Lauren is an aesthetician with a goal to "democratize radiant skin" (she's only half kidding). She found her calling after a successful career in luxury marketing and a personal struggle with adult acne. Lauren loves helping her clients feel and look great, but her inner-geek is obsessed with the science behind skin care products. Most of her days and nights are spent studying ingredients (often testing on her own face), medical reports, cosmetic databases and industry trends. After fielding numerous calls from friends and family asking for personalized regimens, Lauren decided to start Face Parlour. Through this site, she shares her expertise and research with the hope of directing you to skin health products that are effective, safe and sustainable. 

Lauren contributes to various publications, including The Huffington Post, Lucid Magazine and ElephantPharm.com. She attended University of California Los Angeles and lives with her husband, Don, and their Bernese mountain dog, Stinson, in San Francisco. When she needs a break from her computer, Lauren enjoys studying Spanish, skiing, running along Crissy Field and enjoying organic wine with close friends.

Dr. Holds' interest in skincare bloomed with her entering puberty and realizing she had many blackheads where others did not. Thus began a life-long odyssey in pursuit of a regime to silence the reproachful aesthetists and her own inner critic, late at night, in front of a magnifying mirror, doing microsurgery on stubborn sebum. That same skin refused to tan properly, rather patchifying and freckling (eventually she was diagnosed with melasma). With Face Parlour, this self-professed "product junky and spa hound" looks to bring her vast personal experience and professional insight to the task of rating those products developed with sound science and exhibiting proven results. 

Dr. Holds' graduated from Princeton University, before pursing her medical studies at Weill-Cornell Medical College. Her research has been published in the peer-reviewed Annals of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Holds is married, lives in New York and works as a surgical resident at New York Methodist Hospital.

Dr. Cheung is a board-certified dermatologist, whose skin care philosophy centers on prevention. She avoids industry trends and sticks with recommending products like sunscreen and retinoid creams with proven clinical benefits. At the same time, she realizes some patients are beyond the prevention stage. Dr. Cheung has tricks for them too, using her training to perform minimally invasive cosmetic surgery without contributing to the "frozen face" epidemic. She loves working at one of the top dermatology departments in the world, and she is excited to team with Face Parlour to educate the public about their skin and how to treat it, dispel skin care myths and direct people to products worth the splurge (and away from those that aren't).

Dr. Cheung is the Associate Director of Cosmetic Dermatology and an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at New York University. She's a member of the NYU Dermatologic Associates and NYU Skin and Cancer Associates. As a native New Yorker, Dr. Cheung enjoys exploring the urban jungle in her spare time.

Dr. Richmond's delicate, porcelain complexion is akin to Hollywood greats like Grace Kelly and Gwyneth Paltrow. Thanks to this otherwise desirable trait, she suffered severe sunburns as a kid and struggles with signs of said damage as an adult. While preventing (and ideally reversing) sun damage motivates her to stay up on the latest medical advances in skin care, Dr. Richmond is determined to protect the health (not just the appearance) of her skin. But it wasn't until after the birth of her baby boy that she questioned the safety and effectiveness of her sunscreen habit. As a member of our Medical Advisory Board and resident "sunscreen maniac", Dr. Richmond is excited to share her knowledge and we're eager to listen.

Dr. Richmond attended the University of Pennsylvania prior to graduating from University of Cincinnati Medical School. During residency at University of Michigan, she earned a Masters in Public Health and was awarded a research fellowship through the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program. Dr. Richmond lives in Boston with her husband, Russ, and their son, Grant, where she conducts research and teaches at Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School.

Ms. Schrode is Face Parlour's youngest Board Member, joining at the ripe age of 16. While her parents are based in California, Ms. Schrode lives in Manhattan working as an actress, a fashion model and an eco-fashion designer. As a spokeswoman for Teens for Safe Cosmetics, she is also working with Whole Foods Market to help launch a green skin care line for teens. This emerging renaissance woman is committed to incorporating green principles into all areas of her life from skin care to fashion to film. Ms. Schrode plays a critical role ensuring Face Parlour connects with her generation. 

Ms. Schrode has been featured in the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Marin Independent Journal, Washington Post's Sprig.com and Fox News for her work with Teens for Safe Cosmetics. In her spare time (she insists she has some), she enjoys catching the lastest indie film, traveling and baking.

Cosmetic formulation runs in the family for Ms. Stoliar. Her grandfather founded Farnacia Maure, a pharmacy in the tony Belgrano neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Today, she carries out his legacy by formulating for the family business. Ms. Stoliar is passionate about creating highly effective and safe skin care products, and her interest in teaming with Face Parlour is rooted in this philosophical synergy. She is excited to share her research and intimate understanding of the science of skin health with a boarder audience.

Ms. Stoliar graduated from the University of Belgrano in Buenos Aires with a B.S. in Biological Sciences. For her final thesis, she conducted a six month research project that sparked her interest in cosmetic formulating, so she returned to the University of Belgrano and completed a two-year program to earn her B.S. in Pharmacy. She currently resides in Buenos Aires. When she isn't formulating, she lends her discerning eye to her sister's budding fashion business.