How Vulnerability Builds Authority (and a Business) ft. The Clear Skin Lab Founder, Robyn Spangler
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Have you ever refused to believe “there’s nothing you can do”, especially when it comes to you health? If so, you’ll resonate with Victoria’s guest, Robyn Spangler, registered dietitian nutritionist, founder of The Clear Skin Lab, and creator of Rayvi, a mineral-based hydration brand. After battling psoriasis for two years, Robyn took matters into her own hands and found healing through functional medicine. Now, she helps other women uncover the root cause behind their chronic skin issues and reclaim their confidence.
In this episode, Victoria sits down with Robyn to unpack her own health journey that became the foundation for a thriving business, how vulnerability became her greatest asset, and why managing stress and prioritizing wellness are essential for long-term health. You’ll hear how she built two successful brands from scratch, what she’s learned about the emotional side of skin struggles, and her best advice for prioritizing self-care without guilt—especially for busy moms and entrepreneurs.
Whether you’re struggling with your own skin journey, curious about functional medicine, or just need a reminder that your struggles can become your superpower, this episode will inspire you to bet on yourself and reclaim your confidence. Grab a snack and your drink of choice, and get ready to feel motivated and encouraged in your business and life.
Who Is Robyn Spangler?
Robyn Spangler is a dietitian nutritionist, founder of The Clear Skin Lab, and creator of Rayvi hydration powders. She’s been featured in Eating Well, TODAY, and co-authored the textbook Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy. After experiencing her own challenges on her health and skin journey, she’s on a mission to help women feel confident in their own skin.
In this episode, Victoria and Robyn discuss her experience struggling with psoriasis, building two successful brands, managing stress, and prioritizing wellness without guilt.
Living with Psoriasis
Robyn struggled with psoriasis for two years in college. For her, it resembled chickenpox all over her body including her legs, stomach, and arms. Psoriasis came on suddenly and completely out of the blue. She went through the conventional treatment routes like steroids, tanning beds, and creams, but nothing worked for her.
Emotional Toll of Skin Problem
Having psoriasis was emotionally brutal for Robyn. She recalls feeling embarrassed and hiding her skin from everyone. She only took one photo of her skin from that time. While trying to find a solution, Robyn was told she couldn’t take prednisone anymore. Her dermatologist suggested lifelong immunosuppressants, and she refused to accept that. That experience led to her turning to functional medicine.
Healing with Functional Medicine
In grad school, Robyn took an Intro to Functional Medicine course—and it was like a light bulb went off. She started asking, “What’s the root cause?” and “What’s happening inside my body?”
Robyn locked herself in the medical library, printing research and ordering labs on herself. Within three months, she implemented what she learned, cleared her skin, and hasn’t had psoriasis in over a decade.
Now Robyn understands that while genetics play a role, lifestyle and environment can “turn on” or “turn off” those genes. Looking back, she was under-eating, over-exercising, experiencing stress, drinking, and not nourishing her body properly. Those were the root causes she had to fix.
Starting The Clear Skin Lab
Robyn has never been one to accept “there’s nothing you can do”. Her mindset of questioning, digging deeper, and trusting her intuition has shaped how she approaches business and health today.
After grad school, Robyn worked for a physical therapy clinic that believed in functional medicine. She built their nutrition division from scratch and learned about marketing, booking clients, and the basics of running a business.
A few years later, she became an entrepreneur—first with Nutrition by Robyn, and today runs The Clear Skin Lab. When functional medicine began growing in popularity, Robyn niched down specifically to skin—and that was when her growth skyrocketed. She and her team of ten clinicians focus on personalized, data-backed skin health instead of cookie-cutter protocols.
Vulnerability is Your Best Business Asset
Robyn acknowledged that her personal story was an asset to her business. When a client didn’t understand functional medicine, she’d share her story to make it relatable. Eventually, clients came to her because of her story.
People don’t just buy results; they buy relatability. They buy from people they trust. This emotional connection built trust between Robyn and her clients, and it made them feel seen.
Healing skin challenges is not just a physical process, but also an emotional one. The pain points people struggle with are often confidence and shame, and by sharing her story, people understand she isn’t there to take advantage of them but to transform their confidence and mindset.
Building Trust in the Health Industry
The client process at The Clear Skin Lab begins with extensive labs such as hair mineral analysis, blood tests, and stool and urine tests. This helps the clinicians understand what’s going on internally. Over the years, Robyn has added new tests and systems for serving clients.
Getting to the Root Cause
Many women find themselves in a trial-and-error phase with their skincare. Robyn says the best way to avoid that is through testing and professional guidance. You may waste years experimenting with diets and supplements, but with the right lab data and a team who knows how to interpret it, you skip frustration and can heal with a plan.
Lifestyle changes, especially high stress, is one of the most common root causes of skin issues. Every stressor, whether it’s sleep loss, under-eating, emotional stress, or over-exercising, depletes your minerals.
Robyn shares the analogy of a grape versus a raisin. You want your cells to be plump and juicy like a grape, but when you add in stressors, the cells dry out like raisins. You must replenish those nutrients and minerals to keep your cells hydrated and healthy.
Everyone Should Be Taking Electrolytes
Speaking of the importance of replenishing nutrients, Robyn also launched a product line in 2022 called Rayvi. It’s a mineral product, so essentially electrolytes, but with added benefits. She created these powders because she noticed there weren’t many mineral products for clients that she approved of from an ingredient or dosage list. Robyn believes everyone should be taking electrolytes. For example, only 2% of people get adequate potassium, which is an electrolyte. Taking electrolytes proactively means your minerals will be at an optimal place, and you’ll be ahead of the curve when it comes to symptoms and diseases that are often prevalent as you age.
How to Prioritize Wellness Without Guilt or Shame
Many women, and especially entrepreneurs and moms, are busy and juggling a million things a day. They often put everyone else first, while their own health and wellness gets tossed aside. If you can relate, Robyn wants you to know that your energy and confidence has a positive effect on everyone around you. Everything is better when you’re more energized, confident, and mentally stable. When mom is healthy, the entire household benefits.
The Heart Behind The Clear Skin Lab and Rayvi
Robyn’s mission with The Clear Skin Lab and Rayvi is to have a ripple effect on future generations. When women are healthier, their future children are healthier. They are improving more than skin—they’re improving quality of life, confidence in themselves, family dynamics, and the health of the next generation.
Key Quotes
“I look back at my psoriasis journey and remember how much I hated what was happening and now I can’t imagine not having that experience because it’s changed my whole life and I get to have such a positive impact on other people and letting them feel seen.”
Robyn Spangler
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