Kids Skincare Explained: A Dermatologist’s Guide to Sunscreen, Sephora Trends & Healthy Habits

0:04 The best sunscreen is the sun's screen that your kiddo likes using, and the key the name of the game when it comes to skin health and sun protection is avoiding sunburns. Welcome back to the Running wind Mom podcast. I'm your host, Samantha Selinsky aka the Running Wine Mom. Today's conversation is one I've been wanting to have for a while because the topic keeps coming up in my DMS and conversations at school, even just talking to other moms. Skincare for kids as completely exploded. We're seeing eight nine ten year olds with full routines products we didn't even use until our twenties, and honestly, it's hard to know what actually helps versus what's just noise. So I wanted to bring in someone who doesn't just talk about this. She sees the long term impact of it every single day. Doctor Angela Casey is a dermatologist and skincare surgeon, the head of the Dermatological Surgery at Ohio Health, and she also serves on the four Health Advisory Board, so she's helping shape how health information is shared on a national level.

1:06 But what really stood out to me is the work she's doing for kids and families, helping them build simple, realistic habits early on that actually matter long term. But she's also the founder of Bright Girl, a dermatologist developed skincare line created specifically for young skin because she saw firsthand what was missing. We're talking about what kids actually need, what they don't need, what's happening with these viral skincare trends, and how we as parents can help take a step back and do this in a way that's healthy and not overwhelming. So if you've ever stood in a skincare aisle thinking wait, what am I actually supposed to buy, this episode is for you. So, without further ado, let's welcome doctor Angela Casey.

1:47 Welcome. Thank you so much, Samantha. I'm super excited to be here and connect with your listeners. Yes, I am so excited because skin is our biggest organ and it is so important, and so we're going to get all into the nitty gritty of it. But before we start to start, each episode, we start with our wine wine and one of the week segments. This is where we share our favorite bottle of wine, then about something that's been bothering us, and celebrate our recent victory. So grab a glass, take a deep breath, and let's get started. So, doctor Casey, what is your drinking wine of the week? So I don't drink anymore. Sleep has won out in the alcohol sleep battle. Wait, I really started to affect me in recent years, so I no longer drink. But I would say my daily go to that I need in order to properly start my day, and my day is not complete without it is my coffee recipe, which is really complicated. If you ask my husband to ever make me a coffee or replicated, it gives him severe anxiety because there are so many ingredients.

2:52 It's literally, i'm not exaggerating, like eight ingredients, and it's so balanced and perfect and it's still goodness like collagen and cocoa powder and a little bit of the mushroom coffee of caf hafty calf espresso, macedamia nut milk, a little heavy whipping creams and vanilla coffee creamer, like all sorts of goodness. It's delicious and it's not too sweet, but it really helps me focus and get my day started on the right foot. As you're saying this, I'm thinking, look, I could probably do this. I need to add collagen back into my coffee. I did. I did it for a long time and then I kind of just stopped. But you know, I hearing it from you now, I'm like, all right, tomorrow, I'm going to restart it.

3:32 We can talk about it. But just really, in a nutshell, there's a lot of clinical evidence, like legit clinical studies that demonstrate that collagen does have a demonstrable effect on the appearance of our skin. So anybody who's out there who's saying it's just like woo woo and there's no basis for it, that's not true. We have objective data and it's a really easy thing to throw into your routine in the morning, just as scoop or two is enough to give you those benefits. Yeah, and that makes me feel better because I never know, you never know with like everything, Oh is this real? Is this not? Is this just like a placebo? And I think my skin looks better, So that is great to know. So what is your complaint Wine of the week?

4:15 I will say. It is the other night when I was ready to go to bed and like my husband was yapping on the phone with a very like intense conversation with his brother over like I don't know what. And I was like, you have to shut it down. It's time to wind down, and he's like, oh no, And those two are like like two high school girls, like ye. So that's that's my wine. When it's time to go to bed, like I want everybody in the house to settle down. And now having teens and tweens and a husband who's a little bit of a night owl, I lose that battle and it's like the loss, like I don't have control over it. I just have to like find a way to cope. So that's my wine.

4:56 I think men are very underrated in their conversation. My husband talks on the phone way more than I do. Like I'm texting all the time, but phone conversations, I'm like, oh my gosh, it's been forty minutes. I know, they get deep into it, like they have these really like meaningful, intense conversations. It's good, but like better at like six in the evening and that tenant night. Yeah. So what's your win of the week. Well, it was very exciting this week. I was really honored to that my company, my practice group, announced that I am the chair of the quality Council for our entire practice group. So I was selected among We have hundreds of dermatologists in our practice group and about two hundred dermatology practices across the country. And to be chosen to chair the Quality Council means that I will work with some of the other doctors, but I'll kind of head up initiatives and being best in class and patient care and really staying on the leading edge of new and emerging dermatology treatments, really being thought leaders in our specialty. And this is all stuff I love, and it all kind of feeds into what I'm doing with Bright Girl. So it was just a huge honor to be recognized for that, and I can't wait to dig in and get started.

6:12 Oh that's amazing, Krads, what an honor. Wow, that's so great. And I just I mean, I love learning, and so I can't imagine how cool it is to learn like all the newest things in the dermatology world. Yeah, and to be surrounded by colleagues that are very aligned with that mission. So our practice group is called Qualderm Partners, but it's under different practice names in different areas. But if you live somewhere where there's a pinnacle dermatology practice or a qualderm practice. I would highly recommend because we're very selective about the physicians and providers in the group, and it's one of I think the many things that sets our group apart cool.

