Codex is Changing the Game, One Product at a Time

4 min readSep 15, 2022

Dr. Barbara Paldus is a Canadian born woman raised by Czech parents, she was raised in both Europe and Canada, is fluent in five languages, and earned a Ph.D. from Stanford University. Needless to say, she is a rockstar. “I became a scientist because my father allowed me to be curious. He taught me to question everything, gather data, and then try to understand what it all meant.” (Paldus). Her brand Codex Beauty Labs is an innovative take on ‘Plant-Powered Biotech Beauty’ and the effects true science can have on skincare products.

“Codex was conceived with Dermatologists and Ethnobotanists to deliver affordable, high efficacy skincare that supports the microbiome and delivers the healthiest of skin, without sacrificing sustainability.” (1). Codex’s website does a deep dive into every aspect of their supply chain, manufacturing, formulas, efficacy, sustainability and so many other factors that you don’t see brands showing 100% transparency of nowadays.

“Can we create probiotic supplements that are truly and functionally efficacious. All of this goes back to clinical trials, and as you said, it irks me too that there’s so much storytelling in the industry without any proof to back it up.” (Paldus). It’s a crucial moral factor to the brand’s message to their consumers, they want their consumers to feel comfortable and that they come first to the brand, which they do.

“My vision for Codex was to design a brand for clinically proven products. That vision was a bit derailed by learning more about the beauty industry and being told by marketing experts that we were doing it all wrong. Having come from Science, I spoke a different language than most of those in the industry.” (Paldus).

Codex is redefining the category of skincare to transcend not just the realm of beauty, but rather cross into the areas of science where it always belonged. Utilizing data driven analytics to formulate and curate their ingredients and technologies. Although Codex Beauty Labs is dropping the ‘beauty’ in their name, they haven’t dropped it from their products and their techniques.

“We have the largest number of products that are microbiome certified in the world, and we also have the seal of approval from the National Psoriasis Foundation.” (Paldus). Throughout the conversation Ekta and Barbara have, they speak on many topics including their shared love for Science, the intricacy of building a business and formulating products, Their thoughts on the FDA and much more. As a testimonial, Ekta had an irritated skin flare up and used SHAANT’s face mask, within 5 minutes, her rash was almost completely dissipated as well her pain. Below is an image of her face before and after, you can clearly see her facial irritation has decreased as well as the swelling and inflammation of the area, thanks to the facial mask technology.

Ekta Before and After using the SHAANT Face Mask for 5 Minutes

Codex has won many awards for their impeccable innovation and clinically proven products. Awards such as the Seal of Acceptance by the National Eczema Association and the Seal of Recognition by the National Psoriasis Foundation, just to name a few. Codex’s new collection is called SHAANT, which is Hindi for the word Calm. Calmness perfectly explains this line and what they believe in and are fighting for in the industry. “If you look at things like levels of preservatives, some of these standards were created 20 years ago, when people were using maybe, 3–4 products. If you look at usage today, people use 12–15 products a day so are those metrics up to date with consumer habits?” (Paldus).

Ekta mentions in the podcast how much it means to her to see her culture displayed so beautifully in a line and done right, and I can’t help but mention how many other men and women saw this line and too, got excited about being represented. This brand is true to their message, they are wielding this inclusivity and transparency banner across the industry. Their reduced Carbon Footprint as well as their Innovative and Sustainable Manufacturing are just the tip of the iceberg, Codex is taking the industry by the handles and moving it onto a healthier, safer, more enjoyable path for consumers alike.