Show Notes
EP 59. After nearly four decades working inside the beauty industry at companies including L’Oréal, Victoria’s Secret Beauty and NARS, Alec Batis thought he had seen just about everything, until he met a team of tissue engineers working on regenerative medicine and the rehabilitation of damaged human organs.
That discovery eventually led Alec to found Sweet Chemistry, a skincare brand built around matrikine peptides. In this episode, we unpack the fascinating science behind tissue regeneration, and the difference between the peptides used in his skincare line compared to those commonly used in the beauty industry.
We also get surprisingly candid about the beauty industry itself: how much of an “active” ingredient may actually be in your formula, the difference between true clinical testing and consumer perception studies, and why some impressive skincare claims deserve a closer look. Plus, Alec shares how his own complicated relationship with beauty and aging has changed after nearly 40 years in the industry.
In this episode:
- How research into organ transplantation and tissue regeneration unexpectedly made its way into skincare
- What matrikine peptides are, and how they differ from the peptides commonly used in beauty products
- The difference between clinical testing and consumer perception studies
- Why dramatic skincare claims may not mean what you think it means
- How brands may use the “marketing levels” of ingredients and why simply seeing an ingredient on a label doesn't tell you the whole story
- Why ingredient quality, sourcing, processing and manufacturing can matter just as much as the formula on paper
- Why Alec risked his home and savings to become a first-time skincare founder in his 50s
- How working inside the beauty industry for nearly four decades changed Alec's perspective on aging, appearance and self-worth
Resources:
- Learn more:
- Follow Sweet Chemistry: @sweetchemistrylabs
Guest Bio:
Alec Batis is a beauty industry veteran, chemist, marketer and founder of Sweet Chemistry. Over a career spanning nearly four decades, Alec has worked across R&D, marketing and consulting, including roles with L’Oréal, Victoria’s Secret Beauty and NARS.
After meeting the scientists at Xylyx Bio, a biotechnology company spun out of Columbia University research in stem cell and tissue engineering, Alec became fascinated by their work in extracellular matrix biology and regenerative medicine. He ultimately partnered with the team to bring their matrikine peptide technology into skincare and founded Sweet Chemistry.
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