Allyse Cirillo: Founder & CEO of Saint Jo Skincare

Episode 710

On this episode of The Kara Goldin Show, we’re joined by Allyse Cirillo, Founder and CEO of Saint Jō Skincare—a brand rewriting the rules of clean beauty. After over a decade in corporate product development, Allyse saw the gaps firsthand: too many brands using questionable ingredients or overpromising with underwhelming formulas. She knew there had to be a better way.
So she built it. 💪
Saint Jō combines non-toxic, science-backed skincare and supplements that actually work—no compromises. Allyse shares her powerful pivot from corporate to clean, the transformation that inspired it all, and how she’s using her product expertise to raise the standard for what clean beauty should really look like.
We talk rituals, formulations, hard-earned lessons, and why Saint Jō is more than just a skincare line—it’s a movement for women who want it all. If you’re into clean beauty, female-led brands, or founder stories packed with grit and intention—this one’s for you. Now live on The Kara Goldin Show.

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Transcript

Kara Goldin 0:00
I am unwilling to give up that I will start over from scratch as many times as it takes to get where I want to be. I want to be you. Just want to make sure you will get knocked down. But just make sure you don’t get knocked out, knocked out. So your only choice should be go focus on what you can control. Control. Control. Hi everyone, and welcome to the Kara Goldin show. Join me each week for inspiring conversations with some of the world’s greatest leaders. We’ll talk with founders, entrepreneurs, CEOs and really, some of the most interesting people of our time. Can’t wait to get started. Let’s go. Let’s go. Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Kara Goldin show. Today’s guest is someone who is redefining what it means to build a beauty brand with values, results and serious momentum. I’m joined by Allyse Cirillo, who is the founder and CEO of Saint Jō Skincare. You need to remember that brand right now. It’s fairly new, but it’s going to really take off. So it’s, it’s very, very good. As I was saying to Allyse, she sent me some products, and they are just so, so scrumptious. I love them. So, really, really amazing. So Allyse decided it was time to stop building for someone else had been inside product development and decided that it’s time to go out on her own and start her own brand, and her mission was to create skin care without compromise. So Saint Jō blends high performance, science backed ingredients with clean, non toxic formulations without sacrificing your health or values. And I cannot wait to hear what it’s been like to not only launch this incredible, beautiful brand with amazing, amazing SKUs, but also to scale it and all the decisions that you have to make that maybe you didn’t know when you were working for that big company before. So Allyse, welcome, welcome to the show. Super excited to meet you and have you here.

Allyse Cirillo 2:17
Thank you, Kara, so much for having me. I’m so excited to be here.

Kara Goldin 2:21
Very excited. So okay, so let’s talk about Saint Jō Skincare, and what makes it different from other clean beauty brands on the market?

Allyse Cirillo 2:30
Yeah. So really, what makes us different is that we really are putting the customer first right. Most clean beauty the industry is confusing, and we’re really trying to break down that barrier and give people the 101, to how to even live a low tox, clean, healthy lifestyle. And really it starts from your skin and within, right? So what we’ve developed is a five step skin system that really gives you everything she needs and nothing she doesn’t, and it’s focusing on how to properly, you know, use your skincare in the right order, and really take away that guessing game and simplify our lives, right? There’s so much going on in our lives that why not your self care routine really be simple, and that’s really where Saint Jō is trying to carve the way so that we can just be in, in the bathroom, in the homes, and traveling with the women who have such a busy life. This is some one less thing that they need to worry about, but they know that they can feel so good about it, because the products are beautiful. They feel great. They smell great. But really, they’re working right

Kara Goldin 3:38
now. They’re absolutely incredible. So how did you come up with the name? How did you decide to name Saint Jō? Saint Jō,

Allyse Cirillo 3:49
so I love that question. Actually, Saint Jō is a little bit of personal name. My middle name is Josephine, and my two grandmothers are Josephine, and when I had lost one of my grandmothers That was so close with me, I just was really when the opportunity for this company to kind of come alive, and I was working with the manufacturers, and the manufacturer had approached me saying that, you know, they really love what I want to do with formulas. They would help help push it through for me. So really, the the Saint Jō just came from knowing that my angels and my supporters are with me, and they’re telling me to get down this path.

Kara Goldin 4:27
So you’ve worked inside of large companies, and you’ve seen that many products be developed. You’ve developed many of these products as well. And obviously naming is such a key thing, when people are maybe they have an idea for a company. But what would you say about naming, like, what are the key things that you think consumers gravitate towards?

