052: Beauty Decoded: Skincare Truths, Sunscreen Myths & Brand-Building Wisdom with Carmine Montalto

“You can’t be all things to all people, and a brand can’t be all things to all people. A brand can be as big as it gets with tons of money supporting it. But, there has to be a point of difference to stand out to consumers.” —Carmine Montalto

Most beauty founders drown in a saturated market, chasing viral trends while struggling to build brands that resonate. They sacrifice authenticity for algorithms, forgetting that true loyalty starts with a razor-sharp point of view—not pink packaging or empty promises.

Carmine Montalto is a NYC-based brand strategist with 25 years of beauty industry mastery, from Barneys’ cosmetics floors to judging global innovation awards. He’s named hundreds of products and built category-disrupting brands by marrying scientific rigor with soulful storytelling.

Tune in as Justine and Carmine dissect sunscreen myths, expose hyaluronic acid’s "plumping" deception, and reveal why SPF 30 outperforms SPF 50—then discover how to carve your niche in a market screaming for authenticity.

Meet Carmine:

Carmine Montalto is a NYC-based copywriter, brand advisor, blogger and podcaster with 25 years doing what he loves to do - write. With extensive expertise in beauty across every category – skincare, hair care, body care, fragrance, makeup, men’s, and oral care – Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of products, crafted packaging copy, written brand & product concepts, and created compelling digital campaigns.

Carmine uses his Skincarma blog and companion podcast to demystify perceptions about skincare. He leverages his extensive knowledge, experience and wit to deliver education on skincare products and ingredients, breaking down how to use them effectively to optimize your skin health. For the past three years, Carmine has been a judge in the annual Beauty Matter NEXT awards in the product innovation category.

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Episode Highlights:

00:55 From Clearasil To Cosmetics: Carmine’s Accidental Beauty Career

08:07 Sunscreen Showdown: Mineral Vs. Chemical Filters Demystified

10:25 Why Loving Your Sunscreen Matters More Than Its Spf

22:44 Brand-Building 101: Brand Focus

24:27 Top Innovations: Peptides, Exosomes & The Rise Of "Skin Health"

27:42 Spf 30 Vs. SPF 50

29:06 Beauty Fads That Flopped (And Ones That Deserve A Comeback)

31:21 The Hyaluronic Acid Myth: Why "Plumping" Isn’t Hydrating