Joey Caldarone is a frequently spotted name and face about town, but who knew he was a skin-care geek?

Readers of Star-Bulletin sister publication HI Luxury might. His byline appears on stories about style and personal care for metrosexuals—and for men whose women wish they were.

“;I've always been fascinated with skin care—since high school,”; he said.

In mere months he will launch his first skin-care product, an anti-aging moisture serum, under his JSC banner. It stands for Joey's Skin Care, but those are also his initials.

Caldarone's research on ingredients in various skin-care lines revealed “;this commonality—every product we use, all have so many unnecessary chemicals ... including 20 or 30 you can't pronounce.”;

Some are good for skin, or enhance product stability or shelf life, but some are downright bad for you, Caldarone said.

“;I came up with this concept and started doing ... experiments in my kitchen.”;

He arrived at a formula and has been working with a mainland manufacturer to produce it.

His HI Luxury stories are usually guy-focused, but the serum and its packaging will be “;unisex ... androgynous,”; and for both genders.

If it's too girly looking, his primary target of active, 30-plus men won't buy it. It also will not be too girly smelling. There is some fragrance from essential lime and lavender oils, but it won't be perfume-y, he said.

“;The basis of my line is hyaluronic acid”; that mimics a compound the body makes less of as it ages, hence moisture- and elasticity-loss in our skin.

The ingredient is expensive, so the serum could cost $70 for a 1.7-ounce container.

The widening gap between socioeconomic strata didn't escape him while deciding pricing.

“;It's like what you have in the real estate market ... the $4 million-plus homes are still selling.”;

He is a Realtor associate with Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties and also does interior design work, as with a soon-to-hit-the-market condo at 3003 Kalakaua.

The fully furnished unit will list at $2.495 million.

His most immediate project is the release of his long-planned CD, “;I Am What I Am,”; a collection of jazz standards and Broadway songs. Sales will debut at a fundraiser for kamaaina publicist Elissa “;Lisa”; Josephsohn from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 9 at Ruth's Chris Steak House at Restaurant Row. Admission is free but donations are encouraged to help offset Josephsohn's cancer treatment. Reservations can be made online.

“;100 percent of the sales (at the event) will go to Lisa,”; said Caldarone, who will continue to set aside a portion of sales for her benefit.