Easy Does It: Facile is the Derm-Backed Brand Taking Skincare Back to Basics
May 13 | 5 minute read
Words by Ellie Laffner
It's a thought Facile co-founder and US board-certified dermatologist Dr Nancy Samolitis (aka, Dr Sam) has heard consistently in her more than 20 years of medical practice. Including, once upon a time, Danielle Nadick Levy, Facile CEO and co-founder, who was a long-time patient in Dr Sam's clinic.
A lifelong beauty enthusiast with sensitive skin, Levy had spent her twenties wrestling with persistent acne, followed by a melasma flare that arrived with impeccable timing: right before her wedding.
Somewhere between treatments, she put a proposition to Dr Sam: what if she could access the medical expertise of a dermatology practice in a more relaxing, comfortable environment? At the time, Dr Sam recalls, that combination was rare.
So, the two women built it themselves: a beloved LA dermatology boutique they named Facile. And from there? Their very own skincare brand, which is now available at MECCA.
The Beauty of Keeping It Simple
Adds Levy, "I want Facile to be one less thing you have to worry about in your day."
When initially formulating, Dr Sam focused on a few key principles: “I wanted to make sure we didn’t include any sensitising ingredients like fragrances, minimised preservatives and kept ingredient lists simple but effective.”
Beneath that simplicity sits a serious scientific backbone; every formula is dermatologist-developed, and every claim is supported by their own clinical testing.
The Truth About Sensitive Skin
For anyone who's ever stared at their own inflamed, blotchy, won't-calm-down face and wondered what is happening under there, Dr Sam can explain.
"There can be a lot of variation depending on the person, their genetics and any underlying skin conditions like eczema, acne and rosacea," she says. "But in a nutshell, immune cells are being overactive in the dermis and secreting chemical messengers that can cause dilated inflammatory reactions."
In plainer terms? Your skin is having a tantrum in response to something it doesn't like. Sometimes that something is a known irritant, sometimes it's stress or hormones.
Which brings us to one of the most common misconceptions about reactive skin: that it can't handle actives. Dr Sam takes a more measured view: "People with sensitive skin can definitely adjust to using actives as long as they are introduced slowly and carefully. Most active ingredients like retinol and glycolic [acid] actually make the skin stronger and less sensitive over time."
It's the thinking behind Destress, the brand's calming serum, where niacinamide meets barrier-boosters like ceramides and ashwagandha to soothe and strengthen.
As for the mistake she sees most often? Doing too much, too fast. "Most people start with too many ingredients with the hope of seeing results sooner,” says Dr Sam. “It is better to add products slowly and build tolerance over time."
Dr Nancy Samolitis, Facile Co-Founder
Inside the Founders’ Routines
Call us nosy, but there's nothing we crave more than knowing a beauty expert’s regimen, down to the last detail. Lucky for us, Levy is happy to share.
"In the morning, I'll cleanse with Bare Necessity (not always; it depends on the day and what I did the night before), follow with Dew You, our hyaluronic acid serum, then layer on Beyond There, our ultra-hydrating cream – in my late thirties, my skin needs a lot of hydration. Then, I finish with sunscreen," she tells The MECCA Memo.
At night, it’s the same routine – minus the SPF, plus a treatment. She rotates between Destress for when her skin is feeling reactive or dull, and Reverse, Facile’s gentle retinol serum: "Honestly, it's one of the only retinols I've ever been able to use without my skin freaking out," she says.
It's a simple routine that’s minimal effort, maximum benefits: "As a founder and a mum, my days are jam-packed with a million different things and having a skincare routine that's easy to follow, morning and night, makes the start and end of my day more enjoyable – not more complicated," says Levy.
Danielle Nadick Levy, Facile CEO and Co-Founder
From LA to MECCA
Asked what landing at MECCA means to her, Levy doesn't hesitate: "If you'd told me five years ago that Facile would be landing at MECCA, I actually would have believed you – because we built this brand from the beginning to reach as many people as possible." For Dr Sam, it’s "truly a dream come true".
What both have built, in the end, is something those with sensitive skin and skincare-lovers alike have been waiting for: a considered range of well-formulated products that do what they say they'll do, without needing to think twice.
Like we said, easy.