Allyse Cirillo 4:51
So I think consumers want to understand who’s behind the brand, right? Is there a reason? Is there a Why is or is it just another. Big company that’s losing sight of those consumers. And I think really, when you’re when you’re approaching a name, it really does need to be a story and inspiration, someone who if, if it can be personal to me, then why can’t someone else create a company or a name that’s personal to them, just like our own names, right? They they tell the story, they tell our personality. So I feel like a name is very significant and kind of helps show its own personality. So I really wanted to create something that could really be a wellness brand and not truly just focus on topic goals or supplements, and really just kind of round it out and and at that time and that moment, that name comes to you and it starts to build its own personality, and that’s what I

Kara Goldin 5:44
love. No, I love it. So how did you think about packaging? It’s such a key component, especially for beauty, and how did you think about it when you were developing Saint Jō?

Allyse Cirillo 5:58
So it’s funny, I could show you all of the bad packaging we went through, right, and all of the many samples that we had in sourcing. And really, when you think of packaging, you need to think of the consumer behind it, right? What is the experience you want your consumer to feel and to go through? And really, when you think of what’s the beauty industry right now, you almost have to choose. You have to choose between your luxury products that look really nice but might be filled with chemicals or toxins, or you can find your cleaner beauty that might be, you know, not focused on luxury products that look really great in your bathroom or in your travel bag, right? So for me, it was really to make sure that we were bridging that gap and finding materials that were once, you know, sustainable, but two healthy for the product. So our bottles are actually made from glass. So it’s really important, because it also helps the formulas just perform better in glass versus plastic. And the tops of our products are actually from bamboo, so really kind of giving that wellness, wholesome life to the products as well.

Kara Goldin 7:09
So I read that you had a personal transformation and ended up losing a significant amount of weight and rethinking your own wellness journey. How did that experience influence st, Joe and your mission?

Allyse Cirillo 7:24
Yeah, so going through such a change, right? I think prior to that, right, is like, you kind of fall into this, oh my gosh, I don’t even recognize the person that’s looking back at me. And it was in all areas of my life. It was my job. It was my health. It was, you know, just the person staring back. And I was actually doing really well in my career, but wasn’t filling my cup, and it was showing right? It was showing on my skin, it was showing in my body that I just wasn’t feeling like I was supposed to be doing what I’m doing, or where I was supposed to be. I was making great money. I was at the top, you know, sitting with all these men and in a room, and it was really great, but something truly wasn’t missing and and I started chipping away at health, and I started realizing it’s overwhelming. Where do I start? What diet do I do? What do I write? What are all these things? So really, just understanding that other women or other people must be feeling overwhelmed of how to even start a journey that was really the aha moment for me. Is that taking that first step into how well into my health journey, right? And making changes, reading the ingredient lists, the labels, just making those changes, is really then at that same time, I was learning about the beauty industry, and I was seeing that those two are very deeply connected, right? Your your skin health and your inside your body health. And that was really where I knew that Saint Jō had to exist for the girls or for anyone who felt overwhelmed and didn’t know how to live a low tox lifestyle and didn’t know what products they really were going to be good and healthy for them. That is definitely the, you know, the why behind Saint Jō,

Kara Goldin 9:09
I love it. And with that, you ended up you’re not just about skincare, you’re also about supplements. And can you talk a little bit about, maybe your skew mix that you launched with, but what was kind of the reason behind each of these different products that you launched? Yeah,

Allyse Cirillo 9:25
I love that. So the reason why we call ourselves skin and within right, is really because you cannot separate the two. You have to, you have to what shows up on your skin is a direct reflection of what’s happening inside your body, right? So really, I had learned that firsthand, and when I started my wellness journey, I wasn’t just, you know, looking to change how I looked, but how about I felt what I was putting into my body. So really, I was paying attention to, you know, what supplements, what vitamins? What are all these things that I need to fuel myself? But also to make sure that my skin was getting the nutrients that it needed. So really, that is where Saint Jō is really not just a skincare brand, and it’s really because we wanted to create more simplified wellness products. So we created five topical five skincare products, and then two supplements. So the supplements are your am and your PM. So of course, am to give you all of your nutrients to glow throughout the day, but then your Pm supplement that really helps promote restful sleep, collagen rebuilding, right hydration. So it’s really giving you everything that your skin health needs from the inside out, and that’s really that balancing of your skin care and you, the synergy between what you’re taking, right, is like your your full your full food for what you need, and it’s going to support your hormone balance, your collagen production, your stress response, right? All of those things that really do show up on our skin. So it’s important that we tackle this from skin and within

Kara Goldin 11:03
you talked about the five skews. And what is the order? Can you talk a little bit about each of those? Since you don’t have 100 SKUs yet, I’d love to hear about the five SKUs. Like, how would you use the five SKUs?

