Green Beauty Conversations by Formula Botanica

The beauty industry has spent decades arguing about natural versus synthetic ingredients. Most of that argument, Lorraine Dallmeier has long suspected, is about marketing rather than science. A carbon atom doesn't remember where it came from.
But in this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, something shifts. Following her recent interview with Vikram Pandit of Phycus Biotechnologies, Lorraine asks whether published irritation data on fermentation-derived glycolic acid might finally give the natural versus synthetic debate a scientific footing it has never had before.
If you listened to episode 325 and want to know what Lorraine actually made of it, start here.
Free Resources
Free formulation course | Green Beauty Conversations Podcast | Blog | YouTube
Socials: Formula Botanica on Instagram | Lorraine Dallmeier on Instagram

Glycolic acid has been made the same way since the 1930s. The process starts with formaldehyde. Most formulators have never questioned it, and most beauty shoppers have never heard about it.
In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier sits down with Vikram Pandit, co-founder and CEO of Phycus Biotechnologies, to discuss the world's first commercially available fermentation-derived glycolic acid, and what published irritation data might mean for every formulator working with alpha-hydroxy acids.
If you've ever used a glycolic product and assumed the source didn't matter, this episode is worth your time.
Free Resources
Free formulation course | Green Beauty Conversations Podcast | Blog | YouTube
Socials: Formula Botanica on Instagram | Lorraine Dallmeier on Instagram

Beauty packaging is one of the most expensive mistakes an indie brand founder can make. And yet most brands still treat it as an afterthought.
In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier unpicks why leaving packaging decisions to the last minute costs brands far more than money, and why some of the most well-intentioned choices, from dark violet glass to biopolymers made from sugarcane, may not be as lower-impact as they appear.
If you've ever chosen your packaging based on how it looks rather than what happens to it when it's empty, this episode is for you.
Free Resources
Free formulation course | Green Beauty Conversations Podcast | Blog | YouTube
Socials: Formula Botanica on Instagram | Lorraine Dallmeier on Instagram

Picture this: you've chosen your materials, researched your options and invested in what you believe is eco packaging for your beauty products. But what if it's not as sustainable as it seems?
In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier is joined by Jerome Fraillon, founder and CEO of Alder Packaging, to unpack the hidden realities behind packaging decisions in the beauty industry and so-called "sustainable" packaging materials.
What Jerome says will probably shock you, and you'll never see eco packaging in the same light again. Tune in now to find out more!
 
Free Resources
Free formulation course | Green Beauty Conversations Podcast | Blog | YouTube
Socials: Formula Botanica on Instagram | Lorraine Dallmeier on Instagram

Hair loss is one of the most searched beauty concerns online – and yet, much of what you're being told about it simply doesn't hold up.
In this thought-provoking and vulnerable episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier pulls back the curtain on the hair loss industry – opening up about her own hair loss experience – and reveals why so many products, trends and viral TikTok remedies may not be giving you the full picture.
If you've ever found yourself scrolling late at night, adding so-called 'miracle' hair-growth solutions to your basket, this episode is for you.
 
Free Resources
Free formulation course | Green Beauty Conversations Podcast | Blog | YouTube
Socials: Formula Botanica on Instagram | Lorraine Dallmeier on Instagram