their business and ask them questions. Not afraid to look stupid, not afraid to not know what certain terms mean. I will be so excited. That will be my vision is it's a little bit Joe Rogany in that it's long form. She asks tons of questions. She tries to be as prepared as possible but isn't trying to look like she's a super polished CEO. I think that would be great. There's just a part of me that I'm sorry, now I'm just pontificating but there's a part of me that would love if it wasn't also just like interviews with women who have made it big. I think it'd be cool if she interviewed women who maybe started a new career at 50 and really like how were down on their luck and had to figure things out really quickly and kind of covered more of a gamut of the entrepreneurial experience. I think that would Be more interesting and honestly more helpful than like only interviewing women who've had a $200 million exit. You know what I mean?

[Chandler]

Lauren, I think those dreams of yours are beautiful. They're wonderful. You should journal about them. I don't think that's what's going to happen because, I don't know, I. I just think that it will be a very artfully curated conversation that's going to feel like a graduation speech. I don't know, maybe I'm just kind of like, maybe I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, maybe I have a life altering allergy. But I. I don't know. I. You'll just, you'll just have to let me know if, if you feel like she can really loosen up in these.

[Lauren]

Or just be a little bit more raw.

[Chandler]

Yeah, a little bit more raw. I mean, I think just a little bit more real off and less like off the cuff. And not like fake off the cuff, but like actually off the cuff.

[Lauren]

So we'll see, you know, in her past podcast that it was revealed or it was reported. And so I don't know if this is a hundred percent true, but it was reported that she, for some of the interviews, she didn't even do the interviews. That it was like her staff did the interviews and then she would record the questions.

[Chandler]

Yes, I remember that claim. And so, which is why I'm just a little bit skeptical. And I think that after watching the show, she's not the most naturally warm person, which I think you really need that energy if you're like gonna like talk. I don't know if you're gonna talk to someone for a long time on your podcast just like literally in order to like be an inviting host on a podcast.

[Lauren]

I also think that it's a really bad sign that this is an eight episode podcast. Okay, they've already said this is an eight episode podcast. So in 13 months or 14 months, by the time it debuts, from the time of announcement, they're gonna be able to come out with two months of a podcast. That's not a good sign, in my opinion, that we have a great work ahead of us or something we can really sink our teeth into.

[Chandler]

You guys, Lauren and I crank out eight episodes a month and we have, let's just say, less at our fingertips than Megan. So I agree with you, it is a little bit concerning that there's only eight episodes.

[Lauren]

Okay, well, this headline in the Daily Mail, also Megan Sussex related, is so funny. Okay, this is obviously like really important conversation. We need to Have? Yeah. So she posted that she was making St. Patrick's Day waffles, you know, dyeing the batter green. Very cute. But according to the Daily Mail, eagle eyed social media users immediately claimed there was something suspicious about her Irish inspired waffles. Chandler. They claimed that the treats that she showed off on her Instagram looked completely different from the pattern on the waffle maker she was using. Her iron, which appears to be a $50 cuisinate wearing Pro WMK200 Belgian waffle maker, has deep ridges, so each waffle can be split into quarters. But the Royal fans spotted that her waffles filmed being plated up for Archie and Lilibet with kiwi, blueberry and whipped cream to make it look like a face, had no ridges and were flat. One supporter suggested that she had made different waffles for the adults and for the children. So essentially people figured out and I looking at the photos, this is true. This is literally self evident, everyone. So we're not coming from.

[Chandler]

I'm looking at it now.

[Lauren]

Like she basically made homemade green waffles made in a waffle maker and then also green Eggo waffles because Eggo has like a St. Patrick's Day waffle. You know what this tells me?

[Chandler]

This is so funny. I literally saw this story and I thought this was like a random girl that I follow. I had no idea this was Meghan Markle. And in my head I was like, I was like, it's so annoying. I.

[Lauren]

Wait, what part did you think was annoying?

[Chandler]

Oh, just the green waffles. I was just like, first of all, unappetizing. Second of all, just like, of course, then you post like this perfectly staged portrait mode photo of your waffles. So it's just so funny because I did not clock the kids version. I just saw like her. Yeah, that this, that's like an Eggo waffle.

[Lauren]

So you thought it was annoying that just someone you followed was posting this, like virtue signaling, look what a great mom I have making this custom St. Patrick's Day breakfast for my kids. That's what, you know, really got in your craw.

[Chandler]

Yes, absolutely. I was just like, this person's so annoying. And also it's worth noting that I saw the story and I was like, wow, they're really like. I guess they're like really doubling down on like influencer content. I did not know until literally this moment when I was looking at these photos for a split second. I'm like, those look oddly familiar. Those look like the ones I saw yesterday on so. And so story. And then I realized it was actually all Megan's.

[Lauren]

That is so funny.

[Chandler]

Also, who wants kiwi on their waffles if it can be so bold? I mean, I guess it's green. I feel like I sound like that. That royal commentator person who's, like, always getting on Megan's case.

[Lauren]

Okay? I thought that the criticisms were crazy overblown, but then I was like, this is a little nuts to make an eggo waffle that's green and a homemade waffle that's green.

[Chandler]

This is all.

[Lauren]

This tells me, everyone. This tells me that Lilibet and Archie won't eat the homemade waffle. They will only eat the eggo waffle. Which means I have so many people in our comment section right now because we kind of trolled Megan. We're like, kids aren't going to be happy with a honey stick, okay? They want the red dye 40. They want the fun dip. They want the Cheetos. They want the toys. They don't want a little tinsel, okay? From a Pinterest perfect party bag. And people were like, my children would love her snacks. My kids love honey sticks. And so many comments like, of course. This is so American of you.

