Green Beauty Conversations by Formula Botanica
by Formula Botanica
Green Beauty Conversations by Formula Botanica, the online organic formulation school, challenges you on the way you think about the beauty industry. Our host Lorraine Dallmeier tackles topics that encourage debate about green, indie and sustainable beauty. Subscribe to the Green Beauty Conversations podcast and become part of the global green beauty movement. www.formulabotanica.com
Episodes
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EP332. Why we're stopping the podcast
The Green Beauty Conversations podcast is ending. After more than 330 episodes and eight and a half years, Lorraine Dallmeier has finally said it out loud. Or has she? 😱 In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Lorraine explains what is actually happening to the podcast, what Season 2 will...
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EP331. Meet the graduate who quit her job to build Mongolia's first organic skincare brand
If you're thinking about starting your own organic skincare brand but you're scared it won't work out, this episode is for you. In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Khulan Davaadorj, founder of Lhamour — Mongolia's first...
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EP330. The marketing machine behind beauty's biggest online sellers
Every indie beauty brand founder wants to wake up to orders. Most of them launch a website, post on Instagram, and wait. Nothing happens. Meanwhile, a brand they've never heard of is selling a million jars. In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host...
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EP329. How to sell a million jars of skincare
Most indie beauty brands launch with a Shopify store, post a few times on Instagram, and wait for the sales to come. They don't. In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Line Pevik, Head of Brand at Frøya Organics, a…
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EP328. The beauty industry keeps renaming the same problem. And you're paying for it.
The beauty industry has always invented new problems for you to solve. What's changed is how fast it can now name them, package them, and sell them back to you. In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier runs through the full list of...
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EP327. Meet the formulator who thinks your serum is too busy
What if the problem with your skincare routine has nothing to do with the products you're using, and everything to do with how many ingredients your skin is being asked to process at once? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier…
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EP326. Have we been wrong all along about "natural" vs "synthetic"?
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,...
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EP325. The 100-year old secret behind your favourite skincare ingredient
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…
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EP324. Why beauty packaging is always the last thought and the biggest problem
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…
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EP323. Beauty brands think about packaging last. Here's why that's a problem.
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…
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EP322. What the hair loss industry isn't telling you
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…
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EP321. What a hair loss specialist wants you to know before you buy your next product
Hair loss is far more common in women than we often realise – yet it often remains misunderstood, under-discussed, and frequently mis-sold through quick-fix products. In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Lorraine Dallmeier is joined by trichologist Chloe Heyworth, founder of Micro...
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EP320. Why doesn't the beauty industry have to tell you this?
What if you discovered that a significant portion of the beauty products you use every day could be rooted in fossil fuels – and no one is required to tell you? In this thought-provoking episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Lorraine Dallmeier challenges one of the biggest blind spots in the...
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EP319. Your skincare is made from fossil fuels
Did you know that most of the most celebrated active ingredients in your skincare are actually derived from petrochemicals? In this week's eye-opening episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier is joined by Chris Valencius, Chief Marketing...
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EP318. Why does natural skincare have to be white?
What if everything you thought you knew about natural skincare was… wrong? Picture the most luxurious skincare product you can imagine – a weighty glass jar, minimalist branding, a premium price tag. Now ask yourself: what colour is it? If your answer is white or cream, you're not alone – but…
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EP317. He turned coffee waste into skincare. The industry said it was the wrong colour
The beauty industry says it wants to go natural – but does it really mean it? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier is joined by Alejandro Franco of Kaffe Bueno to explore the contradiction at the heart of beauty, where brands champion plant-based...
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EP316. Why did the Body Shop fail but this Formula Botanica graduate didn't? (the answer will surprise you)
What happens when a brand loses its purpose – and what happens when a founder refuses to let go? In this week's episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier reveals the surprising truth behind the rise and fall of one of the most iconic ethical beauty brands in...
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EP315. Meet the woman trying to save butterflies with skincare
Could skincare help save butterflies? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier is joined by Chris Amendt, founder of Native Monarchs and Monarch Botanika, who is on a mission to protect monarch butterflies through both conservation and skincare. Chris...
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EP314. Good news from the beauty industry that will make you smile
If your newsfeed has felt overwhelmingly negative lately, this episode of the Green Beauty Conversations podcast is exactly the antidote you need. In this uplifting episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier takes a step back and reflects on the inspiring people she has...
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EP313. What if your cosmetics could keep forests alive?
What if your cosmetics could keep forests alive? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier speaks with John Goedschalk, founder and CEO of BioTara, about how regenerative sourcing of Amazonian cosmetic ingredients can create real economic value for...
