Loading summary
A
Foreign.
B
Welcome back to another episode of the Blondes podcast. As you can tell, I am joined by someone else today besides Savannah. She's in the hot seat. It is our other esthetician, Lauren. Oh, you're so welcome. Today we are going to be doing a little Q and A that was submitted by you guys. Quick updates that I can think of. We just had our grand opening last week, and it went very, very well. I think, like, we had a ton of RSVPs, but I think that, like, no matter what, I was always going to be nervous about, like, if people are going to show up or not. And so up until the moment that, like, there was a line around the door, I was like, no one's gonna come.
A
And we had more people than had RSVP'd, so it was, like, exceeded expectations.
B
It was. It was insane. Like, and I don't know what, like, mental illness that falls under, but I was, like, completely sure that no one was gonna show up. And, like, clearly that was never gonna be the case. Like, people were going to come, but it. I think we had, like, 300 RSVPs or something like that. But then the reps were saying, like, there were definitely, like, 400 plus people in this building.
A
No, there was probably, like, 300 when it started. And then people kept coming, and then we had people that were just there to shop and then were like, oh, I'll stick around. I'll book a consult.
B
So it was phenomenal. I have to give a shout out. She doesn't listen to this, but to Maria, she planned this event from top to bottom, and it was one of the best events. I mean, all of our brand partners were telling us that it was one of the best grand openings that they had attended. And I think we ran a really awesome promotion. I think so many of those types of of events are, like, selling events or something like that where, like, it's kind of like, I don't know, it just seems, like, very salesy. But our goal was to, like, establish ourselves in the South Lake area. Like, introduce ourselves to new and hopefully convert them to the SBA family. So. And we did just that. Anything else? I can't think of. I think that's all we have. Iec? No, sorry, it's not IECSC anymore. It's Be well Las Vegas coming up. When this episode comes out, it'll be, like, three weeks away. So if you haven't gotten your tickets to Savannah's talks yet, actually, I think they're sold out, but we have plenty of other things. Just we'll be with aerials. We'll be with glacial. We'll be with plated. We'll be with Face Reality. So there are plenty of opportunities to come and see us there. And Vegas is probably one of my least favorite cities on Earth. But that show is really fun because it's one of their biggest shows. So anything else? You have any updates?
A
I don't think so.
B
Okay, let's get started.
A
Okay.
B
Somebody said, what is a simplified skincare routine order?
A
I mean, cleansing for sure. Double cleanse at night. I personally love the barrier pro cleanser. And we say it's like a two in one. So if you're really wanting to keep it simple, you could just do that one twice. A toner or a mist. We have different ones depending on, like, what your concern is. CBD mist. Great. Go to. Then I would say an exfoliant in the morning and at night. So probably like Ondo am, Alpharette, PM and Hydrator trio is great because it hydrates and balances and moisturizes all in one. So you could do that and keep it really simple. And spf. SPF for sure.
B
That's a nominal. Like, you don't even think about it.
A
Yeah, I don't even think about it because it's for everybody. Like, no, everyone.
B
If I have two to three masks to use two to three times a week, should I use them on the same day or split it up?
A
I would say it kind of depends on what ones they are. So maybe do the exfoliating one beforehand, do your hydrating one after. Sometimes you can mix them together, depending on what mask it is. So I like to mix mine a lot. Savannah does the same. Um, so I would say mixing or just kind of spreading them out.
B
Does she mix? Do y'. All. Do you say to mix, like, mattifying sulfur and hydrating mask or. I feel like that one's more like ab. Like, you do like, the sulfur mask for 10 minutes.
A
Yeah. And then hydrating after.
B
But if it's like oxygen deep pore mask and detoxifying scrub mask, you can mix those.
A
You can mix those ones together or like, hydrating enzyme with detox scrub. Yeah.
B
Thoughts on Epicutus?
A
Love them. I mean, I love Epicutus. I love all of their. I don't think I've ever used anything from Epicutus that I didn't like. And I would say a lot of my products that I personally use daily are Epicutus. Like, lipid serum, hands down, is, like, insane. Like, people that literally are like, I cannot figure out what to do. And they Add in lip and serum and it like fixes all their problems
B
because it addresses inflammation which is the root cause of every skin concern.
A
Yeah.
