00:00:11:16 - 00:00:39:11 Unknown Hi, I'm Gail. Hi, I'm Katherine. Welcome to women over 70. Aging reimagined. Our award winning weekly podcast. Now in its sixth year. Is it women over 70.com to explore our offerings and join the aging Reimagined circle. Our free online community where women of all ages connect, share and re-imagine aging as the time of creativity, growth and empowerment. And we're glad you're here. 00:00:39:13 - 00:01:07:07 Unknown And today I have the pleasure of introducing Franca Zana Vela. Franca is the head of brand partnerships and Skin Intensive, a dermatologist founded skincare brand dedicated to science backed solutions for mature skin. With more than two decades of experience in global beauty. She has led both emerging brands, launching in the U.S. market and major international houses seeking to expand. 00:01:07:09 - 00:01:47:03 Unknown Working with LVMH, Shiseido, Blue Lagoon, Iceland Skincare, Gerlach Skincare and currently Skin intensive. Born near Venice, Italy, she lives in London, Hong Kong, Singapore and New York. Before settling in the United States, Franca brings a distinctly global viewpoint to beauty, wellness and brand storytelling. She has also collaborated with international organizations such as the French and Italian trade commissions, where she pioneered the beauty made in Italy program to help Italian brands succeed in the U.S.. 00:01:47:05 - 00:02:22:21 Unknown Franca continues to champion innovation in skincare and beauty, while driving meaningful partnerships and growth at scale. Intensive. So, Franca, I've been looking forward to this very much because we have been talking about skin intensive, on our podcast, with our friends, with women we know for a while now and using the product, and we thought it would just be great to have you here to put a face to the the products we talk about. 00:02:22:23 - 00:02:25:13 Unknown So thank you for doing this. You're a first. 00:02:25:15 - 00:02:51:10 Unknown Thank you so much, Catherine. We are going full and truly honored to be here and having this conversation. And let me say that I'm very inspired by both of you, what you do and how you present women and any age. So thank you. I'm excited to speak about me a little bit and more about skin cancer, and why it's so special and why it was made for, women with maturing skin. 00:02:51:12 - 00:02:54:14 Unknown Yes. Good, good. So let's start by 00:02:54:16 - 00:03:04:16 Unknown having you tell us a little bit about yourself. You. You lived in five countries. Share a how how was your life like doing that? And, you know, how did it affect you? 00:03:04:21 - 00:03:14:00 Unknown Yes. And, you mentioned five countries. I never thought about the number of countries, but then you made me think, that's a lot of movement. 00:03:14:02 - 00:03:35:14 Unknown And, I was born. And now you mentioned at the beginning, are you near Venice in a beautiful small town in Italy? I grew up there until my 20s. I studied there, and I had a very special, young childhood. I was surrounded, you know, in Italy, but also my family. But by art, architecture, I it's always around you. 00:03:35:14 - 00:04:04:15 Unknown And a life filled with family and friends everyday. So very, very close connection in social living your life, together and, nature very close to the Alps and a beautiful sea in Italy. So these roots, I always think, are really the foundation of who I am. And, they probably shape my sense of beauty and my passion for life that I bring everywhere I go. 00:04:04:15 - 00:04:05:23 Unknown And my life here today, 00:04:06:01 - 00:04:11:01 Unknown I also grew up with a lot of creativity in my family. There was, ceramic, 00:04:11:01 - 00:04:29:02 Unknown artmaking. I had our teachers in my family, my cousins. My grandfather was a painter. So, that part also shaped me in the way I think about my work and even beauty. And, spiked, I would say a deep curiosity. 00:04:29:04 - 00:04:57:18 Unknown That probably is what took me to move around and discover the world in every country I was thinking, every country I live with, what I was the UK in London, but Asia, Hong Kong, and I would say Singapore, probably South Asia is the place that mostly shaped me, has brought up something and I would say it's the respect, the appreciation for different cultures and different people. 00:04:57:20 - 00:05:30:06 Unknown Independence and resilience and, also an appreciation for both traditions and, and innovation that somehow come together. When you think about skincare, and we can talk a little bit more later and something about Southeast Asia, because I did live in Singapore, and while I was there, I was able to travel in so many incredible countries. That gave me, very deep perspective on the connection of body and mind as one single unit. 00:05:30:08 - 00:05:42:02 Unknown And how to think about health and wellness, in a, in a deeper way. And, yeah, that brought me to why I love beauty and why I love skincare. 