When a zit appears on your chin at the same time every single month, you know your hormones are sending you a message. But what if we could address the underlying concerns that aren't so obvious? Enter Veracity, a new company that customizes your skin-care regimen through a mail-in hormone test. Its mission? To address internal issues with external solutions for long-term skin health. We spoke to the brand's founder, Allie Egan, about how we're not meant to be "mini-chemists" when it comes to dealing with our body's largest organ.
What Role Do Hormones Play in Skin Care?
Cisgender women have similar hormones, but the levels fluctuate depending on age, daily aggressors, childbirth, and monthly menstrual patterns. "While we might share the same experiences, we are all individuals with different genetic designs, which makes it important to learn about our unique hormonal profile at any given time," says Egan, a former fashion CEO who holds a degree from Harvard Business School. Along with common hormonal shifts like puberty and menopause, there are more situational shifts that occur as well because...life happens. Perhaps you lost your job, moved to a different state, got divorced, or had to deal with life during a pandemic—these are all situations that can cause dramatic internal changes.
Egan cites the lack of medical detection when it comes to certain conditions as another huge obstacle in dealing with our skin's health. "There is a devastating under-diagnosis of hormonal disorders in our country, whether it's PCOS or thyroid issues," she says. "Most women don't even know what questions to ask their doctor to connect the dots between symptoms and potential hormonal issues." (Egan was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, a common auto-immune disorder she knew nothing about.) Playing the guessing game with your skin by Googling blanket health advice isn't enough, she adds. "It's time to get to know what's really going on in your body so you can best treat your unique skin and health."
There's a multitude of ways that hormones can mess with skin beyond the bouts of acne during puberty. Veracity's medical advisory board is composed of experts across several disciplines—dermatology, gynecology, endocrinology, functional medicine, and nutrition—in order to ensure comprehensive test results that help explain the drivers behind one's individual skin issues. "A great example of this is high estrogen," says Egan. "It can lead to hyperpigmentation, melasma, and gnarly dark spots. Or low progesterone, which can cause inflammation and slow cell turnover—the reasons behind stubborn scarring." And then, of course, there's hormonal acne, which can be caused by high testosterone or high cortisol. "But the treatments are so different, so it's important to know which hormone is at the root of your issue in order to treat it effectively."
How Does Veracity Work?
Like many new brands, Veracity was born out of necessity. Egan recognized that many people can't afford a functional medicine doctor—the person who would typically do a deep dive into your hormonal profile—as a consult alone can cost as much as $500. The idea behind Veracity is that for $149, you get one panel that looks at your important bio-markers. Thirty-six thousand unique recommendations can be collected from one small tube of spit, though Egan expects to include more personalized add-ons down the road.
After I received Veracity's saliva-collection kit, I mailed it back the following day for it to be analyzed. A few days later, I got an email with my unique bio-factor readings, skin-care ingredient recommendations, and nutrition and supplement suggestions—all things that you'd receive from an expensive integrative practitioner. Through the readings, I learned that I have high progesterone which can lead to breakouts (check) that can then be quelled by ingredients like sebum-regulating poria mushroom and calming cherimoya extract. My ingredient recommendations included ceramides and hyaluronic acid—they both help rebalance my borderline low testosterone by strengthening my skin's barrier and boosting moisture levels.
From here, you can choose which products you want to purchase that address your underlying health conditions. Like any new skin-care regimen, results take time—but I did feel a sense of empowerment using products that are specifically tailored to my unique bio needs rather than chasing the newest cult serum or the latest viral TikTok sensation. Egan says she believes this is merely the beginning of scientifically verified, hormone-safe skin care. "Everything from the air we breathe to the food we consume affects the sensitive balance of our endocrine systems," she says. "Our test kit is just the beginning—stay tuned for so much more."
Shop Our Favorites:
BioEvolve Serum
BioEvolve Moisturizer
Hydration Balance
Top photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@veracityselfcare
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