B
What skincare products should you use right after an aerolace treatment? How many days? I'm assuming they mean neo.
A
Yeah, I would assume neo. With neo, it truly is no downtime. So you can go straight back to all of your regular things. Your mask, your peel pads, your Alpharette, everything. You can jump back in right after.
B
What are some affordable recommendations for textured skin and pricey recommendations for textured skin?
A
I would say it kind of depends on what your texture is. I feel like texture is a very broad term because it could be like uninflamed acne, that is your texture. Or it could be scarring that is your texture. So I think that there's the word texture is like the tip of the iceberg and there's just so many different things to address texture. But I would say like scrubs are really great for texture as long as it's not like inflamed at all. So like the mandelic scrub by face reality is a great option. A pricier option would be like the peptide micro scrub. I don't think that they're that different in price. Honestly. If you're needing more chemical exfoliation for your texture, the peel pads are a great option. Yeah, it depends on what texture we're talking about.
B
Yeah. I was trying to think of a affordable option for peel pads, but I'm
A
like the glycolic lactic toner.
B
Okay.
A
That's a good dupe for it.
B
I'm going to come back to that one. How often and when should I use my red light panel at home?
A
You should use it every day, once
B
a day on cleansed skin budget friendly lipid serum. We talk about this sometimes. There just isn't a dupe.
A
Yeah. It's a standout product.
B
We wish there was.
A
Yeah. But the thing with lipid serum is I think a lot of people overuse the dropper because it really should last
B
you like a full year. Like, I mean maybe not, but like it could doing a true pea size amount.
A
Yeah, like a little. Little is all you need if it, if you're going through it in like three months.
B
Yeah.
A
Too much. So like it is pricey but it's an investment.
B
Yeah. I am fortunate enough to have the back bar at home and I think I was given my back bar. Like I don't even know if the back bar can last me at home for the amount that it's going to expire. Yeah, exactly. Like, yeah, it. I think I've had mine for, like, a year and nine months or something like that, and it still has not ran out. It's starting to run out. And, like, honestly, the back bar is saving me because Ryan's at home now, so we both use it, so maybe that's, like, the hack I needed. But the regular bottle, I swear I would never replace it. Like, I. I have it. It lasts forever.
A
Yeah. I think I've replaced my regular bottle, like, twice since being at sba.
B
And you're at three years.
A
Yeah.
B
Okay. Yeah, exactly. If your life were a reality show, what would it be called?
A
It have to be something like, like, Lauren and Winston. Like, it would just revolve around me and my dog, probably.
B
What is your favorite hobby?
A
I would say it depends on my mood, but consistently, I like. Well, I don't know if it's a hobby, but I like grocery shopping.
B
Okay. That is not opt. I think cooking would be. But you get more joy shopping.
A
No, Like, I never go in with a plan.
B
Okay.
A
And then the cooking part is also part of it. But, like, I go into the store and I just, like, I feel, you
B
know, rift with the aisles.
A
Yes. I can be there for, like, an hour.
B
I think you may be the first person to have ever said that grocery shopping is your favorite hobby. No, I think that was original thought.
A
I'll take it.
B
What is your favorite treatment to perform?
A
I really like doing skin pen. It's just very soothing and, like, get in the flow and the results are great.
B
I feel like you and Savannah are the opposite when it comes to that.
A
Really?
B
Do you think she likes doing skin pen?
A
No.
B
Okay. She loves the results that she gets with it, but I think the physical act of doing it, it's like, does it vibrate your hand or is it mainly the tip? Do you like skin pen, someone?
A
Actually, you know what? I'm going to clarify. I like doing the skin pen with the old pen.
B
Okay.
A
If it is the new pen. No, that is not my favorite because that is heavy and I am shaking by the end.
B
Not as heavy as the glacial.
A
I didn't mention the glacial. It didn't make the list.
B
What is your favorite movie quote?
A
Oh, my gosh. It has to be like, shark tale quotes.
B
Okay.
A
Yeah.
B
Give me one.
A
It's true. It's true. And the other thing is, my sister had a baby. You know what I'm talking about?
B
No. I need to rewatch the movie. What do you. What drink do you drink from the Soda machine at work.
A
I like the vanilla cream with a pump or two of coconut syrup.
