Daisy Jing Of Banish Acne
How did Banish get started, and what does it look like now?
I developed my first pimple in the 3rd grade and I tried product after product after product. Salicylic Acid. Benzoyl Peroxide. Sulfur. Tea Tree Oil. Differin. A bunch of oral antibiotics that ended with ‘-myacin.” Anything that had to do with acne, I tried it. Dermatologists became my best friends. Despite numerous appointments, my acne was stubborn and persistent. My confidence plummeted. I had little social life, so I immersed myself in school. My dream career was to be a dermatologist; so I could help others find a solution for something I had longed to find myself. In college I took all the premed requirements and even learned how to read lengthy medical publications in order to achieve this dream. During this time, I also developed cystic-like acne, which created very deep pustules that were very painful to touch. During one of my ‘hiding days,’ I found a YouTube video by a girl who also shared her similar experience with acne. I was amazed that someone thought of sharing their acne struggle and story! This inspired me; one day, I turned on my webcam and decided to start fulfilling my dream of helping others deal with the aftermath of acne. From my experience in my premed courses, I quickly realized that many ingredients found in skincare products were not conducive to the skin; they were only there for the look/feel of the skincare product, not to help my skin. I began concocting my own skincare products and my viewers on my YouTube channel took notice. I shipped a few of these products out, and that's how Banish started!
Currently, we have a full product line a from cleansers to masks - and we ship internationally. We just celebrated our 8th birthday and launched a “National Acne Scar Awareness Day!”
How is Banish different from other skincare brands?
Our products are fresh and made to order, meaning that we use fewer preservatives. If you order products today, our team would go, make them the next day, and ship your order out! We are also very ingredient-focused, meaning that we scrutinize every single ingredient to ensure that it is absolutely needed for the skin. Less is more!
What are your favorite Banish products that you use regularly?
That is like asking me which child I like the most! I love all of our products, but since we are currently in the midst of the pandemic and wearing masks, I love the All Clear Mint Cleanser. I love how refreshing it feels to use after wearing a mask all day! It gently cleanses the skin without making the skin feel dry or like plastic.
What do you hope to see in the future of the skincare industry?
I am so excited to see textured skin in our industry; to showcase all different skin tones and textures. When I was a teenager, I only saw 'one type' of beauty and 'one type' of skin represented in the media. Now, I love how beauty is so much more inclusive.
What moment in your career are you most proud of thus far and why?
My Tedx Talk, ‘A Tragedy Called Perfection!’ It was always a dream of mine to be a Tedx speaker; in the process of creating the speech, I was able to figure out what my true purpose was and portray my most authentic self. Memorizing every word of a 20-minute speech wasn't easy, either! I practiced my talk over 200x; I have so much respect for actors. □