[Chandler]

Yeah, it is.

[Lauren]

I'm sorry if Lilibet and Archie are insisting on eggo waffles, only they don't want to with a honey stick either. Okay?

[Chandler]

No.

[Lauren]

Something tells me everything is not as it seems in Montecito. If her kids are really that picky where they have to eat, like, ultra processed trash waffles. This is the canary in the coal mine.

[Chandler]

The judgment coming from you as a never mother, non mother.

[Lauren]

Well, no, I'm just. I'm just saying it's a canary in the coal mine, okay. That I'm. I think I'm onto something. And I await Lilibet's memoir someday about the trauma from the honey stick party favors.

[Chandler]

Here's the issue. Megan is about five years behind in her style of influencing.

[Lauren]

Okay?

[Chandler]

Do you see what I mean? Do you. Do you follow?

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[Chandler]

I.

[Lauren]

But I feel like I've seen that. I've seen this criticism that people are just saying. She's very, like, 2012 with her blogging style on. I am five, 13 years behind.

[Chandler]

Yes. And so I guess, like, she doesn't realize that people are going to, like, maybe spot things. She's, like, not realizing how savvy the Internet is because she, you know, she just thinks if she posts, like, about this morning on top of, you know, a picture of green batter, everyone's just Gonna believe it. And they won't. They won't. This also diagram on Daily Mail is so funny. No segment lines. Segment lines in mold. No, like it's.

[Lauren]

Oh, they're showing the waffles. Like, with commentary.

[Chandler]

Yeah, we'll have to post that because it is like people have too much time on their hands and myself included.

[Lauren]

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[Chandler]

Okay, everyone, back to our favorite girl who's been keeping it very low key in recent weeks. We're talking Taylor Swift. She was spotted in Park City and I've seen, you know, reports that she's just been spending a lot of time also in Kansas City with Travis, just going to low key dinners. But we did get a little Easter egg from her last night because she appeared via video or she sent a video in to like be played at the I Heart Music Festival. I don't know if that's like a thing she does live or I'm not sure.

[Lauren]

She just like accepted the award via video.

[Chandler]

Yeah, accepted the award via zoom, which is like when you know you've really made it, when you're like, I don't want to go to this thing, but thanks. You can ship me the award ahead of time and I'll pose with it on camera. She was wearing, though everyone, more eagle eyed people on the Internet. She was wearing a snake necklace.

[Lauren]

So a clear Easter egg. That Reputation TV is coming.

[Chandler]

An extremely clear Easter egg. And she would not have done this. I mean, she was wearing it against a black long sleeve T shirt. She wanted it to pop. It's not just like, oh, I forgot, I'm wearing my snake necklace today.

[Lauren]

Rep TV is coming. And to be honest with you, I'm so deeply grateful because I feel bereft of Taylor in my life. I feel like I wake up and my lover is gone. Worse than that, I feel abandoned by my mother.

[Chandler]

You know what it is for me? It's like the. Every time we go, like a long time without Taylor Swift music, I feel like the bloom of youth within me dies.

[Lauren]

Starts fading.

[Chandler]

Yeah, it starts fading exactly like the rose in Beauty and the Beast and just more petals drop. And it's not until we get her music again that I can feel youthful and I can once again feel like I'm. I'm 17 and getting my heart broken.

[Lauren]

No, her music makes us feel alive. And all Taylor content makes us feel alive. And when she deprives us of it, it's a dark world. It's a dark, empty, sad, cold world we have to exist in. And I don't wish it on anyone. But guess what? We've all got it right now. So let's just hope that Rep TV is coming sooner rather than later. And we will all get to, you know, listen to some surprise songs and that should tide us over for like two and a half weeks until we want more content.

[Chandler]

Agreed. Please God, hear our prayers. Let's talk about Donna Kelsey. Speaking of someone who's hearing our pleas, hearing our prayers, Donna Kelsey posted a very surprising Instagram post today.

[Lauren]

I mean, flooring. A flooring Instagram post. You guys, I could not be more stunned at what Donna Kelsey has posted to her ig. So Donna Kelsey posted a list of Taylor's accomplishments. Okay, first is. And these are all preceded by a beautiful heart emoji of a different color. So there's green heart artist of the year, a yellow heart Pop artist of the year, Purple heart, best collaboration parentheses for you gonna read all alone? I mean, no, I'm not, because it will just. I mean, Taylor's accomplishments are too, too numerous. We would be on this podcast till the end of time if I had to read this whole thing. But it's a very sweet congratulatory message essentially of all of Taylor's accomplishments. And then she put. Taylor took home six of these fan voted awards, I think acknowledging the iHeartRadio event, which I didn't know was so close to Donna's heart. But we have favorite surprise guest Travis Kelsey on stage at London show. I mean, this is just the most funny mother in law post. It's giving Boomer in its style a. It's cropped so half of an entire line of text is unreadable.

[Chandler]

Well, actually, I can read it. It says it's a bit right beneath the tour awards. It says besides those she took home tour of the. I think probably tour of the year. And so anyway. Yeah, but half the text is cut off.

[Lauren]

There's also no caption. Can I tell you my theory on this?

[Chandler]

Oh, I have a theory. I have a question. You know what this is giving to me?

[Lauren]

What?

[Chandler]

Molly, like Donna Kelsey did Molly at the I Music Festival.

[Lauren]

We need to quit saying people are on drugs or they're acting like they're on drugs. I feel like it's becoming a new motif on the podcast.

