Well Connected by Murad

Acne sufferers know it isn't just about pimples—serious cases can have major impact on our physical and mental health. Since June is Acne Awareness Month, it's time to deep-dive into the skin condition that affects up to 50 million Americans. Here to chat all things acne is creator, activist, former model and founder of the #freethepimple movement, Lou Northcote. Listen as she shares why having acneic skin isn't the same as a breakout; how the lookism she's experienced affected her stress; and the can't-miss skincare tips she's learned as an acne sufferer. For the latest in all things skin wellness, check out wellconnected.murad.com.

Does money make you anxious? You're not alone. According to a study by the American Psychological Association, 65 percent of people said it was a major cause of stress. The good news? If you reframe the way you approach it, money can also be a great source of joy. Tune in as Gabe Dunn, creator and host of the podcast Bad With Money joins us for a conversation that covers all things money —like why millennials might prefer to shell out on social justice instead of houses, why spending on skincare isn't frivolous and why blanket financial advice can be harmful. For more wellness stories like this, check out wellconnected.murad.com.  

Content warning: This podcast episode contains references to suicide/suicidal feelings. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available 24/7. Call or text 988 or chat988lifeline.org According to the American Psychological Association, more than a quarter of adults say that most days they're too stressed to function. Also, most mental illnesses actually start when teens/young adults are in school. Luckily, a new generation is changing the way we approach addressing mental health by starting earlier. In this episode, host Alison Haislip chats with Alison Malmon, founder of Active Minds – a nonprofit dedicated to saving lives that supports mental health education for young adults – about how to ensure that no one feels alone, the harrowing incident that drove her to create the org, and hosting critical “stress less weeks” on campus communities around the country. For more, check out wellconnected.murad.com.

With social media often dictating culture—from skin and body positivity movements to normalizing formerly stigmatized mental health conditions—is the proliferation of popular meme accounts glorifying anxiety, depression and the “sad girl” persona? Is social media rightly celebrating mental health, or unnecessarily causing more of it? Join host Alison Haislip as she chats with lifestyle influencer Samantha Klein (@samswhurld) and therapist Shani Tran (@theshaniproject) to answer all these questions and more. For more wellness stories like this, be sure to check out wellconnected.murad.com. 

Why do some Japanese men refuse to use skincare? Why is plastic surgery so prevalent in Korea? And what do hot springs and spas have to do with skincare? In this episode of “Why is No One Talking About…”, we take an inside look at the top recommendations, ancient traditions and philosophies behind Japanese and Korean beauty. Listen as Japanese makeup artist (and Buddhist monk!) Kodo Nishimura (@kodomakeup) and Korean skinfluencer Ava Lee (@glowwithava) break down the differences, similarities and product obsessions of each beauty culture. Want to be in the loop on all things skin? Be sure to check out wellconnected.murad.com. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Murad, and are for informational purposes only, even if the advice of physicians and medical practitioners are included. This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and should not looked be considered specific medical advice.

Are you a lookist? Do you favor people who are deemed “traditionally attractive”? In this next episode of “Why is no one talking about” (where experts cover hot takes on mind, body, food or skin), our new host, actor/TV personality Alison Haislip, dives deep into lookism with philosopher/professor Heather Widdows. Heather's book “Perfect Me: Beauty as an Ethical Ideal” has been deemed groundbreaking by Vogue, and she's revealing the 4 global beauty ideals, how to combat lookism and more. (Spoiler: Don't say, “It's what's inside that counts,” because we know that isn't 100% true all the time.) For more eye-opening wellness stories for total skin health, check out wellconnected.murad.com.

Cosmetic chemists are beauty's new influencers, and we have two of the best in the game in this next episode of our new podcast series, “Why is no one talking about” (where experts cover unexplored, sometimes taboo hot takes on mind, body, food and skin). Nerd out as beloved chemists Michelle Wong (@labmuffinbeautyscience) and Esther Olu (@themelaninchemist) debunk “dirty lists,” explain whether clinical testing matters and expose the overhyped “clean beauty” apps that everyone seems to be using these days. For more fact-revealing stories on skin health, be sure to check out wellconnected.murad.com.

Welcome back to our new series, “Why is no one talking about,” where experts cover unexplored hot takes on wellness and skin. In this second episode, DermTok star Dr. Sugai (aka Dr. SPF) and preeminent fertility expert Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh (aka the Egg Whisperer) explain how your skin could be a window into unexplained fertility issues and why it's important for dermatologists and fertility doctors to work together. For instance, did you know that cystic acne could be tied to an autoimmune concern? Or that certain rashes might signal a risk to your pregnancy? For more eye-opening stories, be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com.  

Welcome to our new series, “Why is no one talking about,” where experts and insiders cover unexplored (sometimes taboo) hot takes on mind, body, food and—of course—skin. For this debut episode in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month (May), body acceptance advocate Katie Sturino explores the repercussions of putting herself out there—only to get “barf emoji-ed” on by a male contingent. Listen as Katie and her guest, Amelia Diamond (Man Repeller, The New York Times), break down confronting toxic men, elevating the skin-positivity movement, and keeping your social media bully-free. For more mental health-boosting stories, be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com.  

These next 10 minutes with hypnotherapist and coach Chloe Brotheridge may lead to some serious (yet quite literally subconscious) changes in your life. Yes, hypnotherapy—backed by validated research—is making waves in wellness, helping with everything from addressing imposter syndrome to improving general anxiety. No longer used to make people cluck like a chicken, this formerly out-there practice is now a fairly common way to help deal with mental health. Listen as Brotheridge breaks down what hypnotherapy can do, including even conquering everyday hurdles like prepping for a presentation. For more stress-relieving stories, be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com.

