There are hundreds of new skincare products hitting Ulta every month—but which ones are actually worth your money?In this episode, I'm scrolling through Ulta's newest skincare launches and giving you my honest first impressions! We dive into the ingredient lists, look past the marketing claims, and talk about what these products are actually designed to do and who they might be right for!We'll cover: ✨ Which new launches genuinely caught my attention ✨ Why ingredient percentages matter more than flashy marketing ✨ How to tell if a product is truly acne-friendly ✨ The difference between ingredients that sound impressive and those that actually have research behind themResources & Links • • Take the FREE Skin Profile Quiz• Try my FREE Ingredient Checker• Explore my skin-specific mini courses• Work with me 1-on-1Products Mentioned:Daily D-Clog Pore-Clearing Cleanser -:Silkfoliant Daily Tri-Acid Smoothing Toner With Mandelic Acid -:ANUA - PDRN Caffeine Rejuvenating Eye Cream:RAEL - Glow with Your Flow Miracle Patch Kit:Madeca Derma Shield Vital Dewy Sunscreen Cream SPF 50+:Madeca Azelaic Acid 10+ Calming Serum:Glow Potion Illuminating Superfood Serum:The Power Move Ectoine Hydrating & Plumping Facial Serum:Facialrx Daily Peel Pads:COSRX - One Step Original Clear Skin Calming Pad:White Truffle 2-In-1 Exfoliating & Glow Toner Pads:Tx-Astaxanthin Anti-Dark Spot & Brightening Capsule Cream:ORIGINS - Youthtopia Apple Jelly Lip Balm:Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Teca Plumping Ampoule:Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Teca Glass Skin Milk:COSRX - The Blue Peptide Bakuchiol Plump Glow Serum:

A little something different this week. I pulled the best moments from a recent Wednesday TikTok Live and brought them straight to your ears. Think of it as a rapid-fire Q&A — purging, pigmentation, first-time retinoids, body shaving care, and a whole lot of "please stop adding products before you've maxed out the ones you have." As always, every product mentioned is linked below, plus all the ways to work with me and grab your free skin tracker.🔗 Links:💌 Work with me one-on-one📲 Your free monthly skin tracker + Community Board📚 The Database Library 🧪 Not sure where to start? Take the quiz🌐 yourestieella.com (don't miss the niacinamide-free product tab)🧴 All Products Mentioned

Most skincare confusion comes down to one thing: mixing up what your skin is with what your skin is currently doing. In this episode, Ella breaks down the four skin types, the most common skin conditions (including the oily-and-dehydrated combination that trips everyone up), and why accurately identifying both changes every product decision you make.Topics covered:The four skin types and how to identify yours with the bare face testWhy combination skin is the most common type and what that actually means for your routineSkin conditions: dehydration, sensitization, acne, hyperpigmentation, barrier damageThe oily skin stripping cycle — and how to break itThe routine-building framework: address conditions first, optimize for typeLinks mentioned:FREE Monthly Skincare & Habit Tracker Skincare Made Simple: The Course FREE Skin Profile Quiz

If your skin has been dry, tight, red, bumpy, stinging, or just… not responding to anything you throw at it, start here. Almost every skin concern you're dealing with is either caused by, worsened by, or masking a barrier problem — and today we're going all the way back to the foundation.🧠 In this episode:What the skin barrier actually is (spoiler: as thin as a sheet of printer paper)The brick wall analogy — corneocytes, lipid matrix, and why ceramides are ~50% of your mortarNatural Moisturizing Factor, the acid mantle, and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) as the real indicator of barrier healthWhy Korean skincare "works" (hint: barrier focus, not magic potions)& More!📚 The research:Acne-prone skin has lower ceramides and a disrupted linoleic/oleic ratio in sebum: Ottaviani et al., Lipid Mediators in AcneTopical linoleic acid reduced microcomedone size by ~25% in one month: Letawe et al., 1998Linoleic acid's role in ceramide synthesis and barrier repair: Role of Linoleic Acid in Skin and Hair Health, 2024✨ Products mentioned:Ur Turnover Ampoule (Silver — PDRN): https://go.shopmy.us/p-53957565InnBeauty Project Pro-C Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-48252218Full barrier-supportive product roundup: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/3708125💻 Work with me + free tools:Free Skin Profile Quiz & Skin Tracker → yourestieella.comSkincare Made Simple: The Course → https://stan.store/YourEstieElla/p/routine-building-10130-Minute Consult → https://stan.store/YourEstieElla/p/30minute-virtual-skin-coaching-sessionPersonalized Glow Plan (2 virtual sessions) → https://stan.store/YourEstieElla/p/-skin-analysis--coaching-call-bundle-If this episode made something click for you, send it to the friend whose skincare routine is currently stressing their skin out — and if you have a sec, leaving a review genuinely helps the pod more than you know. 🤍Life is difficult. Skincare shouldn't be.Talk soon, Ella Skincare Made Simple