00:05:42:04 - 00:05:50:15 Unknown a lot of learning and an all positive and all, you know, build it up every country, add a layer to who I am today. 00:05:50:17 - 00:06:21:00 Unknown Just think what you say about it. Living in Asia, Southeast Asia, about the mind body connection. Can you say a little bit more about about that? But you what you learned. Yes. So, I was in Hong Kong and Singapore and I traveled multiple times to Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bali, Jakarta, India. Myanmar and and so much more. 00:06:21:00 - 00:06:49:08 Unknown And because I was already working with beauty, I went to Asia after spending time working in New York with with beauty, I, you know, my eyes were wide open to see what are the rituals, what is the oneness here? So I was able to experience, you know, for example, in Myanmar, I was just reopened. I had incredible massage in a very local center of blinded people. 00:06:49:10 - 00:07:14:13 Unknown And so they were trained and because they were blind, they had such an incredible way of learning how the body is structured. So thinking about the body, how we know the body without seeing it, and how you can really have a a wellness effect by the touch of, of knowing a little bit more instinctively how the body behaves was incredible. 00:07:14:15 - 00:07:41:18 Unknown And in both Hong Kong and Singapore, I discovered, acupuncture. I went to an incredible doctor. I had some some pain and some things. And, you know, I tried the Western medicine and it really was so effective. There are also discover foot reflexology, which we don't have much here, but in, in Singapore, in, in Asia, it's like nail salon. 00:07:41:18 - 00:08:19:00 Unknown Every 500ft, you have a foot reflexology. It's really, everything starts from the foot up. And then of course, I learn a lot about botanicals, incredible ingredients and sound and aromatherapy and different technique of massage, like Thai massage or how massage Indonesian. So all of these together really? And reached my my knowledge and and and and then you can see that a lot of ancient traditions from, from the Asian cultures are now coming into Western medicine and even skincare. 00:08:19:01 - 00:08:47:22 Unknown Some of the traditional ingredients from our Vedic tradition and our traditional Chinese medicine are now used in the most innovative skincare brands. So it all comes together in a way. Yeah, but I never stopped doing, massage, which I do all the time. It's really something that I recommend, but everyone for stress and and wellbeing. It's a good way to go back a bit. 00:08:47:22 - 00:08:53:05 Unknown I'm still curious about how you got into this whole industry. 00:08:53:07 - 00:08:59:18 Unknown I think it started when I was very, you know, if I think I was a young child, I was a curious child. 00:08:59:23 - 00:09:10:01 Unknown On the science part. My grandma was a midwife, an obstetrician in, 20s and 30s in Italy, very independent woman. 00:09:10:05 - 00:09:42:20 Unknown She studied and, she went all over Italy. She was central about Italy in small, little villages to, you know, help women giving birth. And I remember her when I was born. I was a first, granddaughter. She always was teaching me science and buying me books about body, structure. And we would play injections on oranges. And I kind of, like, got really interested about science and how the body works and how you can improve the health of the body. 00:09:42:22 - 00:10:06:06 Unknown And then on, on my, let's say, beauty side, I come from a family of a lot of women. My mom has a lot of sisters and they have daughters. So my aunts and my all my cousins and I can see how everybody was really taking care of their skin, their body, their hair. And that really, I think grew into a passion. 00:10:06:08 - 00:10:34:02 Unknown And then a little bit by chance and luck, I got to work with my first brand in the 90s, in New York City, which was a small brand at the time, but that it grew into a multi global brand. It was purchased by LVMH. And so I really learned the business, you can say sales and development and, and I loved it and it continues through today. 00:10:34:04 - 00:10:37:22 Unknown It's a combination of my nature of being curious and that 00:10:37:24 - 00:11:07:14 Unknown You mentioned the word innovation a number of times. And so I'm curious to what how does innovation play into skincare? So innovation I would say is the part that excites me the most about skincare. Innovation is a combination of research, science and then of finding solutions for real problems, real needs. 