Candace Marino aka The LA Facialist on Botox, Fillers, Healing Acne Scars, Accutane, Laser Treatments, Red Light Therapy, and Inside-Out Wellness.
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The following podcast is a Dear Media production. Mari has grown her to fitness and nutrition brand. Co-founder of Bloom Nutrition. Forbes 30 under 30 list. A successful entrepreneur. Someone who has lost 90 pounds. Today's guest is Mari Llewellyn. Mari Llewellyn. My friend Mari. Welcome to the pursuit of wellness.

What's up, guys? Welcome back to the Pursuit of Wellness podcast. Today, we are talking skin. You guys know my skin journey has been extensive. I've pretty much struggled with acne since I was 21 years old. And today, we have one of the most famous facialists in LA, Candice Marino, also known as the LA Facialist.

She's been a medical esthetician for over a decade and has an impressive list of highly discerning celebrity clientele. She is extremely difficult to book with, so I would consider this episode your free appointment with Candice. We're getting her top tips on how to get the best skin ever. I'm also going to ask her about acne because that's something I've struggled with for such a long time and you guys have told me you do as well. I've had a couple facials with Candice and they are

insane. Her hands are magic. So let's hop into this episode. I hope you guys enjoy.

Candice, welcome to the show. Thank you so much. I'm so excited. I'm so excited this is happening. And I have to say, your recommendations in general, I take so seriously. Thank you. I feel like I should have a second job as a concierge. Literally. You're the reason I'm seeing Dr. Sam, my naturopath, who's also coming on the show. Good. And she's, I mean, life-changing for me. She's life-changing. I've seen her

changed my life. And there's so many of my clients I've sent to her because it goes hand in hand. So I'm so happy that you're seeing her. Isn't she just like, don't you just want to be around her? I'm like, can we be friends? And Angel, she's so chic too. I know. Every time I see her, I'm like, why are you this put together and perfect?

She comes to do an IV at like 8 p.m. at night and she's in little heels and the outfit. And I'm like, wow, she's so smart. But she also has the fashion going for her, which is amazing. And she's literally and I've told her this. I'm like, you are the most beautiful person I've ever seen. She's just like she's like a little angel. I love her. Shout out to Dr. Sam. Agreed. We're obsessed. Agreed. So we're working on the internal and the external. It all goes together. So skin. Where did your interest in skin begin?

I have been obsessed with skin since I was a kid. So any kid that grew up with me, I was the first person that popped their pimple.

In middle school, I'm like, hey, you got a zit? Get me on it. You must have been busy in middle school. I was busy. So I just really knew that I wanted to do it. I think my mom was a huge inspiration for that. She... Actually, this is cute. And I don't think I've ever said this before, but she was in a Dove soap commercial. She got stopped leaving a grocery store in LA. We're not from LA, but my parents lived in Topanga Canyon in the 80s. Who knows what they were doing, but...

They were walking, my mom and dad were walking out of a grocery store and a casting agent came up to my mom and was like, you have the most beautiful skin. We want you to be in this Dove soap commercial. By the way, I'm not saying you should use Dove soap on your skin, but. No, no.

Probably not. Probably not. Maybe on the body. But she was in this commercial. And so I knew that growing up. And I was like, oh, my gosh, my mom was famous. I mean, she was in one commercial. But, you know, you create this picture in your head. And I was like, wow, my mom's skin was so beautiful that it got her to do this thing. So...

probably my mom. And then as a kid, she took me to get facials when I was a teenager and I just fell in love with it. And I remember the woman from my first facial. I actually, she took me to a beauty school because it was like a $30 facial. She's not going to spend hundreds of dollars on me as a teenager. And I just remember being like, this woman is so cool. I want to be like that. And so that's where it started. It's been ingrained in me since a kid. It's crazy how those certain things just stick sometimes. And that's

where we find our true purpose in life. And it seems like you're really living out your purpose and you found your passion. Why the name, the LA Facialist? Like, how did that come to be? So I didn't want to name it Candice Marino Skin. I feel like

I just, I don't have a great name to begin with. And another thing is if people don't like my services or don't like my business, I don't want them saying I hate Candice Marino. So it's kind of something to like protect myself and my energy and not have negative talk about me. Like, yes, maybe people won't like the service or maybe people won't like the business or what I'm doing, but I want to be

differentiated from my brand. I want to be myself and then have my brand be something else. I think that's so smart. And you actually, we talked about this in my first appointment with you. I don't know if you remember, but I was asking you about your brand in general. And I think a lot of

I don't want to name names, but estheticians in LA will like put their name on things and kind of like an ego move to slap your name on a product. And you were like, I've never been interested in that. I just want to give people the best of the best. I have all these amazing products by brands that I love. And I think it was so smart to,

to take your name out of the company itself. I never even thought about that angle, about people using your name personally. But we did the same thing with Bloom. I didn't want to call it Mari Supplement Company, even though I was leading the whole movement because I wanted it to be sustainable.