In this episode, we're breaking down why sunscreen isn't just "the anti-aging step" — it's the step that makes every other step in your routine actually worth doing. If those UV rays keep undoing your progress, it doesn't matter how fancy your serum is.🧪 Studies + sources referenced- The 80–90% photoaging statistic — Flament et al., Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology (2013), which quantified sun damage percentage in facial aging. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3790843/)- The twin study — Guyuron et al., Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (2009), "Factors Contributing to the Facial Aging of Identical Twins."(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19337100/)- The sunscreen-absorption study I mentioned — Matta et al., JAMA (2019), (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733085)- The follow-up absorption study — Matta et al., JAMA (2020), (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2759002)🧴 What I personally use + recommend- My everyday sunscreen: InnBeauty Project Mineral Sun Glow (PA+++, tinted to counteract white cast, three shades)- Body sunscreen I actually enjoy: Hempz SPF 30 and SPF 50 body lotions (smells like their regular lotions, not like sunscreen)- Kids' sunscreen sticks: Skin1004 and Cell Fusion C sticks — easy enough for my five- and eight-year-old to apply themselves- Touch-up for oily skin: Naked Sundays setting spray SPF 30🔗 Resources on the new siteIf you haven't popped over to yourestieella.com yet, here's what's there:- FREE Skin Profile Quiz — 13 questions, 8 profiles, instant results- FREE Monthly Skin Tracker App — log your skin month to month, track your skin score, photos, routines, habits, products that worked and didn't- The Sunscreen Database — 100+ sunscreens, filterable by skin concern, mineral/chemical, reef safe, pregnancy safe, niacinamide free, fungal acne safe, and more- The Peptide Database — 80+ peptide products with full ingredient analysis - Skincare Made Simple: The Course — 66 self-paced lessons to help you cut through the noise and build a skincare routine that will actually show results And if you have someone in your life who still isn't wearing one — send this their way. You care about them. I care about them. We just want everyone protected.Get your annual skin check. Reapply when you're outside. Don't forget your ears.

If you haven't listened to the copper peptides episode yet — go back and start there. This mini episode builds directly on it, and it'll make a lot more sense with that context.This week we're zooming in on one specific molecule involved in how copper peptides actually repair the skin: decorin. It doesn't get nearly enough airtime in the skincare conversation, and for acne-prone skin especially, it's a pretty big deal.📌 What we cover:What decorin actually is Why just stimulating collagen isn't enoughWhat happens during prolonged inflammation like acne?Why cystic acne scars more severely How decorin changes with age — and why this is part of the aging story almost nobody is talking aboutCan topical options that can actually influence decorin?🔗 Resources mentioned:🗂️ The Peptide Database — find products with Tripeptide-10 Citrulline (and GHK-Cu) at meaningful levels, without the marketing noise📚 Skincare Made Simple: The Course — build a routine that addresses all of this in the right order for your specific skin

GHK-Cu — aka copper peptides — has been crowned the "beauty peptide," but the real story is way bigger than anti-aging marketing. In this episode, we go deep on why this molecule (one your body already makes and relies on for repair) might be one of the most important things you can add to both your skincare routine and your supplement stack.In this episode:What GHK-Cu actually is and why it's different from signal peptidesHow your natural GHK-Cu levels drop by more than half between ages 20–60 — and why that mattersThe four main jobs copper peptides do in the skin (and why "collagen stimulation" is just the beginning)The basal cell layer, P63 expression, and what it means when your skin cells stop acting like stem cellsWhy chronically inflamed skin (hi, acne-prone skin) needs copper peptides more than almost anyoneHow GHK-Cu supports post-procedure recovery and why it's one of the best things to microneedle withThe vitamin C + retinoid compatibility conversation — what actually matters and what you can stop worrying aboutHow to work copper peptides into your routine and what to look for on the ingredient list (hint: copper tripeptide-1)Resources mentioned:🗄️ The Peptide Database — 30+ serums analyzed, searchable by skin type, concern, and more → On sale $22 through March, goes to $29 in April💌 Work with Ella 1:1 🛍️ Shop Ella's Vanity Products MentionedPEACH & LILY | Copper Peptide Pro Firming Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-45564947INNBEAUTY PROJECT | Elastic Skin Firming Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-46892245MEDIK8 | Liquid Peptides: https://go.shopmy.us/p-45564326BIOSSANCE | Squalane + Copper Peptide Plumping Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-46892540Literature to read:The big one: PMC4508379 — "GHK Peptide as a Natural Modulator of Multiple Cellular Pathways in Skin Regeneration"PMC6073405 — "Regenerative and Protective Actions of the GHK-Cu Peptide"MDPI Cosmetics 2018 — "Skin Regenerative and Anti-Cancer Actions of Copper Peptides" — has some fascinating context on Lester Pickart who basically discovered GHK-Cu

