I start to get an uneasy feeling as my birthday approaches in the fall.  

Throughout the year, my daily gratitude practice keeps me uplifted and extremely appreciative to live a healthful life and run a purpose-driven business. I’ve accomplished a lot that I’m very proud of. But I can be overly harsh on myself, especially around my birthday. I’ll catch a glimpse of myself as I pass a mirror and not recognize the woman I see. 

I have to remind myself that everyone goes through this. It’s unreasonable to think our hair, skin and nails won’t change with time. Change is the only constant in life. There’s no point resisting. Instead, we can implement a good skincare routine and healthy eating habits that will keep us looking beautiful as our skin matures. 

If you’re wondering, characteristics of mature skin include loose, thin skin, a loss of elasticity and increased wrinkles. This is often referred to as crepey skin. As we age, the body’s production of collagen and elastin declines and these are just the side effects of that. It happens to everyone. 

Another hallmark of aging skin is hyperpigmentation (AKA: dark spots). There was a time when people used suntan lotion instead of sunblock. People happily hopped into tanning beds and sat under sun lamps. Yes, I’m from that era and it’s hard for me to believe that I ever went a day without a proper SPF. But I did, and now all those years of inappropriate sun exposure have earned me (and many others my age) un uneven complexion. 

Luckily, I’ve developed a full line of multifunctional products that contain tried and true ingredients to address all of these concerns (and more). Best of all, they can be mixed and matched so that you can curate a skincare routine that delivers exactly what your skin needs to look its best. Here’s the routine that works best for my skin. 

My simple skincare routine for more youthful looking skin

Morning and night, I do a triple cleanse with Aloe Milk Cleanser, Face Foam and the Bamboo Charcoal Sponge. Using both of our cleansers provides my skin with the complexion evening properties of niacinamide, the gentle chemical exfoliation abilities of azelaic acid and physical exfoliation of our Bamboo Charcoal Sponge. This cleansing routine gives me a smooth complexion and leaves my dull looking skin with a dewy glow. 

In the morning, I follow my cleanse with a Serum Luxe Skin Smoothie for a multi prong approach to more youthful looking skin. Both serums contain vitamin C, which is a super antioxidant. It helps improve the skin's texture while offsetting everyday external aggressors like UV damage and pollution. I love that we use two types of Vitamin C for a well-rounded approach. Fullmoon Serum contains vitamin C from moringa and offers incredible pollution defence. Moon Boost Serum is formulated with Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, an incredibly stable form of vitamin C.  

In terms of makeup, I keep it minimal and simple. I don’t love the look of heavy makeup on an older person’s face. I stay away from highly pigmented colour and never use eyeliner. When it comes to mascara, it’s upper lashes only for me! No spider leg lower lashes to accentuate my under eye area, thank you very much. 

After my morning Serum Luxe Skin Smoothie, I apply Face Glow for another dose of nourishing superfoods and a hint of colour. The combination of raspberry seed oil, sea buckthorn seed oil and sustainably-sourced mica keeps my skin bright, refreshed and glowing all day.

After a long day, I look forward to my evening Skin Smoothie. I start with a small, pea-sized pump of Phyto Clear. Then add two drops each of Fullmoon Serum and Moon Boost Serum and several spritzes of Face Food. I blend the four of these into the palm of my hand and massage this skin-loving potion onto my freshly cleansed face while it’s still damp.

The combination of Fullmoon Serum and Phyto Clear offers a combined triple dose of bio retinol from moth bean extract and bakuchiol. These plant-based retinol alternatives are known for their cellular renewal properties which help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and increase collagen production without the irritation or flakiness associated with conventional retinol.

As I mentioned earlier, collagen levels decline as we age. In addition to the collagen boosting properties of moth bean extract, Fullmoon Serum is loaded with a plant-based collagen alternative derived from mahogany bark. 

Hyaluronic acid is another ingredient that your body naturally produces, and just like collagen, production decreases as age increases. Fullmoon Serum is formulated with vegan hyaluronic acid from senna. This ingredient is known for its powerful hydration abilities. Remember that happy skin is hydrated skin, and signs of dehydrated skin show up fast. 

Together, these ingredients help the skin look smooth and plump with an even, bright complexion. The addition of Moon Boost Serum adds an extra helping of skin-nourishing vitamins and acts as an occlusive to lock in hydration and deeply moisturize the skin while I sleep.

The final step in my evening skincare routine is dotting my eye area with Berry Rich Face + Eye Cream and then gently tapping it in.

Mindfulness is a big part of my evening skincare routine. I let my to-do list slip away and focus on the feeling of my skin as I work the Skin Smoothie into the nooks and crannies of my face, neck and décolleté. While my fingers glide across my skin, releasing points of tension and toning pressure points with facial yoga movements, I take notice of what feels good, sore, dry, rough or congested. I thank my skin for working so hard and focus on gratitude as I inhale and exhale deeply.

My face isn’t the only thing that needs attention. Every inch of my body deserves some love. After every shower and bath, I feed my skin with Intimacy Oil. Applying this luxurious, dry-touch body oil never fails to ground me and help me feel full appreciation for the skin I am so grateful to live in.

My healthy eating habits to nourish the skin for a radiant look

Graceful aging doesn’t stop with topical skincare products. What I eat is also a big part of my self-care routine. 

I start every day with a superfood coffee smoothie. This concoction includes coconut butter, a chunk of dark chocolate, cinnamon, chaga tincture, a dollop of nut butter (my go to for this recipe is usually tahini), a nice fresh date and a pinch of Himalayan salt all blended together with a cup of strong brewed coffee. This lasts me through to early afternoon when I eat my main meal of the day.

I usually start cooking and prepping my main meal early in the day since I can get busy and often don’t have the time to prepare food when I’m actually hungry. I usually have a selection of steamed greens, simmered in bone broth, topped with a protein-rich carb like sprouted quinoa. I’ll add a large dollop of homemade cilantro and pumpkin seed pesto. 

Late in the afternoon, I’ll have my own version of a matcha latte. I make it with frozen green tea leaves, homemade hemp milk and a teaspoon of grass-fed ghee. If I’m hungry in the afternoon, I’ll grab a Cocoa Keto Cup for a hit of healthy fats, protein and a touch of sweetness.

You may have noticed that I mentioned bone broth and ghee. Including these ingredients in my meals may seem contradictory to the vegan, plant-based ethos of Graydon Skincare. The truth is, disordered eating in my younger years left me with osteoporosis. The minerals in bone broth and vitamin D in grass-fed ghee are known to benefit those living with osteoporosis, which is why I choose to include them in my diet. I did not make this decision lightly. 

For dinner, I’ll often have leftovers from lunch with slow cooked smoky tempeh in a calcium-rich tahini sauce for a good hit of protein and calcium. On the side, I'll have a warm salad of sautéed shiitake mushrooms and slow roasted cherry tomatoes. If I feel like a little dessert, I’ll whip up some avocado, mango and coconut yogurt ice cream in my blender.

If I want to splurge in the evening, I love a warm cup of hot sake mixed with white tea, ginger, honey and lemon. 

Because hydration is so important to the skin, I drink herbal tea non-stop during the day (instead of water). In the summer, I love a glass of cherry water before bed because it calms me down and cherries are my favourite fruit. During the colder months, I'll cuddle up with a mug of herbal tea.

I admit that my eating habits are a bit unusual, but I’ve found that this is what works best for me and my body. I encourage you to choose nutrient rich foods and stay hydrated. It will do wonders for your skin! 

Wishing you good skin days, every day!