It's the kind of story you hear about in the movies: After struggling with acne for her entire life, Kristen Robinson discovered Murad Skincare, and it solved her acne concerns. She was so grateful that she knew she just had to work at the brand. Listen as Kristen explains how she stopped at nothing to get her foot in the door as a product developer—including just walking into HQ to drop off an unsolicited resume. Plus, get all her tips for landing your dream job in beauty. (Spoiler alert: Unabashed boldness is a pre-requisite.) For even more inspiring stories like this, be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com.

Doctor's appointments from the comfort of your own home? Derm visits through a computer screen? Welcome to telemedicine. Thanks to COVID, more people have turned to telehealth for their medical needs. Now, it's a proven way to deal with all sorts of ailments. Tune in as Ann Mond Johnson, CEO of the American Telemedicine Association, explains all things telehealth—including how it can even benefit your skin. For more science-backed skincare advice from authorities like this, be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com for more stories.

Murad Skincare founder and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Howard Murad, believes the key to truly great skin is a combination of topical skincare, plus a mind/body connection he calls emotional skincare. Listen as he explains the phenomenon, including how it works, how it's different than “regular” skincare, plus how to create an emotional skincare regimen of your own. And for additional holistic, science-backed skincare advice from authorities like this, be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com for more stories.

Mirror meditation, or the act of gazing at your own reflection, has been proven to work wonders for mental health, from increased self-esteem to deeper self-awareness. But did you know this alternative meditation practice can also help your skin look and feel its best? Listen as Tara Well, PhD—Barnard College professor and author of the upcoming “Mirror Meditation: The Power of Neuroscience and Self-Reflection to Overcome Self-Criticism, Gain Confidence and See Yourself with Compassion”—explains how literally staring at yourself can improve your well-being. And for more inspiration, be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com for more science-based, skin-wellness stories.

All your lotions, potions and more have this in it. (And if they don't, you should check why not.) What is it, you ask? The all-important skincare base. It's the literal foundation of products, affecting everything from efficacy to experience to eco-consciousness. Murad's head of research and development, Andrew Koenig, takes us behind the scenes of how chemists formulate with bases to create skincare magic. Be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com for more science-based, skin-wellness stories.

Did you know there's probably a “wellness retail” guru responsible for your favorite selfcare experiences at your local shopping destination? Yes, wellness retail is totally a thing now. In this latest Well Connected x Murad microcast, Francine Miley, former head of health and wellness for Westfield Centers, breaks down the trend—from product marketing tricks to new tech-based doctor visits. Be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com for more skin wellness stories from truly legit experts. 

Introducing Well Connected x Murad microcasts! We know you're busy, so we've crammed some of your most pressing questions from our social channels into a few minutes with the best of the best, Dr. Murad (yes, we're biased). What's the ideal way to protect your skin barrier for “super lazy” regimens? Is night cream more important than day cream? How often should you apply SPF if working from home? Answers to these hot topics and more right this way…

“There's no morality in size,” says writer, model and body positivity advocate Charlotte Zoller. FACTS. Listen in as she and guest host Kim Marshall of the Global Wellness Institute chat about size inclusivity for mental and physical wellness—from Charlotte's Teen Vogue column “Ask a Fat Girl,” to doctor's visits becoming minefields for fat people, to skincare as self-care to help alleviate discrimination-based stress. Plus, be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com for more skin wellness stories from truly legit experts.

They're both successful artists and entrepreneurs—she's the millennial ceramist and founder of Lolly Lolly Ceramics, whose pieces literally sell out in minutes; and he's the board-certified dermatologist and founder of one of the first clinical beauty brands on the market, Murad Skincare. Listen in as Lalese Stamps (Well Connected's guest editor this month) and Dr. Howard Murad chat about how art helped save their stressful lives—and how fear is any creative's greatest enemy. Plus, be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com for more skin wellness stories rooted in facts and science.

If you love skincare and are anywhere near social media these days, you know Dr. Zion Ko (@dr.zionko on TikTok and Instagram) and Dr. Muneeb Shah (aka @dermdoctor on TikTok, @doctorly on Instagram). In this episode, our guest editor Dr. Zion debunks popular skincare myths with fellow board-certified physician/skinfluencer superstar Dr. Shah about their favorite ingredient combinations, which social videos can be trusted, and much more essential listening. Be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com for more skin wellness stories rooted in facts and science.

Did you know optimism levels are lowest around age 18? And that optimists typically live longer, healthier lives? Not to mention—surprise!—self-help books don't really help? All this according to a recent study of 75,000 people, led by William Chopik, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Michigan State University. Get the truth about optimism in this episode of Well Connected by Murad with Professor Chopik and guest host Kim Marshall of the Global Wellness Institute. And be sure to visit wellconnected.murad.com for more wellness stories rooted in real facts and science.

Financial wellbeing is a big wellness trend this year. Do you need the “financial wholeness” checklist? How do you live joyfully, even frugally? What does “splitting it before getting it” mean? Guest host Kim Marshall of the Global Wellness Institute breaks it all down with Tiffany Aliche—“The Budgetnista” herself and author of the New York Times bestseller “Get Good With Money.”

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Visit us at Murad.com