Skincare Essentials and Recharging with Dr. Ginni Mansberg - Founder of Evidence Skincare (ESK)

Posted by Peony Parcel on

Founded by Sydney-based GP, author and TV personality, Dr. Ginni Mansberg, alongside her husband, Daniel Rubinstein, Evidence Skincare (ESK) is Australia’s leading cosmeceutical skincare brand using the latest science and peer-reviewed evidence to combat the physical signs of ageing, as well as acne, rosacea, pigmentation and dryness. Formulated with active ingredients supported by independent clinical trials, each product in the Evidence Skincare (ESK) line is pH balanced and housed in airless, opaque bottles to ensure maximum efficacy and results. 

Providing tailored skincare solutions for all skin types and concerns, including those prone to sensitivity, Evidence Skincare (ESK) offers a free online skin quiz so customers can learn more about the active ingredients suited to their skin and customise a unique AM/PM skincare regimen. 

We sat down with the co-founder of Evidence Skincare (ESK), Dr. Ginni Mansberg, to chat about skincare, life and all things weird and wonderful in medicine.

What inspired you to start your own skincare line, and why was it important to position Evidence Skincare (ESK) as a cosmeceutical brand?

This might come as a surprise, but I’ve always struggled with my skin for as long as I can remember. I was constantly looking for a good skincare regime that actually worked; one that was evidence-based, effective, efficient and easy to use. No matter how many products I tried or brands I explored, I just couldn’t find anything on the market that met my criteria. Instead, I found myself frustrated by the number of companies preying on their customers’ insecurities with the latest skincare fads and marketing pseudoscience.

In 2012, I hit peak frustration and together with my husband, Daniel, set out to create a range of skincare that actually did what it promised and was completely different to anything else on the market. So, we worked with the best doctors, dermatologists and scientists to create a range that was evidence-based, effective, easy to use, and most importantly, ethical.

Originally available through medical practitioners as a private skincare line, we decided to expand in 2016 and launch Evidence Skincare (ESK) online so customers had access to a proven range of cosmeceutical products wherever they were around the world.

Evidence Skincare (ESK) pioneers the use of many interesting ingredients, including vitamin A derivative, Retinal, and de-pigmenting agent, 4-n-Butylresorcinol. How do you seek out and discover these ingredients and why is it important to formulate with such actives?

I am a science nerd at heart! There’s nothing I like better than grabbing my laptop and scouring the National Library of Medicine for the latest studies, reading them and critically appraising them.

As some studies may be biased (even if they are published in a peer reviewed journal), I have to remain objective and consider only the best, proven ingredients in our formulations, like Retinal and 4-n-Butylresorcinol.

This allows us to pioneer the cosmeceutical space with the latest innovative formulas and deliver real results for our customers using science and peer-reviewed studies.

There is still a lot of debate in the industry around skincare layering and what is the correct order, particularly SPF. Do you have any tips or helpful advice for our readers?

The beauty community loves a good debate, doesn’t it? When it comes to layering, it really is a matter of opinion. Layering doesn’t tend to be studied much formally, so when it comes to the correct order, much of it is trial and error. Saying that, there is plenty of anecdotal information online claiming water-based products before oil-based. I think the thing we can all agree on is don’t leave home without SPF!

What are the top 3 skincare ingredients all Aussies should be using and why?

 Hands down, I’d say Vitamin A, Vitamin B3 and Vitamin C – but in evidence-based forms, concentrations and formulations. Vitamin A should be Retinal (not to be confused with the more widely known Retinol) in concentrations between 0.05 - 0.1%. Vitamin B3, also known as Niacinamide, should be incorporated daily in concentrations between 2 – 5%. And lastly, 10% L-Ascorbic Acid which isthe only reliable form of Vitamin C on the market with strong, documented evidence supporting its anti-ageing benefits. It should be formulated with a low pH and in an oil-base to prevent it from going off. No matter the ingredient, all formulas should be housed in airless, light-repellant bottles and never in tubes or droppers.

What about you – do you have any favourite beauty ‘must-haves’ you can’t live without at the moment?

I am loving our Hydroxy Overnight Mask at the moment. It has become my regular Friday night treat to myself. It is formulated with 5% Salicylic Acid, a Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA), and 10% Urea to help treat acne breakouts, nourish the skin, and gently exfoliate dead skin cells while you sleep. I even use it as a spot treatment when those pesky blemishes pop up during the week.  

2020 taught many Australians the importance of ‘switching off’ and taking time to recharge. How do you disconnect from the chaos of life and unwind after a stressful day at the office?

I juggle a lot of every day. I work as a GP, I co-manage Evidence Skincare (ESK), I guest spot on Seven’s Sunrise, and I co-host a podcast – so it’s safe to say, I value my down time! I love listening to podcasts and audio books and will often take the fur babies out for a walk to clear my head and relax. Wine also helps too!    

You’ve been a GP for over twenty years. What inspired you to follow medicine?

A childish fantasy about healing the sick that stubbornly persisted from the age of 5 and into adulthood. While all my primary school friends planned careers as fairies, princesses and ballerinas, I was there with my stethoscope at the ready!

A little bird told us you have a podcast that discusses all things weird and wonderful about the human body. Tell us more about it.

My Audible podcasts are called ‘Things You Can’t Talk About on TV’ and ‘MORE Things You Can’t Talk About on TV’ which I co-host with my bestie, Shelly Horton. It’s a fun and serious discussion that covers a range of burning topics from bowel gas to penis size and everything in between. It’s for 18+ ears only, that’s for sure!

What’s one of the funniest topics you’ve covered on the podcast or treated in real life as a GP?

Farts are just funny! Farts on a plane, smelly farts, loud farts, the squeaky ones that escape at the oddest moments, they’re funny! Plus, the techniques scientists have invented to study them are almost as funny as the farts themselves! When someone drops a fluffy in my office, I keep a very straight face and pretend I haven’t noticed, but inside, I’m a barrel of laughs. This is why I have a scented candle burning most days – for safety! 

What can Aussies expect from you and Evidence Skincare (ESK) in 2021?

The ESK team and I are busy preparing for a huge year. I can’t give the game away but expect new products, interesting ingredients and more fun science and evidence! For me, I will still be the nerd on my beloved National Library of Medicine reviewing the latest studies for new, exciting possibilities!

 Discover more at Esk Skincare.

 

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