6:54 And I always like to ask my guests, what's one significant challenge you've successfully navigated shaping your journey to where you are today. I would say it relates to founding Bright Girl, because I have no business background. In college, I majored in molecular biology in mathematics, and then I went right to medical school and right into dermatology training. So at no point in my journey did I have any sort of marketing or business experience. And I share that because if I can do it, anybody can. So many of us have imposter syndrome. You and I were talking about that ahead of this call. We think like, oh, we don't have the formal training or we don't have the traditional path, but really it's proof that you can navigate around those obstacles and it's just a matter of staying curious and asking for help when you need it.

7:42 I know business is so scary, and I just even I mean for myself for sure, I mean I have an LLC and that was scary enough. I can't imagine making a product which is just it's my moste. Yeah, one put in front of the other. Like you're just like getting your trademark and making sure everything's legal and registered, so many things, all the compliance that comes with having a personal care product, so you've got to do regulatory studies and so all of that, and it just is like again you go step by step and go to experts when you don't have the answer. But I hope that any of your listeners who are thinking of starting a business like you can do it as just a matter of putting in the work, doing a little bit of research and you'll get there.

8:26 Cool. So the running line, Mom, we talk a little fitness. What's your favorite way to stay active? Oh my gosh, I love this. I am so fitness is so core to me from the time I was like in middle school. Smith, It's really important. It's very much a priority in my life. So at this stage in my life some in my forties, it is very much about strength training. And fortunately I have been strength training since my late twenties and I think it has saved me in so many levels with my energy with my bone density. It sul mass helping to keep everything in balance and to help me through my pregnancies. So I strength train most mornings, almost every morning, alternating muscle groups, and I love to walk in the evenings, especially when it's nice.

9:11 I live in. Ohio, so the weather can be a little iffy at certain times of years. But I think anytime you can get outside and walk, and it's about that outdoor experience, the sunlight or as the sun setting really helps support circadian rhythm. Yes, what about you? Well, I right now am in. I am into the rowing boot camps and peloton like that's what I've been doing. I like the tread boot camps. I really love them at my gym. But tonight, for the first time I tried we just got a new beautiful tower pilates studio in my gym. I guess it's like it's tower, I think that's what it's called, but with like the big But I tried that tonight and I think I'm hooked immediately, Like I got such a good workout from it. But I'm kind and I know the running Like now, once it gets to be spring, I'll be outside running more. But right now, my running is just really on the tread boot camps up for the time being.

10:04 But I'm excited for such a good workout. Sounds like a good energy class that like you get energy from like other people in the class. And yeah, yeah, for sure, I'm definitely like to do group classes to get myself like, but then I like doing it individually too. But I love my gym so much, like it's my favorite, one of my favorite place. It's such a community. It's so funny to look back and how I've developed these friendships and these support groups through gyms, and not just one gym, but different gyms. And then my husband and I and sometimes. Our older daughters do Orange Theory every day and it's like we joke it's like our church before church, Like we do Orange Theory and then we get to church after that. But it's become a really nice tradition. We've done it for ten years straight, Oh's and it's just a nice like family bonding is the fun. As the girls have gotten old enough.

10:59 To go that. Well, how does maintaining your fitness routine align with your mental health? It saves me. There is no way I would have the energy and the focus to do what I do without working out, and I honestly try to do it first thing in the morning, Samantha, because it really sets the tone of my day, my workout and my coffee both and bright Girl tinted sunscreen. Those are my green not negot the day started off right bright Girl tinted sunscreen. But I do I think when we are performing that self care, it really feeds into our health and wellness. And I am a huge, huge believer in prioritizing that. It's never a person that put my kids first. In fact, I would say it's maybe one of my flaws is that I can be selfish in the sense that I really need to do that for myself because otherwise, like the wheels fall off and.

11:51 Yeah, everything's kind of a hot mess. So I'll stand by yeah that, and I. Encourage it because I think so often as we put ourselves on the back burner and we say like, oh, it's not that important, like I need to be here for my kid or I need to do this, and it's that old saying like we can only be our best moms when we're taking care of ourselves. And I've said this a few times on my podcast. It was I think. In September, I was interviewing a runner and she and we were talking and I said, you know, my mom's a big runner and she always ran when we were, you know, growing up. She took that time for herself. And she goes, oh, yeah, that's probably why you don't feel guilty as a mom working out, and I was like, wow, I never thought of that, because like, I never cared that my mom went for a run like I didn't. I wasn't like, oh my.

12:37 God, where is she? She's ever coming back. I love reframing it like that. I never thought of it that way. But you're right, we are setting the examples for our kids when we yeah perform these actions like we're walking the walk, and they will go into their adult lot saying like it's okay to create space to do these things that are important to me. For sure. Yeah, I was such like an aha moment. I'm like, oh my god, because I always felt weird, like I never really feel guilty going to work out because it's like I need to work out and you know, talking to it. And then I was like, she was like, it's probably because your mom did that, and you realize how important. I was like Wow, that probably makes sense. That is so true. That's a really good way to frame it.

13:18 Yeah, so let's talk about parenthood. Tell us about your family. So we have three teen and tween daughters. So my husband, Michael and I have been married for twenty years. Wow, yes, yes, thank you. So we met when I was doing my dermatology residency in Pittsburgh and he lived in Pittsburgh. And he's so amazing because through the medical training journey, he like stayed in Pittsburgh. Why finished residency and. Then I was like, Oh, We're going to go to Vermont and I'm going to do my fellowship there. So he moved to Vermont, and then I was like, oh, we're gonna move to Ohio because there's a good job for me there and it's closer to family. So he Michael always says in every relationship, there is the wheat and there is the wind. So the wheat and is this flexible and it bends back and forth and the wind just comes in and it's like like we're you know this way.