[Chandler]

Okay, well, fine. Donna Kelsey was really vibing hard on Taylor Swift for the first time in her life. And honestly, the only thing that makes sense to me is that maybe some. Some chemicals in her brain were changed because we have never seen an outpouring of support like this before.

[Lauren]

Honestly, have you ever seen a Donna Kelsey interview? This woman wouldn't know a grin if it slapped her in the face. Okay, no, she barely smiles, let alone post this incredibly congratulatory, kind, sweet 10 million hearts. You're so right. It is fully giving chemically altered. There can be no other explanation.

[Chandler]

Maybe she's also on antidepressants or something. I don't know. It could be any. It could be.

[Lauren]

Zoloft is not powerful enough for this.

[Chandler]

I'm just gonna say all the different colored hearts are like giving Arniece texting too.

[Lauren]

That's true. It's actually. It's very sweet. It's very cute. I think she meant it to be a story because there's no excuse for why half of it's cut off and there's no caption. So I truly think she meant for it to be a story. And then it went up and she was like, whatever, screw it and if I delete it, it'll look really bad.

[Chandler]

Exactly. There's no. Yeah, there's no taking it down without it being a huge news story. I think that's actually probably what's happening. But I appreciate this. This makes me feel like, okay, Donna is accepting the fact that Travis and her are going to be together.

[Lauren]

Certainly something has happened. Chandler. Whether she's accepted Taylor as her future daughter in law or she's just rolling for the first time, it's a beautiful message. True to Taylor Swift. And for that we thank you. Donna finally forgetting on the right side of history. Finally, finally writing her story, writing the ship for Donna's herstory. Well, in other news, everyone, we have a very exciting episode to cut to for you. We have our interview with Ariel Laurie of the well with Ariel Laurie podcast. We love Ariel. She is just such a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all things truly influencing wellness, beauty, skin care, all of it. She's also just a super generous, kind person. We talk about that a little bit on the show. Just how sweet she has always been to us. So we are just so grateful that she came on.

[Chandler]

We get into a lot of different topics with her. We kind of COVID it all.

[Lauren]

We talk about her full story of when she got botulism from botox injections. So that was truly crazy and riveting. We get into the behind the scenes of building a brand. It's a really fun episode. And with that, enjoy the show. Well, well, well. I mean, how apropos to have that intro with our guest today, Ariel Laurie, host of the well POD and lifestyle influencer. Ariel, I feel like people are very enraptured by you and like you are very much an enigma that people are obsessed with.

[C]

Thank you. Thank you for that. I feel like a lot of people are hating me this year.

[Lauren]

Really?

[C]

Yeah. So it's nice to hear that. We were just talking about this before we started recording. You know, you get the Same negative feedback from the same 30 people, and it feels like it's everybody.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

But I appreciate that can be the.

[Lauren]

Last voices in the room. No, I mean, when we put out our call up for questions, we just got so many more than we usually do for other guests.

[C]

Really.

[Lauren]

And, yeah, I think people, they're just really taken with you visually. Like, you're so beautiful. You've had so many incredible experiences that you shared, and I just feel like, I don't know, it's gonna be fun.

[Chandler]

To our audience at least. Loves you.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

Thank you. Yeah. I feel like we have a lot of crossover.

[Chandler]

We do.

[C]

Because when I put the question thing that you guys were coming on, everybody was very excited as well.

[Lauren]

Thank you. Yeah.

[C]

And I'm so happy to see, like, everything that's happened in the past year for you guys, by the way, because you've been doing it for so long, and the substance and the quality of your podcast is so good. Thank you. Yeah. Happy to see all this success.

[Chandler]

You've been so supportive of us. I mean, I think we said this last time you were on, but I think, like, you had us on your podcast, we were, like, so tiny, and it was. It was so fun. You were, like, one of our first podcasting, like, actual friends in the space. So anyway, it's really fun to be in person.

[Lauren]

Yeah. Not to gas you up too much.

[C]

But I feel like. No, keep going.

[Lauren]

Well, I mean, it's. So we had this one podcaster on our show, and she was so rude to us. She was definitely bigger than us at the time, but, like, she was just so demeaning and, like, just not kind at all.

[Chandler]

Yeah. I think she kind of acted like she had a lot better things to do that day.

[C]

Oh.

[Lauren]

Besides, like, go, okay. Come on.

[Chandler]

Our show to the point where we.

[Lauren]

Just never aired the episode because it was kind of embarrassing. And our experience with you, where you were so clearly, like, so such a bigger name than us, but you never acted like that at all. Like, you were doing us a favor at all. You were just so, like, respectful and, like, generous.

[C]

Yeah, thanks. I think, like, we're all doing this together. Like, we're all in the same, no matter how big your audience, how big you are.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

I don't know. I just. I think that, like, the people that I admire the most in the industry are the people that do gas up everybody around them, regardless of whether they're, like, above them, below them.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

So, yeah, I don't. I don't understand that.

[Lauren]

Well, that person's attitude, but we genuinely appreciate it. So I feel like today on the show we kind of wanted to talk a little bit more of like behind the scenes of influencing and like having a podcast and having a brand. And I wanted to give context for our listeners. Like, you've built a very successful business and all this financial freedom and success for yourself. I'm curious what you think any misconceptions are potentially about podcasting or influencing? Having a lifestyle, brand, having a brand. Be yourself. I'll just kind of start it off. I feel like a lot of people don't understand really how much work goes into it and they just want so much out of you and they assume that it's just really easy and that why can't you just keep putting out three episodes a week? Why is it such a problem, you know? Or why are there so many ads on your show? Why do I have to potentially click a fast forward 32nd second button like a few times? I think people would really be shocked at at two things. One, how honestly rewarding financially a business like this can be, but also too, how much work it can be. So I just asked a question and answer, well, we're done.

