Episode 73: Shelly Marshall

07/09/2026


What is your face communicating beyond what you see in the mirror?

In this episode, Ailey sits down with Shelly Marshall, founder of Beauty Shamans and Skin Within Studio, to explore the relationship between beauty, embodiment, and the nervous system. After years working as an aesthetician, registered nurse, and nurse injector, Shelly shares why she ultimately chose to step away from injectables.

Together, they unpack how Botox and fillers may influence more than appearance, discussing facial movement, lymphatic flow, inflammation, and the role our expressions play in connection and co regulation. The conversation also explores the growing pressure on women to maintain a youthful appearance and what can be lost when beauty becomes disconnected from the body's natural intelligence.

Rather than focusing on quick fixes, Ailey and Shelly offer gentle alternatives that support the face and nervous system, including facial massage, gua sha, fascia care, and lymphatic drainage.

If you have ever questioned your relationship with beauty or wondered how cosmetic treatments may influence your connection to yourself and others, this conversation offers a thoughtful and empowering perspective.

About In This Body: Conversations with leading experts about the importance of embodiment in living an authentic life. In This Body asks the important questions: How does connecting to your body change your life? How will connecting to your body allow you to love better and live more authentically? And how does connecting to your body change the trajectory of our shared world?

In this episode:

  • 0:00 Welcome And Why Faces Matter

  • 8:14 From Aesthetician To Registered Nurse

  • 18:45 Botox And Autoimmune Concerns

  • 27:28 Facial Mimicry And Co-Regulation

  • 32:31 Fillers Explained And Hidden Risks

  • 42:45 Beauty As A Class Signifier

  • 48:20 Lymph As The Body’s Caretaker

  • 52:32 Nightly Rituals Using Touch And Sound

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Episode 72: Sara Hirsh Bordo