14:05 So I'm the wind, He's the wheat. He's an amazing, amazing partner and I couldn't do what I do without him. And then we have three daughters who are now seventeen, fourteen, and eleven, and I love this stage so much. I mean, I've loved every stage with them. But they're becoming young adults and our oldest is starting to think about college. Our middle one just today we found out got accepted to Vogue Fashion School this summer in New York City. So we see them like, you know, this independence and like achieving you know, these aspirations and working hard and seeing that payoff, and it's just such a fun time. I know your kiddos are a little bit younger.

14:46 And that stage so much you because they're so loving and snuggling, but they're still like old enough that you can do a lot, Like there's some independence with the older ones and then yeah, and they kind of look out for each other and like mother the younger. What do you think you were at least prepared for in parenthood. I would say it was like the time management. I've been like pretty good about time. I thought I thought I was good at time management. I was a high school and college athlete and you know obviously like a very dedicated student, so I was I always thought like, oh, I've got this, like I've managed time my whole life, and then it was like everything just takes so much longer than especially.

15:32 When their time not yours. You know, how about how. Many times that I remember, like trying to feed them when I'm trying to get out the door. We were always late for everything. What's been your biggest challenge? I think, well, in the very beginning, like with my daughter, it was the sleep, Like I did not. I still am not over it. I mean now they sleep great, which is awesome. But I think just like the zero to one was super hard for me to just realize. It's like how I mean, everyone says your life changes, but like you're it's changed completely. And I was like excited for that, but I wasn't as ready as I thought that I was going to be. But you know, and now it's just like this is my life. But that zero to one, like going from zero kids to one kid was a huge, huge, That's what I was least prepared for. And seriously, and the fourth trimester, like I didn't even know that was a thing. Nobody talked about that I was like, oh, yeah, I'm gonna have this baby, and I'm gonna go drink my wine and I'm going to like carry it around, and it was not the case.

16:34 It was for us. It was we did pretty well with our first one, and we were like very arrogant about it, like we were our motto was like, how baby, we'll travel and we brought you everywhere. We're like, we're not stopping our lives. And then number two came along and everything came to a screeching halt. Were like, all right, you're like, okay, you want Yeah, what do you think your parenting style is? I am definitely like how do I deligating parent? That's okay, delegation parent? Like I outsource everything I possibly can, Like I don't want to deal with homework, I don't want to deal with cleaning, I don't want to deal with laundry, grocery, shopping anything.

17:14 I outsource it. And that is truly Samantha you mentioned before the podcast, like how do you do all this? It is because I have no problem and I'm not I'm a pretty laid back person when it comes to that. So if somebody does my laundry and shrinks something, I'm like, well that's you know, that is what it is, Like I'm not going to get that, but it is truly the only way that I can manage what I do and still have time for my family. And I think I fall short in being there enough for the kids because I am so busy with work and Bright Girl and all these obligations. But that's just it's life choices. I've chosen that life, so it really I have to make it a priority, and I do when I'm with them, like I'm one hundred percent focused with them.

18:00 And I've seen stuff, you know, on like social media, like what do you do when you don't have a village? And people are like, you can pay for your village. You just have to pay for it, Like and there's nothing wrong with doing that if you're going to be able to be more present at home, Like paying people to do things that makes you more present is so important for people to realize that, like they should. They should do. One of the ways. I forget the book, but it was all about this when you think about like if you could work an extra like three hours in the work week and you make x amount, Like if you can do that and like pay somebody to do certain time to clean your house which would take five or six hours, or to run your kids from sports practice, which takes however, many hours ten twenty hours of the week. So that has been so helpful for me to kind of reframe it like that. And we do not have any family here in town, so we have always had to hire people or else depend on friends and can reciprocate. But I think there's always a way. So maybe it's like trading with a friend who has kids in similar ages, or if you have a family member that can help out sometimes.

19:11 But it's so important, and too often as moms we feel like we have to take it all on and it has to be perfect. And you know, our house is not perfect all the time, and it drives me a little crazy because I like a clean, organized space, but I have it's something I have to let go. Yeah, I have to let it go. I'm not gonna go crazy over it. It's I get it. I totally understand. It's just yeah, it's a part of doing of trying to do it all anyway, right. And what's one piece of advice you would give to other parents. I would say, recognize your strengths and what you love to do. So if you love cooking, go make things for the bake sale and do that. And cook your family whomade meals, and if you love going to sports practices and games, do that. But like it's okay to say no to all the other stuff. So when the school comes to you and they're like, can you make some muffins for our bake sale and you don't want to do it.

20:06 It's going to say no. Maybe you can donate some money, or donate some time, or do something else. I think being really clear in what we love doing as parents and using our talents in that way and not taking on all the other things because it sucks so much of our energy. If it's something you don't like doing, it's going to be so negative, where if it's something we enjoy, then it's a win win and you're helping somebody and. Doing what you love. Yeah, that's great advice because I do feel the guilt of like having to do all of that stuff. And they're only in preschool, so I can't imagine how it'll be as it goes forward. All right, well, let's get into you. Tell us a little about yourself and the creation of the break Girls line.