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EP312. Fermentation made our food. Could it shape the future of beauty too?
For decades, green beauty has leaned heavily on one simple belief – if an ingredient comes from a plant, it must be better. Better for the skin, better for the planet and better for people. But what happens when that comforting narrative starts to unravel? In this episode of Green Beauty...
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EP311. The palm oil alternative that doesn't rely on trees
Palm oil is everywhere in cosmetics – but what if it didn't need to come from trees at all? In the latest episode of her Green Beauty Conversations podcast, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier is joined by Nemailla Bonturi, co-founder and CEO of ÄIO, an Estonian biotech company developing...
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EP310. Why do some beauty brand founders avoid meeting their customers?
Are modern beauty brand founders accidentally sabotaging their own success by hiding behind their screens? In this thought-provoking episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO and host Lorraine Dallmeier challenges one of the most widely accepted assumptions in today's indie…
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EP309. Could you start a beauty brand with your family?
Ever wondered what it's like to build a family-led beauty brand? Then tune in to this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, where Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier sits down with mother-daughter duo Angela Gargano and Kathy Griswold, co-founders of Lola Arnao Beauty, a family-run beauty...
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EP308. The woman who invented the modern beauty industry (and you've never heard her name)
The modern beauty industry didn't just happen – it was carefully designed. In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier tells the remarkable story of Helena Rubinstein, the woman who helped invent the beauty industry as we know it today, yet whose name…
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EP307. Why you don't need to be a chemist to formulate
If you've ever felt that learning to make your own skincare or haircare products is only reserved for people in lab coats, this episode of Green Beauty Conversations is about to change everything. In this special episode, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier is joined by Formula Botanica's...
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EP306. How 5,000 years of history turned eye makeup into a daily habit
What if your relationship with eye makeup wasn't really a personal choice, but the result of 5,000 years of history, culture, and technology? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier explores how eye makeup evolved from ancient ritual and symbolism…
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EP305. The beauty habits affecting your eyes (according to an eye doctor)
We brush our teeth twice a day without even thinking, yet most of us can't name a single thing we do to care for our eyes – even though we expose them daily to mascara, eyeliner, lash serums, powders, creams and makeup removers, often for decades at a time. In this episode of Green Beauty...
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EP304. Why indie beauty falls apart when the founder leaves
What happens when indie founders sell their beauty brands and the authenticity that built them disappears? That's what Lorraine Dallmeier, Formula Botanica CEO, unpacks in this solo episode of Green Beauty Conversations. The episode argues that indie beauty isn't really about being "independent";...
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EP303. Is pig fat the next big thing in beauty?
Is pig fat the next big thing in beauty? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier speaks with Farrow founder Charles Mayfield about lard in skincare, animal fats, regenerative farming, and what this sometimes controversial ingredient means for the...
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EP302. If your serum isn't working, this is probably why
We've been told for years that great skin comes down to the latest breakthrough active – the kind with a name that sounds more like a space mission than a skincare ingredient. But what if the reason your serum isn't delivering results has nothing to do with missing actives at all? What if the...
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EP301. I spoke to an active ingredient scientist… and it changed how I see skincare
What does an active ingredient really do for your skin? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier is joined by Dr Jule Lexa Völzke, a skincare scientist at CLR Berlin, to uncover the truth behind these "hero" compounds. Together, they explore how…
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EP300. Cellulite is a scam – And the beauty industry knows it
For over a century, the beauty industry has told us that cellulite is a flaw. But the truth is that it's completely natural, and over 90% of women have it. So why have we been made to feel insecure? Because that belief fuels a multi-billion-dollar industry. In this milestone 300th episode of…
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EP299. Meet the supplier turning the world's coffee waste into skincare
Every day, we drink coffee without a second thought – but few of us actually stop to think about what happens to the grounds left behind. Globally, 60 million tonnes of spent coffee grounds are discarded every year, most of which end up in landfill, where they release methane. Yet those same...
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EP298. The world doesn't need another celebrity brand. It needs yours.
Feeling the pull to start your own skincare or haircare brand? This week on Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier reveals why 2026 could be the year you stop watching from the sidelines and start creating something truly meaningful. The beauty industry doesn't need...
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EP297. How indie beauty brands really grow (without Sephora, investors, and a team)
In the beauty industry, success is often measured by landing big retailers, securing investment, or building a large team. But what if some of the most resilient and values-driven indie beauty brands thrive precisely because they reject that model? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations,...
