Why Kindness Belongs in the Longevity Conversation with Dr. Brent Ridge of Beekman 1802
5/26/202645 min
In this deeply reflective episode of Skin Anarchy, Dr. Ekta Yadav sits down with Dr. Brent Ridge to explore the story behind Beekman 1802—and how a simple act of kindness unexpectedly became the foundation for one of the most beloved brands in modern beauty. What begins as a conversation about goat milk skincare quickly expands into something much larger: resilience, longevity, emotional wellbeing, and the role human connection plays in how we age.
Before founding Beekman 1802, Dr. Ridge worked in geroscience and longevity medicine, studying healthy aging long before “longevity” became a beauty trend. But the turning point came after he and his husband purchased a farm in upstate New York and agreed to help a local farmer keep his goats during the 2008 financial crisis. Searching for a way to survive financially after both losing their jobs, they began making goat milk soap—a decision that would ultimately launch an entirely new category of skincare.
As customers began reporting dramatic improvements in sensitive skin and barrier health, Dr. Ridge became increasingly interested in the biology behind goat milk itself—from fatty acids and oligosaccharides to the microbiome and emerging exosome research. But throughout the episode, one message remains central: healthy skin cannot be separated from emotional health. Stress, connection, optimism, and self-perception all influence how skin functions and heals.
The conversation ultimately reframes longevity as something broader than biology alone. It’s not just molecular—it’s emotional, social, and deeply human.
Listen to the full episode to hear Dr. Brent Ridge discuss Beekman 1802, longevity science, and why kindness may be one of the most powerful health interventions we have.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsEkta Yadav· Host0:00
Hey, guys. Welcome back to Skin Anarchy. It's a very, very special episode because today's guest is somebody I, I feel is very special for both me as, as a person who's been doing this podcast for five or six years. He agreed to come on the show very early on, and I was so excited back then, and I'm equally excited now. I know a lot of you will recognize him from obviously the amazing brand that he's built, but also the wonderful book that came out last year, which was Goat Wisdom. So please welcome back Dr. Brent Riich of Beekman 1802. Welcome back, Dr. Riich.
Brent Ridge· Guest0:29
Oh, great to be here, and I'm just so proud to see how far you've come and, um, I just always enjoy, uh, seeing everything that you're doing.
Ekta Yadav· Host0:37
Thank you so much. That really means the world to me coming from you, and I can't wait to dive in because as we were talking about before we started the recording, I am just such a fan that you wrote this book, and you have pioneered so much in this industry. It's almost like you're our oracle, you know- [laughs] ... of all things. [laughs] Like, I really feel like that. Um, I w- I wanna start from the beginning, if you don't mind. I know we spoke about this the first time I got to chat with y- you and Josh on the show where, you know, where did Beekman 1802 start? But I, I would love for you to kind of walk us down that lane again, but start from the ph- like, the philosophy of it and, like, where it really stemmed from, if that's okay.
Brent Ridge· Guest1:13
Sure, sure. Well, um, for those of you who don't know, um, we started Beekman 1802 about 20 years ago now. My background is in longevity medicine and geoscience, and, um, my partner, my husband, and co-founder of the business, he is a writer