Ashley Brissette, MD, on revolutionizing eye care: The launch of Daily Practice skincare

Transcript edited for clarity

David Hutton: I’m David Hutton of Ophthalmology Times. Joining me today is Dr. Ashley Brissette, an ophthalmologist based in New York City. She will discuss the rebirth of her skincare brand, Daily Practice. Thank you for joining me today. First, what inspired you, as an ophthalmologist, to develop and create Daily Practice and venture into the development of a skincare brand?

Ashley Brissette, MD: Yeah, you know, it all kind of started because patients were asking for it. So, I was kind of just like listening to my patients' desires. I think, especially as a young female ophthalmologist myself, patients felt really comfortable asking for recommendations. And they would say things like, "Well, what cosmetics are safe to use around my eyes? What about skincare? You know, I don't really know who to ask about this. Is it dermatology? Is it you? Because you're my eye doctor, and this is around the eyes." And it's nothing that we technically learn about when we're in training. I mean, we're so focused on medicine and surgery for the eyes that I think cosmetics get a little bit left behind. But we know that ocular surface disease is growing, and we also know that the impact of our cosmetics, and, you know, other skincare makeup products that we use in and around the eye area can affect the health of our eyes. So, I kind of had this idea, you know, so many dermatologists have skincare lines and makeup lines, it would be really great if ophthalmologists started to embrace this, especially when it comes to the eye area, which we are experts in. And so, I really had the concept to start this line of skincare products, all focused for in and around the eye area, that you know would be ophthalmologist-created and safe for use and for recommending to patients.

David Hutton: How does Daily Practice differ from other skincare products on the market in terms of formulation and focus on eye health?

Ashley Brissette, MD: Yeah, so the focus on eye health was what was really a standout part of the company that I wanted to create. So, you know, I think something that is really paramount is making sure that the ingredients that are used are safe and that they're tested in and around the eye area. Not only is this ophthalmologist-created, but products are also ophthalmologist-tested, and that distinction of ophthalmology testing is very important because that's not something that is standard of care in the industry. So, a company could create, say, an eye cream for use close to the eye area, but they have no obligation under any kind of regulations to test it in and around the eye area to make sure that it's safe for the delicate eyelid skin, or make sure that it's not impacting the health of the surface of the eyes. So, having that distinction of this being a doctor-developed and specifically ophthalmologist-created brand, I hope, really allows people to know that they can trust the product.

David Hutton: And, as you alluded to, what role do ophthalmologists play in the development and testing of Daily Practice products?

Ashley Brissette, MD: Yes, so, created by me, hand-selected and everything. The way that this worked is that I kind of knew what ingredients I wanted to include and what ingredients I wanted to avoid. There's a lot of research that's kind of come out recently, I would say, looking at the impact of cosmetics and skincare on eye health. I worked with a skincare chemist, and we worked on the formulations for over two years, back and forth, and not just even, you know, this was a bit of an education for me, not just, not just about the ingredients, it's also about the viscosity of the products, how easily they can apply to the eyelid skin and around the eye area, how to prevent product from migrating into the eyes, keeping it where it needs to be applied on the skin, so you can get that cosmetic effect that you're looking for, limiting side effects through the ocular surface as well. So there's a lot of science and data that goes behind the designing of these products. You know, one thing in the skincare industry that happens a lot is something called private labeling, which is where you just put your name on a product that's already created, and I wanted to be really cautious not to do that. Everything is a specific formula, which was handcrafted by myself in conjunction with the skincare chemist, so that you know that this is a truly, truly unique and a truly innovative product. And that comes down to also the packaging selections. You know, there's specific reasons why certain applicators were chosen. So take, for example, my under-eye cream. It's a firming and hydrating under-eye cream, so for firming and hydration of the skin, but even the application itself was important, so I chose specifically to have a ceramic tip. Ceramic is very cooling, which helps on application for soothing of the skin. And it's also the most delicate and gentle way to apply product, and also keeps it clean, because you're not putting fingers in and out of a pot to then apply, which could possibly lead to some contamination. And then also, even the thickness of the tube of the under-eye cream we worked on for a period of time. You want it to be thick enough that when you're squeezing it, you know it's not too thick that you can't get product out, and not too thin that it's going to cause distortion or warpage. So there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes, I think, to create the perfect products in terms of their perfect application and effect around the eyes.

David Hutton: What are some of the common eye health concerns you aim to address with Daily Practice products, and how can they fit into the daily routines of patients?