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EP296. Why the beauty industry is now selling you anti-zombie skincare
You might not have noticed it yet, but there's a new word quietly taking over the beauty and wellness industries: longevity. It's showing up everywhere, from skincare marketing, supplements, blue zone diets, to so-called anti-zombie-cell serums (yes, you've read that right!). And while it sounds...
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EP295. Could vitamin C's days be numbered in skincare?
Has vitamin C finally met its match? In this week's episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Lorraine Dallmeier, CEO of Formula Botanica, explores whether the beauty industry's favourite antioxidant could soon be dethroned. Lorraine is joined by Charlotte Julien, Formula Botanica graduate and…
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EP294. My call to legislate cosmetic claims for human dignity
Beauty thrives on adjectives – and the cosmetics industry knows exactly how to use them. Walk into any beauty store and you'll see words like "nourish", "revitalise", "transform" and "illuminate" designed to spark emotional reactions. But more often than not, that reaction is insecurity. In this...
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EP293. The truth about cosmetic claims: What brands can and can't say
Beauty products are full of bold promises: "anti-ageing," "chemical-free," "eco-friendly." But how many of these cosmetic claims actually hold up? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Lorraine Dallmeier, CEO of Formula Botanica, chats with cosmetic claims expert Dr Theresa Callaghan…
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EP292. Why the beauty industry needs to stop blaming the consumer
Is the beauty industry really listening to what consumers want – or is it hiding behind them? In this week's episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier calls out one of the industry's most persistent myths: that shoppers are to blame for the lack of...
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EP291. Meet Forestwise, the ingredient supplier growing money on trees
What if the future of beauty didn't come at the cost of rainforests? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Lorraine Dallmeier talks with Alexander van Oord, Chief Commercial Officer at Forestwise, about how wild-harvested illipe nuts are transforming the beauty industry. Discover how…
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EP290. Is it time to break up with natural beauty?
The beauty industry has sold us the idea that natural automatically means good – good for us, good for the planet, good for everyone. But is that really true? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier asks whether it's time to break up with natural...
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EP289. Meet the man restoring Hawaii's forests with sustainable sandalwood
Discover the story of Hawaii Sandalwood and how it's restoring one of the rarest forests on Earth in this episode of Green Beauty Conversations. This week on the podcast, Asa Suguitan, co-founder of Hawaii Sandalwood, shares how his family is regenerating Hawaii's tropical dryland forest by...
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EP288. The idea that blew my mind: 3D-printed skincare
What if your moisturiser wasn't mass-produced, but printed for you on demand? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Lorraine Dallmeier explores the futuristic – and very real – idea of 3D-printed skincare. From personalised products that evolve with your age and lifestyle, to...
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EP287. Skincare you can eat – Trend or transformation?
What if your skincare didn't come in a jar – but in a gummy? In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Lorraine Dallmeier, CEO of Formula Botanica, interviews Melissa Snover, award-winning entrepreneur and founder of Nourished, the world's first 3D-printed personalised gummy stacks. If…
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EP286. Why do some skincare ingredients take decades to go mainstream?
Walk into any beauty store today, and shoppers can tell you about the benefits of peptides, retinoids or hyaluronic acid with ease. Yet ask about seaweed and you'll often be met with blank stares or vague memories of green face masks. And that's the case with many skincare ingredients, despite...
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EP285. Could kelp be the future of beauty? A conversation with GreenWave
Could kelp be the future of beauty? Listen to this episode of Green Beauty Conversations with Samantha Garwin, Director of Market Development at GreenWave, to discover the untapped potential of kelp in beauty. Sam reveals why kelp offers benefits land-based plants simply can't, how the beauty...
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EP284. I asked ChatGPT to formulate for me… again (And this time it listened)
AI has levelled up – and if you've been playing with tools like ChatGPT lately, you've probably noticed it too. Two years ago, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier challenged ChatGPT to create a cosmetic formulation for her, and it was a frustrating merry-go-round of vague advice, incorrect...
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EP283. Will AI replace the cosmetic chemist?
Artificial Intelligence is no longer just a futuristic buzzword – it's already shaping the way cosmetics are researched, formulated, and launched. In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Hejab Malik, co-founder of Potion AI – a San...
About this show
Green Beauty Conversations by Formula Botanica, the online organic formulation school, challenges you on the way you think about the beauty industry. Our host Lorraine Dallmeier tackles topics that encourage debate about green, indie and sustainable beauty. Subscribe to the Green Beauty Conversations podcast and become part of the global green beauty movement. www.formulabotanica.com
Hosted by
Formula Botanica