20:50 Yeah. So I am a double board certified dermatologist and micrographic dermatologic surgeon I mentioned earlier. I'm based in Columbus, so High, which is like the best hidden secret of a town. If you haven't been here, it is like a hidden gem. It is such an awesome place to live. We've been here almost twenty years now. And in my practice every day I treat skin cancers with a process called most surgery microscopically controlled skin cancer surgery. So I surgically remove a skin cancer from a patient, usually from the head or neck, a very sensitive cosmetically sensitive area. The skin that I remove I then analyze under the microscope and I'm tracking out all the cancer cells in real time while the patient's there at the office. And after we've cleared all the cancer cells and I perform reconstructive surgery, so it's all done the same day. Patient comes in with their cancer, they leave with it gone, and everything is fixed up and reconstructed. And it's a really amazing and gratifying field of medicine.

21:50 I love it. I look forward to going into work every day. But what I was hearing from my patients pretty much daily, if not a couple times a week, was doctor Casey. I just never knew how to take care of my skin I still get confused about how to take care of my skin. And when I was younger, we didn't have skincare products, we didn't have sunscreens. And I know that the skin cancer I'm treating today didn't start five or ten years ago. It's rooted all the way back to childhood when the damage started to occur and started to accumulate. And so I'm hearing this every day, and then I'm mothering, you know, we're parenting our three daughters, and I'm struggling to get them to wear sunscreen, which is the biggest mom fail as a dermatologist. And I thought, like, there is such like a mismatch here. Why are there not brands that are really tailored to young people, that really connect with them and make them excited about their skincare and that are really exceptional in terms of the quality and the ingredients and teaching them those good habits.

22:52 So that kind of led into my side gig quote unquote that's quickly becoming like another full time job because I still practice dermatology and most surgery full time. And that was founding Bright Girl and really with a mission to educate and empower our young people of how to care for their skin. To give moms a solution of what skincare do I get from my daughter who is interested, I have no idea. There are thousands of brands and which one do I trust? Well, we're going to give you the brand that a dermatologist created for her own daughters, and so that has been an exciting journey. I'm happy to get more into that. But that, Chalice, is what I'm doing these days.

23:37 Awesome. And you also serve on the Forbes Health Advisory Board, which puts you in conversations that are shaping how health information really reaches millions of people. How has that experience changed the way you think about educating parents and cutting through all that online noise. Yeah, it has really helped me identify what are the myths out there, what's top of mind for the general public in terms of skin health and skincare concerns. So it's giving me a little bit of extra insight into that and also giving me the opportunity to deep dive into the research when there is a question like that, let's look at the pros and cons and what's the evidence. Because I will never make recommendations based on like a story or like an emotional like, oh I feel this way about it. I really constantly come back to data and evidence, and I think that's important as physicians that we're looking at that when we're counseling and advising individuals, but then also understanding the place where an individual person is coming from. So you've got to really match those two worlds. It's never a one size fits all, but having that evidence and that information is a base is very helpful in providing context to people as they're making those decisions.

24:53 Yeah, and when you're sitting at that level and you're reviewing national health content, what do you see being misunderstood or maybe oversimplified the most? When it comes to kids health and skincare. I think there's a lot of confusion about skincare ingredients because there's a lot of fear mongering out there, and you have people, whether it's on social media or the general media, they're saying like, these ingredients are really bad. They're going to cause cancer and they're going to cause hormone disruption, and when you really look at the evidence, you find maybe that's not always the case, or maybe they took a little aspect of a story and kind of blew it out of purportion and it's not entirely accurate.

25:34 So I would say that that that's one of the biggest things is just these very opinionated stances when it comes to skincare products, which then when we consume that is moms, it makes us very anxious and we start thinking like, oh, my gosh, we're poisoning our kids with these ingredients, which is not necessarily the case. It's usually not the case. Yeah, I know with all Like with the sunscreens, it's like you're trying to figure out, Okay, oh my gosh, is this Oh you can't use the sprice sunscreens. Oh, you have to use this one. It's got to be the reef safe sunscreens. Oh, it's got to be the And it's like, I just I want to just protect my kid from the sun. What am I going to be killing them with these chemicals instead of the sun giving them?

26:20 You know right, I'm glad you brought that up because I think there's been a lot of coverage of that recently on social media. The way, so when parents are concerned about that and they're really confused, you can almost never go wrong with a mineral based sunscreen. So you're looking for ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, and those are REEF safe. They are kind of pure, very natural ingredients. They're unlike the chemical sunscreen ingredients. To use the word chemical, because yeah, chemical water is a chemical. They are more synthetic in nature than the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. So parents are listening, You can't go wrong with those. But honestly, the best sunscreen is the sunscreen that your kiddo likes using. And the key, the name of the game when it comes to skin health and sun protection is avoiding sunburns. So sun and being outdoors in and of itself is not bad, but sunburns are really, really damaging to our skin, and that is what's directly linked to skin cancers and increased risk of developing skin cancers and skin damage.

27:28 So when we can avoid that, we're way ahead. Yeah, So I want to talk about early habits, but also I want to talk about so I'm thinking as you're saying sunburns like I've gotten. I lived at the beach for fourteen summers. I still go back and forth from you know, I'm outside all the time. I have absolutely gotten sunburn like at the bathing suit line here, like, what do we do now that we have already caused the damage? I mean, I go to the dermatologists every year, so hopefully that's a good uh in the good in the right direction. But yeah, you're not alone. I did it too. I had more blistering sunburns that I can even count, Samantha.