Ashley Brissette, MD: Yeah, so. You know, my first product that I created was a foaming lid cleanser, and I wanted to create something that was really for everyone. You know, I think what ends up happening in our industry is we see patients when they get to the point that they've developed, say, blepharitis or an eye infection or something medical that has, like, urged them to come in to see their ophthalmologist. But what I really want to do is help everybody make taking care of their eyes a part of their daily practice, which is why I called it that. So I really do feel that everybody should have an eye care routine. So just like we have a skincare routine, an exercise routine, maybe even a hair care routine that we do every day, your eye care routine is essential to maintaining eye health and for taking care of them as we're growing up and getting older. So the first product was that foaming lid cleanser. It was a gentle lid cleanser that was safe for use every single day, for every single person. And then we expanded the product line, so now I talk about having an eye care routine. So for Women's Day, if you're wearing makeup, we have an eye makeup remover. Your second step would be your foaming lid cleanser, or that would be step one, if someone wasn't wearing makeup. And then we have the under-eye cream, which is kind of restore and to hydrate the skin in around the eyes. We also have some other ancillary products, like eye-safe lash serum that is prostaglandin-free. It has biomimetic peptides to help promote natural lash enhancement while avoiding any of the negatives that come with some of the cosmetic lash enhancers that are on the market, and then some brightening under-eye patches, which can be used, you know, for any kind of like brightening and hydration in and around the eye area. So these are truly cosmetic products giving people that cosmetic look that they want and that they're seeking out, while also keeping your eyes safe. So you don't have to sacrifice safety and taking care of your eyes if you just want your eyes to naturally look brighter and more hydrated.

David Hutton: Given the growing interest in clean beauty and wellness, how does Daily Practice align with these trends while maintaining scientific rigor?

Ashley Brissette, MD: Yeah. So you know, one thing I think people get confused about are those distinctions between clean and eye-safe. And patients will often say to me, "Well, if I choose products that say that they're clean, does that mean it's okay for my eyes?" And those are two truly different claims. So clean refers to a marketing designation. So this is a marketing it's not like an industry or FDA standard to avoid certain ingredients, which we've known can be, say, somewhat more harmful to the skin surface or to the skin barrier. So certain concentrations or types of, say, preservatives or certain ingredients, like, say, formaldehyde, which we know can be irritating so clean refers to leaving some of these ingredients out, but it doesn't actually have any correlation to if a product is well tolerated or not in and around the eye area. Dermatologist- or ophthalmologist-created or tested are true designations, which are industry standards looking at specific testing or specific design and development of products in conjunction with the physician. So for my patients, especially if someone is prone to sensitivities or they're looking for something that is doctor-created or developed or recommended. I generally have them look for those designations, so say for Daily Practice, ophthalmologist-created. You know, it's a product that you can trust, versus something that's clean beauty. It might just be avoiding certain ingredients, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it's been tested.

David Hutton: What diseases may a patient have, who would be a good candidate for using this type of product? Obviously, probably everybody should consider it?

Ashley Brissette, MD: My goal is that it's everybody, you know, I think for the longest time, we would only talk to people about maintaining eye health when they came in with an acute issue. And what I really want to do is start a revolution where people are taking care of their eyes day to day to prevent any issues in the future, so that we can help limit dry eye disease. We can help limit blepharitis, allergy, Demodex. You know, there's so many things that can occur and affect the health of our eyes, and I really think that it's important that if everybody can maintain by doing a daily eye care routine, we can help to prevent some of these negative things that can come up. I also think as well, people are very motivated to have their eyes look brighter and healthier and look better. Whenever we meet someone, the first thing we notice about them is their eyes. And everybody is seeking out that beautiful cosmetic effect. And one thing that scares me as an ophthalmologist is I see all of these trends that go along online, you know, Tiktok or Instagram, of people trying different cosmetic enhancements in and around the eye area. And then we see, as professionals, the negative side effects that can occur from that. So part of this as well, is just education about, you know, how do we take care of our eyes? How can we properly maintain the health of our eyes and the eyelid skin and the eyelashes to give you that cosmetic look that you're looking for, while also not sacrificing safety.

David Hutton: And lastly, what could ophthalmologists who may want to incorporate daily practice products into their practice or recommend them patients say to those patients regarding their ongoing skin care and eye health?

Ashley Brissette, MD: Yeah, so just know that every product from our product line for Daily Practice by Dr B. you can trust. It's all ophthalmologists created, hand created by myself. We have wholesaling opportunities. So if there's any physicians out there that sell out of their practices, or would like to join our affiliate program, we have great pricing on that. My goal really is just to get the word out and to get the products out. So, I'm happy to work with any physician practices as well, if they're interested in selling out of their practice/ We also have our website. It's dailypractice.com. So, you can direct your patients to the website as well, and they can purchase products directly there. We're for sale in Canada and in the US, and internationally as well.

David Hutton: What future innovations or product lines can we expect from daily practice. And how do you envision the brand evolving over the next few years?

Ashley Brissette, MD: Yeah, so I want to continue to build out the product line. You know, we have 5 products currently, and it's interesting. I thought in releasing, I went from 1 to 5. But even now, people are already asking for more. They're asking for more targeted treatments in and around the eye area. And again, I feel like I can really see the vision of eye-safe skin care and skin care that's really focused for in and around the eye area. So, we will have more products ... always thinking about what we can do next, and how we can add to our product lines and franchise. And what I would really love to see is, you know, we walk into, say, a specialty store like a Sephora, now, and there's many dermatologists that have their skincare lines on the shelves. And I would love for eye care to be just as represented in some of these cosmetic stores. So, you know, I always joke that I want to make eye care kind of revolutionary and accessible to everybody, and so I can, I can see that vision of how we'll continue to grow.