Walk us through your morning skincare routine
I keep it simple in the mornings. I splash my face with water, spritz on our Replenishing Mist, apply a few drops of our Bioactive Regenerating Oil and finish with a layer of sunscreen.
What is your evening routine like?
Dry brushing before bathing is a must for me. It moves lymph and detoxifies and I can’t live without it. For my face, I wash with our Rejuvenating Cleanser in the cooler months and Balancing Cleanser in the warmer months or our Exfoliating Cleanser twice weekly. I spritz with our Replenishing Mist and then I hop into bed.
Once my skin is completely dry, I apply a few drops of our Bioactive Regenerating Oil and focus on our acupressure points while lying down in bed (!)– it’s my wind-down routine and it works! A few times a week, I use our Facial Sculpting System, also in bed, focusing on lymphatic drainage and lifting and toning. Maybe it’s because I’m tired and just want to be horizontal, but the ritual of caring for my skin in bed, right before I turn out the light, works for me!
How did you decide to create a clean skincare line?
When I opened my first spa in 2007, I offered only acupuncture and massage services. I was hesitant to add the next logical addition–facials–because I didn’t trust that I could maintain my chemical-free commitment with skincare products. Clean beauty wasn’t a trend then and the lack of regulations here in the US made it extremely difficult to find clean yet effective products. I started with a couple brands I trusted and then when Marla and I opened the second spa together in 2011, we decided to create products of our own.
Why do you think you were so aware of clean beauty before it was trendy?
I felt physically very good going into my second pregnancy, but I had a really difficult second labor and delivery of my daughter in 2009. Everything turned out ok, but the experience made me even more focused on my delicate endocrine system and how it really controls us–life or death. It made me look more closely at not just what I was putting in my body but also what I was putting ON my body.
This awareness has only become stronger as I’ve gotten older: my father recently passed away from Parkinson’s. Because of him, I’m now more aware of brain health and how the chemicals we put on our bodies daily can accumulate over a lifetime.
What are the other ways that you keep yourself well?
I have been practicing yoga for 30 years. Meditation is a must for me as well. I practice daily gratitude and am very conscious of my thinking–lately, I have been studying Byron Katie and the art of being truly present. Like most people, I slip out of these things every now and then when I’m stressed–the worst timing!