[Chandler]

Great.

[C]

And your answers are a lot of the things that I feel as well. I think probably the main thing is that it's not work. And I still see, because I said before, I'm a recovering comment reader starting today. Starting. I'm entering recovery today. But I read comments on other people's posts too, as we all do, I think.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

And I always see people say, like, about influencers, oh, they need to like get a real job. And it's like, how is it not a real job just because you're not sitting in a cubicle or in an office in front of a computer from nine to five. That's not the only kind of job that there is.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

And I think what people don't realize for the podcast, for example, I don't know how you guys handle booking and all of that, but there's researching what guests do you want to have on. Then there's the outreach to those guests and then there's the scheduling and the booking, and then there's the prep for the interview and then there's going to record the actual interview and then there's listening back to the interview to make edits for the social team and for the network editors to edit. And then there's recording all of the ads for that episode and the intros. And yes, there are lots of ads on podcast because that's how we get paid for our time. And then also for me, I'm part of a network. That's how my producer gets paid, my editor gets paid, the brand team gets paid, the everybody.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

So they take a cut of all of the revenue that comes in and that goes to the people on the network who work on the show tirelessly because it's so much work just for one episode. And then depending on how many episodes you put out in a week or if you're batching, like I batch my episodes and I know you guys too do too. So I might be preparing for four, five, six, seven, eight podcasts in a week and then going back and doing all that post work. And that's a full time job. So that in and of itself, that's not even including The Instagram, the TikTok, the like to know it, the newsletter that, you know, there's so many different platforms today. And I think that that's a good thing because something that comes along with this job I think is a certain level of anxiety because oftentimes we're at the mercy of an algorithm or at the mercy of an app. We don't really own our content. The apps went away tomorrow. Like, then what would we do? So it's important to have like a website, have a newsletter, have things that you do own, have other ways to generate income. Like, like to know it for me is huge.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

But so much work goes into that and then there's sponsored content for other brands and it's just endless. And the issue that I have with it, I'm so grateful because we have so much autonomy.

[Chandler]

Right.

[C]

You know, and we can work from anywhere and I can work when I'm traveling and I can largely make my own schedule except for when I have deliverables due to brands and when I have deadlines with podcast stuff. But at the same time, then you have this audience and you need to feed that audience to keep that audience. And we're in the time where attention is the number one currency. And it's so hard to be a creative well, because I don't think anybody is meant to be a creative well, like you have to have time and space away where there's nothing or when you're getting different inputs to be able to then output something interesting and different every single day.

[Lauren]

Right.

[C]

So I don't think people really understand the burnout that comes with the job. And like, I mean, net net like so many more positives for me than negatives. But you know, then, not to mention, you're at the receiving end of everybody's judgments, everybody's opinions about you. They're happy to tell you.

[Chandler]

Right.

[C]

I saw you guys post a story once where I think somebody was commenting about somebody's appearance maybe. And I don't remember how you phrased it, but it was something like, oh, we don't need to be on the receiving end of, like, your. I said their top rejections. Or, what was it?

[Lauren]

Their toxic inner monologue.

[C]

Yeah.

[Lauren]

We posted a photo of Demi Moore, and someone's like, the knees don't lie. And I'm like, okay, I didn't ask for that.

[C]

And then we wonder why women are going and fucking with their faces and their bodies all the time, because it's an impossible standard. But then if they do and it's not to your liking, then they get torn apart. Like, it's crazy.

[Chandler]

It's crazy.

[C]

It's crazy time.

[Lauren]

But then if they do and it's to your liking, they're like the Holy Grail, like Lindsay Lohan, you know, it's.

[Chandler]

Yeah, it's so weird.

[Lauren]

And it's like their surgeon's talent and execution is that person's either virtue or their flaws. And it's in the eye of the beholder. And it's just another way of, like, I think women and men to judge women. Yeah.

[C]

Yeah, for sure. Yeah. And I think women are the worst. Yeah, definitely.

[Chandler]

Yeah.

[C]

I think women still hate other women. I think it comes from a place of jealousy, probably, and insecurity. So I try to, like, remember and, you know, have space for that. But, yeah, the Lindsay Lohan of it all is very interesting to me because I kind of stopped, like, speculating on what people had done because I was on the receiving end of it so much at such a small scale compared to these people who are, like, so heavily scrutinized.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

So while I do it, like, privately with my friends, and we'll, like, look at it before and after and be like, oh, my God, she looks amazing. I think she did this, this and that.

[Chandler]

Right.

[C]

It's different to do it, like, on a public level.

[Chandler]

Right.

[C]

But the Lindsay Lohan thing is interesting because a lot of people are speculating on her work, but then a lot of people are also giving her a pass because she's now healthy and she appears to be sober now. So that was kind of. I don't know. It's different with her than it is with other people. So I'm like, okay, so people are attaching to that story, and they like that story. Story so she gets a pass and she can do it. Whereas if Kim Kardashian or whoever else has gotten work done recently, Demi Moore, maybe, allegedly, people are harsher on her.

[Chandler]

Well, there's like, a morality to Lindsay. Like, she's cleaned up her life or whatever is found.

[Lauren]

Right.

[C]

Get that morality, people. Don't give me that morality. It's like, hey, I got sober, too, 10 years ago, but.

[Chandler]

Which is very, very important.

[Lauren]

Impressive.

[C]

Thank you.

[Lauren]

I feel like when I'm a recovering, like, comment reader as well, and I am, like, very much sober in my own way.