00:11:07:16 - 00:11:39:06 Unknown So being able to make an impact and make a difference in, in, in people's lives, it's it's really incredible what's happening today in skincare and beauty. Sometimes, and it's a learning part that I enjoy the most by the learning. Sometimes it's a new formula development. It can be, discovering new ingredients. It can be repurposing traditional medicinal ingredients from ancient cultures that I mentioned before. 00:11:39:08 - 00:12:20:03 Unknown There is a lot of happening in technology and delivery system, even, you know, packaging for skincare. There is a lot of incredible innovation. And most of the time innovation comes from, the cancer research. Research that is done in, in, medicinal therapy that then is transported into skincare. There is a lot of excitement. So I'm fortunate to be I skin cancer because content is really driven by innovation and, this is due to the fact that the two founders are, incredible, expert dermatologists. 00:12:20:05 - 00:12:53:23 Unknown Both Doctor Vlad Lithuanian and our Mikhailovich, our board certified, Harvard trained dermatologist. And on our team, we also have a head of science and innovation, who has 30 years of experience in creating, top skincare innovation, previously at Unilever as head of global R&D. And now he's part of our team. So, it is a brand that really look forward to bringing, innovation to everyday skincare. 00:12:54:00 - 00:13:26:09 Unknown Let's, let's talk about beauty a bit because I think what we hear from many women in our 70s and beyond that, it's no longer, it's no longer a high priority. Wearing makeup is not a priority. Just going as natural as possible is a priority. Not wanting to buy into the beauty industry anymore, because some people think it's just, you know, a multimillion billion dollar moneymaker industry. 00:13:26:15 - 00:14:00:13 Unknown So what would you say to women who, think that that's no longer that important in terms of our beauty care? Well, I am a little surprised to hear that, but I understand it because I think now beauty and skincare is so saturated and very commercialized, and we are bombarded by new launches and and also beauty campaigns that don't reflect the actual everyday woman like, like us. 00:14:00:13 - 00:14:25:04 Unknown And I am challenged by that also personally. So I can see there is a little bit of disappointment, detachment, but the skin can improve and taking care of your skin is not a vanity. It should not be a vanity. It's not about wrinkles and it's not about looking beautiful or younger. Our our skin is the most important organ. 00:14:25:06 - 00:14:50:20 Unknown And, we put products on our skin every day. We put deodorant, we put spray on our hair. We put we do use body washes every day. It's as much as we care about the food we eat. We should care about the products that we post. No whisking because it is really related to health. And skin is an important organ that is a massager for everything else that happens in our body. 00:14:51:01 - 00:15:15:08 Unknown So I would say, to think about carefully about your skin and to create, a skincare, even if it's a product a day that makes you feel good. It's not about looking good or what the industry tells, but find that product. And when you apply it, whether it's a moisturizer, what it's a beautiful, creamy cleanser makes you feel good and reconnect with yourself. 00:15:15:10 - 00:15:50:13 Unknown It's really an act of self-care, more than a chore. So my recommendation would be, if you're not into having you try to keep it simple and, maybe take the time to learn about which ingredients are important. There is so much information out there, and it's kind of fun to learn. You know, what's, hyaluronic acid or why that, you know, is important and then, you know, ask a friend or ask your dermatology for a product recommendation. 00:15:50:13 - 00:16:16:22 Unknown And and most of all, again, you need to know of it. So there is a lot we we can do to make ourself feel better and not give up on skincare because the industry is now going in the right direction. I, I, I don't think of skincare as makeup, and I think that there are many women who do and it's just part of my makeup routine. 00:16:16:24 - 00:16:45:08 Unknown But and yeah so comment on that. But yes there are different. Although I have to say that today makeup is a, it's called skin ification of makeup. Makeup is moving toward skincare. Whereas the most innovative company in the past I will say in the market are creating makeup that is, contains skincare ingredients and that contains the benefits of not just coloring or coloring. 