B
Okay. Yeah, I should try that.
A
It tastes like blue coconut.
B
Oh, but it's not blue. Or is our coconut blue?
A
No, it's white.
B
So which SBA fish is your favorite, Dobby?
A
I picked him out.
B
Oh, you did?
A
Yeah. I didn't know that he was my pick. Savannah was like, he's not that, like, pretty, but I was. He had a good personality.
B
Oh, he does.
A
Oh, he's so funny.
B
Well, he's, like, very ditzy.
A
Yeah.
B
He doesn't have a care in the world. The other fish are all dying. First of all, he didn't get sick at all. He was the only one who, like, did not get sick.
A
Yeah, he's a trooper. He's funny. Like, I love him.
B
Worst first date story. Mm. I don't even know if men get first dates with you. I feel like you.
A
Yeah, we don't. I'm not, like, much of going on dates.
B
Do you have any rough stories?
A
I mean, I would say. I mean, the. The one that, like, I can think of first would be, it's not even a date. I was asked to a banquet in high school. Cause we didn't have prom or dances at my school.
B
Oh. Cause they thought you would all drink
A
or just, like, dance or.
B
Oh, you're not. Oh, dancing is against.
A
There was no. Yeah. Like, the banquet was literally like a sit down, like, tables, and we just, like, ate food together in, like, nice clothes. I mean, there was, like, music in the background, but it wasn't like a dance. Like, no one was dancing. There was no dance floor. Anyways. I can barely remember this story, but I just remember this kid, he asked me to this banquet and I said yes. And then he would just, like, wait for me. This kind of goes back to the me not going on dates. He started, like, waiting for me at my locker every day, and I was so annoyed about it. And then my friend and I had plans before the banquet because I wasn't planning on going with anybody, like, to get our hair and makeup done. And he didn't like that. And then he was telling his friends that, like, my friend was getting in between us. And then I told him. I was like. I just said yes, like, to be nice, honestly. And long story short, he ended up, like, not even showing up at the banquet. He's like, I'll just meet you there. And then skipped the whole banquet and then showed up for the end and was like, oh, the traffic was really bad. And I was like, okay, so it
B
was your villain origin story.
A
Yeah, that's my villain origin story. Because I was, like, 14 when this happened. So, yeah, I kind of just projected the rest of my dating,
B
picking my first lettucent. What should I get worse for?
A
Sure. That one's a good, safe buy. And it's. It smells really good too.
B
Someone said, what's your favorite food to cook?
A
Pasta dishes.
B
Mm.
A
I love pasta.
B
Ryan and I just went and got. I tell you this, we just went and got a bunch of, like, place settings for dinner.
A
Use them.
B
I want to be able to host people for dinner. Like, now we have a dining table, and his grandma sets the most insane tables you've ever seen for, like, a Tuesday night dinner. Like, I'm pulling this up and I'm gonna send a picture. Well, no, I mean, we're still missing two dining room chairs, so we need the chicken before we can get the egg. Like, I need to be able to seat people before I need to get the food.
A
Have you ever talked about on here, your lack of grocery shopping?
B
Isn't that insane?
A
That's so pretty.
B
Like, she's like, this is, like, a Tuesday night, like, random dinner.
A
That's so pretty.
B
And so we invited her over to help us pick our place settings because she has, like, 80 million different, like, napkins and chargers and, like, all this stuff, and, like, it's her passion. So we all went to Williams Sonoma together and got our little. Like, she helped us pick up things. So I'm gonna be cooking.
A
We have to shop first.
B
And pasta was, like, I feel, like, the easiest thing to make. Well, I'm not gonna hand make pasta. Yeah, but do you hand make pasta?
A
No, I don't hand make it, but, like, my sauces and. Oh, the whole thing is very.
B
I'm texting the podcast people the picture so y' all can see what I mean about Ryan's grandma's insane ability to. So this is what we got for our place.
A
Pretty. I like that.
B
Isn't it pretty? We'll dress it up nicer than that. That was inside Williams Sonoma.
A
Yeah. Tyler has lived at his apartment for over a year and has never, ever gone to the grocery store.
B
I'm trying to think. Well, that is true. I did not go to the grocery store. However, my mom did bring me groceries during the ice storm, so we had stuff to make paninis with. And, like, actually, we survived off of sandwiches.