[C]

Solidarity. We're in this together.

[Lauren]

Yeah. From reading any sort of feedback, because the negative ones, they tend to stand out so much. But I do think that, like, I do think that really people, the majority of the listeners and the people who follow you and us are really, like, some of the kindest, nicest, most like, cheerleading people. And it can be unfortunate that, you know, a few of the naysayers can capitalize too much of our attention, you.

[Chandler]

Know, and I think sometimes we've discussed this, like, after reading any negative comments or reading things online, it can really make you turn inward and feel very afraid of your audience.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Chandler]

And then that just. I feel like the content suffers because I'm like, I don't want to share anything. I'm afraid of what people are going to say. And so it's. It's a bummer when some of these people kind of ruin it for everyone else.

[Lauren]

Yeah. I feel like I'm, like, really not paying attention to anything because I want to honestly give the haters more. Like, I just want to. More unguarded and not care and, like, whatever conversation they're having, I'm not even to see it, so it doesn't matter. But I want to be, like, the best content creator I can be for the people who are listening in good faith and do, like, really adore us, which I think is the vast majority.

[C]

Yeah. I do have to say, I think for me, the haters fuel me more than, like, yes.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

It is such fuel to my fire.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

It really drives me to do more and do better for my audience. But that negativity, I think, is what kind of, like, I don't know. I always say, like, resentment is like my Adderall. Wow.

[Chandler]

I wish I had that.

[C]

My girlfriend and I were in Italy. This is, like, such kind of a tangent. But we were going to some super late dinner, and then we wanted to go out after. This is, like, years ago, and we were so tired, and we were like, we need to start fights with our boyfriend because then if we get a little resentment, we'll be good to go all night. Yeah. So energized. So I don't know, maybe it's because I'm like, like an ex, you know, alcoholic or something. And resentment used to be like my favorite poison, but it really energizes me. But I also think, I don't know about you guys, but now I go into it. If I do like a skincare video or beauty video, face taping video, and I put it out, I am doing so with the intention to open up a forum in the comments for people to opine. I don't know if that's the right word. And I just have to maintain that perspective because that's how the Internet is now. Especially Tick Tock. Instagram's a little bit different. Instagram is more like your followers, usually, unless it goes viral, whereas Tick Tock is just random fandoms. Yeah, but I'm like, okay, I'm putting this out so that people can talk, judge, give their opinion, whatever they want to do, because that's what drives the engagement anyway. And then, like, makes the video do well. And that's none of my business.

[Chandler]

Like, it's like, good for business, though.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Lauren]

I feel like that's the one thing with the comments is allowing the people, like, we get in so much trouble whenever we say anything remotely negative about Taylor Swift. Like, we just said, we were so sad there wasn't a big surprise at the end of their store. And people are like, like, so upset with us. You know, I'm like, thank you for your comment. You're helping our account, telling us we're the worst swifties of all time.

[Chandler]

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[Lauren]

Okay, what else? Shannon? I mean, I just have to say, Ariel, your skin, it really is incredible.

[Chandler]

It's incredible.

[Lauren]

Thank you.

[Chandler]

I'm staring at you.

[Lauren]

It's impeccable. So are we still on the Jan Marini train?

[C]

We are. I actually toned it down today because I have noticed that studio lights really reflect off of my skincare and makeup. So I do look a little bit wet. I've had the feedback that it looks like I'm wearing Vaseline on my face. I receive that feedback and I'm like, maybe on studio days, I tone it down a little bit. I skip a serum. Who knows? Maybe on this episode I'm gonna be like, glowing again. Thank you. Yeah. Like I was saying before, I feel a little shriveled today. Things are dry. It's hot in LA. It's like 80 degrees. Late night last night, so the cards are stacked against me. But, yeah, still doing Jan Marini. I feel like she's really like a slept on brand. I feel like people kind of are waking up to it a little bit. It's like one of those, like, if, you know, you know.

[Chandler]

Yeah.

[C]

Kind of things. I am venturing out a little bit, exploring different products.

[Chandler]

Yeah.

[C]

But that's the core of my routine.

[Lauren]

Okay. There's two stories I would love for you to share. One is what happened with the Botox. Like, because I think that people really want to know about your experience. I'm also dying, Ariel, for you to share the story about what happened to you when you went to Europe and couldn't sleep. I think that was one of the funniest, which is so random and totally not on this subject, but I think that's one of the funniest stories I've ever heard. So whichever you would prefer to share first, if you're down to share with.

[C]

Me, we'll start with Europe. Yeah. That was like a rock bottom for me. So for anybody who suffers jet Lag and or fear of flying. You might be able to relate to this, but the story was we were going to Greece. I was in this period of extreme flight anxiety, which came on out of nowhere and has since dissipated, thank God. But we flew from LA to Iceland because we were flying private and we had to go refuel. And then Iceland to Athens. And I can't remember maybe it was 12 or 14 hours, something like that. It was a long travel day. Everybody else on our plane was sleeping and I was like, like not, because I was just gripping the seats. And by the time we got to Athens, I think I had kind of been up for over 24 hours at that point. And I did what we all know not to do when you get somewhere. Like, don't lay down, don't go to sleep and take a nap. You just need to push through. We were supposed to go to dinner that night, and I was like, I'm just gonna lay down for like two minutes. And my husband at the time said, don't do that. And I assured him it would be okay. Of course, I fell asleep for like hours. Woke up, he was going to dinner, and I said, I'm just gonna stay in. And because I had slept, I could not fall asleep. And he came home at maybe 11. I think I took like a non narcotic sleeping pill, Trazodone. Normally that would like, knock me the F out. Like, I'm so sensitive, didn't do anything. I'm starting to panic. I'm putting on like the sleep meditations, everything. I do an hour long meditation. Still, like, wide awake. Like, I point felt like I was on like, meth. I mean, it was like crazy because the anxiety and everything. And I was thinking, oh, my God, now when I'm up in the morning, I will have been up for like two days. And this is very triggering for me as somebody who used to stay up for two days. It's like, I can't have that feeling.