And I wanted the brand to be recognized on its own without me. And now we've gotten to that point. And I'm so glad we did that. But I think it's really smart that you took that approach. Thank you. And then because I'm expanding and I have other facialists who work with me, I don't want them to be like, oh, I work at Candice Marino Skin. I wanted them to be like, I work at the L.A. Facialist. I am the L.A. Facialist. It doesn't have to be about me. I really want it, like you said, to be sustainable and to be able to move and grow and thrive without me being the main character.

So smart. And I think anyone listening who wants to start a brand or needs advice in this area, I think that's such a good move. Because if you want other people to feel important working for you, you don't want to name it after yourself. And I felt the same way with our team in general. What is your wellness philosophy when it comes to skin? Like what would you say is your overall like ethos? So with skin, the key to good skin is balance. I think that...

True healthy skin. It's about like balancing the oil production, the water and having the skin be hydrated. Hydration really is the key to healthy skin because when we have things like acne, we're actually usually chronically dry. So it's all about balance. It's about everything in moderation, doing things that help to keep that hydration going and help to achieve that balance. How important have you found lifestyle in

inner wellness to be when it comes to skin? There is a direct correlation and anybody that believes that skin is just about topicals, they have no idea what they're talking about. And you've experienced this. So

so have I through working with Dr. Sam, I see that there is a direct link through the gut, through hormones, through how our organs function. And so I really feel like you can't have one without the other. And yes, there are those unicorns that exist that are like, I eat donuts every day and I eat fast food every day and they're just flawless and perfect. And they're, they're weird. That's not normal. But for the rest of us, it's really, you know, everything is related. Our skin is our largest organ. And what I've found is that

When people have their organs internally not functioning properly, the skin is like that helper organ that's like, oh, I can help detoxify. I can help you with this. And so I feel like the skin wants to take control and wants to help. And that's when you see acne and flare-ups within the skin. So obviously I...

would prefer to not have acne. However, I've learned to find a silver lining in it. I've only ever had acne in my adult years. I never really had acne as a teenager, which is interesting. But for me, my skin has always been a telltale sign of what's going on on the inside. So if I'm having a sensitivity to food or the environment, my skin tells me first. So unlike someone, I guess, who doesn't get acne, I know when my body isn't feeling well.

Right. And you know, you're not alone in this. I think the statistic is 90% of adults have some form of acne one way or another. So acne doesn't mean you have cysts or pustules. It could be underground. It could be things that you can't see to the naked eye. Like I would consider myself someone who has a very mild form

form of acne because I do get blackheads. I do get congestion. So most of us do have acne in one form or another, and especially women at our age, childbearing age, there's hormone fluctuations going on. And so that's also going to create acne. So when you have clients come in, do you feel like a majority of them are struggling with acne?

Yes, in one way or another. For me personally, in my clinic, I get a lot of people with pigment because I'm very outward about how I have melasma. So I think that you attract those people because they're like, oh, if she has it, I can relate. But I also talk about my congestion. So I would say most people are like you, like you have the congestion going on. You're not having like cystic large masses, but it is still a form of acne. And so I would say kind of what you're dealing with is the main clientele that I have.

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I feel like all of us have been there when we're going through something in life that feels very uncertain. I feel like I'm kind of experiencing that at the moment where the path forward isn't always clear. And I've found that trusting yourself to make decisions that really align with your values and line up with where you want to go in your life gets easier the more you practice.

I've also found that talking to someone is so, so helpful. Sometimes it feels like my thoughts are all jumbled up and until I can say it out loud and hash it out with someone, I'm a little bit unclear. And I've just found that to be so helpful. I have personally been in therapy.

since I was 14 years old for various reasons. It has evolved over time, but I found it to be one of the most valuable things I've ever done for myself. And it truly has been such a guiding light for me through everything I've been through, even right now.

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So let's hop into skin routine. What are some non-negotiables that you'd recommend to everyone?

Okay. So obviously a cleanser because you can't be dirty. An antioxidant serum for the daytime. This is to coat and protect the cells. It's to provide antioxidant protection from free radicals. Free radicals break down our collagen. They cause pigmentation in the skin and God forbid skin cancers. So antioxidants, I always tell my clients that they're like the insurance policy on your sunscreen. We obviously want to be wearing sunscreen, but we are

you know, always pounded with UV rays and pollution. And so when you have a serum that coats and protects the cell, it's the second layer of defense. So it's really important every single day, something resurfacing at night. So either an acid serum or retinoid, those are amazing. And then sunscreen, it's a gold standard. If you're not using a sunscreen, I'm angry at you. I've heard that one's crucial. So if someone's listening and has acne like me,

As we were talking about before, obviously internal is so important, but I have been to, I mean, I've had a hormonal acne since I was 22, 23 and I was at dermatologist offices. I've been all over the place and

They were all telling me it was simply topical. So I was being given retinoids and crazy harsh wipes and things that were drying out my skin. Like a majority of my acne experience, my face hurt so bad I could barely move it.

