When I got my license as an Esthetician, I thought I had learned all about the science of “skin.”
And I had learned a lot — the layers, the skin barrier, the follicles, the pores, the aging process, and the very dramatic things skin will do when it is unhappy. Skin, I quickly discovered, has opinions. Strong ones.
But then I met Yelena Zola, and that was my first real step into the deeper world of skin and chemistry — meaning skin and ingredients. And what a world that is.
Yelena is a Russian chemist who came to the United States and became a cosmetic chemist. She has that rare combination of scientific seriousness and creative instinct. She could look at a skincare ingredient and understand not only what it was supposed to do, but how it might behave on actual human skin — which, as we all know, does not always read the instruction manual.
Yelena opened the world of ingredients to me and the chemistry behind them. She taught me that skincare is not simply about adding something trendy to a jar. It is about balance. It is about compatibility. It is about texture, absorption, performance, safety, and how ingredients work together — or sometimes refuse to work together, like difficult relatives at Thanksgiving.
Through Yelena, I began to understand that real skincare development is part science, part patience, part instinct, and part “let’s try that again.”
That became very important as Gleem Beauty™ Skincare began to grow into what it is today: clean beauty skincare created to support the skin barrier, respect sensitive skin, and help skin look and feel softer, calmer, and more radiant.
Yelena then introduced me to Gloria Sung, a small-quantity chemist in California. Gloria became an important part of Gleem Beauty's™ early microbiome product development. At the time, the microbiome was just beginning to move from scientific conversation into the beauty market. Today, everyone talks about microbiome skincare, skin barrier repair, and barrier health. But back then, it still felt like entering a new neighborhood without a map.
Gloria helped us explore the idea that beautiful skin is not just about what you put on top of it. It is about supporting the environment of the skin — the barrier, the balance, the hydration, and the living ecosystem that helps skin look calm, healthy, and resilient.
That thinking became essential to Gleem Beauty™.
From the beginning, I wanted Gleem Beauty™ to be barrier-first skincare. Not harsh. Not complicated. Not a routine that requires a flow chart, a magnifying glass, and a minor in chemistry. I wanted aloe-based skincare that felt elegant, modern, clean, effective, and kind to the skin.
Then came Kim A, a biochemist connected to a legacy lab outside of Dallas, Texas, originally owned by her father. Kim brought another dimension of scientific knowledge and formulation experience. She helped us dig into one of the biggest challenges in clean mineral sun protection: zinc oxide.
Now, zinc oxide is a wonderful ingredient. It is trusted, effective, and beautifully aligned with our barrier-first philosophy. But let’s be honest — pure zinc oxide can also make you look like you are auditioning for a zombie on Michael Jackson's "Thriller"
So together, we worked with various forms of non-nano zinc oxide until we found one we were truly happy with — one that minimized the white film often associated with pure zinc oxide while still giving us the mineral SPF protection we wanted.
That mattered to me.
Because skincare cannot just be good in theory. It has to be something you actually want to use. Every day. In real life. In the mirror. Before work. Before tennis. Before lunch. Before someone says, “You look a little pale,” and you have to explain it is your sunscreen.
At Gleem Beauty™, our goal has always been to create skincare products that fit into real life. Products that support time management, hydration, help protect the skin barrier, improve the look and texture of skin and the many microclimates a woman encounters during the day.
We also explored an ingredient new to skincare, one more commonly used in high-level supplements. That kind of discovery is what keeps product development exciting. You are always asking: What belongs in skincare now that we did not fully understand before? What can support healthier-looking skin in a smarter, more modern way? What can make a product not just pleasant, but meaningful?
These three women — Yelena, Gloria, and Kim — helped shape Gleem Beauty™ in ways that go far beyond formulas.
They taught me that skincare is a lifestyle, but it is also curiosity.
They taught me that ingredients have personalities.
They taught me that a beautiful moisturizer, cleanser, toner, or mineral SPF is not born from one idea, one meeting, or one perfect batch. It comes from questions, testing, corrections, conversations, and a few moments of “well, that certainly did not work.”
Most importantly, they helped me build Gleem Beauty™ around a principle that still guides us today: skincare should support the skin
Yelena, Gloria, and Kim; together, these “3 Girls & Chemistry” helped give Gleem its backbone.
And the part that reminds me, every time I look at one of our products, that behind every good formula there are people — brilliant, patient, persistent people — who care enough to get it right. That is the chemistry I love most.
With love,
Xo Marlene