00:16:45:10 - 00:17:21:09 Unknown So a foundation that has, hydration, that has beneficial oils and butters, that helps with skin renewal. There is a lot of that. Again, you need, that friend that knows and give you suggestion. My friends call me all the time. Oh, should I use this as I need picture? Yes. But, I can see that maybe at some age you give up on on the makeup, but that is makeup for older, older, aging, mature skin that works better. 00:17:21:11 - 00:17:55:01 Unknown So I will say it's it's good to feel good and everybody is different and it's a personal choice. But skincare is a must of our skin. Would 60s and 70s has big changes. It's it becomes thinner, it becomes fragile. It becomes even prone to bruising. We lose structure and functionality. Our microbiome, which is something also a different field in skincare that is really booming. 00:17:55:01 - 00:18:19:20 Unknown There is a lot to learn about microbiome that changes our pH, changes our hormones, change it, change of course. So that also has effect. And then the sun damage shows up to show up. So we need to be protecting our skin. We need to nourish our skin. We need to hydrate our skin and keep it healthy from the time we're younger. 00:18:19:22 - 00:18:48:23 Unknown What what what's the most basic routine you can recommend that the younger women, you know, follow so that when they get to be mature women, they don't face so many issues in this in their skin. Yeah, that's something else. Because unfortunately, now, younger girls and in the early teens are starting to use skincare products, sometimes not correctly. 00:18:49:00 - 00:19:14:15 Unknown But I would say the number one thing to do, of course, is some protection SPF. And there are great moisturizer with sun protection that can you can start in your teens. And then of course 2030s. You need to also had some moisturizing product. So SPF and a moisturizing cream and a cleanser because I do think it's important to cleanse your skin. 00:19:14:15 - 00:19:45:15 Unknown It's all starting from having, you know, the plant skin or the basics. So SPF cleanser and moisturizer as you move along with the age groups in your 45th 50s and up, then you need to start supporting, your collagen production, your elastin nourishing more the skin, and strengthening the skin barrier. So you need to add some additional ingredients, actives that help with that. 00:19:45:17 - 00:20:15:16 Unknown And of course, clinically proven ingredients that skin cancer we include in our products like retinol is one set. Amides for strengthening the skin texture is in our body. Butter. So beautiful ingredients. And really you can feel and you can see the difference immediately in the long term. Can you be more tell us about the products that that's contents that has developed for the mature skin. 00:20:15:16 - 00:20:40:05 Unknown And I just also want to say that, we love the way this is frame that you frame in your work because it's not anti-aging. And it's, we we've been contacted by so many different companies about anti-aging this, anti-aging that, and when we see that term, we say, no, thank you. Silk. We we were like the mature skin. 00:20:40:05 - 00:21:08:01 Unknown That's perfect. That's what this is all about. And then another question I have is, are these products helpful for men as well as women? Yes, yes. So, to answer the first, comment, we don't use the word anti-aging. I agree with you. It's, Why being anti-aging. It's it's our natural process. So it's the the skin matures and then our difference again in the functionality and the way it behaves. 00:21:08:01 - 00:21:29:14 Unknown So we have developed products that are great for, for that skin for the needs of the skin. Recommendation for maturing skin to keep it very simple from skin intensive. I did mention one product that is totally unique to the brand. In case any of your viewers experienced this, it's called Bruise Cream. I have it here. 00:21:29:20 - 00:22:10:01 Unknown Bruise cream. It's the treatment for each moisturizing cream for easily bruise skin. This is a common condition, that happens over 60. It's estimated 30% of population in the U.S over 60 experience this chronic bruising, easily bruising, especially on hands and arms. It's called solar actinic purpura. And it was a condition that, doctor, Doctor Mikhailov would see very often in their practices, and they decided to take action and develop a cream for especially for this condition. 