What We Keep Learning From {THE AND}
Some conversations teach you something new. Others remind you of what you already knew but needed to hear again. These two did both.
Sometimes work, family duties and love will collide, and it can get hard. But when the care for each other is genuinely there, there's nowhere else in the world you'd rather be.
I don't have kids or a family of my own just yet, but I can totally imagine how full life gets at that stage. Still, I do have work, a master's degree, a partner of 7 years, and I live abroad, which means I'm constantly trying to stay connected with my family and friends back home from thousands of miles away (Brazil to Australia really is no joke).
So when I watched Dayna and Brian's second {THE AND} episode, where they talked about how their relationship evolved since the first time they sat down together, now as parents, business partners, and still going strong after 14 years, something in me just felt really warm. There's something so reassuring about watching two people who've built a full life together and still genuinely choose each other.
What stuck with me most was how they talked about giving themselves permission to let go of the noise. They became more intentional, more protective of their time. Dinner with the kids is just dinner, not a meeting. They built their whole rhythm around family, quality time and real memories. One of them said something I keep thinking about: we still care deeply, but we give way less of a sh*t about what people think we should be doing. And honestly? That felt like such a breath of fresh air.
Watch the full episode below!
Life passes faster than we're ready for. And sometimes, without even realizing it, we're not fully there for the people who need us most. It happens. But it's never too late to show up differently. To be present. To say sorry. To say I love you.
This one got me a little. Topaz and Ichak's third {THE AND} conversation hit somewhere unexpected, mostly because I recognized something in Ichak that reminded me of someone I love very much, my grandmother.
We go through life one day at a time and it's easy to forget that the people around us are getting older too. In this conversation, Ichak opens up about how he wasn't as present for his family as he wishes he had been. Work, ambitions, life, it all got in the way. And now, looking back, he carries that. What makes this so touching though is how Topaz responds, not with blame, but with real understanding and love. You can feel how much they've worked through together.
The moment that stayed with me was when Topaz asked his dad what life is teaching him right now. Ichak's answer was so honest. He shared that he carries a kind of permanent sadness, something he connects to the weight of the Holocaust and survival. He said work has always been his escape from that, not really a source of joy. It's heavy, but it's so human. And Topaz, rather than trying to fix it, just gently encouraged him to find more moments of real joy. To fill his own cup.
It was a tough watch in the best way. The kind of conversation that makes you want to call someone you love.
And worth mentioning — Topaz is actually The Skin Deep's founder, so getting to see this side of him, open and vulnerable like this, was really special.
Watch the full episode below!
Watch {THE AND}
We’ve been creating {THE AND} since 2014, sharing conversations that explore real relationships and the space between people. Each episode offers an intimate look at how we connect, communicate, and show up for one another.
New episodes premiere every week on YouTube, with conversation clips shared daily on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. Whether you’re discovering {THE AND} for the first time or have been watching for years, there’s always a conversation that might shift how you see your own relationships.
Play {THE AND} card game
Watching these conversations often makes you want to keep talking. To ask better questions, listen a little longer, or create space for deeper moments in your own relationships. That’s why we created the {THE AND} card games, using the same questions you see in our episodes.
{THE AND} Family Edition - The edition played by Topaz & Ichak. Designed to bring families together across generations, it creates space for stories, reflection, and conversations that help everyone feel seen and heard.
{THE AND} Couples Edition - The edition played by Dayna & Brian. Created for couples who want to connect more intentionally, these questions turn everyday time together into moments of closeness and understanding.
Luana Costa
The Skin Deep Head of Social Media & Community
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