Smitha Rao is a classically trained biotechnologist who got her first patent in her twenties, created over 200 products, and never meant to work in beauty at all. She now runs Parëva Beauty, a four-product skincare line she launched in 2025 and bootstrapped with no outside funding, built around a plant stem cell technology she calls molecule three.On this episode of Biohack-it, Iman Hasan asks her the question most founders will not answer on camera: what are the biggest scams in the beauty industry right now? Smitha names two. Ingredient dusting, where a brand puts in a sprinkle of something just to earn a label claim, and the single miracle ingredient promise, which she says cannot work because aging is a systems problem. She also explains exactly how to read the fine print under a before-and-after photo, including how many people were in the study, how long it ran, and whether a dermatologist supervised it.From there they get into the science. The three things that actually age skin, why NAD declines from your mid thirties, why she thinks topical NAD claims are suspect, and the phone battery analogy she uses to explain what molecule three actually does. She breaks down why Parëva's vitamin C serum does not sting or smell, why she pays five times more for THD ascorbate instead of L-ascorbic acid, and why her best seller is $69 when comparable concentrations sit in a dermatologist's office at $200.Then the business. Why the mega influencer playbook stopped working, why she thinks consumers are jaded by AI content, how she got practitioners to carry a brand nobody had heard of, what the holiday skin prep routine actually is, and the two pieces of advice she would give anyone starting something at any age.Subscribe to Biohack-it for new episodes every week.20% discount exclusive for listeners on Parëva Beauty products. BIOHACKIT20https://parevabeauty.com/pages/pareva-biohackit?srsltid=AU7gw4V3ptBmwbImWgxbOMHvO5GFXbE-swRttudML16j1SD7WwXOuo47Find Parëva Beauty:UShttps://parevabeauty.com/https://credobeauty.com/collections/pareva-beautyUKhttps://www.cultbeauty.com/c/brands/pareva/shop-all/Here’s the social media handles.https://www.instagram.com/smitharao_parevabeauty/https://www.instagram.com/parevabeauty/?hl=enhttps://www.tiktok.com/@parevabeautyhttps://www.youtube.com/@Pareva.Beauty🔔 Hit that subscribe button for exclusive access to thought-provoking podcasts, self-growth tips, inspiring guidance, empowerment for bold spirits, and more!https://www.youtube.com/@Biohack-it/?sub_confirmation=1 🔗 Stay Connected With Us.👉 Instagram (Biohack-it): http://instagram.com/biohack_it/ 👉 Instagram (Iman Hasan): http://instagram.com/imanhasan/ 👉 Website: http://biohack-it.com/ ===========================================================================================⚠️ DISCLAIMER: The content shared on Biohack-it is for informational purposes only. It's not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a professional for health-related inquiries. Copyright Notice: This video and our YouTube channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Biohack-it. You are authorized to share the video link and channel and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to our YouTube channel is provided. © Biohack-it Rss Apple Podcaster →
