The Cosmetics Conspiracy: The Podcast

EP. 8

"It's really brutal on TikTok. Sometimes millions of people see my content there, and then they get really mean reactions."

Watch episode 8 of The Cosmetics Conspiracy: The Podcast. How important is skin positivity on social media, and can you handle the hateful comments you receive as an influencer? Dr. Barbara Geusens talks to Carolien Hoof, also known as The Cosmetist on social media, about what it's like to be a "skin influencer", her scientific background and how she maintains her objectivity in paid collaborations with major brands.

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"My acne started when I was already on social media. When I stopped taking the pill I started getting pimples, and that was hard to accept."

"It was hard to accept that I have a skin problem and to show it. In the beginning I also tried to hide it, but that didn't feel right. So after a while I turned the switch and started sharing this, and people really appreciate it. I also want to remove the taboo that you have to have perfect skin because you already use the right products or know a lot about it."

"A real clinical study quickly costs 100,000 euros. That is almost unfeasible for a start-up brand."

Carolien's job as a researcher at the Institute of Tropical Medicine ensures that she knows better than anyone how difficult and expensive it is to set up a clinical study. Together with Barbara, they discuss the difficulties of setting up a study as a starting skincare brand. For example, adjustments in cream formulations mean that studies on one product are no longer valid and have to be repeated.