It makes me so upset. And listen, dermatologists are amazing and I love them dearly and they are crucial. They're necessary, especially when it comes to like skin cancers and things like that. But from my experience, we can treat acne by encouraging a strong skin barrier instead of destroying it with topicals and retinoids and acids. Like, yes, we're going to use a little bit of that, but doing things in a gentler way, reducing inflammation and then dealing with the gut and hormones.

I have so many people that come to me and they're like, I failed Accutane several times. I failed all of the topical several times. I've been using these since I was a teenager. My skin has never been clear. And then I'm like, okay, well, this clearly isn't working. Let's erase what you've been doing and put you on something that's going to be more effective.

gentle for the skin and do it in a way that we are encouraging healthy skin as we fight the acne. I love the fact that you talk about gut health and hormones, even when someone's in your chair, because obviously you're helping with the topical, but even just talking to you for an hour, you were emphasizing how important that is. And I left with so many takeaways just by speaking to you. You do have a very like healing energy. And also for anyone that's just listening, Candice has incredible skin. So like

She clearly knows what she's talking about. So...

Can you explain what the skin barrier is? Yes. Because I don't fully know. Okay. So our skin barrier is part of our, our skin in general is part of our immune system. It provides protection. It helps with our heat and everything like that. So our barrier, we want it to be strong. And when we use things that are too abrasive or too exfoliating or too resurfacing, and we're doing it too often, it's going to weaken that barrier. So it's going to break down our skin's

strength and our acid mantle, we want to use things that are nourishing and hydrating and protective so that our skin can be strong. So for instance,

When you were going to the dermatologist and you said that your skin was hurting, you had a barrier issue. They were breaking down the barrier too much instead of encouraging strength in the skin by providing things like peptides and ceramides and fats to the skin. We don't want to strip the skin. And I think that's a huge misconception with acne. I mean, if you grew up in the era that I did, Stridex pads, like all the things were just like erasing the oil from the skin and really stripping.

So there's a couple of things wrong with that. Number one, you're just breaking down the skin's ability to protect itself. Basically, you're weakening the skin. And number two, when you strip the skin of its oil, you're actually sending a signal to the brain to create more oil. Part of the skin's function is to protect, right? So the oil is that thing. And so when you strip all the oil, the brain is like, whoa, we got to create more oil. We're not

protected. And that's why we use moisturizers and oils and creams and things like that to really protect the skin. Because otherwise, if you're just letting the skin be dry, you're going to see an uptick of oil production.

It's interesting because when you do have acne, it's almost like, oh, I shouldn't, you know, the oils aren't for me. The moisturizers aren't for me. I think for so long I avoided those products because I thought that it would make my issue worse. But now that you have me on the Jan Marini system, I just feel so much better and I feel so much more moisturized. And I don't know, my whole skin just feels more comfortable and less painful, less dry. Yeah.

Less stripped. Yeah. So it's funny, Jan, I've been fortunate enough to work with her like one-on-one and she's actually coached me and taught me a lot about acne and she actually failed Accutane twice. And so the reason she came out with her line is because she had like tried every avenue. She'd been to every derm and she couldn't get it in check. And so

she just became a researcher and she was like, how can I figure this out? She really did it out of wanting to help her own skin. And now it's turned into this huge thing. But I really, I rely on that system quite a bit. Usually in most cases, that is my first go-to for people with acne because the philosophy of her line is really cool. And as you know, because you use it,

We obviously are using the moisturizer and that's like to nourish and heal the skin and also to help strengthen the barrier and whatnot. But the line is quite acid forward, but it's delivered in a gentle way. So her philosophy is that we need to be resurfacing the skin daily to prevent that oil buildup that plugs the skin that attracts bacteria that causes inflammation and then creates as it.

And she doesn't believe in spot treatments. So it's like if you're using these products, we're preventing the acne. So with anything in life, prevention is always more valuable than the cure, right? With medicine, with all things in life. And so if we're preventing that acne by mildly resurfacing the skin every day while nourishing, while protecting, while providing peptides, we don't have to treat acne because the acne is managed. So zit stickers, not a vibe. I will say...

As far as spot treatments go, I believe that reducing inflammation is the key. So zit stickers are actually great because they occlude and that helps reduce inflammation. Icing is another great method. And then I do believe in like LED light. That's really good. That can reduce inflammation and then high frequency that zaps that oxygenizes the skin. Those types of spot treatments I believe in. But as far as like slapping on acid, like gels and drying things, I

Those to me aren't the key because we want to reduce the inflammation and we already have the pimples. So like it's kind of you're too late to the party if you think that putting acid on the skin is going to help with the plug. It's more about just taking it down and also not picking. Oh, gosh, that's such a big one. Like that really was a big issue for me. I think a majority of the time when I had acne, I was so tempted to get rid of it myself and I would be picking up my face all day long. And I think it made my scarring worse for sure. Absolutely.