28:09 So it's that makes me feel better that I want to go. This is like straight from the dermatologist's mouth. And even after I became a dermatologist, there were still some times where I missed a spot and got a sunburn because my sun's screen. I was in a hurry and didn't get it on. So yeah, I mean, the damage is done. But the good news is is that our skin has a really remarkable ability to repair itself, and that is strongest when we are young. So when we're kids and teenagers, our skin can really repair a lot of that damage, not all of it, but a lot of it. As we age and get older, our skin is not quite as efficient in repairing, and so in elderly people, we see that those repair mechanisms have really slowed down and they're really not working well. You know, long as happens naturally in our bodies with any sort of aging process. So that's the good news. If you were a kid that got a lot of sunburns, your skin's repaired a lot of that. But it does speak to the importance of following up with a dermatologist and more importantly, being in tune with your skin. So doing a check once a month or so, where you're looking in front of the mirror with your arms out and looking head to toe somebody you know, a partner or a friend, check your back, in the back of your legs, checking through your scalp, and just being aware if something is new or different, or if you're looking for the ugly duckling. So what stands out. If you have a lot of moles, what's the ugly duckling mole? That's the

29:40 one you probably need to focus on and check with your dermatology provider. And then for parents with young children, I mean you minor three and a half and five, what should besides sunscreen, what should we be doing with our kids too? You know that will help them in the future. Yeah, so you want to be really cautious with your cleansers for kids. So bar soaps are usually not the best thing for their skin because their skin barrier is not fully developed. It's still very much evolving and it's not as strong as adult skin. So bar soaps are very alkaline, so they can be very harsh and irritating, especially to young skin. So going more with like the cleansers that our pH balance to work with the skin, so that's key, and then also making sure you moisturize their skin consistently because that is going to help their skin stay supple and resilient and really kind of handle all the external factors that can be irritating and inflammatory.

30:41 And we know our young kids. You know, a lot of them get eggs and a lot of them have sense the skin dry skin. So when we can equip them with that tools and the support to strengthen the skin, it's a big. Win for them. All right, that's good advice. So if a ten year old does nothing for their skin versus build simple habits, now what does that look like twenty years down the line. Yeah, So the sooner they start those habits, the more likely they are to stick with them lifelong. So that's just basic psychology. We know that, and we really see it in the oral health space. Because we're brushing and flossing kid's teeth from the moment they have a tooth. So I don't know why we have not had that same focus with skin health, and as a dermatologist, I see it very clearly and it's a big part of the heart and motivation for Bright Girl. But really that again, that damage and those habits are cumulatives. So when there's a lot of damage occurring in a young person starting at age ten and through their teens, it's going to have a lifelong effect. So some kids who are maybe really good about wearing their sunscreen moisturizing their skin all the time, they're going to prevent a lot of the sun damage that we see as adults, of the pigmentation, the fine lines and wrinkles, the collagen breakdown that we start to see in our thirties and forties and fifties and beyond. So I know any of your moms out there can really that and probably we would all go back and do things a little bit differently. But it's a really exciting time because our gen z and gen

32:13 Alphos have this opportunity to age very differently than our generation did, and to think about that, it's just tremendous We can really define quote unquote beauty. I don't love to use that word. I like to say skin health. But we can really redefine what that looks like and what the aging process looks like for future generations. There's also a lot of studies that demonstrate that the simple act of cleansing and moisturizing your skin consistently does so much to benefit conditions like acne and eggsama and sevary dermatitis because you're balancing that skin microbiome and nourishing that skin barrier. So just if you do those simple two steps cleanse and moisturize every day you're washing your face, you're putting on moisturizer, that does a tremendous amount to help control acne, which affects eighty five percent of us as teens. So for any of the moms of teens out there, I think that's a really important message. And as parents, it's our job to make those tools accessible.

33:16 So get the cleanser and moisturizer and put it in their bathroom, put the cleanser in their shower, and they're more likely to use it. Yeah, and then so you know to kind of go the opposite direction. There's ten year olds with the sepphor routines right now, with the ret and all the acids, all of it. Is that a good thing for their skin? Or what's happening when they do that? Is that hurting them at all? I don't really know. I just see it all over TikTok. It's really bad for their skin. And here's why. So first of all, when they are doing complicated six or seven six seven step routines. Okay, that's a good one. My daughters are gonna be after me with that one. They're like, Mom, you can't say that. It's cringey. But when they're doing the these complicated routines, you're just adding more and more ingredients, you're layering things, You're increasing the possibility for our sensitivity or allergy to any of those ingredients.

34:09 So that's one thing. Secondly, it comes back down to that skin barrier that I talked about earlier. That skin barrier is still so immature in our kids and our teens. So when you're adding ingredients like retinols and alpha hydroxy acids exfoliance, those are all kind of breaking down the skin barrier as they're working to quote unquote repair the skin, which for us is mature adults. Our skin needs that and our skin has the barrier to be able to handle that. But probably any of us that have used a retinol or an alpha hydroxy acid have experienced irritation from that. Well, it's tenfold worse for our young people and they don't need those corrective ingredients. It actually does much more harm than good for them, and it tips the scales in the opposite direction where that ten year old wants clear, glow, radiant skin. Instead they're getting sensitive, blotchy, red, inflamed skin. So that's yeah, it's really important and I think as parents for us to have honest conversations and explain.

35:13 So I've given you, guys now the why behind why those ingredients are not good. So you can tell your kids next time they come to you and they've seen a product on social media then influencer is recommending and it has retinal or vitamin C in it, you can tell them this is why the dermatologists that it. It's really not good for your skin. So what is like one product or ingredient parents should absolutely not be letting their kids use. I would say those alpha hydroxy acids are the worst because some products that have a vitamin C in them have pretty mild dilution, so that's not always going to cause harm. And then retinals are actually in retinoids are used for acne treatment.

