Dr. Barbara Paldus's Journey in Skincare

A Lifetime Love of Science

Growing up in Europe and Canada, Dr. Paldus had a unique upbringing enhanced by her professor father and school experiences that brought her to France, Holland, and Berlin. This worldly foundation led her to have a number of aspirations when she was younger.

“When I was really young, I wanted to be a revolutionary like Eva Peron,” Dr. Paldus says. She also considered archeology and brain surgery, but falling in love with math, chemistry, and physics in high school brought her passion to the surface.

At the age of 17, Dr. Paldus was offered the opportunity to study electrical engineering at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. “I never looked back,” she explains. “Nothing is more rewarding than innovation and seeing it work, especially when it can improve the human condition.”

Better Skincare Through Science

Dr. Paldus’ drive to improve the human condition eventually led her to create Codex Labs, and it all started with her now 16-year-old son. “He has been allergic to nearly all mainstream skincare since he was a baby,” she explains.

Constantly searching for workable solutions to her son’s eczema, Dr. Paldus decided to do what she had always done and follow the science. “I understood that the skincare industry needed more transparency and quantitative benchmarks for product performance,” Dr. Paldus told Billion Success.

Research led Dr. Paldus to obtain information about the skin-gut-brain-biome as well as the development of products that support the microbiome and can significantly impact skin health. By addressing the connection between gut health and skin conditions, the team at Codex Labs helps people address inflammation, redness, dry skin, scaling, skin barrier damage, and itching with plant-biotech, science-backed products.

The products offered through Codex Labs have proven exceptionally effective in soothing the symptoms of various skin conditions and addressing the connection between the gut microbiome and symptoms of skin diseases. Indeed, Codex Labs has set itself apart in the Over-The-Counter (OTC) skincare industry by combining biotechnology, ethnobotany, genetics, and plant biology into a collection of supplements and OTC topical products that address a wide range of skin concerns, from acne to eczema, by working from the “inside out.”

As the company’s founder, Dr. Paldus remains dedicated to a data-driven approach to efficacy testing and quantifying product performance relative to traditional pharmaceutical approaches — factors she felt were lacking in the products she had tried for her son over the years. Dr. Paldus was adamant that all of Codex Labs’ products should undergo rigorous testing, like that found in pharma, and adhere to strict cGMP manufacturing standards.

Dr. Paldus and her team are driven to succeed by their Codex Code, a set of core principles and guidelines that have directed the innovative company since its inception. In addition to the high quality that has become a hallmark of Codex Labs products, it was also important to her that the products remain reasonably priced, effective for all skin types, and widely accessible.

A Journey Toward Excellence

Dr. Paldus has an impressive resume. Not only is she fluent in five languages, but she also holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and over 50 US patents. However, her work with Codex Labs has been the most personally rewarding. By leading with a science-based approach, she and her team have built a genuinely unique brand in a crowded and highly competitive industry.

“In the beginning, we felt we needed to ‘dumb down’ our brand in an attempt to conform with the industry,” Dr. Paldus says, “but we lost our voice in all of the noise.” The team realized their quality, their Codex Code, and their scientific backing was their “special sauce,” and they have led with expertise and data-driven exceptionalism ever since.

Going forward, Dr. Paldus and her team at Codex Labs have set their sights on making a significant and sustainable impact in the next few years through carbon-negative packaging and a robust recycling program. They are also focusing on the future, with plans for products that address the specific needs of those with rosacea, psoriasis, seborrhea, skin burns, or wounds.

Dr. Barbara Paldus has remained driven to make a difference in science throughout her career. With Codex Labs, she helps people heal skin conditions from the inside out, addressing the gut microbiome link and leading with scientific fact, transparency, and an authentic approach.