Absolutely. I think that I know so many girls that come to me and I'm like, okay, I see that you have like a little bit of acne, but the pigment because you've picked it and you've actually traumatized your skin is way worse. And I just wish that people would throw out their magnetized mirrors. It's truly a form of self-abuse. I used to do that. I used to look in the mirror and I used to pick at every single pore and I

You will find things that nobody sees when you're looking at 10X. Like nobody sees you that close. Why are we looking at ourselves in that way? I just feel like they're so dangerous. I tell all of my clients, like throw up the mirror, stop picking. When you stop picking, I swear the skin is just healthier. You're not traumatizing it. The skin is in a state of being abused when you're picking. And so I feel like you're never going to get over the acne hurdle if you're picking and you're looking for things to squeeze out.

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You mentioned blue light. I get a lot of questions about blue light and I've had a variety of things I've used at home. I currently have a light stim arch that I will lay under for like 12, 15 minutes. Amazing. And that was a big investment. Like I had the mask and then my acne was getting so bad. I just went ahead and bought a new one.

the professional use one. What's one that you would recommend that's relatively affordable for people to use at home? So I don't know of a blue light one that I'm obsessed with that's affordable, but for red light, there's a company called Vital Red Light. And they make, in my opinion, one of the best red lights on the planet. And they've done third party studies to actually show that their red lights are doing what they say they do. I feel like there's so many that come to market and they're like,

those like cool ones that are like sunglasses with the stripe things. I don't think that those do anything. I really think it's just like a cute light. If it looks cute, it's probably not working when it comes to this. Vital red light. This is the one I have in my treatment room. It's that panel and it will illuminate the entire room and they have bigger panels and they have smaller ones. But I love this because they do the third party studies. Their lights are

impactful. They're actually doing something and not only for skin to reduce inflammation and to promote healing. Red light is so good just for our circadian rhythm. It's good to energize during the day. You get better sleep. It helps all metabolic processes. So I'm a firm believer in red light. I use mine every single day. And then of course, when I'm in the treatment room, I'm just getting doused with it all day for blue light. It isn't affordable, but the Saluma

They're like the professional wrap ones that has a blue light setting. And I really like that as well. I hope that Vital Red Light will maybe come out with a Vital Blue Light. Maybe they'll hear this. I know. They should. What does Red Light do for the skin? So it's all about reducing inflammation and healing. So that's why if you go in for a laser treatment or you have a surgery, they recommend the light to reduce the inflammation. And it just promotes the healing process of the skin. Is it good for aging? It's...

It's very good for aging. Yes. Okay. We love that. We love it. You mentioned Accutane a couple of times and I want to ask you about that. Okay. I narrowly avoided Accutane because I was offered it multiple times and I really, really thought about it. What are your views on Accutane? So I worked in Derm for years and we did prescribe Accutane and I feel like

It works for some people. I think it depends on the course of treatment, how long you're on it and the dosage that they give you. I feel like sometimes when people are on Accutane, they're either not given a high enough dose or they quit too soon. And so they can't really treat the acne fully. I do know some people that have flawless skin that have been on Accutane because it has so many side effects and because it is

can be physically debilitating, mentally debilitating. I just, for me, I'm not a prescription med person. And through working in skin and through working on people that have acne, I've treated and helped people manage their acne without it. So.

So for me, I feel like let's not mask the symptoms with medications. Let's get to the root of it and figure out what's going on internally. And that's why I rely so heavily on Dr. Sam with clients because people will get to that point and they're like, Accutane is the only option for me. And it's like, well, what's going on inside? Like what's happening with the hormones? What's happening in your gut? Like how's your body functioning? Why is this happening? So for me, even though Accutane can help manage acne and help people get to a clear state, I feel like

It's kind of a band-aid in a way. And I know people that have had longevity, like they've completed their course of Accutane and their skin is great now. But I feel like to be gentler with the skin and to encourage healthy skin through figuring out what's going on inside, for me personally, that's the better option. With the Accutane conversation, I also feel like spironolactone has become a super trendy word. On TikTok, everyone's talking about spironolactone. Do you have any thoughts on that and how...

how that's helping. So spironolactone helps block the male hormone that we all, we all have testosterone. We all have male hormones as well. Usually in, in female acne, there's too much of that male hormone. So it blocks that hormone. And so people can see a little bit of clearness with that. It can be helpful for some people, but it's not always a win. And back to hormones, like

instead of just taking a pill, why don't you figure out what's going on with your hormones? So I don't know. And again, in the past, I worked in Durham. And so, yes, we would recommend that all the time. But I do think that there really is a way to handle everything without having to take a pill every day or apply something that's painful and harsh on the skin every night. I think

When you're in the midst of acne, it's so easy to want to grab for that quick solution. I know I was on a number of antibiotics. Anything that I thought would work, I grabbed for because you can be in such a low depressed state when you're struggling with acne that badly. I have empathy for people who do go that route. It's a more challenging route and you're going to have to do more work. But taking the route of finding out what's actually happening on the inside has so much more

long-term benefit. And I'm not even at the end of my journey yet. I'm still figuring things out, but I'm so happy I

took this route and I was on spironolactone for a while and I don't know that it really made the biggest difference for me. A lot of people say that I think that the dosage has to be higher for it to really be impactful for people but then a lot of people have really bad side effects when the dosage does go up so yeah I for me it's like figure out what's going on inside nurture that and do it without the medication. 100% and I felt

