Vitamin C: Form, Function and the Barrier

Twelve years after opening my facial business in Collingwood, I'm sharing the full story: from a co-op at a spa in grade 11, through dermatology, lasers, and travel, to growing my business from a tiny room in a hair salon into a downtown heritage building. I'm also sharing what's changing now. I'm getting back into the treatment room and bringing everything together under Skin Frequency, with a more personal, consultation-based way of caring for skin. Learn more at skinfrequency.co.

There's a lot that skincare packaging and marketing can't tell you.A product can be beautifully branded, use all the right language, and promise clean, natural, effective skincare but it may still be hard to know who created it, what informed the formula, or how connected the founder is to what is inside the bottle.In this episode, Summer shares what she has learned from working with skin for over 20 years and then stepping into the formulation side of the industry. It is a conversation about the difference between a brand built around an opportunity and one that grows out of real experience, care, and a deeper relationship with the work.This episode is for anyone who wants to look beyond the surface of skincare and make more informed, choices about the products they use every day.Listen to the previous episode on white-label skincare:https://open.spotify.com/episode/5BCXaSlOpKmglrZwzaPlxn?si=edfc6ce7470f4598Discover Skin Frequency:https://skinfrequency.co/

Our skin evolved alongside sunlight, and that relationship is layered and worth exploring. This episode offers a grounded, holistic look at the sun and the skin.We talk about what different types of light are doing when they meet the skin UVA, UVB, and red and near-infrared. How morning light shapes your circadian rhythm, your sleep, your mood. How to ease your skin into the season after the winter. How the skin barrier affects how your skin handles the sun. The difference between chemical and mineral sunscreens, and what to look for when choosing a formula.This short episode is packed with practical takeaways for building a relationship with sunlight as we move into the warmer months.To shop Warmth and explore the full collection visit: https://skinfrequency.co/products/warmth

In this episode we go deep on the full vitamin A family, from prescription Retin-A all the way through to bakuchiol and whole plant ingredients. If you've been told you should be using retinol but aren't sure it's right for you, this one is for you.What we cover:The full vitamin A spectrum, retinyl palmitate, retinol, retinaldehyde, HPR, and prescription tretinoin, what each form is doing in the skin and how they convert to their active formWhy retinol causes peeling and sun sensitivity and what that means for your barrierThe skin microbiome and how retinoids affect itCorneotherapy - the philosophy of skin health built around protecting the barrier, not disrupting itBakuchiol - where it comes from, what the research actually shows, and how to read a label to know if you're buying the real thingWhy a high percentage bakuchiol product is a red flag, not a selling pointHow bakuchiol and oil-soluble vitamin C work better together than retinol and vitamin C ever couldWhat to do if you're pregnant, sensitive, or thinking about transitioning away from retinolSea buckthorn, rosehip, and whole ingredients that feed the skin rather than direct itStudies referenced:Dhaliwal et al. 2019 - Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. British Journal of DermatologyDraelos et al. 2020 - A Double-blind Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of a Bakuchiol Moisturizer. Journal of Drugs in DermatologyProducts mentioned:Immortal Serum - 1% bakuchiol, oil-soluble vitamin C, sea buckthorn, rosehip, turmeric, immortal flower, neroli, frankincense, red raspberry, jojoba — skinfrequency.coReferenced episode:Vitamin C — the full breakdown: Find Skin Frequency:skinfrequency.co

This episode picks up where we left off and gets practical. We go through different skin types and conditions, ultra-sensitive, acne-prone, dry and how to build a routine around what your skin is telling you. We also talk about the nervous system connection, seasonal shifts, and why doing less is often the most powerful thing you can do for your skin.For our inner meets outer beauty practice, check out Rewiring Your Frequency: [link]

What if your skin isn’t dry, sensitive, or acne-prone but simply compensating?In this episode, we step back from trends, launches, and marketing noise to look at how skin actually functions. We break down why so many convertional routines quietly disrupt them. You’ll learn why water-based cleansers and heavy creams can keep skin in a constant cycle of imbalance, how oil cleansing works differently, and why “more product” is rarely the solution. This conversation also explores how much of the beauty industry is built around speed, positioning, and scale and how different that is from how skin behaves. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s alignment. When you stop working against your skin, it stops fighting back.Explore skin-compatible formulations here: https://skinfrequency.co/

Vitamin C is one of the most used ingredients in skincare. It’s associated with brightness, collagen, and protection and often treated as non-negotiable.In this episode, we slow the conversation down to look at how vitamin C actually behaves, how form, stability, pH, packaging, and delivery systems shape the results and benefits. We explore the difference between traditional ascorbic acid and oil-soluble alternatives and the role of whole vitamin-C–rich ingredients.This is a deeper look at a familiar ingredient, through the lens of barrier health, repair, and long-term skin resilience.You can explore our vitamin C–rich products at Skin Frequency. https://skinfrequency.co/

Microneedling is one of those treatments that can create incredible change in the skin, but only when it’s truly understood. In this episode, I’m breaking down what actually happens beneath the surface: the three healing phases, how collagen is rebuilt, why pigmentation and scars respond so well, and why it’s not just about the treatment itself but everything that surrounds it.I’ll also talk about why I take a holistic approach, how timing, preparation and aftercare shape your results, and why the right skincare matters just as much as the needling itself.For those of you who want to explore barrier-supportive, microbiome-friendly skincare for pre- and post-microneedling, you can learn more at skinfrequency.co.

Exfoliation promises smoother, brighter skin but how do you know when it’s helping and when it’s too much? In this episode, we look at the skin’s natural renewal process, the role of the acid mantle, microbiome, and barrier, and how common routines like peels or foaming cleansers can shift the balance. You’ll also learn a gentler approach that works for every age, because it’s built around how skin is designed to function.Explore holistic, microbiome-friendly products designed with this philosophy at skinfrequency.co

Hyaluronic acid is everywhere, serums, creams, masks, even cleansers. It’s marketed as the ultimate solution for hydration. But does it actually deliver? In this episode, I unpack the three main issues with topical HA: how it interacts with your environment, why molecule size changes its benefits, and why it often only hydrates on the surface instead of deeper down.We’ll also explore a different approach, one that protects your barrier, supports your skin’s natural hydration systems, and works with your biology rather than against it. From oil cleansing to antioxidants, to the ways nutrition and lifestyle play a role, this episode is about rethinking hydration in a more holistic way.For skin-compatible products designed with this philosophy in mind, visit skinfrequency.co.