The Real Stuff with Lucie Fink

Ever wondered what it's actually like to be a twin? In this deeply personal episode, I'm going solo to share everything I've never fully unpacked on camera about growing up as a fraternal twin — my experience, my perspective, and yes, the fact that my twin Allie is very much not here with me for this episode (she's private, she's pregnant, and she said no... and I respect it). I'm diving into the science of fraternal vs. identical twins, what it means for your identity when you share your entire childhood with someone, and how Allie and I managed to stay incredibly close without ever feeling competitive with one another. I talk about twin telepathy (and exactly how ours works), the unique social dynamics of growing up as a "package deal," navigating friend group drama as a twin, going to college together, living together well into adulthood, and the emotional turning point when we finally branched off into our own separate lives. I also get into: birth order and how being one minute younger shaped my whole personality, the way our wildly different childhood interests perfectly predicted our adult careers, and what it means to be entering a new, exciting parallel chapter now that Allie lives just seven minutes away. This episode is for twins, siblings, people who have a ride-or-die best friend, and anyone who's ever been curious about the twin experience. Allie may not be with me for this one, but I've got more than enough to say for both of us. Sponsors: Magnetic Me: New customers get 15% off at MagneticMe.com SKIMS: Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection at skims.com/realstuff Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at Vuori.com/REALSTUFF Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX  To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.  I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.  Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod  Find Lucie here:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink Website: https://luciefink.com/  Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential Executive Producer: Cloud10 Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today I'm sitting down with an anonymous audience caller I'm calling "Emily," a married mom of two who has never told a single person (not a close friend, not a therapist, not ANYONE) about her husband's sexual kinks. Until now. What starts as a candid, almost lighthearted conversation about a husband with some unconventional sexual preferences quickly becomes something much deeper: a story about trauma, secrecy, isolation, and what it really means to be a supportive partner when your needs and your spouse's needs don't exactly align. We're talking bondage, sensory deprivation, a homemade "sex dungeon" above the family garage, snowsuits with padlocks, a chicken coop, a gas mask, and a key ring full of chains and locks. And yes...it is as wild as it sounds. But what moved me most about Emily's story wasn't the kink itself. It was the loneliness she carries. The weight of being sworn to secrecy. The tension between being a full-time working mom, a wife, and essentially a dominatrix, all at the same time. And the very real question of whether what's happening in her marriage has crossed from "adventurous sex life" into something that deserves more attention. I'll be upfront: somewhere in the middle of this conversation, I stopped being just an interviewer and started being a friend. You'll probably hear it in my voice. Emily wasn't asking for advice, but I couldn't help offering some because I genuinely care, and I think you will too by the end of this episode. Sponsors: Wedderspoon: Go to https://wedderspoon.com/discount/REAL20 and use code REAL20 for 20% off your order. Laundry Sauce: Get 20% off your entire order at Laundry Sauce with code REALSTUFF at laundrysauce.com/REALSTUFF and let them know we sent you. Pique: Unlock 20% off and begin your journey toward sustained wellness today at Piquelife.com/REALSTUFF Rhoback: Use code REALSTUFF at Rhoback.com for 20% off your first order through the end of this week. Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX  To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.  I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.  Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod  Find Lucie here:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink Website: https://luciefink.com/  Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential Executive Producer: Cloud10 Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From high school breakouts to a low-dose of Accutane… to the massive hormonal flare-up I experienced after coming off birth control in 2020 — I know firsthand how consuming, painful, and isolating acne can be. It’s not “just skin.” It affects your confidence, your relationships, your work, and your mental health. In this episode, I’m joined by Kayleigh and Danielle, the co-founders of CLEARSTEM, a brand born out of their own devastating acne journeys. Danielle battled cystic acne for decades, tried Accutane three times, and eventually left the corporate world to study skin and open her own acne clinic. Kayleigh found her after nearly going on Accutane herself and what she learned in that first appointment completely changed her life. We talk about the emotional toll of acne (and why no one talks about it) and why so many traditional acne treatments don’t address the root cause. We get into the surprising supplement triggers that can worsen breakouts (vitamin D, B12, zinc, biotin… and more), hidden pore-clogging ingredients in skincare and makeup, and internal + external connections when it comes to clear skin, eggs, dairy, whey protein, blood sugar spikes — and how to test your personal thresholds. We explore over-exfoliating vs. under-exfoliating, hormonal acne, stress acne, and adult acne in your 20s and 30s, and what to do when you feel like you’ve “tried everything.” Tired of guessing what’s causing your breakouts? Find out in seconds by running your skincare + makeup products through CLEARSTEM's Pore Clogging Ingredients Checker. Head to clearstem.com/REALSTUFF and use code REALSTUFF for 15% off your first order. Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX  To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.  I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.  Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod  Find Lucie here:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink Website: https://luciefink.com/  Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential Executive Producer: Cloud10 Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A few years ago, I did something that most people would probably say is a terrible idea: I invited one of my online trolls onto a Zoom video chat. You may have heard a version of this story in one of my TEDx talks, but on this episode of The Real Stuff, I’m telling the full, unfiltered version (including ACTUAL audio from the call itself). I went back and listened to the 44-minute recording of our call and what I noticed five years later honestly surprised me. This woman had been leaving aggressive, deeply personal comments on my page about my body, my work, and my life. Instead of blocking her, I messaged her. And instead of escalating, she agreed to talk. What happened next was complicated. In this episode, I walk you through: What it actually feels like to confront someone who publicly criticizes youThe psychology behind online hate (and what I learned about jealousy and comparison)The moment she broke down and told me what was really going on in her lifeWhy I don’t believe most trolls are actually “evil”How this experience changed the way I handle negativity on the internetAnd why, five years later, I feel protective over the younger version of myself who took that call I also share how my perspective has evolved — from feeling afraid of being disliked to realizing it’s not my job to make everyone like me. This is a story about boundaries, compassion, ego, jealousy, and the strange difference between how people behave online versus face-to-face. And yes… I do even include some actual audio from the Zoom call. Sponsors: Wedderspoon: Go to https://wedderspoon.com/discount/REAL20 for 20% off your order. Ritual: For a limited time, save 40% on your first month at Ritual.com/REALSTUFF Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at Vuori.com/REALSTUFF Bird&Be: Visit birdandbe.com and use code REALSTUFF for 15% off your first purchase. Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX  To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.  I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.  Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod  Find Lucie here:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink Website: https://luciefink.com/  Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential Executive Producer: Cloud10 Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For 11 years, I didn’t have a real menstrual cycle. I was on hormonal birth control from my teenage years into adulthood, and while it did exactly what it was supposed to do, it also meant I wasn’t ovulating, wasn’t having a normal menstrual cycle, and wasn’t exactly aware of how deeply hormones shape my energy, creativity, mood, libido, and even my confidence. In this episode, I’m expanding on a recent newsletter I shared and walking you through what I learned when my natural cycle finally came back. I break down the four phases of the menstrual cycle, what’s actually happening hormonally for me in each phase, and how those shifts show up for me physically, emotionally, and creatively in my work. I also share how tracking my cycle changed the way I plan my life and manage my energy, and also stopped me from spiraling every month when motivation or confidence dip. This is not an anti–birth control episode. The pill is an incredible tool for so many people, and everyone’s bodies and needs are different. This is simply my personal experience of reconnecting with my cycle and the unexpected sense of trust, peace, and empowerment that came from finally understanding my body’s rhythms. If you’ve ever felt like you’re “bad at routines,” inconsistent, unmotivated out of nowhere, or confused by sudden shifts in how you feel, you’re not broken. You’re cyclical. And there’s wisdom in that. Sponsors: Bayer: Check out Bayer's trusted lineup of products, available at Walmart, CVS, Amazon, and Walgreens. Wedderspoon: Go to https://wedderspoon.com/discount/REAL20 for 20% off your order. Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at Vuori.com/REALSTUFF Magnetic Me: New customers get 15% off at MagneticMe.com Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX  To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.  I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.  Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod  Find Lucie here:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink Website: https://luciefink.com/  Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential Executive Producer: Cloud10 Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.