Q+A with Codex Beauty Founder & CEO Barbara Paldus

Self-proclaimed "serial entrepreneur" Barbara Paldus came to found Codex Beauty due to a culmination of reasons: an established career in biotech, inspiration from growing up traveling the world with her father, a renowned scientist, and countless questions to manufacturers about ingredients and product claims that needed answering. With this hard work and research, Codex Beauty Labs was born — a brand that is data-driven, seriously sustainable, and dedicated to plant biology, ethnobotany, and biotechnology. Read on to learn more from Barabara about the brand's beauty code, what people should know about "clean beauty", and more.

Q: First and foremost, we’d love to hear about your journey in science and skincare. How did you get started, and how did your previous experience get you (and Codex!) where you are today?

I am a mother to a 12-year-old son who had a severe allergy to phenoxyethanol in baby products. This led me to try to ask questions to manufacturers, but I didn’t get very far as a consumer. I started questioning every claim on my skincare products and wondering how the beauty industry quantified things. I saw a definite need in the industry for more transparency and clinical proof of performance.

I have always been a serial entrepreneur and spent most of my career in biotech developing measurement tools. I also grew up all over the world as my father was a well-known scientist from the Czech Republic, and I was one of three women in my class in electrical engineering at Stanford. From a young age, I was taught to believe that if we can dream, we can build it, and that “impossible” means we need to work harder to figure it out. After I sold my previous biotech company, I knew it was time to start Codex Beauty Labs and rewrite the rules and standards of the beauty industry. I am also bullish about sustainability at every touchpoint along a company’s journey, as it is so important to ensure the biodiversity of our planet flourishes for our children and generations to come.

Q: Since founding Codex in 2018, what has been your proudest or most rewarding moment with the brand?

My most rewarding moment was in 2021 when we started working with the National Eczema Association and the National Psoriasis Foundation, and we were awarded seals of recognition on various products. We want to help the millions of people in the world that suffer from these conditions and others. Both these organizations put the products through rigorous testing with dermatologists, scientists, and experts, so we were thrilled about receiving these very meaningful honors.

Q: When it comes to product formulation for Codex products, what is most important to you and what sets Codex apart from other brands on the market?

I really believe that my background in biotech and data-led experience give me a big advantage in the beauty industry. Having had the privilege to work in the biotech field for 12 years in Silicon Valley, it allowed me to also interact with researchers and companies working on innovative plant-based biotech ingredients for beauty. Codex Beauty is unique in the market and here is why:

1. We bring the best of science to skincare with a focus and dedication to plant biology, ethnobotany, and biotechnology.
We have a patented, edible preservation system based on biotech fermentation that also protects the skin barrier. We follow a scientific process in finding novel plants or ingredients, testing their capabilities, formulating them synergistically for a specific function, and then testing, testing, testing.

2. We are a seriously sustainable skincare brand.
We are deeply concerned about preserving the biodiversity on this planet. We are killing species of plants, animals, birds, and fish at alarming rates, and we are losing the knowledge of our Indigenous peoples equally as fast. We need to protect nature, whether that is through fighting climate change, to preserving our forests, to reducing plastic to save our oceans, and/or producing ingredients in a way that will not harm delicate ecosystems.

3. We are data-driven and transparent, believing that the beauty customer should always have access to this data so that they can make the most informed decisions.
We perform extensive and rigorous safety testing like preservative efficacy and irritation testing. We use state-of-the-art measurements to perform clinical trials to demonstrate the effectiveness and penetration of our products.

Q: What is a myth about skincare that you want to debunk? Is there anything you wish people were talking more about in skincare?

For me, it always comes back to ensuring there is transparency and honesty with our customers. For example, consumer trials in the industry are nice, but they should not be confused with the actual science and product performance. The data tied to these trials are opinions of people, and similar to political polls. This information doesn’t convey how a formula reduces inflammation or how deeply a product penetrates or affects micro-circulation.

The broad term “clean beauty” doesn’t really mean anything, and consumers are more confused than ever. Whenever there is confusion, there is also distrust that comes to the forefront. Brands need to be held to a higher standard rather than just throwing out this term. The industry needs to ensure labels and ingredient lists are clear and informative like the labeling in the food industry. At Codex Beauty Labs, we label every packaging with our Efficacy Panels so that the consumer is empowered with as much information as possible before she or he makes any purchasing decisions.

Q: Sustainability is a huge pillar in the Codex beauty code. What are some ways you hope to see the beauty industry evolve sustainably in the coming years?

Again – metrics, measurements, and accountability are key to helping consumers understand real progress and commitment. At Codex, we use green polyethylene airless tubes with a negative carbon footprint, and all our cartons are FSC-certified (sustainable forestry). We have also launched a zero-waste soap collection where the cartons, wrappers, and stickers are home compostable, while the soaps are cold-processed, and the soap cuttings are reused in seasonal special editions. This allows us to minimize waste and energy use to achieve a neutral carbon footprint. But that is not enough. I am a passionate environmentalist, with a mission to make beauty's carbon footprint negative (we can all contribute to planting trees) and plastic-free, so my son and all our children have a healthy planet.

Q: What is your best advice for someone who is struggling to find a skin routine that works for them?

My mantra is: “less is more”, so a minimalist routine will go a long way for your skin and help preserve the planet. If you are under 30, you need a good cleanser and hydration – not much else other than an SPF. Once you are over 30, you want to add a serum with antioxidants and a pollution protection cream. You may or may not need an eye cream. Once you are over 40, you may consider a night cream to reduce dryness and retinol-like products once a week, as well as the eye cream you didn’t need at 30. Over 50, I would add exfoliation and a monthly peel, but not much more. The less you do, the happier you keep your microbiome, and after all, it is your shield against infection, so you need to keep it safe.

Q: What does your current nighttime skincare routine look like?

Very simple. I use the Antü gel cleanser to remove pollution and excess oil. Then I apply the Antü serum followed by the Antü night cream. That’s it!

Q: Lastly, we’d love to hear what’s next for Codex!

We are working on so many exciting products and programs, including a big launch in May tied to oil and acne-prone skin. Stay tuned!

Rapid Fire Round

Q: Worth the splurge:

Antü Serum.

Q: Favorite drugstore or budget find:

Aquaphor + Saran Wrap at night for super dry skin.

Q: Latest beauty empty:

Bia Exfoliating Wash.

Q: Recent discovery:

SPF 50+ clothing from Patagonia.

Q: Product you can't leave home without:

Purell hand sanitizer.

Q: Brand you wish more people knew about:

Pela, a home composter.