35:58 So many times betweens. As they're starting to get those early acne illegians will benefit from retinoids, so those are not bad. But the alpha hydroxy acids are really kind of increasing that skin cell turnover, they're exfoliating the skin, and they're just again a little too harsh for that immature skin barrier. If you could rewrite the entire conversation around kids and skincare in one sentence, something every mom should hear. What do you think it should be? It would be skincare should be just like brushing and flossing your teeth every day, a non negotiable daily habit with huge long term benefits. So true, and it is so interesting that it's not aligned with like the brushing and flossing, and it's just like, but yeah, you're gonna like introduce it maybe when you go through puberty, and you should start washing your face or you should start throwing on you know this, or like it should be I guess I'm gonna have to start my kids doing it.

36:56 I mean, it's really it's a big flaw of our medical system in the US today. We wait until disease and issues occur, and then we diagnose and we treat it, and there's not enough conversation and focus on prevention. I think we're moving into it. We all recognize that eating healthy and exercising and getting enough sleep is good for us, but as physicians and providers, we're not incentivized in the healthcare system to provide that counseling and support. We're incentivized for doing procedures, prescribing medication, seeing more patients, and I have a real problem with that.

37:36 It is again a big reason why I started Bright Girl Skincare because through bright Girl I can reach and help so many more, like millions, more individuals than I can possibly see in my practice. I can equip them with the knowledge and the tools to properly care for their skin, and then we stay ahead of it. Because our kids are born with perfect skin, it's up to us to protect and support that for as long as we possibly can, and in doing so, we can have a huge impact on the skin cancer epidemic. Which is the number one cancer worldwide and will affect one in five of us by age seventy. Wow, that's crazy. So, speaking of Breakgirl, what makes it different from everything else on the shelf right now, especially with so many brands targeting you know, tweens and teens and young adolescents.

38:25 Well, I'd like to say that we were one of the first to market. We yeah, launched Spike Girl in twenty twenty two, which is well ahead of all of these trends because I saw it very clearly at that time, and that was after three years of research and development. So what makes Sprite Girls special. It's very evidence based. So I dug deep into white papers and the clinical research and all the information that I had access to as a dermatology specialist in a micrographic dermatologic surgeon, and use that as the base of these formulations. I then benchmarked the Bright Girl products against the best of the best products that I had tried as a dermatologist, So not drug store products, the products that we were selling in dermatology practices that had to pass like that test of being so exceptional, and those were the moisturizers that were selling for eighty dollars a jar, and the cleanser that was like seventy five and the sunscreen is one hundred and fifty. That was the benchmark for Bright Girl, and it's why the formulations are so exceptional. And then I worked with the cosmetic chemists and I was very specific about these are the ingredients I want to include.

39:34 These are the ingredients I want to exclude. This is how it needs to perform and feel and spread and smell and you know, all of these characteristics that have really brought something beautiful. So that's the magic of the formulations. But then we packaged it in real cute, engaging, colorful. I mean you can see it behind me here. I love it. That was very engaging. So all of our packaging is custom packaging, and our young people demand that. I know your kids aren't there yet, but like the tweens and tweens, they know what's good. They can smell anything that's inauthentic from a mile away, So we've got to deliver on that.

40:15 And you have to make the experience of using this brand so exceptional that they're going to crave using it right every single day. So really, like what makes us special, Like we take the guesswork out for parents. So every mom that's out there that is saying, what in the world do I buy for my teen between my college student, here's your answer. We've covered I've taken all the guests work out of it. And there's a reason why hundreds of dermatology practices carry it, Bright Girl, why you can find it in Nordstrum and Macy's and you get on Amazon and beauty Space in walmarts that have beauty Space kiosks.

40:56 So there is a reason society is really getting on board with the preventative skincare movement, and we have been at the forefront of it, really leading, and then we have a lot of copycat brands behind us, which is great. That's the biggest form of flattery imitation. Yeah, and you've built a community of nearly fifty thousand parents. What are they asking you over and over again? So they are asking, how do I get my kids really engaged and invested in skincare? And any parent of a teen or tween out there nose that what we tell them goes in one ear and out the other. So you have to have a brand that's kind of cool and objective to really deliver that message.

41:39 So that's what parents are asking. And also we have a lot of parents that come to us because their children have sensitive skin and they've tried a lot of brands and been very unsuccessful. And then we're kind of they're like, oh, we'll try this Bright Girl brand. It's you know, recommended, it says it's okay for sensive skin. We'll give it a go, and it's victory for them. And we get these emails that say, like, nothing worked and my child was breaking out and yours is the only brand that's been successful for him or her, which is just like it makes my heart thing with like because that's like another person we've helped that was struggling. And that's the whole mission with this brand. I know, meet myself.

42:20 I had skin problems in high school athletic induced acne or what is it called acrine mechanica, Yeah, and it was like so horrible, and you know, my mom took me to dermatologists for everything, and it was like just I just remember. You feel like it was like the most like front and center when you went into school and you had this acne and it was like the first thing people noticed about you. Did you feel that way. Oh yeah, anytime. I mean I still remember, Like I remember because I was involved in like student council and like I was at this like meeting with adults and like I was like talking with my hands in front of my face and it was because I was so embarrassed. And they're like, we can't hear anything you're saying, we can't see you, and I'm.