That when I tried a higher dosage, I was seeing impacts on my motivation and other things in my life. And that wasn't worth it to me. So I ended up coming off of it. And now I'm on a journey of figuring out my gut health and my hormones, etc. I think that there's longevity in that because you when you figure out your hormones and your gut health and you align it with the skin, it's more sustainable because you're

you can't really be on medications for the rest of your life. Like people, I just don't believe in prescribing antibiotics for acne. Like that destroys your gut health and the gut and the skin are related. So for me, yes, for a quick fix, fine, that might be okay. But to do that for a long-term period, I can only imagine like what people are going through. Yeah. And

And the antibiotics will continue to affect your gut years later because I was put on them when I was 22, 23. And I'm still seeing the impacts of those antibiotics now. Yeah. Even though I'm not on them anymore. That happened with me too. Dr. Sam was like, were you just on antibiotics? And I'm like, no, I don't even remember the last time that I took an antibiotic. It had to be like years ago. And she was like, well, it's showing up. And I'm like,

That is insane. Like what we put in our bodies really, I mean, we know this, but like to actually see that this on a paper, I know it's kind of scary. That's when you realize like, oh my gosh, it's actually having an impact. That had a huge effect on me and made me just feel differently. If I could go back and change it, I would, but obviously we can't. Right. Have you heard of RV Clear laser treatments?

I have and I do not know anything about it. But I was dying to ask you because I've been doing it. Oh, really? Yes. Amazing. And I've been posting about it and people are very curious. You know, I truthfully don't know if it's going to have a crazy impact. I know my friend Sammy did three sessions of it and felt like her acne is pretty much gone. Amazing. But it is the most painful thing I've ever done in my life. Wow. Is it hot or is it like snapping? Like, how does it feel? It's

a deep shock to the nerves of your face. I don't know how to describe it, but it's the weirdest thing because some people find it excruciating and some people don't feel it at all. What? I know. Does it matter what level they're treating? You can change the level slightly. I need to do research on this. I do have a really good friend who's a dermatologist in Nashville. Her name is Tal Humes and she is like a spokesperson for Avi Clear and she's

like speaks highly of it. So whatever she says, I trust because she's brilliant and amazing. But I don't know. I haven't done my own research, never had the treatment, don't know what the technology is. So I can't speak to it. I'll keep you updated. But when I tell you I was screaming and crying in this woman's arms, it was awful. Can they numb you or no? Because it's

They didn't offer any numbing. It's so new that they don't have a system in place to help manage the pain. But the way they're marketing it is that it's pain free. Oh, geez. So that's tough. But I do have one more session left and I'm doing it. Yeah, do it. Just see it through for sure. I'm seeing it through. I'm literally when I leave here, I'm like going to find out. Let me know because they're calling it the laser version of Accutane.

Interesting. Which is a bold claim. Yeah. Okay. Wow. All right. And the method is that they shrink the oil glands in the face. Okay. Apparently. Okay. Well, to be continued. To be continued. I'll keep you posted. Okay. I love it. Actually, I don't know if you recommend lasers in general, but what other treatments would you recommend outside of facials? I love a chemical peel. Hmm.

Chemical peels, I think can help with all types of skin conditions. Lasers are great too. I don't operate lasers. So I don't have the knowledge base to like speak to lasers.

But in my opinion, and with my personal experience, because I have melasma, chemical peels are the safer option for a lot of skin. It's difficult with skin of color and skin that creates pigment like mine. So anybody with melasma, when you introduce heat to that skin, it's only going to create more pigment. So it can give you some clearance immediately and then you'll rebound later. So I like to use chemicals and pigment inhibitors, things that are actually going to, um,

suppress the pigment at the deeper layers of the skin while lifting it from there and making the topical area that you see brighter, lighter, and more even. So I'm a chemical peel girl. Is that a good method for scarring as well? So it depends on the type of scarring. Scarring, are you talking about like post-inflammatory, like the marks after acne or like textural? Let's say hypotension.

hyperpigmentation, but also textural, like ice pick scarring. So people always say my scars when they're referring to post-inflammatory marks. So those are two different things. Scars are going to be textural marks where there's like an irregularity in the texture because of maybe picking or because of inflammation. So when it comes to pigment, in my opinion, I love

a chemical peel, something with pigment inhibitors, something with retinoids, something with acids, and that's going to lift and brighten and suppress pigment production. When it comes to textural scars, you really need to be doing a combination of things. I think that microneedling is amazing. I love a laser, but again, you have to go to somebody that knows all about the lasers that doesn't just have one laser. Let me make this very clear.

