Podcast Summary: The blondEST – "Fix Your Skin, Bestie"

Host: Savanna Boda
Release Date: March 17, 2025

In this engaging episode of "The blondEST," Savanna Boda delves into a comprehensive Q&A session, addressing a variety of skincare concerns from her dedicated audience. Combining her extensive medical aesthetic expertise with her relatable social media presence, Savanna provides actionable insights, product recommendations, and personal anecdotes that resonate with both skincare enthusiasts and fellow estheticians.

1. Acne and Skin Concerns

Savanna opens the episode by tackling common acne-related questions, particularly focusing on redness, inflammation, and rosacea.

• Calm by Plated for Acne-Prone Skin:
  "Do I like Calm by Plated for daily use and acne-prone skin? Yes, I do. It is so good for pie redness inflammation. It is great and I love it for rosacea." (00:00)

• Preventing Acne on the Butt:
  Savanna humorously advises against sitting on public toilet seats and emphasizes the importance of squatting and regular exfoliation:
  "Do not sit on public toilet seats. All right, squat babe. Go to the gym. Get those leg muscles ready." (00:45)

• Treatments for Acne Marks:
  She recommends using products like the Derma Melanin Intimate Lightening Depigment Gel to address old acne marks.

2. Product Reviews and Recommendations

Savanna shares her candid opinions on various skincare products and brands, emphasizing the importance of product integrity and skin barrier health.

• Zeo Skin Health Critique:
  "I don't love their products. I feel like they're aggressive people and aggressive products... I also do believe in having integrity of the skin barrier and not stripping it into nothing." (02:15)

• Alternative Products for Specific Concerns:
  For issues like keratosis pilaris, Savanna suggests using Plated Intense and Hydra Remedy in the same routine:
  "Absolutely. You do plated first and then hydro remedy." (03:30)

• Ethical Considerations in Skincare:
  Savanna underscores the importance of ethical practices in skincare brands:
  "Ethics are a really big thing for me. It doesn't matter, you know, how well product is doing. Like, if the ethics aren't there, I just can't have my name around it and I just can't support it." (04:50)

3. Skincare Routines and Techniques

The episode provides a deep dive into constructing effective skincare routines tailored to individual needs.

• Skin Better Routine:
  Savanna outlines a step-by-step routine involving cleansing, detox scrubs, peel pads, toner, serums, and moisturizers:
  "After the cleansing and the detox scrub and the peel pads a couple times a week, you would then go in with your toner." (06:10)

• Acid Comparisons - Mandelic vs. Azelaic:
  She explains the differences and preferred uses for mandelic and azelaic acids:
  "Mandelic acid is a more gentle acid and so is azelaic. But I would say I like azelaic better for like inflammation and redness and rosacea." (07:25)

• Handling Dry Skin with Carboxy:
  Addressing the use of carboxy mousse on dry skin, Savanna notes its hydrating benefits:
  "Yes. It increases your skin hydration by 117%." (08:00)

4. Managing Hormonal Acne and Pregnancy Skincare

Savanna provides nuanced advice for managing hormonal acne and maintaining skincare routines during pregnancy.

• Hormonal Acne Solutions:
  Advising patience and specific product use:
  "Hormonal acne... you're gonna have to wait for that hormones to get back on track." (09:45)

• Pregnancy-Safe Skincare Products:
  Savanna lists her favorite pregnancy-safe Glymed products and stresses consulting healthcare professionals:
  "But I am not a doctor. This is non-medical advice. Ask your OB-GYN." (12:30)

• Retinoid Use During Pregnancy:
  She passionately discusses the misconceptions surrounding retinoids:
  "Retinoids are an umbrella term first and foremost... it's so minuscule, like it's crazy." (14:10)

5. Personal Insights and Life Updates

Towards the latter part of the episode, Savanna shares personal updates, offering listeners a glimpse into her life beyond skincare.

• Anniversary Trip to the Maldives:
  Excitement and meticulous planning details:
  "We're going to the Maldives, which has been bucket list travel place for me because they call it divers paradise." (16:00)

• Dealing with FOMO and Travel Stress:
  Savanna candidly discusses her fear of missing out and the stress of planning:
  "I want to go on my trip and not be like, oh, my God, like, should I have booked at this hotel or should I have stayed here?" (17:30)

• Home Renovation Reflections:
  Sharing her evolving taste and the growth experienced during the renovation process.

6. Closing Thoughts and Community Interaction

Savanna wraps up the episode by interacting with her family members present during the recording and encouraging community engagement.

• Encouraging Positive Mindset:
  "I hope everyone has a great day and enjoys himself, drives safe, has positive thoughts, and keeps a positive attitude." (20:00)

• Upcoming Product Launch Tease:
  Teasing the launch of a new product and her apprehensions about modeling:
  "Not the new formulated interfuse face and neck that is launching soon... I hate doing it." (21:15)

Notable Quotes:

• "Ethics are a really big thing for me. It doesn't matter, you know, how well product is doing. Like, if the ethics aren't there, I just can't have my name around it and I just can't support it." – Savanna Boda (04:50)

• "Retinoids are an umbrella term first and foremost... it's so minuscule, like it's crazy." – Savanna Boda (14:10)

• "Everyone's priorities are different... maybe they'd rather buy a necklace or a bag or get lip filler." – Savanna Boda (19:00)

Conclusion:

In "Fix Your Skin, Bestie," Savanna Boda adeptly balances professional skincare advice with personal storytelling, offering listeners a holistic view of maintaining healthy skin. Her emphasis on ethical practices, individualized routines, and transparency fosters trust and empowers her audience to make informed decisions about their skincare journeys.

Timestamps

• 00:00: Introduction and opening Q&A
• 00:45: Preventing acne on the butt
• 02:15: Critique of Zeo Skin Health
• 03:30: Recommendations for keratosis pilaris
• 04:50: Importance of ethics in skincare
• 06:10: Outline of the Skin Better routine
• 07:25: Comparison between mandelic and azelaic acid
• 08:00: Benefits of carboxy mousse for dry skin
• 09:45: Managing hormonal acne
• 12:30: Pregnancy-safe skincare products
• 14:10: Discussion on retinoids during pregnancy
• 16:00: Personal update on Maldives trip
• 17:30: Coping with FOMO and travel planning
• 19:00: Reflection on personal priorities
• 20:00: Encouraging positive mindset
• 21:15: Teasing new product launch

For those interested in achieving healthy, radiant skin while navigating personal skincare challenges, this episode offers invaluable insights and relatable experiences from a seasoned medical aesthetician.