What Healthy Skin Really Needs: The Barrier, Microbiome & Beyond — with Dr. Brent Ridge

Healthy skin doesn’t necessarily need more products, stronger actives or the latest trending ingredient. Sometimes, what it needs most is consistency—and a healthy environment in which to function.This week, Carmine sits down with Dr. Brent Ridge, physician and co-founder of Beekman 1802, the goat milk skincare brand he built with his husband, Josh Kilmer-Purcell. Before entering beauty, Dr. Ridge practiced medicine at Mount Sinai and served as Vice President of Healthy Living at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Today, he brings that medical background to a philosophy Beekman has championed for years: supporting skin health rather than constantly trying to correct it.Together, they explore why the skin barrier went from an obscure scientific concept to one of beauty’s biggest conversations—and how over-cleansing, over-exfoliating and simply using too many products can leave otherwise healthy skin sensitized. Dr. Ridge explains why he still considers cleansing the foundation of healthy skin and how the surface microbiome contributes to the remarkable resilience that allows our skin to adapt to changes in its environment.They also go deep on the science of goat milk, including how its oligosaccharides may help nourish microorganisms such as lactobacillus, why Beekman’s Bloom Cream was actually named for the concept of a microbial “bloom,” and the surprising oncology research that first led Dr. Ridge to investigate goat milk-derived exosomes years before exosomes became one of skincare’s buzziest technologies.Carmine and Dr. Ridge also tackle one of beauty’s enduring assumptions: that expensive skincare must work better. Dr. Ridge explains why price and efficacy aren’t directly correlated, when paying more may be worthwhile, and why the texture, sensory experience and pleasure of using a product can still matter if they encourage something far more important—consistency.Finally, they examine the increasingly blurred boundaries between medicine, wellness and beauty; the promise and risks surrounding peptides, supplements and emerging health trends; and why scientific language can empower consumers to understand their bodies while also making it easier to sell them things they may not need.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why Dr. Ridge believes consistency is one of the most important principles in both health and skincare;How over-cleansing, over-exfoliating and using too many products can compromise the skin barrier and contribute to sensitization;Why the skin’s microbiome plays an important role in skin resilience and its ability to respond to a changing environment;How goat milk oligosaccharides may help support microorganisms such as lactobacillus on the skin;The unexpected oncology research that led Dr. Ridge to begin investigating goat milk-derived exosomes years before they became a skincare trend;How Beekman approaches innovation without chasing every trending ingredient;And, where Dr. Ridge sees both opportunity and risk as medicine, wellness and beauty increasingly borrow from one another.Key TakeawayHealthy skin isn’t necessarily the result of doing more to it. Dr. Ridge makes the case that the fundamentals—thoughtful cleansing, protecting the skin barrier, supporting the microbiome and, above all, consistency—may matter more than constantly chasing stronger actives or the newest technology.Innovation still matters. But price, novelty and scientific-sounding claims don’t automatically translate into better results. The best skincare product may ultimately be one that respects the biology of the skin, delivers what it promises and feels good enough that you’ll actually use it consistently.Connect with Dr. Brent Ridge and his husband and Beekman 1802 co-founder Josh Kilmer-Purcell on Instagram at @joshandbrent. Follow Beekman 1802 on Instagram at @beekman1802 and learn more about the brand’s pioneering work in goat milk skincare, skin barrier health and the microbiome at beekman1802.com.—Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on Substack and LinkedIn – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Spotify to help Carmine reach more curious listeners.Explore more:Beekman 1802 Bloom CreamBeekman 1802 Milk RX Advanced Better Aging CreamBeekman 1802 Milk RX Advanced Better Aging Wrinkle SerumProduct reviews on the Skincarma Blog:Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here.Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here.Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here.Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here.Explore the Best Acne Treatments here.Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here.Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here.Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here.The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter.The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com.With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™ Get full access to Skincarma® at skincarma.substack.com/subscribe