A
But your mom still brought it.
B
Yeah, I didn't go to the grocery store. She was already there. And the Ones in Dallas were all cleared out of everything and she had like, whatever grocery store is in Flower Mound. I don't know. And so Broker. Yeah, well, there's a million, but I feel like. I don't know. Dallas was like, everything was empty, so that's why. But she's right.
A
Yeah.
B
Anyway, so pasta dishes. Which pasta? Like, if you had to rank a number one.
A
I like to make pesto pastas.
B
Do you, like, have like a little grinder or whatever to, like, make the pesto sauce?
A
I have a food processor. So I. I batch make pesto like once a month.
B
Oh, and then you be eating pesto a lot?
A
Well, no, I freeze it.
B
Oh.
A
So I batch make it and then I put it in individual, like, freezer bags.
B
Did you just trial and error learn how to cook or did you. Because, like, Ryan and I were talking about going to like, the Central market cooking classes or like the Etsy ones. Yeah, stuff like, did you ever. Have you ever done that?
A
I have done them with friends for, like a fun activity. But I.
B
Would you say that's a place you can actually learn to cook?
A
I wouldn't. I feel like watching. Well, my dad always would watch Food Network when I was a kid. So, like, that was just always what I would watch for fun was like, food cooking shows, Iron Chef, chopped, like, all of that. So I think I just always had an interest. I would make. I would play restaurant with my parents. I would make them food and then force them to eat it.
B
That's so funny. Oh, I thought, okay, force them to eat it. I thought it was like, they're like, let's play restaurant. They just didn't want to cook dinner. They wanted you to cook dinner?
A
No, no, this was not real food.
B
That would be me.
A
Oh, this was like, horrible stuff I made. My mom still gives me a hard time for it, but I didn't know how to make chili, so I mixed milk and salsa and served it.
B
Chili. Milk and salsa?
A
No, Like, I didn't.
B
No. I was thinking what you were supposed to be making and then I was think of the combination.
A
Yeah. Like, I don't know what goes in the.
B
I don't know what goes into chili.
A
Well, it's not milk and salsa.
B
Interesting.
A
Yeah. But I got better.
B
Okay, give us your makeup deets. Okay. What's your everyday? And then what's like, going out?
A
So my everyday, I wear flex as my base. And then all of the rest of my products are basically the same. I just don't do like, eyeshadow or anything, but, like, the rest of my face is all the same products. So night out. I use the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation. It's, like, very blendable and light.
B
But you don't wear that to work every day.
A
Not every day. Because I really have to, like, blend it in. And, like, you're like, I ain't doing no with flex. I can just like, yeah, we're done. And then I use the Charlotte Tilbury. I think it's also called Beautiful Skin something. It's their new concealer that they just came out with. And then I use Charlotte Tilbury. There's a trend going. Bronzer powder. Bronzer. I use the YSL blush shade 44. I don't know the name. Yeah. And then Anastasia Brow Wiz Pencil color Espresso, I think. And then I've been really into Mary Phillips lip products recently.
B
I've never heard of. Is that in Sephora? Are they new?
A
Relatively.
B
Okay.
A
She's like a makeup artist. She does, like, Hailey Bieber's makeup and that kind of crowd, but she just started carrying her products at Sephora. But she has these, like, little lip siggies is what they're called. They're like skinny little things. I have multiple of those. Her pencil. Lip pencils are really good. Yeah, those are my staples.
B
What is your favorite fragrance at the moment?
A
I love. I don't know what my favorite, like, at the moment would be, but I just got a new one. It's called Criminal Lipstick. But it's like a sexy nighttime, like, not summery at all.
B
Who is it from?
A
Simone. It's like a tall, square, like, rectangular bottle. Savannah has some of those.
B
I'd have to see it. Does it smell good?
A
Yeah, it smells really good, but it's like a nighttime only kind of vibe.
B
How do you recharge?
A
By not talking to anybody and watching murder documentaries.
B
Murder documentaries with Winston cuddled up? Yeah.
A
In silence.
B
That's what I'm so excited for. Like, I just need my new dog.
A
Then she can play with Winston.
B
Mm. He'll be like, roughly the same size, right?
A
I think height wise. But Winston's a little.
