Skin Anarchy Podcast – Decoding The Science of Beauty with Dr. Steven Dayan
Date: December 8, 2025
Host: Dr. Ekta
Guest: Dr. Steven Dayan
1. Episode Overview
In this rich and thought-provoking episode, Dr. Ekta interviews Dr. Steven Dayan, a renowned facial plastic surgeon and thought leader in aesthetics. The discussion spans the science, philosophy, and psychology of beauty, exploring Dr. Dayan’s unconventional approaches and the revolutionary thinking behind his new neurocosmetic skincare line, XOMD. From defining beauty and attraction to critiquing conventional medical training and highlighting the importance of social connection and confidence, the episode offers a fresh, multidisciplinary take on what it means to truly look and feel beautiful.
2. Key Discussion Points and Insights
A. Dr. Dayan’s Journey and Philosophy
- Background and Motivation (00:40 – 02:15)
- Dr. Dayan’s initial reluctance for medicine, shift from sports to academics, and early fascination with philosophy and religion.
- His path to plastic surgery, motivated by both technical mastery and a love for art:
"I was always an artist... plastic surgery is my second choice, so I went that route and I never looked back." —Dr. Dayan [01:53]
- Authorship and the Power of Writing (02:49 – 03:58)
- Early dislike of writing turned into passion—writing as a vehicle for creativity and change.
- Dr. Dayan’s writing process: traveling for inspiration, drawing from philosophy (Nietzsche) and spirituality.
B. The Science—and Semantics—of Beauty
- Defining Beauty: Beyond the Golden Ratio (04:40 – 11:04)
- The conventional focus on technical perfection (symmetry, ratios) doesn’t always produce happiness or satisfaction.
- Beauty is both objective (evolutionary, related to health and genes) and subjective (confidence, culture, personal experience):
"You do not think beauty, you feel beauty. When you see something beautiful, you feel good... Beauty to me became the rawest form of communication." —Dr. Dayan [05:58]
- Attraction as the subjective aspect of beauty; confidence is pivotal:
"Nothing more important than confidence. The person that we can’t keep our eyes off of... is the person who walks into the room and struts across the room with confidence." —Dr. Dayan [09:18]
- Beauty vs. Attraction (Also 04:40 – 11:04)
- The industry mistakenly focuses on "beauty" instead of "attraction."
- Practitioners should aim to make people "feel beautiful"—not just "look beautiful."
C. Social Media, Generational Trends, and Esthetic Bias
- Perception Shifts in the Social Media Era (11:04 – 15:42)
- The social feedback loop: overuse of fillers, changing perceptions due to repeated exposure on platforms like TikTok.
- The "aesthetic bias": repeated exposure to certain looks can distort the idea of what is normal or beautiful.
- Importance of restraint:
"Less product in the right places... If you smile, you become happy. If you frown, you become angry." —Dr. Dayan [13:01]
- Over-correction leads to inauthenticity and loss of trust.
- Mirror Neurons and Emotional Feedback (13:01 – 15:43)
- Social interactions and first impressions informed by subtle facial cues—too much alteration can undercut authenticity and attraction.
- Quality of Life as Metric for Success (15:43 – 17:29)
- His focus in practice: not just looks, but real improvements in self-esteem, social outcomes, and happiness.
D. Challenges and the Evolution of Aesthetics Training
- Problems with Current Training Models (17:49 – 22:55)
- Industry training often driven by product companies, limited by regulatory constraints.
- The best results and safety come from independent studies, continuous education, and teaching the psychology of beauty.
- Cross-cultural differences highlighted by global research—beauty is not universal, and practitioners must be sensitive to cultural and individual variation.
"We published seven different articles in the journal Cosmetic Derm looking at beauty around the world and studying it. And what we found was incredible because beauty standards change slightly." —Dr. Dayan [19:25]
E. The XOMD Skincare Philosophy—Science of Attraction
- From Science to Product Innovation (24:09 – 39:59)
- Driven by the science of attraction and the observation that skin health, mood, and social connection are intertwined.
- Inspiration from oxytocin—“the love hormone”—and the skin's own capacity to produce neuropeptides (e.g. dopamine, serotonin).
- COVID-19 exacerbated loneliness, highlighting the need for products that support emotional connection.
"When someone touches you, your oxytocin levels in your skin go up... oxytocin reduces anxiety, and oxytocin fosters pair bonding, brings couples closer together." —Dr. Dayan [29:37]
- Jasmine and Carob: The Biochemistry of Neurocosmetics (29:37 – 39:59)
- Bioactive jasmine derivative identified to boost oxytocin in the skin, improving both mood and skin quality.
- Carob derivative (isobutyric acid) included as a putative human pheromone to enhance attraction.
- Multi-level clinical trial (double-blind, placebo-controlled):
- Statistically significant improvement in skin quality, attraction, and even sexual satisfaction.