Allyse Cirillo 11:16
Yep. So, um, I love to take that guessing game out, right? That’s one of the most, the most feedback that I’ve gotten is that everyone is really happy and excited that I’ve actually numbered the SKUs for the consumer. So first we’ll start with our number one, which will be our cleanser. And our cleanser is really that non stripping, PH balancing cleanser that’s really going to take you day and night. Then you have our step two, which is our defend and really what’s that going to do is support your skin barrier. It’s going to help repair your skin barrier. And it’s really going to be that first layer of serum that’s super important for the longevity of your skin health, but also preventing your aging, right? So it’s going to help with fine lines and wrinkles, and really give your skin that first layer of nutrients that you need. Then we have our third step, which is our brighten, and that’s really going to be your next layer of combating hyperpigmentation, sunspots, and really acting as that glow for your skin. Our fourth step is our nourish. So that’s our moisturizer. And really, for that product is really focusing on hydration, and you start to actually see your skin start glowing by that fourth step. And then our fifth step is our illuminating, which is our glow oil, and that is a plant based oil that is one of the most stable forms of vitamin C that’s out in the market right now. And vitamin C, being an oil and being your last step actually helps penetrate all of the actives before it. So it’s really thought out carefully. The steps that you’re, you know, we’re, we’re promoting, and the the SKUs that we’re promoting is really curated. Now, of course, you can use these products as one offs and in your routine that you you know you love and trust. But really, we’ve tried to build products that work together, work with your skin, and really give your skin the chance to work and heal itself, instead of all of these harsh products that are doing the work for us and ultimately aging us faster.

Kara Goldin 13:20
Yeah, yeah, definitely. You’ve been in the apparel industry, in the shapewear industry, and but then you had acquired or the company you worked with had acquired clean beauty. So you’ve paid attention to a lot of what’s going on in the industry. What do you think is kind of like the dirty little secret about about so many products that maybe you know your friend who is not in in the industry, you would tell them to watch out for

Allyse Cirillo 13:50
Yeah. So of course, I am a little bit of a newbie to the beauty industry. I’ve been in the industry for three years now, and really the first thing was the clean name, right? Clean beauty almost lost its meaning because companies are really using this as a marketing buzzword. They’re stripping the ingredients, but they’re not focusing on the ingredients that they’re actually putting into it. So some of them are still, you know, still putting in or they’re removing some harsh fragrances, right? But there still might be some unnecessary ingredients that are in there, like fillers or synthetics. So really, the you know, the dirty secret is, clean is not consistent, and it’s not consistent across multiple brands or even multiple retailers. Some retailers have a different meaning of what their clean standard is. So really, for Saint Jō, it was about not just removing all of the toxic ingredients, but really hand picking what are the ingredients that we are going to put in? And we’re not going to go after synthetics, and we’re not going to go after these harsh fillers that your skin really doesn’t recognize. So it’s. More about you know that dirty secret of you have to be careful with. You know, truly, what is clean beauty? What does it mean to you? How is it important to you, and what brands follow that for you?

Kara Goldin 15:12
So what is the most important way today that you’re getting word out about Saint Jō’s skincare?

Allyse Cirillo 15:20
So I think for us, it’s important that we give the education too. So not only are you can find us direct to consumer, but really we are on Instagram. We’re doing our due diligence on Tiktok to really to go behind the the education of the products, the education of the ingredients, to really start changing the conversation around clean beauty. And then, of course, you know, partnering with, you know, with other brands or influencers that can really help use the products, feel good in the products, and then help, you know, spread the word.

Kara Goldin 15:57
When do you know that it’s time to create a new product and in your line a new skew.