B
How much does he weigh?
A
Like 32 pounds.
B
Oh, my goodness. Yeah, they're supposed to. King Charles Cavaliers are supposed to be between, like, 12 and 16 pounds.
A
Well, pugs are usually supposed to be, like, under 30. Like, my other pug was about, like, 25, 26.
B
Winston's just a big boy. Yeah, he is. What do you use to get your hair so long and luscious?
A
I use hair serum and I actually take the extrace gummies pretty regularly because when we first started carrying them, I saw that they have ashwagandha in them. So I take them before bed, and they help me sleep.
B
Oh, really?
A
Mm.
B
I didn't think about that. See, I'm afraid to use those products.
A
Why?
B
Because I'm a boy and, like, my hair grows well and I don't. I already get haircuts every three weeks. Like, I don't want to get haircuts. Like, I see how well they work. And, like, for girls, I think they're great. Or like a man who's balding. But I'm like, I want to use them because it seems fun and everyone gets such good results. But I'm like, I don't. I already have to get my hair cut way more often than I want to.
A
That makes sense.
B
Beach or mountain? I feel like you're like, both. You like to go to Oregon. Isn't that both?
A
It is both. Yeah. It depends. I will say like, an.
B
Or.
A
I mean, an Oregon beach or like, northern California beach, But in Oregon beach. It's cold.
B
Yeah. I'm like, you're not really. It's not giving what people would think about if they're thinking beach for a second.
A
But, like, if I. I'm picky with my beaches. Like, I want a beach that's, like, tropical. Clear water, clean sand, pina colada in hand. Like, Texas beaches, mountains. Absolutely.
B
Yeah.
A
The whole east coast. Pretty. Like, I went to South Carolina a few years ago.
B
Yeah.
A
Not my vibe.
B
Okay.
A
Yeah.
B
I've never been to any of those
A
beaches, but I love, like, an Oregon beach. But you do wear, like, a sweatshirt. Like you're not getting in the water.
B
Coffee or tea?
A
Coffee.
B
Okay. What is your go to product? Let's take SPF out of it. Like, if you could only have one product.
A
I could only have one probably clearing serum because it addresses all my concerns in one.
B
What is your favorite thing about what you do?
A
I'm quiet. Cause I'm thinking. There's just too many answers.
B
Yeah, there we go.
A
I would say. I mean, it's not a good answer, but, like, I genuinely enjoy my job and, like, what I do and, like, the people I work with and, like, I. I never, like, dread going to work.
B
Yeah.
A
And I think that that's a rare quality to have.
B
It is. What's one thing you would tell your younger self?
A
I don't know. I feel like my younger self was very quiet and, like, reserved, and I feel like I've been put in situations where I had to, like, grow backbone.
B
Oh, yeah.
A
So I think just. I don't know. I feel like whenever. Like, you are. I don't. Were you shy as a kid? No, no.
B
Actually, like, I feel like I had a inverse parabola where, like, I started high and I was like, like, all throughout elementary school, I would get, like, Mr. Congeniality and, like, my freaking. I would be on red light every day because I wouldn't shut up. Like, did you have green light, yellow light, Red light. And like, if you're on red light, your parents had to sign your calendar. Like, every day I was on red light.
A
I never got a red.
B
No, I was. Yeah, I was like a bad kid. And then I feel like I got into, like, orchestra and, like, I don't know, my brain chemistry altered. And then I was, like, shy. Had my, like, five people that I like talking to. And then I feel like it was kind of riding that wave for a long time. And then I feel like getting into, like, Savannah and, like, doing what I have to do every day. Like, now I'm like, I can talk to. I have to be able to talk to anyone and, like, do everything. So.
A
Yeah.
B
Yeah. I feel like. But yes, I had a shy.
A
You had a shy.
B
I had a shy decade. Okay.
A
Because I feel like whenever you're shy as a kid, like, a lot of adults are like, speak up. Or like, they. They kind of treat it like it's a negative thing.
B
Yeah.
A
So I feel like my shyness and my quietness was like something I felt was a negative quality of mine. And I feel like now that I've gotten older, it's kind of like.
B
I don't think it's an area.
A
I don't think it's a negative thing.
B
So I feel like we're just observers.