[Chandler]

Yeah.

[Lauren]

And you're, like, supposed to be on probably with everyone there. You might have this crazy experience, I'm assuming, right? Like, there's a little pressure to be.

[C]

Like, yeah, we brought a bunch of friends with us and we were going on a yacht the next day. So I was like, I can't. Like, it was all social stuff. So finally I decided that I had to go to the hospital and I.

[Chandler]

Wait, sorry, back up where you were after you had done an hour long meditation. And then we got to, you need to go to the hospital.

[C]

And it had been hours, like, I felt like I tried going to sleep maybe around, like, 10:30 when he got back from dinner. And this was maybe, like, 2, 3, 4ish in the morning.

[Chandler]

Yeah.

[C]

And I was only getting more riled up.

[Chandler]

Yeah.

[C]

And I literally, like. I felt like I was on something. I was like, I feel like I have to go run laps or something. Like, it was. I felt crazy. Like, manic. It was scary. So, yeah, my best thinking in that moment was, we need to go to the hospital. So I, like, tapped my husband to wake him up. And I was like, I think we need to go to the hospital. And he was like, first of all, first question. Why? What's wrong?

[Lauren]

Why?

[C]

I'm like, I can't sleep. And he's like, play this tape through. We're in Athens. Like, you were going to the hospital in Athens because you can't sleep. Like, what do you think they're gonna do? Do you think you're gonna get, like, sedated? That's what I wanted. I wanted someone to sedate me. Yeah. Like propofol or, like, I don't know, just give me, like, an Ativan or something. Just knock me out. And. Yeah. He was like, just take a Benadryl. And I thought he was out of his mind. Like, Benadryl. I'm like, I've been up for almost two days. What is Benadryl gonna do? He said, just take the Benadryl. Took it, and I was, like, out within 15 minutes. Slept for seven, eight hours. It was amazing. So that became my jet lag hack. I don't know if that's, like, allowed in sobriety, but it's Benadryl.

[Lauren]

Yeah. I mean, I just feel like that's the funniest thing ever, is asking you to go to the hospital because you can't sleep. I mean, I am a person who loves the emergency room.

[C]

Like, I really.

[Lauren]

Better safe than sorry. I've just been one too many times to the doctor. I convinced myself I had a blood clot, like, three months ago and walked to the emergency room. I was walking to the nail salon where I was, and it said, I.

[C]

Priorities. Yeah, we need to hear this story.

[Lauren]

So basically, I was walking to the nail salon, and I just had, like, a bad bruise on my calf. And I had gone to Italy, and I'd gotten back, like, three days before, and I was just like, this is just weird. I feel like it's like a knot here. Like, it's physical. And I was like, I, for sure, like, have a blood clot, like, 100%.

[Chandler]

That you can see on the outside of your body.

[C]

Like, I didn't know that was how that works. Yeah.

[Lauren]

Well, I just. I couldn't leave it to chance. So I called the nail salon. I'm not coming anymore.

[Chandler]

And I didn't have a blood clot.

[Lauren]

I was like, there's not even time to go home. Like, I have to get to the hospital. So I just instead, like, turn and I walk the additional 10 minutes. I live in San Juan, Puerto Rico. And so I just walked to the hospital in Puerto Rico and proceeded to wait in the waiting room for like four hours. Right. Because they, you know, can't see me or whatever. Very long wait. And then finally I'm just like. Like, I don't have a blood clot.

[C]

And you left.

[Lauren]

Yeah, Like, I finally. Then it's taking too long. So I just commit to myself. I didn't have one anymore.

[C]

Oh, my God. So amazing.

[Lauren]

I don't know anything about medicine. And that's the problem.

[Chandler]

Yeah.

[Lauren]

Because I can just invent stuff in my head.

[C]

Same.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

I've been told that I know too much and not enough. Like, I know enough to jump to the worst conclusion always. But I'm not a doctor, so I don't know.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Chandler]

I mean, for what it's worth, too, like, I feel like we grew up in a home where like.

[Lauren]

Like, you had a cold and then.

[Chandler]

Our mom would be like, does your neck hurt?

[Lauren]

Right. Like, do you have spinal meningitis? Our mom always is, like, turning whatever you have into. It's fatal.

[Chandler]

It's fatal. Worst case scenario.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

My household was opposite because I think having a doctor parent, especially like a heart doctor.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

He's like, you're fine. Unless you're actually dying, you're fine.

[Chandler]

Yeah.

[C]

Which is, like, frustrating to me at times because I don't know. I think we live in this time too, where, like, a lot of us have so many things wrong and we have to be our own advocates. But it's like a very delicate balance between being your own advocate and, like, what is actually wrong and how much is anxiety and, like.

[Lauren]

Right.

[C]

I don't know.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

And there's so much information out there. I feel like every time I have something weird going on, I open up tick tock. And I'm fed with all videos about some, like, young girl who's dying of colon cancer. And I'm like, oh, this is the.

[Lauren]

Other part of it. I just don't know how many people actually are having these experiences. And, like, we just don't hear about it. As much like after your experience with Botox and I heard about it, I kind of fell down a lot of, like, TikTok rabbit holes and started getting served a lot of stuff in the algorithm of Botox gone wrong. And it really freaked me out. And so I do think that, like, there is validity to these rare cases. So would love for you to share if you're down from what happened to you.