- Partners of participants reported increased satisfaction too—suggesting social ripple effects.
"18 out of 20 categories were statistically significant improvement in sexual satisfaction... partners are also. The premise is, why do this? I created a skincare line that falls within the philosophy that I strongly believe in, is I'm going to make you a better version of yourself." —Dr. Dayan [38:43]
- Scientific Rigor and Making a Real Difference (also 39:59 – 43:49)
- Commitment to validated, peer-reviewed evidence sets XOMD apart from most cosmetic brands.
F. The Future: Neurocosmetics and the Neo-Romantic Era
- A New Lens for Aesthetics (43:49 – 47:10)
- “Neurocosmetics” as the next frontier, focused on the skin-brain connection and holistic well-being.
- A call to shift from a purely technical/mechanical approach ("collagen and elastin") to one grounded in experience, emotion, and quality of life:
"Mark my words... neurocosmetics, is coming..." —Dr. Dayan [43:49]
- Neo Romanticism in Aesthetic Medicine (45:38 – 46:46)
- Time to prioritize individuality, emotion, passion, and cultural/social expression in medical aesthetics.
G. Design, Experience, and Social Interaction
- Distinctive Packaging and Social Reconnection (47:40 – 50:27)
- Dr. Sabrina Fabi’s "X and O" packaging design symbolizes connection (oxytocin), receiving multiple design awards.
- XOMD aims to make skincare a sensorial and social experience: conversation cards, events, and “social skincare.”
- Clarification: the product contains a jasmine derivative to stimulate oxytocin production but no synthetic hormones.
- Safety and Skincare Categorization (50:27 – 51:00)
- Product deliberately positioned as advanced cosmetic, not a therapy for medical conditions.
3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On defining beauty:
"You do not think beauty, you feel beauty. When you see something beautiful, you feel good. And we actually have plenty of evidence now... if you see something beautiful, your brain lights up in your pleasure centers." —Dr. Dayan [05:58]
-
On confidence as the essence of attraction:
"Nothing more important than confidence. The person that we can’t keep our eyes off of... is the person who walks into the room and struts across the room with confidence. Not narcissism, but confidence." —Dr. Dayan [09:18]
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On changing perceptions via social media:
"If you see something over and over again, you start to become accustomed to that... If you surround yourself with people that look bizarre and strange, you're going to look bizarre and strange, but you're going to think that's normal." —Dr. Dayan [12:54]
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On industry training:
"Most training today is done by people who have a vested interest... The mass training is not the standard, not the best way to practice in my opinion." —Dr. Dayan [17:49]
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On what patients really want:
"They want to look good, feel good, they don't want anyone to know what they had done, and they want their life to be better. Now let's measure that and work backwards." —Dr. Dayan [16:55]
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On XOMD’s scientific approach:
"We did a double blind, placebo, randomized, controlled crossover trial... We looked at skin quality and a statistical significance of 0.0001... The chance of this happening, the vehicle of the product we're creating, is 99.99% because of us, what we created." —Dr. Dayan [34:45]
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On neurocosmetics:
"Neurocosmetics... Mark my word, you're going to hear more about it... I'm not, I may be the first, but I’m not the last." —Dr. Dayan [43:49]
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On the new era of aesthetics:
"I call it the Neo Romantic era... individuality, expressions, emotions, passions of aesthetics. Focus on that because we've got all the micro." —Dr. Dayan [45:38]
4. Timestamps for Key Segments
- Dr. Dayan’s background and philosophy: 00:40 – 02:15
- Authorship and evolution of his writing: 02:49 – 03:58
- Defining beauty, objectivity vs. subjectivity: 04:40 – 11:04
- Social media and trend influence: 11:04 – 15:42
- Emotional biofeedback and attractiveness: 13:01 – 15:43
- Quality of life as the core of aesthetics: 15:43 – 17:29
- Industry training and cultural perspectives: 17:49 – 22:55
- Origins and science behind XOMD: 24:09 – 39:59
- Peer-reviewed clinical trial results: 34:45 – 39:59
- Future thinking & neurocosmetics: 43:49 – 47:10
- Packaging and the social element: 47:40 – 50:27
- Safety and Q&A: 50:27 – 51:00
5. Conclusion & Reflections
This episode offers a deep dive into the multidimensional nature of beauty, critiquing conventional practices and advocating for a shift toward holistic, science-backed, and culturally sensitive approaches. Dr. Dayan’s work with XOMD exemplifies the future of “neurocosmetics”—products that don’t just change your skin, but can impact well-being, attractiveness, and even relationships. The conversation is both inspiring and practical for industry professionals, consumers, and entrepreneurs.
Host’s closing message:
"I always try to tell our listeners... dive into the research and the data and the science. And if a brand is being transparent, [vote] with your dollars." —Dr. Ekta [51:38]
For more insights and updates, follow Skin Anarchy on Instagram @skincareanarchy.