A
I. Yeah. You and I both watching.
B
Yeah. We clock what's going on. We may not say anything, but, like, we.
A
Yeah. No, being an observer is. It's a superpower,
B
Best in person service for pcos. I feel like it's like PCOS can cause a lot of symptoms. Right. But I. I feel like for the most part, they're probably talking about acne.
A
Yeah. I mean, because I'm. There's not really anything.
B
Yeah.
A
That's like a.
B
We're not solving. We're not solving your pcos.
A
Yeah.
B
We're managing your skin concerns that are presenting from the pcos.
A
I would like probably aerial and using Maestro Revive at home.
B
Tell us about the hardest skin case that you have cleared and how you did it.
A
I would say I don't know. I think hard is, like, it could go in different ways. I would say, like, the hardest case or cases is when you're working with an individual that's very. Like, they've tried everything and you're the last shot, and their expectations are extremely low.
B
Yeah.
A
And I think that, like, the acne is one thing, but when you're dealing with how much somebody's acne affects their, like, mental health and stuff, it's like every. To me, like, we're improving, but to them, they look the same as when they started. So I. I don't know if that's what they're asking, but I would say that's, like, the hardest kind of case to deal with.
B
Best product for surgical scars.
A
Intense, for sure.
B
And then our last question for this episode. Next time, we're going to get into more, like, regimens and treatments we do for different skin concerns, SBA or what Lauren does. What do you recommend for guys to use to wash their beards and dry skin under Barrier Pro Cleanser?
A
For sure. It's so good. Especially anyone that's prone to getting any sort of ingrown hairs.
B
And, yeah, I think Ryan was talking about that the last time he came on. I think he said during our training, Brandy told him to use Barrier Pro to shave as, like, your shaving product or whatever. And Ryan's been doing that since, and he says that, like, he has not. He used to get them really bad.
A
Oh, I remember. I was the one picking them out.
B
So he's like, so bury your pro.
A
Yeah.
B
Okay. Well, love you guys. Happy Monday, and we will see you, me, and Lauren again next week.
Host: Savanna Boda
Guest: Lauren (Fellow Esthetician at SBA)
Date: June 1, 2026
In this Q&A-style episode, host Savanna Boda (“The Dallas Aesthetician”) and colleague Lauren answer listeners’ most pressing skincare questions, blending medical expertise with practical and accessible advice. The conversation also touches on their personal preferences, favorite professional products, and a glimpse behind the scenes at their practice and lives. Lauren steps into the hot seat, sharing her skincare philosophy, product recommendations, and bits of her personality throughout.
[03:21] Q: What is a simplified skincare routine order?
[04:22] Q: If I have two to three masks, use same day or split up?
[05:16] Q: Thoughts on Epicutus products?
Lauren: "Love them. I mean, I love Epicutus. I love all of their...I don't think I've ever used anything from Epicutus that I didn't like."
Especially recommends the Lipid Serum for inflammation.
Savanna: "Because it addresses inflammation, which is the root cause of every skin concern." (05:47)
[05:53] Q: What to use right after Aerolase (Neo) treatment?
No downtime; can return immediately to normal skincare, including masks, peel pads, etc.
[06:13] Q: Recommendations for textured skin (affordable and pricey)?
[07:30] Q: How often to use red light panel at home?
[07:39] Q: Budget-friendly alternative to Lipid Serum?
No true dupe exists.
Use sparingly (pea-sized amount); a bottle can last up to a year or more.
Favorite Hobby: Grocery shopping and cooking (09:28–09:59)
Favorite Treatment to Perform: Skin Pen (microneedling) with the old (lighter) device (10:14)
Favorite Movie Quote: From "Shark Tale":
Favorite Fish at SBA: Dobby—chosen for personality, not looks (11:44)
First Date Story: Banquet date in high school that became her "villain origin story" (13:12–14:11)
On enjoying her job:
Advice to Young Self:
PCOS: Best In-Person Service
Hardest Skin Case Cleared:
Surgical Scars:
Warm, conversational, empathic, and candid—Savanna and Lauren’s banter is as informative as it is friendly, making professional aesthetics approachable to both clients and fellow estheticians.
This summary captures the episode’s practical advice and memorable moments, providing a helpful guide for listeners or anyone interested in professional skincare insights.