Five Minutes with Dr. Tony Nakhla of Eighth Day

Before we get to the Five Minutes with Dr. Tony Nakhla of Eighth Day, I need to tell you the story behind why he is here. The first time I read about Regenerative Serum by Dr. Tony Nakhla's Eighth Day brand was on Violet Grey, my go-to online source for rigorously tried and tested beauty products. It's co-founder Cassandra Grey's review of Eighth Day's Regenerative Serum, best summed up as "I want this youth giving formula over my face, all the time," had me at hello.

I tried it, and though they say it takes two weeks to make a difference, four days later my skin looked better – brighter, tighter and younger looking. I’ve never used any serum that has worked so quickly, to such an extent I honestly started to wonder if I was imagining it. 

Further research revealed, no I was not imagining it at all. It works - but why? Like the Augustinus Bader (the creator behind the other science-led youth-giving moisturiser which has been a runaway success in the last few years) Dr. Tony Nakhla isn't a cosmetic doctor. Similarly to Bader who is a burns specialist, Nakhla, is a leading surgeon who works with cancer and HIV patients helping regenerate their skin from the inside out after skin cancer treatment.

Having spent years working out what skin needs to regenerate from trauma, he turned his expertise - and five years of his life - to creating a product that regenerates skin using bio-identical ingredients and its secret sauce, Peptide-Rich Plasma. Using it, your skin doesn't just not look more youthful, it actually becomes more youthful.

We can leave the rest of the story to Dr. Tony Nakhla.

Five Minutes with Dr. Tony Nakhla of Eighth Day

I've spent my career… as a dermatologist, dermatologic surgeon, and scientist. A big focus in my career is skin cancer treatment, reconstructive surgery, and wound healing - which I developed a speciality for while working with HIV patients who often suffer from skin cancers on their face.

That taught me a lot about how skin heals, and what encourages healing. I currently work with both reconstructive and cosmetic patients, guided by the belief that people look their best and most naturally beautiful, when they look like themselves.

Today I’ve been… at my practice. I maintain a full-time private practice in addition to running Eighth Day. It’s a wild hamster wheel of work, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I created skincare because… I wanted to bridge the gap between modern regenerative medicine and science-backed beauty. I was inspired by what I observed first-hand working on over 12,000 surgical patients and I wanted to create skincare that mimicked the innate healing and regenerative powers of human skin.

Through my experiences in reconstructive skin cancer surgery, I made the connection between the various techniques using stem cells and nutrient-rich membranes to heal open wounds and the dramatic effects of bioidentical ingredients. Ingredients that skin cells recognise as innate, rather than foreign objects. In this way, I like to say that, ‘we speak the language of skin’ in its own native tongue, by providing skin cells with those molecules that are already present.

I spent four years developing Peptide-Rich Plasma… this was no mean feat. Our proprietary formula, Peptide-Rich Plasma is bioidentical – that is, biologically identical to the signalling molecules already found in your skin. 

It’s quite a recipe… There are 24 synthetic ingredients in our Peptide-Rich Plasma - plus we use a cocktail of other key active ingredients too at clinical strength. Hyaluronic Acid, to improve moisture and skin plumpness. Niacinamide, to reduce redness and inflammation. Glycolic Acid, to improve skin texture and reduce enlarged pores. Alpha Lipoic Acid, which is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger. This blend delivers potent benefits deep within the skin’s surface and its designed to repair, renew, restore, regenerate and rejuvenate skin to its optimal health and beauty.

People use it and realise their skin is looking better overall, but can’t really pinpoint why... The reason is because a lot of what’s happening is at the dermal level where skin is remodelling itself and the scaffolding is being put back together. It’s like good nutrition: you start feeling better right away, but the process of repair and renewal is ongoing, if you are consistent.

Eighth Day has a range of six products, however the hero and star player really is the Regenerative Serum which is the all-in-one supercharged product which has the highest absorption rate; its ability to penetrate is second to none.. It also easily fits into every skincare routine so can be used alongside other products including our reparative moisturiser, regenerative serum and eye renewal cream. 

Currently I live in… Newport Coast, California, which is a part of Newport Beach. The park is right next door to us so our kids go to the park with all the neighbourhood kids. All the parents are friends, most of our kids go to school together. I recharge in Laguna Beach, I go by myself and do work and we have the kids there on the weekend, so we go and unplug. 

My most treasured possession is... a very old Coptic cross from Egypt. It’s silver and looks like it’s from another century. It’s very authentic and I keep it safe at home.

My favourite place in the world is… St. Barts at Cheval Blanc, where my wife and I went on our honeymoon. Its powdered sand and turquoise water have awesome memories with her for me. We definitely plan to go back with the kids. 

The highlight of my career so far has to be…launching Eighth Day. It’s the culmination of all of the school work and work I’ve done with patients but something I can present at a very large scale. Everything I’m doing in my clinics I love, but it’s 1:1. Something I’ve worked so hard on is now materialising and can reach so many people. 

To do my job, I can’t do without... three shots of espresso on ice on an empty stomach. Protein shake, organic clean protein, 20mg grass fed whey. I do my work-out every day at 6am - a HITT workout. I also can’t do my job without my microscope, my surgical loops, and my stellar staff.

My guiltiest pleasure is…mixed martial arts and UFC.

The next question on my mind is… what product to add to the Eighth Day line up…

Eighth Day Skin