PDRN is having a major moment in skincare — and for good reason. In this bite-size episode, we're breaking down everything you actually need to know about polydeoxyribonucleotide (yes, that's a mouthful): what it does, why the source matters more than you might think, and how to read a label so you're not just buying the hype.🐟 What we cover:What PDRN is and why it started in medicine, not beautyHow it works and what the studies say Salmon-derived PDRN vs. Centella (plant-based/phyto) PDRN — the research gap, the biocompatibility argument, and what each does wellWhat to actually look for on a label (ingredient names, concentration clues, delivery systems)Who each source is best suited for& more!Favorite topical PDRN productsREJURAN | Rejuran Turnover Ampoule C-PDRN 0.5% Renewing Serum for Smooth Texture & Glass Skin 1.01 Oz/30 mL: https://go.shopmy.us/p-46008243REJURAN | Rejuran Turnover Mask C-PDRN 5-Pack for Uneven Texture & Brightening Dull Skin 1.35 Fl. oz./40 mL X 5 Sheets: https://go.shopmy.us/p-46008254ANUA | PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-46008112ANUA | PDRN Hyaluronic Acid 100 Moisturizing Cream: https://go.shopmy.us/p-46008122Shop more of my favorite products here: https://shopmy.us/ellaelston📚 Want to go deeper on peptides and DNA-based ingredients? Check out the Skincare Made Simple Peptide Database 💬 Work with me 1:1: If you want personalized help building a routine around ingredients like PDRN, I'd love to work with you. Book your Virtual Session HERE

Peptides are one of the most hyped skincare ingredients right now—but what do they actually do? In this episode, we break down peptides in simple, no-BS terms. You’ll learn what peptides are, the different types used in skincare, what results are realistic, how to choose a peptide serum, and whether you really need peptides in every product. Plus, I’ll share some of my favorite peptide products at both luxury and budget-friendly price points.If peptides have ever confused you—or felt overpromised—this episode will make it click.Purchase the Peptide Database HereWork with Ella 1:1 to build and/or adjust your skincare routine Peptides mentioned in this episode Liquid Peptides Advanced MP Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-45564299DR. WHITNEY BOWE BEAUTY | Peptide + HA Plumping Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-45564313MEDIK8 | Liquid Peptides: https://go.shopmy.us/p-45564326COSRX | The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-45564355GOOD MOLECULES | Super Peptide Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-45564899NATURIUM | Multi-Peptide Advanced Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-45564915PEACH & LILY | Copper Peptide Pro Firming Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-45564947BUBBLE SKINCARE | Water Slide Hydrating Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-45564997Shop more of my favorite products here: https://shopmy.us/ellaelstonA few relevant peptide studies (more linked in the Peptide Database)Lee E, Ahn DK, Kim JH, et al. Skin Anti-Aging and Moisturizing Effects of Low-Molecular-Weight Collagen Peptide Supplementation in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2025;35:e2507008. Published 2025 Sep 11. doi:10.4014/jmb.2507.07008Skibska A, Perlikowska R. Signal Peptides - Promising Ingredients in Cosmetics. Curr Protein Pept Sci. 2021;22(10):716-728. doi:10.2174/1389203722666210812121129Badilli U, Inal O. Current Approaches in Cosmeceuticals: Peptides, Biotics and Marine Biopolymers. Polymers (Basel). 2025 Mar 18;17(6):798. doi: 10.3390/polym17060798. PMID: 40292641; PMCID: PMC11946782.

Your barrier’s on the mend—but now what? In this week’s episode, Ella breaks down how to tell when your skin is truly healing and how to safely reintroduce actives like exfoliants, retinoids, and vitamin C without undoing your progress.You’ll learn: ✨ The top signs your skin barrier is bouncing back (beyond just “it feels less dry”) ✨ How to reintroduce actives like a pro—without flaking, burning, or purging all over again ✨ Three must-know skincare tweaks to survive the seasonal shift and keep your glow steadyWhether you’ve been on a full skin detox or just trying to baby your barrier through the colder months, this episode will help you get back to actives confidently and keep your skin calm, clear, and hydrated.Let’s stay connected:💻 Book Your 1:1 Virtual Consultation Today!📲 Come say hi on TikTok & Instagram @your.estie.ella💌 Join the Clear by New Year email list for bonus tips & exclusive resources🛍️ Shop everything mentioned in this video here: https://shopmy.us/collections/2766760🧪 Barrier Loving Ingredients to KnowBeta-Glucan: A powerful humectant that deeply hydrates and soothes irritation while strengthening the skin barrier.Centella Asiatica (Cica): A calming botanical that speeds up healing, reduces redness, and supports collagen production.Panthenol (Vitamin B5): A moisture magnet that softens, smooths, and restores the skin’s protective barrier.Ectoin: A stress-protective molecule that shields skin from pollution, temperature changes, and dehydration.Allantoin: A gentle soothing agent that helps calm irritation and promote skin cell regeneration.Peptides: Short chains of amino acids that signal your skin to produce more collagen and elastin for firmer, smoother texture.Growth Factors: Bio-identical proteins that encourage cell renewal and repair, improving tone, texture, and resilience.