Alex Padgett: Building A Skincare Brand, Debunking Products, & the Myth of Aluminum-Free Deodorant

Maggie chats all things skincare, social media, and the myth of aluminum-free deodorant with Educated Mess co-founder, Alex Padgett. Alex Padgett is a cosmetic chemist and co-founder of the skincare line Educated Mess. She studied biology and chemistry in undergrad at UNC Chapel Hill and then went on to receive her masters in Cosmetic Science. She worked as a temp briefly at L'Oreal before moving to Texas to work as a formulation chemist at a contract manufacturer, developing personal care products for tons of brands. It was in that time that Alex started to see themes within the industry that she didn’t love, despite loving what she was doing every day. It was also in that time that she met Catherine, her now-business partner who helped her see that complaining about a problem is a lot less effective than doing something to contribute to its resolve. After a few White Claws and subsequent conversations, the idea for Educated Mess was born.  You can follow Alex on Instagram & TikTok: @alexeducated mess To follow Educated Mess: @educatedmess and educatedmess.com. Use code MGEHLSEN to save $$ on Educated Mess products! To support the show: www.patreon.com/andworldpeace To support those impacted by the Israel-Hamas war: https://www.mdais.org/en/donation