00:22:10:03 - 00:22:38:02 Unknown And it's, it has clinical ingredients. We are done testing safe. It's for sensitive skin, it's unscented, and we just launch our newest, most advanced formulation, which as Centella asiatica exosome. We can tell you a little bit more, it's a technical, but, it's an incredible formulation and we're very excited. So this is a specific product, but there is a big white space and a real need for this. 00:22:38:02 - 00:23:06:07 Unknown And we have thousands of positive reviews. We are top three on Amazon and doing really well, but three products that I recommend for maturing skin and myself. I love using them all to keep it very simple is to start is our crepe cream. This is a cream developed for crepey skin, which is a little bit more than just wrinkly skin. 00:23:06:07 - 00:23:34:19 Unknown It's a very, very dry, thin skin that again, happens with aging. Especially in, on a larger area like the, the cold charge or the neck, hands again, arms. You can also use it on your face. It's also nourishing. And it's rich in antioxidant, but it's also lightweight. So non-greasy and again unscented. And this retail price is excellent because we want to be very inclusive. 00:23:34:19 - 00:24:09:02 Unknown It's only $32. And then for the night I mentioned before one ingredient to keep in mind it's a clinically proven inorganic is retinol. This is actually an incredible, renewal, cream for nighttime routine. It has both retinol and bakuchiol, which is the alternative to retinol for sensitive skin. And we combine both for more effectiveness and also, it is suitable for the fragile, sensitive skin. 00:24:09:04 - 00:24:35:01 Unknown And this is so great. And I believe you, Gayle, use it. Do. And I then my last recommendation. So we have two for face and body. My last recommendation is of course with aging. And now with the winter season everybody has dry skin and the legs, the the body, the hands. And we have an incredible, incredible, beautiful body butter. 00:24:35:02 - 00:25:12:22 Unknown And the word butter really tells you what it is. It's a rich balm. Non-greasy easy to absorb would set amides. So really strengthen the skin barrier. And very nourishing and unscented again for all skin types. All products are for men and women. So we are gender neutral and, we invite you to tie them. We do have also a special, if I can mention for the viewers and for women over 70, we are offering a 20% off and free shipping for any orders as skin cancer.com. 00:25:12:24 - 00:25:39:05 Unknown It's you have to use the code W oh 70 like women over 70. And then a second code, the free ship to get up, free shipping and 20% off. Yeah. Thank you. Time has a way of really going. And I see our time is up. And we so appreciate your you're coming on and doing this. Franca, as I said it's a first. 00:25:39:07 - 00:26:08:09 Unknown We don't normally bring in sponsors to talk to us about their products. But we have found that the skincare is different. And and Catherine and I both use it. We love it and we want to know more about it. Why? Why is this product really so desirable? And what I love best about it is it's affordable so that it really is within most people's reach. 00:26:08:11 - 00:26:44:13 Unknown And, you won't be paying $125 for a bottle of anything with, with you. And, and I'm also wanted to bring you on because in my conversations with you, I found you most fascinating. And there is you really your background, your interest in science, all that you have experienced and and now your partnership with its contents of. So we we, we're so happy that you wanted to come and talk to us about it. 00:26:44:15 - 00:27:14:20 Unknown And we very much appreciate you. What you're doing. So that's huge. Thank you. You get the pirate ship and, you know, skin cancer, was born by dermatologists. Really? To bring that health, wellness, beauty connection together and to, bring the real results to real people. And we appreciate the partnership. And you're loving the products personally. Thank you for that. 00:27:14:20 - 00:27:37:20 Unknown Plus, yes, thank you. And thanks to our listeners for listening to women over 70. Your loyalty helps our community thrive, and we invite you to get more involved in Aging Reimagined Circle to add your voice as we challenge myths and create bold new narratives about women and aging. So do visit women over 70.com and there to learn more. 00:27:37:24 - 00:28:09:15 Unknown And women over 70 is proud to be part of the Age wise collective. It's a group of women podcasters championing pro aging voices. And this week, we shine the light on, Elaine Marchesi. She's the founder and host of Late Bloomer Living. It's a podcast for women in midlife, inspiring and cheering each other on, sharing stories and taking bold action in order to define and rock the next chapter of life and achieve new goals. 00:28:09:17 - 00:28:11:07 Unknown So that's, 00:28:11:09 - 00:28:12:22 Unknown late bloomer living.com.