Podcast Summary: Skin Anarchy – "The Science of Simplicity with Jordan Harper of Barefaced"

Host: Dr. Ekta
Guest: Jordan Harper (NP, Founder & CEO of Barefaced)
Date: December 1, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of Skin Anarchy, Dr. Ekta interviews Jordan Harper, board-certified nurse practitioner and founder of Barefaced, to explore the science and philosophy behind simplified, effective skincare. They delve into the evolution of skincare routines, the dangers of overcomplication, the meaning of "medical grade," skin longevity, female entrepreneurship, and Harper’s community-centric approach to product development and customer care.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Jordan’s Professional Journey & Core Philosophy

• From ICU to Aesthetics: Jordan reflects on her transition from critical care nursing to aesthetic medicine, highlighting how ICU work trained her to solve problems under pressure and instilled a foundational approach to health.
  "Obviously, the problems were high pressure in the ICU. Transition that into an office setting, treating skincare and skin issues, lot less pressure, but a lot of vulnerability that patients express." (01:05)
• Spotting the Gap: Noticed that patients invested in office treatments but neglected consistent home skincare, likening it to oral health:
  "You can go to the dentist twice a year, but if you do not brush your teeth morning and night every single day...same thing applies to the skin." (01:45)
• Foundational View: 80% of skin quality comes from at-home care; 20% from office procedures (02:15).
• Birth of Barefaced: Her brand’s ethos emerged from seeing consumer confusion and overwhelm—she began promoting “less but better” with simple, effective routines.
  "People don’t want to do like a ten-step routine… they want something they can do in a couple minutes, know that they're taking care of their skin, and good to go." (03:30)

The Problem With 10-Step Routines & Overuse of Actives

• Overcomplication in Skincare:
  • Many patients mimicked trends or friends, not understanding their own skin or the interaction of actives.
    "Not knowing...like, 'Oh, I just used three different exfoliating acids.'" (04:28)
  • Social media and retail environments have enabled product overload; confusion causes compromised skin barriers and increased sensitivities (05:00).
• Professional Guidance Needed:
  "You don’t see people managing their diabetes without oversight...skin is our largest organ...we're seeing all of that, and people are expected to just manage that on their own. That’s simply not true." (05:15)

“Less But Better” — Science & Strategy

• The Core Four: For foundational skin health:
  1. Exfoliant
  2. Vitamin C
  3. Retinoid
  4. SPF
     (“The core four are the transformative products in your routine… everything else is bonus.”) (06:46)
• Routine Pyramid: Focus on basic skin function before targeting concerns like pigmentation or aging (07:15).

Skin Longevity Versus Anti-Aging

• Definitions & Importance:
  • Anti-aging: Corrective, short-term improvements.
  • Longevity: Sustaining skin’s barrier and cell health for the long term—emphasizing prevention over correction.
    "We want to make [skin] look good for years to come…sometimes you just gotta focus on prevention because prevention is so much more effective than correction." (09:06)
• Longevity is not just a buzzword, but a necessary shift in perspective. (11:24)

What Makes “Medical Grade” Skincare?

• Not a Regulated Term:
  "It’s definitely a word just like clean and non-toxic…not an official regulated term." (11:48)
• Harper’s Criteria:
  • Thoughtful, clinically studied formulas with effective concentrations.
  • Results-driven, often medically dispensed, and ethically developed. "Formula integrity, clinical testing, and sophisticated ingredient delivery systems are what we focus on." (12:10–13:00)
• Customer Support: Personalized routines, AI-driven analysis, ongoing handholding—mirroring in-office experiences (14:51).

Beyond Product: Philosophy, Integrity, and Community

• Staying True Amid Scaling:
  "The amount of stuff that we say no to…we’re sifting through the noise so that we are offering a product line that we feel like is best in class." (16:21)
  • Shared anecdote of canceling a nearly-complete product due to lack of innovation, and scrapping a $100k batch of eye patches for not meeting her standard (17:30).
• Community-Focused Care: Barefaced values educating and serving over selling.
  "If we don't think we have a product that's going to work for them, we don't sell them something. Serving instead of selling has built much more loyalty." (25:00)
• Transparent Problem-Solving: Openly tells customers when a dermatologist’s input is necessary, reinforcing trust.

Cult Favorite Products: Story & Science

Toning Pads

• Genesis: First product idea—meant to be a one-step, transformative product. Designed for daily, balanced use.
• "They’re truly like a serum in a pad...exfoliating acids, hydrating, anti-redness, calming" (19:39)
• Balanced Formulation: Avoids high-strength single acids, prioritizing tolerability and results even for sensitive skin (22:02).
• Clinical Testing Surprises: Noted significant reduction in visible redness—a benefit she hadn't anticipated (22:36).

Female Leadership, Bootstrapping, and Motherhood

• Building Without Funding: Harper bootstrapped with personal credit, pre-orders, and slow, customer-driven growth.
  "No one else to answer to besides our customer...they are our guiding ship." (28:58)
• Motherhood & Entrepreneurship: Harper started Barefaced while pregnant; poured her energy into the brand as both a creative and emotional outlet, emphasizing time management, prioritization, and presence.
  "I don’t know if I would have been as productive if I wasn’t a mom...time management has been huge." (33:59)
• Female Empathy:
  "We get our customer, because we are the customer...I know how to connect with our consumer in a way that men in corporate companies...they don’t." (36:55)

The Future: Skin Longevity and Industry Trends

• Where is the category going?
  • Real longevity science, not buzzwords.
  • Focus on skin’s optimal function for the long term, not simply chasing youth.
    "Not chasing youth, but preserving vitality." (39:32)
  • Caution against fear-mongering and misuse of science in marketing.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "People don’t want to do like a ten-step routine…they want to do something that they can do in a couple minutes, know that they're taking care of their skin, and good to go." – Jordan Harper (03:30)
• "Everything is figureoutable." – Jordan Harper (39:55)
• "Serving instead of selling has built so much more loyalty because they know...if we have something that we can’t do, we’re going to tell them." – Jordan Harper (25:00)
• "If you can’t really see a result [with skincare], it’s like...I don’t really know why. With toning pads, because they give you a quicker result, I knew that would be something…really motivating." – Jordan Harper (21:00)
• "We get our customer, because we are the customer." – Jordan Harper (36:55)
• "Not chasing youth, but preserving vitality." – Jordan Harper (39:32)
• "Keep the main thing, the main thing…know you are solving a problem for someone." – Jordan Harper (39:55)

Noteworthy Segments & Timestamps

• Jordan’s Skincare Philosophy & Less Is More: 00:45–03:43
• Common Routine Mistakes & Overuse: 04:05–05:57
• Defining the 'Core Four': 06:46–08:31
• Skin Longevity Explained: 09:06–10:43
• What is “Medical Grade”: 11:24–15:48
• Brand Integrity & Saying No: 16:21–18:40
• Toning Pads—Creation & Approach: 19:39–22:36
• Serving Over Selling, Community Approach: 23:23–25:37
• Leadership, Funding, & Female Entrepreneurship: 28:58–33:35
• Motherhood & Balancing Business: 33:59–36:14
• Future of Skin Longevity: 37:55–39:01
• Entrepreneur Advice: 39:51–41:09

Tone & Language

Warm, candid, and pragmatic—Jordan shares generously from her medical background, entrepreneurial journey, and life as a mother and founder. Both speakers favor honesty and depth over soundbites or hype, resulting in a conversation that blends scientific rigor with business wisdom and empathy for real people.

This episode offers practical guidance for skincare consumers, aspiring entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in improving skin health with simplicity, integrity, and science-led insight.