I feel like people will go to a clinic and it'll be, you know, a doctor or a nurse or whoever's operating the laser. They have one laser and they want to sell it to everyone. If you go to a clinic like that, run because those people are just trying to pay off that device. Hmm.

It makes me so upset because I'll have clients that are like, I have melasma and I went to this clinic and they told me that this laser is going to help with my melasma. And it's like, that was not appropriate for your skin. So if you go to a laser place and they only have one laser, I would not go there. I believe that if you are going to have a laser clinic, you need to have options for everyone, for every condition, every skin type. So

It's not a one size fit all with lasers. And I've seen some horrifying things happen to people with lasers. Anyway, I went on a tangent, but what was the question? No, that was a good tangent, honestly, because lasers are something that I was super attracted to when I was trying to heal my scars. Right. But I didn't know any of that information when I went into it. And I think so many times skin clinics,

There are so many ways you can trick someone into buying something when it comes to skin because it's such an emotional thing. Yeah, exactly. And people are willing to do whatever it takes. And if you appear to be a professional and you can show before and afters, great. But it doesn't mean that that's appropriate for that one skin condition and that person's pigment and their heritage. There's so much that goes into it. It's not just like, OK, we're going to blast you with a laser. There's so much that goes into it. Yeah.

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The question that you asked, okay, it was about the texture. So I believe in microneedling, a combination of that with peels for textural scars. There's something called TCA cross and that's for ice pick scars. And so those ice picks are like the little holes in the skin. You basically drop a tiny bit of this acid into the skin with like a toothpick and it's going to erode out the scar and help stimulate collagen production. So you're basically like burning it out and then helping to rebuild. So over time, and it takes a series of them,

Nothing with acne scars is one size fits all. It's really a big journey. It depends on the degree of your scarring, obviously how soon you're going to see results, but

With this, you have to be so patient. You have to be very on top of your at-home care and then be seeking really good treatments from professionals and a combination approach. What can we do at home for scarring? Because I'm very much on this journey and I think you recommended the ice pick acid for me. I did a round of microneedling with Matthew, I believe it was, and that was great. Definitely painful, but I've got to go back because I feel like that was super effective. What

What can we do at home to keep the process going?

So I would say definitely go back for another microneedling because you need to do a series of them. Again, it's not going to be a one-time thing. At home, I think that supporting the skin with ingredients that help. If you're still dealing with acne, you want to definitely be managing the acne. So you want to be using things to resurface the skin and work on that. Keeping the barrier strong, using things like growth factors that stimulate collagen production, using retinoids that stimulate collagen production. So you want to be using ingredients that are going to help

create that collagen because the goal with scarring is to untether like any textural areas that are pinned down that are causing those irregularities in the skin. And then we want to boost the collagen so that everything is plump and squishy and more even. Okay. So I think I need a retinoid in that case. You're using one because you have...

Are you on the duality from Janmarie? Yes. Okay, so that's retinol plus benzoyl peroxide. It's one of my favorite acne products because retinol and benzoyl peroxides are two gold standards in terms of treating acne. Retinol is going to resurface by exfoliating the skin, but also stimulate collagen production. And then...

The benzoyl peroxide forces oxygen into the pores. Acne bacteria can't grow or thrive in an oxygenated state. So that's a great product. So you're not necessarily on a retinoid, but you're on a retinol. And so you're getting the benefits of a retinoid. I also love my BioClear.

BioClear is amazing. So that's the step three and that is your acid serum. So that's just sloughing off any dead cells. It's breaking down the buildup that accumulates inside pores. That stuff is amazing. Speaking of steps, I know you probably get asked this all the time, but I personally get so overwhelmed with the order I'm supposed to do skincare in. Can you give us a general overview of the order we should be using products in? Yes. So

generally speaking, thinnest to thickest is going to be your way. We're obviously cleansing first. And then if you do a toning step, you're going to tone. And then if you're using serums, generally the best way to figure it out is by applying the thinnest one first. So you're on the Jan Marini system. I think it's genius that they actually labeled each bottle step one, step two, step three. So it's a no brainer. It just makes things super easy for people. So I appreciate that. But yeah, a lot of lines. And especially if you're not using one entire system,

you might be cherry picking from a different brand and like throwing in a few other different things. So thinnest to thickest is usually the best way to do it. If you're

and you should be using an antioxidant serum, generally that's going to go on first because those are more liquidy and thin. Then you'll go into either your resurfacing serums or your hyaluronic acids, which are more of like a gel than a liquid. So that would be the next. And then you're going to put on your creams and et cetera. Amazing. I actually have the note card. I think you wrote me taped to my mirror so I can remember it. Even though the bottles are labeled, I get so panicky about the order I'm doing things. So I really appreciate that breakdown.

