
The Eco Well podcast
In this show, Jen Novakovich, Canadian cosmetic chemist from The Eco Well, interviews international cosmetic scientists and industry leaders to bring you a fresh new conversation a week about all things beauty!
Latest episodes

Apr 4, 2023 • 51min
Corporate Sustainability - is it actually helping? Feat Dr. Mark Trexler
This week, we covered the topic of corporate sustainability management and reporting through the lens of… is this actually going to help combat climate change? From measuring greenhouse gases to carbon offsetting, is current corporate sustainability and policy pointing us in the right direction? Or is there potential for it to do more harm than good? Joining me for this conversation is Dr. Mark Trexler from The Climatographers. Enjoy! Interested in supporting the podcast? Please subscribe and write a review. If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page. Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell. Massive thank you to all of our Patreon supporters for helping make this podcast possible!

Mar 29, 2023 • 48min
The Industry of Misinformation with Tim Caulfield
This episode featured a conversation with Tim Caulfield, Canadian sci-comm treasure, prof at the University of Alberta, and author of books like Is Gwenyth Paltrow Wrong about everything? A few months ago Tim participated in a “clean” beauty debate - he was anti-clean, against someone else who was pro-clean… In this episode, Tim and I talked about his experience in the debate, his thoughts on why misinformation gains the traction it does, and tips to decipher fact from fiction. Interested in supporting the podcast? Please subscribe and write a review. If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page. Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell. Massive thank you to all of our Patreon supporters for helping make this podcast possible!

Mar 17, 2023 • 52min
AMA with cosmetic chemists, featuring Javon Ford
Our latest episode featured Javon Ford - fellow cosmetic chemist and beauty scicommer - in an AMA style interview. You guys sent in questions, we tried our best to answer! From bunk marketing claims to how to become a cosmetic chemist, we covered a lot! Hope you enjoy the convo as much as I did. Interested in supporting the podcast? Please subscribe and write a review. If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page. Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell. Massive thank you to all of our Patreon supporters for helping make this podcast possible!

Mar 13, 2023 • 1h 3min
A USA Regulation 101 with Karen Yarussi-King
For this week's episode, we take a deep dive into regulations that impact the cosmetics industry, with a focus on the USA market and the many misconceptions people have about it. Are products sold in the EU actually safer than those in the USA? Spoiler alert, the answer is no, and in this conversation, we dive into the why that’s the case. IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER - THIS PODCAST WAS RECORDED BEFORE MOCRA. THE FDA NOW HAS RECALL AUTHORITY. Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell

Mar 6, 2023 • 49min
LIVE Beauty Sci-Commer Panel, Brought to you by the IBA
Science communicators Esther Olu, Gloria Lu, Victoria Fu, and Valerie George discuss addressing misinformation in the beauty industry. They highlight the challenges of combating misinformation, the importance of transparent communication, evolving consumer perceptions, and the role of science communicators in educating consumers.

Feb 20, 2023 • 50min
An Intimate Hygiene 101 w/ Dr Tanaya, AKA Dr. Cuterus
Kicking off our first episode back for 2023 with a deep dive into intimate care and hygiene - a space gaining a lot of traction in the beauty industry. There are so many products launching of late to purportedly address all of your sexual wellness needs - from vulvar washes to enlargening breast creams. To give us a lay of the land, I was joined by Dr. Tanaya, aka Dr. Cuterus. Enjoy! Interested in supporting the podcast? Please subscribe and write a review. If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page. Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell. Massive thank you to all of our Patreon supporters for helping make this podcast possible!

Feb 20, 2023 • 55min
INCI: What it all means, with Mindy Goldstein Ph.D.
This week, we dive into the nitty gritty of INCI. Perhaps one of those topics that don’t seem like there’s anything to it, but scratch the surface just a little? There absolutely is. From how the INCI standard got started, the process of getting an INCI name to common misconceptions. How much can an ingredient list really tell you? Does getting an INCI designation mean that an ingredient has been approved as safe? Joining me to unpack the topic is Dr. Mindy Goldstein, previous president of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, recent recipient of the Florence Wall Women in Cosmetic Chemistry Award & member of the INCI nomenclature committee - the group responsible for giving ingredients INCI’s. Enjoy! Interested in supporting the podcast? Please subscribe and write a review. If it's accessible, we also have a Patreon page. Find us at www.patreon.com/theecowell. Massive thank you to all of our Patreon supporters for helping make this podcast possible!

Nov 30, 2022 • 46min
Misinformation vs Product Safety: 'Safe' Beauty E-Panel
Is 'clean' beauty actually making cosmetics safer? This was the closing panel of our latest e-conference, the 'Safe' Beauty E-Summit. Topic: How is misinformation in the beauty world impacting cosmetics product safety, and how can we start to course correct? Panelists included Michelle Wong Ph.D. AKA @labmuffinbeautyscience, Esther Olu AKA @themelaninchemist, and Lalita Iyer AKA @skinchemy. Main take home: If we want to pull ourselves out of the BS Bandwagon we've ended up in the cosmetics industry, good science communication needs support. Hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did! Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell

Nov 22, 2022 • 53min
The Science of Science Communication with Jess Stokesparish, Ph.D.
Closing out season 7 of the podcast featuring a conversation with Jess Stokesparish, Ph.D. about the science of science communication. A deep dive into what it is, why it's important, what the evidence shows in terms of effective science communication, the emotional toll to scicommers, misinformation online and more. Hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did! Interested in supporting the podcast? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell

Nov 22, 2022 • 39min
A Curly Hair 101 with Heleen Kibbelaar
This was a curly hair AMA episode, featuring Heleen Kibbelaar, the brains behind @sciencemeetscosmetics - one of my favorite hair science accounts on IG. Hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did! Interested in supporting the show? Find us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/theecowell
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.