43:06 Like, but I don't want you to see me, because which is just heartbreaking. Right. We should never, like our young people should never feel like they have to hide or be ashamed or embarrassed about it. And it is really it can be very psychologically devastating for young people. So when you have a solution or a support that it's tremendous. And I believe any of us so we all have our own skincare journeys, but it's very personal to each of us and it really shaped our childhood and teenage years, and. So it's tremendous. So we want to get out there and make that better. So at what age should parents realistically start introducing skincare routines and what should it look like at each stage, Like obviously, if I'm introducing it to my five year old, it's going to be different than my thirteen year old.

43:55 Yeah, so you should introduce it from the time that your baby is born into the world. Because when they're little babies, right, we wash and moisturize them, and once they're infants and they're a little bit older, we put sunscreen on them. So skincare should start from the day that they're born. And like you said, Samantha, it's very different for different ages. So for our young kids, yes. Simple gentle cleanser, a nice gentle moisturizer that's going to be hydrating, not too greasy. We want to use those mineral based sunscreens that we talked about earlier, and really teaching them those habits, letting them be outside and enjoy their lives and swimming and sports and all the things, but doing that in a way that protects their skin.

44:39 We really find that it's around age eight that young people start to develop some agency and opinion and they're starting to make that pull away from parents doing everything, and they want to decide what goes in their bathroom and in their skincare. In our household, we have skincare fridges for our girls. That's the thing. But what goes into their skincare closet or their skincare fridge or what's in their bathrooms. They want to decide and have some ownership in that, and they will come to you and say, I saw this product on TikTok or on Instagram and I want to use it. And that's not always bad. Sometimes the product they're asking about is a good product and it's fine for their skin.

45:24 But it's up up to us as parents to first of all, listen and see them where they are, recognize what they're saying, validate that, and encourage them like, oh, I'm so glad you're interested in your skill, and then check out that product and if it's good, you know you support them and you buy it for them, and if it's not, tell them why, Like, this may not be the best thing. For skin at your age. That influencer that you saw that's using it, she's like twenty four years old, So maybe we need to think about, you know, where the creator is coming from versus where you are, and can we give you an alternative that's safer, but it's still going to achieve all those things that you want to experience with caring for your skin.

46:05 And I might be like asking this question, you kind of answered it. But social media is very much influencing kids younger and younger, So how do we protect them from chasing that perfect skin but also teaching them that, yeah, this is a healthy habit and you need to do this all the time. But what they're seeing, like you just said, like, oh I saw this on TikTok, I want it. I want to get it on TikTok for you know, this person to look like them as opposed to this is a healthy habit. You know, your daughter found this on TikTok. She wants to look like this. She thinks her skin will look a certain way. And social media is influencing kids younger and younger, But how do we protect them from chasing that perfect skin while still teaching them that they. Need to do it for healthy habit.

46:45 Yeah, so I think like having an honest conversation about how that creator might have built special lighting, may have done multiple takes to get that perfect shot. Also recognizing that much of social media is for entertainment value, so reminding our young people that what they're seeing may not. Be the reality at all. One example is those morning shed routines. If you've ever seen that when a creator supposedly goes to bed and they have on like a sheet mask and eye gels and like a chin strap and a silk bonnet over their hair, and they literally the video is of them getting up in the morning and they stretch and they're cute little pjs, and then they're peeling off the steps of their like evening routine. So off comes the lip mask and then the face mask comes off and the silk bonn it and it's really like such a pageantry performance, and it's like, did she really sleep with all that stuff on her face? And then some of the face masks, these sheep masks that kind of dry on your skin and then peel off, have plastics.

47:50 And vinyl in them, Like I don't want that on my skin. Over Like, so you've got to have honest conversations with the kids, our children, to educate them, Like some of this is for entertainment value, but the other thing is that really emphasizing getting back to that skin health message and reminding them that like skin is not perfect and we're gonna get blemishes and acne, but that's part of our amazing bodies and our skin recovers and heals from that and really talking about like the self care is healthcare message so so true. Yeah, you're seeing all this on social media, and that's great. I want you to adopt these healthy habits. Like if you wash your face and put on your moisturizer, that's going to do a lot to help your acne. If you use your sunscreen every morning, your skin is gonna be glowing and healthy like you're seeing. So when you can reframe the conversation so that they're using those messages from the creator, but you're using that to teach them a healthy habit, I think that's such a win.

48:50 Yeah, such a win. I don't follow a lot of skincare like because it even as an adult, you know, like I'm almost forty, and I'm like, I don't I'm never going to get this, but I follow. Do you ever follow Nina Pool? She does the like dupes. So it's like she'll look at something where it's like an eighty dollars like vial, and she'll look at the ingredients and then she'll say, okay, you can get this really similar at CBS. It has really similar ingredients and she kind of compares them and she does like such deep dives into like very expensive products, and I thought, I've tried some of them and they're. Like, it's pretty good. It's like, for people who can't afford like really expensive skin products, they can get something that does the same thing, which is pretty cool.

49:36 I think that's great because it's helping to increase access to effective skincare. I watch almost. No social media, so I'm not going to know who any like, even the most fat creators like I am. Just not It's just I don't have time in my day. But I'm sure that my. Daughters know who she is because they're always talking about dupes. And I love that creators like her are getting out there though and educating and informing and doing the research and then presenting it in a way that's more digestible and that the consumer can understand. So I am all for that. I think that creators have such a special role in our world and a tremendous opportunity. And there's a reason why creators like yourself have built these amazing communities because you have built that trust and loyalty. But you've done it from a place of wanting to educate and help, and you're not trying to sell things, which is but yeah, you've shared your journey. You've done it in an honest way, and that's drawn so many individuals to you because you make it very relatable.