[C]

Yeah. So in August 2023, I got my normal injections, to be clear, because some people yell at me for this. It was dysport, okay? Not Botox, but it was neurotoxin. And I did, you know, my forehead, my crow's feet, my DAO maybe, or mao, I can't remember. Just like, the usual. And I'd been doing it for 10 years up until that point with no issues. And the next day I woke up and I had a weakness in my extremities. And I just felt really off, very, like, detached from my body and really anxious. Not because of what was happening, just this physiological feeling where it felt like my body was stuck in fight or flight, and I didn't know why, and I couldn't make it go away. And so I knew something was wrong, but I didn't immediately think of Botox. Later on in that day, I was meeting up with a friend and everything started to go black and the floor beneath me felt like it was like a wave. I remember I was at Bendy at Saks, and I had to sit down and I was like. Like, oh, my God, I'm gonna pass out at Fendi. Like, this is not good. But again, I thought, oh, maybe it's like blood sugar. I don't know. I remember my friend that I was with is a nurse practitioner. She took me to Creation here in LA to get a smoothie. And I. I don't know if I'll ever hear from this girl, but I met a girl who listened to my podcast and she was like. Came right up to me, gave me a hug to tell me how much my podcast meant to her. And I was, like, catatonic, like, in the middle of, like, this massive event and didn't. And was just like. So if she ever. I always say, like, if you're listening, sorry, that's not me. But, yeah, it was crazy. And somehow I managed to get myself home. And what happened after that was just this, like, cascade of symptoms where I had debilitating vertigo, debilitating anxiety, kind of dissociation where, like, I felt like I was not in my body and issues with Processing where, like, I would look at. We're looking at a clock that says. What does that say? 302.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

I would know kind of what it said, but it would take, like, 15, 20 seconds for it to register. Crazy brain fog. My eyes completely dried out. Muscle spasms all over my body. Weakness in my neck. Like, so really scary. Terrifying.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

And mostly neurological and nervous system. And I thought maybe the Botox, because prior to that, I was 100, fine. And I went to an ENT because I thought maybe inner ear with the balance stuff. He sent me to get an mri, referred me to a neurologist who said maybe it was post viral. I didn't think I had a virus, but, you know, he wasn't sure. And I said to all of these people, like, I did get Botox the day before this started, 12 hours before. And everybody was like, no, no, it's not the Botox. Maybe it's, you know, migraines, vestibular migraines or something, which I appreciate we're looking at everything, and it is just seemingly such a rare occurrence. But anyway, I went through, like, so many different doctors. I kept getting referred to, like rheumatology, infectious disease, neurology, back to id, to ob, gyn, test my hormones, like, all of these ophthalmology. And then finally I ended up at psychiatry because they were like, you're depressed? And I was like, I am.

[Lauren]

Oh, my God.

[C]

I was like, yeah. I mean, I want to, like, crawl into a hole and, like, never come out right now, because this is, like. It was terrifying.

[Lauren]

How long was this?

[Chandler]

Like, how long? Like, what are we at?

[Lauren]

Weeks?

[Chandler]

Months?

[C]

At that point. We were, I think, in the end of September, beginning of October, so about six weeks after. And I was trying physical therapy. I thought maybe I had, like, cervical instability. Like, as we were just saying, you know, you go online and you start looking for stuff and all of these different things come at you. And I didn't know.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

But I really suspected the Botox, even though that was the last thing that I wanted it to be. You know, I had pretty much all the symptoms that they listed in the consents that nobody reads, obviously, before we get it. And on the black box. And I think there was a petition in 2008, hundreds of thousands of people signed it that said that they had to warn about these effects as a result of toxin spread in the hours, days, and weeks following injections. So it can happen. But again, nobody would really acknowledge that it was the Botox, except for the company who said, if it wears off in, like, three to four months, then you'll know that that's what it was. So I was like, okay, cool. Yeah. Yeah.

[Lauren]

And how did you keep your business afloat when you were like, can barely. I mean, I think that's one of the hard things about podcasting is you really need to be mentally on your game, especially when you're. I mean, the lucky thing about co hosting with my sister is we can kind of, like, carry the slack when one of us isn't having, like, our best day. But when so much pressure is on you, you're interviewing people. I'm so curious how you were able to keep things afloat.

[C]

Luckily, prior to that happening, I had a lot of episodes batched.

[Lauren]

Okay.

[C]

So really, the only work that I had to do was, like, the editing, the ads, the intros, that kind of stuff.

[Chandler]

That's great.

[C]

And, yeah, it just worked out because there was no way I can actually. I can look back and see the podcast episode where it started happening, because I think I had to record, like, the next day. And I remember it was with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon. And I can tell. Other people can tell. I think that I was off. But then I see some podcasts that I did in that period where things were really acute those first, like, four months. Because at a certain point, I was like, nobody has any solution. Sitting around is not helping. I need to try to get back into, like, my life and distract myself. And, you know, a lot of people were saying to me, like, maybe it's. My relationship was unraveling at that time, too. Not prior to it happening, but not after it started. No, like, because. Because a lot of people suggest it. Maybe it's the stress of your relationship. I'm like, no, things are fine right now. But as I was going through that, like, things were kind of unraveling at the same time. So I was like, maybe I just need to go to New York and record. And I did that. And when I look back on those episodes, I'm like, damn, I looked horrible. I had ptosis in both my eyes, just, like, dead to the world. Like, nobody was home. And I think that is one of the hard things about this job. I mean, look, anybody who has a job, period knows that you have to sometimes, like, suit up and show up no matter what's happening in your life. I mean, look at Taylor Swift, like, prime example Queen. But, yeah, it was. It was very difficult. Ultimately, what ended up happening was when I did get better, so many people had suggested to me that it was something else. So I Was like, okay, great, I will try getting a few units of Botox again. I tried a different brand. The same thing more or less happened after. So I don't know if I developed like a sensitivity to it, but that was 16 months ago and I'm still like, not 100%. I have all these, like, health issues as a result of.