Allyse Cirillo 16:04
I love that. So for product development, right? You know, we’re almost like always a year out, so we always need to be thinking, well, what is next, right? Once you get a consumer, how do you make sure you’re filling all aspects of her life, right? The point of Saint Jō is to help simplify and help give her products that she needs on the daily. So really, what’s next after that is, is really finding Okay? What else is missing? If or me as a consumer, what else do I feel that I’m using other other brands, products that Saint Jō doesn’t have yet? So I really always look at, what are the consumers telling me? But what am I feeling to what am I missing in that routine? Is an exfoliator? Is it body care, hair care, right? Where are we still failing in clean beauty? And where can Saint Jō help simplify and bring better products to the market?

Kara Goldin 16:53
So you had worked, worked for other people. Now you started your own company. How different is it than what you expected?

Allyse Cirillo 17:03
Yeah, so it’s a huge transfer of of skills, right? I think with other people, I was always behind the scenes. I was always so focused on the product, so focused on the consumer, and of course, that’s my expertise and that’s my skill, but I think now being as a founder, I have to think about almost everything, right? We have to think about being the marketer, being the, you know, being the web developer, being all of these other things that really I wasn’t trained for, and now I’m really leaning on the people that I know are experts in this, and then I’m diversing myself and jumping into each category, but I think being always so safe behind the product, and now I’m part of the product and I’m part of the brand, is that’s really what’s breaking down my barrier and pushing me into these new challenges. Right? I i feel so confident in building products and really understanding women and people and pain points, but putting myself out there is probably been the biggest challenge and the biggest switch from, you know, from leader versus founder and CEO?

Kara Goldin 18:14
Yeah, no, definitely, and you decided to launch online initially, and you’re not in retail stores quite yet. So how important do you think that is for brands? I mean, you gain so much information about your brand once you actually allow the consumer to purchase the product, and you get to see the lighting behind the product. I guess if you’re if you decided to go retail first versus direct to consumer, there’s all different lessons at every step. What’s one of the more important lessons that you’ve learned as as you’ve launched?

Allyse Cirillo 18:55
So I think it’s really important that we listen to the customer. So for me, going direct to customer. Direct to consumer is important, because I really wanted to hear, are these the products that people love, right? Are people having transformation, skin transformations that I’ve been having about the, you know, my team’s been having with the product. So for me, the consumer first, that approach is always my, you know, my go to approach. Then once I know, okay, these products are validated, they’re ready for for bigger scale, that’s then when we’ll go to retail. But for me, customer feedback, clinical trials, all of the important steps. First, right? It’s, it’s a it’s a walk, it’s a fast jog before a run. And I really wanted to do it smart and do it with the consumer in mind. First, sometimes, when you get into retailers, things can change. You know, a certain way can change. And really making sure that Saint Jō’s backbone was strong before we went ahead with all of that. Yet, is

Kara Goldin 19:55
there a product that you developed along the way, while you were trying. Figure out those five, and I guess it’s really seven with the supplements, but that just didn’t work. Maybe you were trying to create something, maybe you had some ideas that it just wasn’t going to happen, or maybe the reverse that, that maybe you discovered something by accident,

Allyse Cirillo 20:20
definitely. So I think both right? I’ve definitely discovered things that I can’t wait to launch that just happened to work out perfectly. But really, where we’re stuck right now is SPF, right? So SPF is the next step in your routine that you really do need. But of course, you know the right SPF, the right formula that’s non toxic, but also smells good and feels good and and goes good under your makeup, right? That’s so important. So for me, building an SPF will take more time, because I just don’t want to compromise on anything. I don’t I want the SPF that I, you know, sell to you or give to you. I want it to be the right one. So that has been the trickiest thing. And of course, there’s so many regulations and certificates, so I really wanted to make sure I understood the SPF world. So that’s probably our, our biggest challenge, but we will, we will crack it, and we will have a great

Kara Goldin 21:14
one. Yeah, definitely. It’s building a I created a sunscreen with hint a few years ago, and you know it’s, it’s extremely regulated. It’s really hard to do the right thing. So it’s, it’s good that you’re taking your time, but when you look at building your company, so you’re interviewing people, you probably were interviewing people at your former company, but it’s, I don’t know, it takes on a different meaning, because you’re sort of creating the culture that you want to go alongside this incredible brand that you’re building, too. And so what do you look for in people when you’re looking at not just hiring people to work at Saint Jō, but also partnerships, right? Like, who you’re working with. And, I mean, I used to say, like, I won’t deal with assholes, like it’s just, and, you know, even if it’s the best thing in town, I just like it at the end of the day, it only gets worse. It doesn’t get better. So I Yeah, and so I had, definitely have had moments where I’ve had to say that, but I’m so curious what you have looked for in in people that you’re interviewing.

