Facile’s co-founders believe achieving a flawless complexion doesn’t have to be complicated.
By: Amber Kallor
The Skin Savers: Dr. Nancy Samolitis & Danielle Nadick-Levy
Dr. Nancy Samolitis and Danielle Nadick-Levy both hail from Illinois, but the co-founders of Facile—a Los Angeles mecca for anyone seeking a gorgeous, glowing complexion—couldn’t be more different.
Growing up in a rural town 100 miles outside of Chicago, Dr. Samolitis, a board-certified dermatologist who refers to herself as a “skin perfectionist” on social media, didn’t necessarily prioritize beauty. “My family never saw a dermatologist, my cousins did our hair, and we never got our nails done,” she says. In medical school, Dr. Samolitis found herself drawn to dermatology, a field that in its essence is not exactly beautiful. “Fungus, skin infections, rashes—nobody goes into dermatology for the glamour,” she laughs.
Nadick-Levy, on the other hand, was a beauty girl at birth. “In middle school, I would do all of my friends’ hair and makeup before bar and bat mitzvahs,” she says of her youth in Highland Park, a suburb of Chicago. “I was always very conscientious of [beauty]. My mom, who always looks so well put together, was also very into skincare and makeup.”
Their worlds collided when Nadick-Levy scheduled an appointment with Dr. Samolitis to get wedding-ready. After six months of being a patient, Nadick-Levy, a serial entrepreneur, proposed a business plan. “The idea for Facile came from what I selfishly wanted as a consumer and it was something that didn’t exist,” she says. “At the time, there were med spas and doctor’s offices, but nothing in-between, so that’s what we created. We figured if I wanted to go to a place like that other people might too. Turns out we were right.” The duo now have two Facile locations—one in Pasadena and a new flagship on Melrose Place in the heart of West Hollywood—where clients can stock up on the brand’s skincare line and sample an array of aesthetic treatments ranging from fillers to Fraxel.
“Sometimes, I have to inflict pain and patients still say, ‘I love being here!’” says Dr. Samolitis. And for good reason. Facile, a French word that translates to “easy” in English, is more than a sophisticated and stylish space that practically begs to be Instagrammed. It’s a total experience that helps clients cut through the ever-increasing influx of clutter surrounding skincare and cosmetic dermatology. “There is so much information out there,” says Dr. Samolitis, referring to TikTok trends and the millions of self-proclaimed experts on social media. “It’s my job to educate people on what the best thing is for them—and that’s not always the thing that their friend or Bella Hadid had done.”
Here, Dr. Samolitis and Nadick-Levy reveal their tried-and-true routines, their favorite Facile treatments, and the secret skincare ingredient you should steal from your pet.
Their best business advice: “This too shall pass. For every high there’s a low, especially when you own a business that is scaling,” says Nadick-Levy. “Shit would go wrong in the beginning and it would really affect me. Now, I know that I’ve gotten through things in the past and I’ll get through them again. It’s important to forge ahead.” For Dr. Samolitis, taking care of your employees is also key. “Make sure everyone in your company is being treated like you would want to be treated,” she says. “Some businesses get a little too big for their britches and stop caring about the little guy.”
Their proudest product moments: “Our Brighten Serum with tranexamic acid was my special project. I had a pharmacy make me different topical combinations that I could test on myself for two years before we launched this product,” says Dr. Samolitis. “I’ve become known as the melasma whisperer, and I often use tranexamic acid in pill form for more severe cases, but I wanted to make it available to everyone. There aren’t lot of topical formulations out there that use this ingredient at the dose we offer, which is 5%.” For Nadick-Levy, it’s Dew You, a fragrance-free moisturizing serum. “We worked on this product for a long time because we wanted to make sure it was the best possible hyaluronic acid serum you could get under $30,” she says. “It’s not sticky. It’s hydrating and leaves skin looking super bouncy, which is what I’m always going for!”
Their daily essentials: “My beauty ritual is forever in flux because I’m always trying new things, but I use our Bare Necessity Gel Cleanser morning and night. If I’m wearing makeup, I use the Augustinus Bader cleansing balm first. The texture isn’t too oily and it washes off pretty effortlessly,” says Dr. Samolitis. “I’m a lifelong devotee of retinol. I alternate between our Reverse Serum and Renova, which is a prescription that I’ve used for 20 years. Because my skin is drier than the average person, I like to layer Dew You with Barely There. During the day, I also mix Destress and Brighten together and, of course, follow with sunscreen. My favorite right now is EltaMD UV Elements.”