Let's talk aging because obviously we talked about acne a lot because that is a major concern that I have. But also I'm 28 years old now and I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can. What are some simple things we can do day to day to help with

the skin aging. Can you guess what I'm going to say? SPF. Yeah. SPF. I love it. You are my client because my clients know that I'm like the craziest person when it comes to sunscreen. Obviously, we know the benefits of the sun and we need to get sunlight. That's super important. But our skin needs to be protected. And especially when we're treating things like acne, pigment, rosacea, things like that, the sun will only exacerbate it. And yes, it's

with with acne is the sun going to cause more acne probably not but will it pigment those areas of inflammation absolutely so sunscreen is number one I think that if we are better about our sunscreen in our 20s and 30s when we're older we're our skin is going to thank us and we're going to feel better about the state of our skin do you have views on preventative botox

I love Botox. Okay. Thank God. Yeah. Yeah. Listen, wrinkles are technically a scar because there's areas of movement that have creased the skin and we're lacking collagen in that area. So yeah, I believe in preventative Botox and people come to me all the time. They're like, well, when should I get it? And I'm like, it's not a me decision. That's a you decision. If you're starting to think about it, then yeah, maybe it's the right time to start considering doing Botox treatments.

I do believe that it's beneficial. It helps us with longevity. If we're not making those faces and moving those muscles, increasing the skin, it's just going to have a softer appearance. So yeah, we love it. How about fillers? Because I see a lot of contrasting opinions online about whether fillers like spreading throughout people's faces and stretching skin. Do you have any thoughts on it? So filler can definitely migrate. And I've seen it firsthand because I've had filler in the past. I have since.

gotten rid of all the filler I've dissolved. And for me personally, I'm really traumatized by my past filler experience. I'm very hesitant. Like I almost booked an appointment and I'm like, I'm not ready. And then I've gone on like seven consults with different people who are really good at filler. And I know that they'll do a good job, but I'm just not ready. So I'm very,

cautious when it comes to that. Filler does not lift the skin. It'll provide volume. So it can help with if you have a deficit somewhere, obviously with the lips, it'll give you more plump. If you want to sculpt and have more cheek, it'll give you that. But for me, I'm a little afraid. I did though recently have Sculptra. Do you know what Sculptra is? Oh no, please tell me. So it is an injectable, but it's not a hyaluronic acid. So they're not putting volume in somewhere. They're injecting this

it's a powder, but they liquefy it just like Botox. And it basically signals your own collagen production. So in, I was calling it like, it's like a more natural filler because it over time is going to provide that collagen instead of putting in hyaluronic acid to boost the skin. It's putting in something that's going to just stimulate your own body's natural. Yeah. We'll see what happens. Where would you put that?

So we did it in my temples. The temples hollow out as we age. And that's like a hallmark sign of aging. So we put it in my temples just to like prevent that from happening. We did it in my right cheek heavily because I sleep on this side and I have such an asymmetry. Like my...

pictures are so scary. Oh, I would have never have known that. Okay, well, thank you. No, you have the best cheekbones ever. Well, you know, when you look at like the Apple camera and you're like, what is... Traumatizing. My face is slanted. No, it is. And so I always wonder like when I'm looking at somebody, do they see the Apple camera? Absolutely not. Okay, thank God. But so because I sleep on my right side so heavily, I have

less volume in that side. So we she did it to balance but we did put the sculptor on the right side because I literally have like a hole in my face from that's such a great filler alternative. Yeah. So and I know that there's with everything there's controversial opinions and whatever but I

Again, I went to my friend, Dr. Humes in Nashville. I was there and she was like, let's just try the sculpture because I just didn't want to go down the filler route. For me, it's just not sustainable. I have had bad experience. I'm still traumatized by it. So I'm like, let's do something new. And I feel like here in LA, we're literally surrounded by...

all these beauty treatments and kind of everyone's getting everything done, which has its pros and cons. Like we, the best of the best is here, but also there is some pressure kind of because everyone's doing it here. So it is nice to hear about other options like that. Yeah. What is one of the craziest skin treatments that you've ever tried? You know, I have honestly never done...

anything that crazy. Like I kind of keep it natural and I know that people want to hear me say that I've done something really wild, but I just believe in like massaging the face and doing regular skincare at home. I think that your skincare at home dictates the health of your skin in so many ways. Like, yes, you can go get a laser and you can go get a peel and you can do these crazy things. But if you're not doing something consistently at home, you're wasting your time, you're wasting your money. And it's the magic happens when you're consistent.

I don't know, I guess the craziest thing I've ever done. And it's not that crazy. I did Morpheus. Oh, is that really painful? People sold it to me like it was going to be extremely painful. So I went into it being like really prepared and I was fine. Really? Yeah. Like I got the numbing cream and I was like, all right, like, yeah, there's like these zaps and it feels kind of like they're stapling your face. But it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. But I do have a big

big pain threshold. To me, I would rather do Morpheus and get lip injections. Lip injections, my soul exits my body and I don't do it anymore because of that reason. Me as well. It feels like I'm going to faint. It's so well. I also have like a lot of scar tissue. I had an accident. I had a dog rip my upper lip off completely this whole half. Yeah. Like 10 years ago now. And so I've had filler put into like

get the volume back and to go through that scar tissue with the needle is excruciating and so i just

gave it up. I'm over it. I feel the same way. I think the pain is almost not worth it for me anymore. And then there's people, I guess with Aviclure, I have friends that are like, I don't need numbing. I'm just going to get my lips done. I'm like, you are insane. I've heard the same. It's unbelievable. Maybe we're wimps. I know. No, I am for sure. The lips are very sensitive though. It's just a very vascular area. There's a lot of nerves there. So for me, no, thank you. But yeah, Morpheus wasn't that bad.