50:46 Thank you. That's what I try to do. But I'm definitely not I'm always like I've tried the TikTok shop. I'm like, I can't sell anything, but I just do like genuinely sharing the stuff that I like, and I'm better at that. Yeah, TikTok shop and is a great It is fun though. So we're on TikTok shop and I will say like a shout out to all of my amazing TikTok creators because they are using their platforms to get the word out. So when I can go on to their platforms and talk and educate, it's such an. Incredible you know. Then you have these communities, It's exactly what you and I are doing right now. You've built this amazing podcast community.

51:28 I don't have a podcast like I am your guest and you've invited me on to connect with your community and hopefully answer some questions and dispel some myths. Yes, and you do. I mean you are reaching large probably larger audience than I am. So even if you don't have a podcast, that's okay, you're doing a great job. Thank you. Well, it's just yeah, yeah, little by little, it's that ripple effect, right, and we make that difference and help more people that then go on to help others. Yeah. Well, speaking of helping others, what's something you wish every mom listening could stop stressing about when it comes to their child skin. I think like being like feeling so overwhelmed. I think they're very stressed, and they are taking in all of the messages that they're seeing on social media, that they're hearing from their friends. And so my message to mom's is this whole conversation has become a lot more complicated than it needs to be, and it comes from these like very opinionated, polarizing like you almost have to say something extreme and then focus on it to make it heard in today's world. So dial it back, keep it really really simple. I always say skincare doesn't have to be complicated, but it does need to be consistent, and it's a lot easier to stay consistent with like a couple simple easy steps.

52:51 So when you're. Trying to throw too many ingredients into the mix. It just becomes messy and overwhelming. Yeah, what's something your own kids do that makes you think I'm a dermatologist And this is still happening. My gosh. They get sunburns. They still like at least once a year, and casey daughter will get a sunburn because they're too stubborn to put on like enough sunscreen, or they'll miss a spot. Like our oldest daughter, we went to the beach last summer and she missed the spot on her shoulder and it was like, oh my gosh, it got. Like purple red. It was so like sunburned, and then it blistered and then it peeled, and I am just like, oh my gosh, do not tell anybody that you were my daughter, were like, they will think I'm the worst dermatologist's parent. But it's a whole lot harder when they're teenagers, right, It's not like we're applying sunscreen to them like yours are little and you can still get away with that. So that is like my biggest fail. And now it's out there for the whole world to hear it's okay, it's gonna sunburn because the dermatologist kids still get sunburned.

54:04 Well again, it's more relatable, like you're not perfect, which makes it me feel better if my kid gets burnt. Okay, even the dermatologists kid gets burned. This is not the end of the world. You know, they're not going to be ruined for life. So do you want to hear another one of my biggest fails as the dermatologist. Of course, when I was a. Resident in dermatology in Pittsburgh, I went to the tanning bed before my wedding because I thought I needed to be tanned for my wedding. That was the thing back then, early two thousands. Knowing everything I knew, like not as much as I know now, but knowing like this is not good, but I'm going to let vanity went out. So I went to the tanning bed and you know what, I got a sunburn on my butt.

54:49 Oh my gosh, I totally forgot. First of all, I could smell the smell came back when you talked about the salons, but I totally forgot when you would go in and then your butt would get sunburned from the tandies. It was just crushed together the glass. My gosh, it was like the worst. And I remember like thinking, how could I have done this? Like I know better? And I let the girl at. The tanning salon tell me how much time I needed time, and in my mind I was like, that's like twice as much as I need. But she does this all the time, so I'm gonna go with her recommendation. No, that's not right down, Okay, awesome, all right. So you've given us so much wonderful information. I know I learned a lot, and I know the listeners have as well.

55:38 But let's end with one last question. If every parent listening could walk away and do just one thing differently for their child's skin health, starting today, what would you want that to be and why does it matter more than we think? Buy them a mineral based sunscreen and place it somewhere in their world, whether that's in their backpack or next to their toothbrush or in the mudroom before they go out into the garage wherever in your household, that they're going to see it every day and be reminded, and tell them about the importance of that one simple step that takes less than a minute, that pays off in huge, huge dividends. True sunscreen where at everybody that's the going.

56:22 To agree wants me to say like some new, exciting, innovative product when I'm asked, like the number one skincare product. But it comes back to that old saying prevention is the best medicine. Announce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, And any dermatologist is going to tell you that in the world of all the peptides and exosomes and growth factors and antioxidants, sunscreen is still far in a way, the most important thing you can put on your skin. Well, that's awesome and that's a great place to end. So that's going to bring us to the end of another episode of The Running Mind. Mom. I love this conversation because it's one of those reminders that simple like sunscreen really can be better, but only when we actually understand why. And I think what stood out most to me is the idea that the habits we're helping our kids build right now, they are not small.

57:15 They're shaping their health for decades. So thank you, doctor Casey for all of that wonderful information. You're so welcome. Samantha, thank you. And as always, thank you to the listeners for spending time with us today on The Running Wine Mom, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and shared this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can follow me on Instagram at the Running Wine Mom, Underscore and Doctor Casey. Where can the listeners find you? And that Bright Girl. They can find Bright Girl at just brightgirl dot com and it's spelled just like it sounds. B r I g h t g I r al dot com all one. Word, and then on social media we are at bright Girl Beauty all one word. I love that and I will link all of that. So thank you again. This was wonderful and thank you so much for joining us today. I remember you were strong, you were capable, you were all amazing. Until next time, keep running, keep sipping, keep putting on that sunscreen, and keep embracing the joy of motherhood tears, and I will be back next Tuesday.

59:02 It space is called so Speed