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Chief Pretty Officer | (CPO) Record | ​ Collagen & The Skin You Show the World. ​ The TL;DR: Collagen isn’t just about what happens deep inside the skin. It starts at the surface of the epidermis, your first line of defense. In this issue, we’re talking about identity, the power of presence, and the ingredients that protect and strengthen your outer layer. ​

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Chief Pretty Officer Note | The Woman in Red.

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The Summer is officially over. We have just come from a long holiday weekend. Back to grind, another day, another month and yes.. another year.
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During my college years, I worked in luxurious Tribeca spas and high-end boutiques in lower east side, selling prestige skincare products. I cherished the experience of being in a store that felt like a stylish apartment, surrounded by exquisite products and pleasant aromas. With chill lounge music playing, I watched as clients came and went, a truly eye-opening experience seeing recognizable faces and celebrities.

I’ll never forget one particular woman. Barely five feet tall, thick espresso-colored hair down her back, fire engine red manicure every Friday at 10 a.m. Always paid with an Amex Black Card. She never said hello or goodbye until one day, she did.

She removed her sunglasses, looked me directly in the eye, and said:

“As long as your hair and skin look good,
everything you wear will look expensive.”

Then she walked out.

That moment stuck. It wasn’t about money. It was about identity.

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Skin as Identity, Collagen as Foundation

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Working in spas, I saw women of every age: models, mothers, executives, actresses. They didn’t fear maturity. They weren’t desperate to look 12 again. They were invested in self-image, self-assurance, and maintaining their identity.

That lesson imprinted on me early: how you care for your skin is an investment in how you feel about yourself.

And collagen? It’s at the core. Last Record, I compared collagen to the scaffolding that holds up a house. If collagen is the beams, then the epidermis is the outer wall the brick, wood, or siding that shields it all.

The epidermis is your fortress. It faces the sun, pollution, late nights, and stress. It’s the layer the world sees first. Protect it well, and everything beneath it has a better chance to thrive.

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Chief Pretty Officer Counter | The First Line of Defense.

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Protecting your epidermis isn’t about chasing every trend, it's about smart, steady support. At this layer, think of shielding and strengthening the armor inside your fortress.

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Serums.
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​Your epidermis drinks these in like water. Vitamin C and peptides aren’t just brighteners, they're collagen cheerleaders, nudging your skin to protect what it has and build more.

Like pom-poms for your face, they keep the energy high. And remember: if your skin looks dry, dull, or stressed, it’s your cue to swap or adjust your serum.

Instead of a crowded shelf, here’s some hero serum per lane the kind
I’d hand-pick for my own Counter.

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​CHIEF PRETTY OFFICER - COUNTER.

SERUMS + PEPTIDES ​ Looking For Luxe Level? ​Medik8 Liquid Peptides (Peptide) ​ Advanced complex that firms while hydrating. ​ Here Is The Smart Standard ​Medicube Deep Vita C Capsules - The Vitamin Capsule contains Sea Buckthorn Extract at an impressive 50% concentration, along with 5% Niacinamide and Pure Vitamin C, encapsulated to maintain freshness and potency with each use. ​ The Pretty Basics ​Hands down if you are looking to be cost efficient K Beauty is on the rise with brands that meet wallets and have science behind their products. ​COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum (Peptide) Affordable multitasker that signals skin to restore and strengthen. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

COLLAGEN MUCIN + PDRN ​ ​Viral Hero- Collagen Mucin A rising star in K-beauty. It hydrates deeply and helps maintain elasticity right at the surface. Highly recommend the use of this at night not before you put on make up. You want to see how our skin responds to mucin the texture and let the skin rest. Clear Dea - A collagen-rich cream that hydrates, firms, and restores your skin’s bounce spa results in a jar. If you need viral content to watch, check out Tik Tok. ​ ​ ​Trending - PDRN (aka the “salmon sperm”)​ Behind the buzz, PDRN is a DNA-based ingredient extracted from salmon cells. In skincare, it’s used to support repair, regeneration, and collagen production. Think of it as a high-tech healing signal, whispering to your skin: rebuild. This holy grail you want in your arsenal. This customizable cream features a unique dual-texture formula, combining PDRN Capsule with a transparent gel. Think of these as gentle but powerful whispers to your skin: protect, repair, thrive. ​

Reflection Prompts. What does “skin as identity” mean to me right now? ​ Do I see caring for my skin as vanity, or as self-respect? How am I protecting the surface layer the world sees first?​ ​ ​ Closing Note. | What’s Next. ​ ​Your epidermis is the shield but it’s not where collagen is made. That’s why SPF deserves its own spotlight next: the essential defense against collagen breakdown. From there, we’ll move beneath the surface into the dermis the layer where collagen is actually produced, repaired, and rebuilt. ​ In our next Record, we’ll uncover how protection and production work together: guarding collagen from damage while sparking new growth where it matters most.