Allyse Cirillo 22:30
So in my, you know, in my career, I’ve hired and fired many people, and really that term is so important, because finding the right candidate is so important for your business, for your team, right, for for the name behind your brand. And so I think for me, the most important thing is sometimes I don’t even look at the resume. Sometimes I just want to feel the energy. I want to see the excitement, the passion, right? I don’t need you to have the perfect experience. I just need you to have the drive, the want, you know, Can you can you live the brand, right? And how can I make sure that I can mentor you and train you and do all of those things? Because I really do feel some of my greatest team members and coworkers were probably people who didn’t have experience in that exact field, but they came with so much open, open heart, to learn about it, to grow, to be part of the brand, and truly not just think of it as a job, but really think of it as a place that they can grow. So for me, I love leading. I love mentoring. I really do put a lot of energy. Most of my days are spent in team meetings, because I put a lot of energy behind my girls or my team. So for me, that is probably the most important. You know, is your vibe there? Do you love the products? Do you love the mission? Do you even love the customer that we’re trying to reach? That’s the most important for

Kara Goldin 24:00
me. Yeah, definitely, what was your first hire that you made? Yeah.

Allyse Cirillo 24:05
So my first hire was probably like marketing, all the things that I knew I was always a part of, but I never led. So for me, it was, you know, who can help me with web development and, you know, and help make my logo and bring my vision to life. So that was definitely my first hire.

Kara Goldin 24:25
How have you funded the company to date?

Allyse Cirillo 24:29
So I love to say that my corporate life and all of my relationships that I’ve built along the way with manufacturers, formulators, developers, I’ve been able to team up with a lot of these people, because I have had such strong relationships and helped build really big businesses. They have, all you know, taken a chance on me. So I am self funded, but, you know, I get to lean on them a little bit financially, where. Where I, you know, our payment terms are a little bit more unique, where they are trusting that vision. So I have been, you know, very fortunate enough to be able to build these types of relationships, and now, you know, they’ve seen what I can do for other brands, and now they’re behind me to do this for this brand.

Kara Goldin 25:16
That’s, that’s incredible. So what’s the one thing you want people to remember about Saint Jō, after listening to this conversation, so excited that you came on today to talk to us. I mean, you’re you’re just completely inspiring that you went and started a skincare company and just decided it’s time. But what would you like people to really remember about the brand?

Allyse Cirillo 25:40
Yeah. So I think the brand itself is really rooted in the belief that true beauty starts, you know, within and it it’s about creating, you know, high performance plant based skin care and supplements that really helps simplify the rituals and simplify this whole body wellness that, you know, everyone is trying to figure out how, how wellness works in their life. So really, our mission is to help women glow naturally. I keep saying women, but of course, you know our products are healthy for women and men, but really making sure that people understand where we’re not going to put toxins in. We’re not going to overwhelm you with a bunch of products and a bunch of skews, and we’re really not going to make you compromise between all the things that are going to make you feel good. So luxury, you know, performance and you know, effectiveness. So that’s the most important part of Saint Jō, and keeping that personality and keeping that mission is is super important.

Kara Goldin 26:35
I love it. So Elise, thanks so much for joining us on The Kara Goldin show. I loved hearing all about not only the brand, but also your personal transformation, and how that was really a trigger for you to go off and and start Saint Jō. And the products are are truly clean and effective and easy to use. And there it’s really a story of, of just creating amazing products out of, out of all of your learnings over the years too. So, really, really cool. So, so to everyone listening, check out Saint Jō at shop. Saint Jōe.com and as always, if you love this episode, definitely share it with a friend, drop a review and hit subscribe, so you never miss an episode of the Kara Goldin show. See you next time, and thank you again. Elise really loved having you

Allyse Cirillo 27:32
on. Thank you, Kara. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

Kara Goldin 27:35
Thanks again for listening to the Kara Goldin show. If you would please give us a review and feel free to share this podcast with others who would benefit. And of course, feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode of our podcast. Just a reminder that I can be found on all platforms. At Kara Goldin, I would love to hear from you too. So feel free to DM me, and if you want to hear more about my journey. I hope you will have a listen or pick up a copy of my Wall Street Journal, best selling book, undaunted, where I share more about my journey, including founding and building. Hint, we are here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Thanks for listening and goodbye for now. You.

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