[Lauren]

Wow.

[C]

That. Yeah.

[Lauren]

I mean, pretty terrifying because we're all, I mean, we just assume it's like so safe. Yeah. And so fine.

[C]

Yeah. I think it, it largely is. However, I will say, like, I didn't talk about it for a while because I didn't want to be the anti Botox girl. Because I'm not anti.

[Lauren]

Right.

[C]

I am do whatever, you know, And I didn't want to be like the face of any of these movements or anything like that. And I didn't want to fear Monger. And maybe I was a total anomaly, like, who knows? However, when I did start sharing about it just in a very, like, general way, there's one tick tock that I did where I explained my symptoms that I had and there's thousands of comments and more or less they're all like, oh, yeah, same thing happened to me. And this or worse, like, and I've gotten so many DMs. I had a girl message me right before I came here who said help, like in the question box that I had for you guys. I have Botox poisoning. What do I do? I get them daily. Daily. And the scary thing is I think that you're left to your own devices because nobody believes you. And what I learned from this dermatologist, who's the one who ultimately, like, diagnosed me, even though we couldn't diagnose it through blood work at that time because then it was six months after. And the amount of Botox neurotoxin that you get, like, even if it does get in your bloodstream, it's such a tiny amount that it would be so hard to detect anyway. You have to get a really specific test, send it to a specialized lab. So we did like process of elimination and just like Occam's razor. Right. Like, it's the most obvious answer. And this dermatologist said she thinks it's so underreported and she does Botox all day. But she said one, because it can happen anywhere from like zero to 36 days after you get injections. A lot of people have mild to moderate symptoms and they don't make the connection because if this had happened to me three weeks later, like, I don't know that I would have made the connection to the Botox. Then you tell your injector, and they're like, no, it can't be the Botox, so they're not reporting it. And then a lot of people say if they go to the er, you know, they get turned away, and they say, no, it can't be the Botox. So unless you're going to the hospital. Really serious cases of botulism, which there have been. There was a girl recently who got Botox for migraines, and I think it is more common with therapeutic Botox for, like, it's like, more dystonia migraines. Yeah. And they're putting it in, like, you know, your neck and, like, areas that tend to be a little more high risk than your face. Unless you're going to the hospital and you're, like, admitted and intubated or put on a feeding tube or whatever. Like, then it's getting reported as iatrogenic botulism as a result of medical Botox.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[C]

But anything less than that, it's just kind of up to the provider whether or not they want to report it. And, like, why would they report it if they don't believe it?

[Lauren]

Right.

[Chandler]

For sure.

[C]

So, wow.

[Lauren]

Well, I'm so sorry that happened to you.

[C]

Thank you.

[Lauren]

I just want to say one thing I heard on your show, which is you had a doctor on, or I think it maybe was an esthetician, but she said that we all need to kind of tone down what we're doing. So we look. We are making sure we look our best for the age that we're actually at, and we're not trying to freeze ourselves at 20 or 30 when we're 50 or whatever. And I think that was, like, it was good for me because I was like, I don't need to do this every three months. I can do every six months. And anyway, I just think you have really great guests on your show.

[C]

Thank you.

[Chandler]

Really.

[Lauren]

I think a lot of us girlies are really specifically interested in terms of health and beauty, and I truly feel like we need to get way more secrets. So you have to come back.

[C]

I would love to. Anytime.

[Lauren]

Thank you so much. Okay, so everyone, you need to check out well by Ariel Laurie and at Ariellori on Instagram.

[C]

Yes.

[Lauren]

And Tik Tok.

[C]

Yeah.

[Lauren]

Thanks so much.

[Chandler]

Thank you.

[C]

Hey, I'm Stassi Schroeder.

[Lauren]

And honestly, you never know who or.

[C]

What you might hear on my podcast Stassi, because, well, I'm a little cray cray. One of the ways you know you.

[Lauren]

Have grown is when you come to the realization that Carrie Bradshaw is kind.

[Chandler]

Of the worst person.

[C]

I've had to explain to her that.

[Lauren]

The fireplace grows so that Santa can fit in it.

[C]

Now she's gonna be like, well, there is no fireplace and we're in this.

[Chandler]

Hotel, and I'm gonna have to explain her.

[Lauren]

I don't know. He gets a hotel room key. Like, all these things that you have.

[C]

To come up with, it's just kind of crazy.

[Lauren]

Should I bring a whistle to wherever I go?

[C]

Do you think that that would be.

[Lauren]

The thing to break the ice? Whistle.

[C]

Listen up. Every single one of us here is feeling some level of social anxiety, so.

[Lauren]

Let'S just get on with it, okay? Take a breath, relax. So please do me a favor.

[C]

Listen, follow rate, and review my podcast, Stassi, wherever you get your podcasts. Pluto TV has all the shows and movies you love streaming for free. That means laughter is free with gut.

[Lauren]

Busting comedies like the Neighborhood Boomerang and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

[C]

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[Lauren]

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[C]

Feel the free Pluto TV stream.

[Lauren]

Now pay Never.