I guess on the scale of things that I've done, I'm not that adventurous. So that's the most intense one that I've done. I've been seeing Morpheus everywhere and I got to say it looks pretty brutal. Yeah, it is everywhere. There's billboards all over LA right now. I know. Yeah, they're really doing a big marketing. It's a great treatment. It definitely is. I think they sell it for like, again, one size fits all. Everybody should get Morpheus. Don't know if I believe that, but

It was good. Let's do a quick community rapid fire. Okay, great. Tips for rosacea and redness. Reduce inflammation, work on your skin barrier, wear sunscreen. Love. Best products for fine lines. For fine lines? I mean, I'm a retinol girl. So I think that retinol is going to help resurface and help to...

build more collagen, but also hyaluronic acid. I think a combination of the two because hyaluronic acid is going to plump up the skin and hydrate. So it'll kind of boost up the fine lines. I use that, right? Yeah, you do. I love it. Yeah. I think it's my second step. There's hyaluronic acid in several of the products that you're on. So you're, you're taking care of. How often should you get facials?

So this is what I tell my clients. If we're working on something chronic and you have a goal in mind, we need to see you more often. So if somebody has severe acne, I'll say, okay, we need to do something weekly and then we'll graduate to every other week and then we'll graduate to monthly. If you have no skin concerns and your skin is pretty stable,

I would say at least once a quarter for facials. But most people are somewhere around the four to six week mark. That's kind of the regular amount of time that I see each of my clients is four to six weeks. And I have to say a facial with Candice is a whole experience. Like the way that you, I was telling you off the mic, move your hands is insane. Like you are an artist. It's bizarre. Like the way you're moving and it feels so good. To me, it's very meditative when I'm in your space.

chair and the whole experience is so calming. So even if you're just going for like a treat me day, I think it's so beneficial. Thank you. And I do try to make it that way. Like when I'm in that like massage technique with my clients, I'm in a meditative state. So the fact that you can pick up on that and you feel grounded makes me feel happy. And I feel like the massage is like the missing art of the skincare world. Everybody wants to swipe and peel and scrape and do all of these things. But like

a massage it's a big moment and I think so much of healing the skin is learning to be in that parasympathetic mode and you really help that whole experience because I've been to facials where I feel kind of like uncomfortable or pressured to like speak all the time and you really make that a no pressure zone thank you that's great feedback how do you get rid of stubborn blackheads

Blackheads are difficult because they're a plug in the skin. And people have a misconception thinking like the little spots on our nose are blackheads. Those are called sebaceous filaments. It's the poor's job to create oil to protect the skin. So blackheads are actual plugs. They're like corks in the skin. Really, like you have to have them extracted. And then I would say using resurfacing products, acids to prevent the buildup. My husband needs help with that. Send him in. I'd love to help. Okay. I don't know what to do about it. They come back every day.

What ingredients are best to use in morning versus night? Morning is all about protection. So we want to use those antioxidants and we want to use sunscreen. Evening is about resurfacing, resetting. So we want to be using acids, retinoids and a cream, obviously. Amazing. Yeah. Now it's time for the question we ask every guest. I started this podcast because I believe everyone's pursuit of wellness looks different. What does wellness mean to you?

This is such a loaded question and such a good one. I love when I hear people's answers. For me, wellness is getting to know yourself, being true to yourself, practicing self-love,

And having strict boundaries, but also knowing what your core desired feelings are. For me, I have a set of core desired feelings. And if I make my decisions based on how I want to feel in my daily life, I show up for myself. I'm productive. I achieve my goals. I feel healthy. I feel successful. I feel abundant. So yeah, I feel like really finding out who you are, what you need to feel good in life, and then showing up as that person. That is the definition of wellness for me. Right.

Great answer. Thanks. Thank you, Candice. Where can people find you online? So at the LA Facialist on all the platforms. I don't really TikTok, but I guess I have one. I just don't know how to use it. Instagram is the best way. The

The website is www.thelafacialist.com. And my new office, if you're in LA, hopefully will be open this summer. Construction is a nightmare, but I'm on Bedford Drive in the heart of Beverly Hills. Oh my gosh, I can't wait to see it. I know, it's going to be so beautiful when it finally happens. But...

I got to come see you soon. Yeah. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you for listening to today's episode. Go comment on my last Instagram at Mari Llewellyn with the guest you want to see next. I'll be picking one person from the comments to send our bloom greens to. Make sure you hit follow so you never miss my weekly episodes. If you enjoyed the conversation, be sure to share and leave a review. See you next week.

Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.