Nadick-Levy also tries to keep things relatively simple. “I have a one-and-a-half-year-old crazy toddler, so everything I do in the morning has to be very quick!” she says. “I use our Core Four [Bare Necessity, Barely There, Dew You, and Lip Jelly] and sunscreen. Always. I am obsessed with the Saie Slip Tint, Koh Gen Do foundation, andh Clé de Peau’s under eye concealer. At night, our Bare Necessity cleanser is amazing at taking off my makeup, including mascara, all in one go. My skin is sensitive, so I use Reverse once a week and Clear twice a week. I follow with Dew You and Barely There and that’s it!”
Her unexpected skin soother: “Our skin is constantly stressed by the sun, pollution, allergens, and what other people are doing around us, like smoking. Our Destress Serum helps skin adapt to the environment by protecting its barrier using antioxidants and adaptogens,” says Dr. Samolitis. “In addition to vitamin C, it also contains one of my favorite ingredients that few people have ever heard of: phytosphingosine. I actually discovered it through a veterinary dermatologist who helped my dog with eczema. I bought this stuff at the pet store and it worked so well, so I started looking into this miracle [ingredient] and found tons of data that shows that it’s effective.”
Her beauty mantra: “Confidence is everything,” says Nadick-Levy. “When you radiate confidence from the inside out it shows. Walk tall and hold yourself high even if you’re not feeling your best.”
Her pet-friendly skin secret: “There are a number of products used in animal dermatology that are also beneficial for people. I’ll sometimes tell patients to buy a treatment at the pet store—and it’s not just me, a lot of my colleagues have done the same thing! One of the products that I recommend all the time is called Microcyn, which contains hypochlorous acid, which is a molecule that your immune system uses to kill bacteria, viruses, fungus, and all of the infectious agents that we come into contact with. You can get this ingredient by prescription, but it’s kind of expensive, so I tell people to pick up the one for pets. It’s the same exact thing. It helps with inflammatory conditions like acne and is approved by the FDA to treat eczema. It’s also the best thing ever for itchy bug bites. I use it on myself and my dogs.”
Their go-to treatments: “Microinfusion is my favorite treatment. It’s a tiny stamp with gold needles. We put a cocktail of vitamins, wrinkle relaxers, and fillers inside and stamp it into the top layer of skin. It's not going to work like Botox or Dysport, but it does help plump, hydrate, and make skin look really radiant. The wrinkle relaxers also reduce sebum production, so pores appear smaller,” says Nadick-Levy.
“I like to mix things up, but right now, the CoolPeel laser is my favorite,” adds Dr. Samolitis. “It’s popular among our staff and our patients because it’s fast, very effective, the pain is minimal, and the recovery is pretty easy. It’s hard to find that combo. You can put makeup on after a day or two and nobody can tell you’ve had anything done, but the results are phenomenal. It’s great for skin tightening, fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scars.”
Their biggest indulgence: A good massage. “In order to maintain your beauty, you have to mitigate stress,” says Dr. Samolitis. “I don’t go to a fancy spa, but I have a massage therapist who is awesome—I just can’t tell you who it is because it’s a secret!” Nadick-Levy agrees that a massage is great for both body and mind. She even revealed the name of the expert she keeps on speed dial: Samantha Avery.
Their go-to beauty pros: “I get regular keratin treatments for my hair. I love that it reduces the time I spend getting ready. I go to Nick Flores at Sally Hershberger,” says Nadick-Levy. For Dr. Samolitis, brow guru Kristie Streicher tops her list. “I never realized how much I needed her until it looked like I had a facelift after my appointment,” she says.
Their favorite escapes: “I’ve become obsessed with Paris and I always bring our Lip Jelly with me,” says Dr. Samolitis. Nadick-Levy loves a weekend trip to nearby Santa Ynez Valley, California. “The drive up there is magical,” she says. Her constant travel companion: Dew You.
Their dream vanity raids: “Cassandra Grey, the owner of Violet Grey,” says Dr. Samolitis. “I want to know how she finds all of these incredible things!” For Nadick-Levy, it’s none other than Marilyn Monroe: “I feel like she has some interesting secrets that I would love to learn about.”
Written by Amber Kallor
