Photo credits: Vogue France: Alique – Photographer, Celia Azoulay – Fashion Editor/Stylist, Franco Gobbi – Hair Stylist, Violette – Makeup Artist, Alicia Torello – Manicurist, Elle Macpherson – Model

 

“The Underlying foundation for beauty is wellness.”  Elle MacPherson, super model & founder of Welleco 

 

This post is all about your skin.

Or, should I say . .  

Your beauty.

I just added another year to my life. Actually – another decade. Ouch! 

I’m told you should never volunteer your age – especially in the workforce – as it may reflect diminishing value and ones inability to relate to the more hip youngsters?

 

Are you a Perennial?

 

We are consistently categorized by our age: Millennial, Gen X, Gen Z, Boomers, etc.

But one very saavy entrepreneur, Gina Pell, created an entirely new category. She calls it “Perennial”.

And this has nothing to do with age. 

It’s about mindset.

Here’s her definition . . . If you’re a Perennial you’re one who by “Pushing up against your growing edge and transforming yourself, you in turn transform the world.” In essence, Perennials are curious and ever changing. They know what’s happening in the world, stay current with technology, have friends of all ages . . . .  

You might think of Perennials as ageless.

Sounds like a group we all should be part of!

 

Shift your thinking

 

Regardless of how we categorize ourselves, getting older brings up feelings – especially about our beauty. And one that dominates for most is the belief that growing older somehow diminishes us. Causes us to lose our strength, vitality, and, of course, our beauty. 

So let’s shift and consider a deeper and more meaningful source of your beauty.

Because it’s not all about your skin . . .

 

What does it mean to be beautiful?

 

I was invited to a presentation by Dr. Zach Bush, Elle MacPherson (supermodel and founder of a Wellco – a Women’s Wellness company), Dr. Mindy Pelz (specialist in women’s health and author of The Menopause Reset), and Megan Buer (Emotional Code Practitioner). 

While the subject of the talk was advertised as “The Skin . . “, which had me thinking I’d learn all sorts of new approaches for reviving our epidermis, this turned out to be a much deeper dive into the very meaning of beauty itself.

Listening to Elle speak of beauty was a lesson for all of us. 

We worry about wrinkles, lines, brown spots, and all of the changes that time brings. And we desperately fight to make time stand still and retain the beauty of our youth. 

And yet, Elle goes on to say: 

“What attracts us to people has very little to do with the skin or with (physical) beauty.”

 

The multi-dimensions of beauty

“To see the beauty in someone else you must first see the beauty in you.”

 

Beauty has many dimensions. At its very foundation it’s about our wellness – both physical and spiritual.

Your skin is connected to every organ and system in your body. It’s not some coating that simply wraps around and protects you. It’s that layer of you that expresses on the outside what’s happening within. 

If you’re carting around emotional baggage – anger, frustration, anxiety, overwhelm, it’s gonna show. 

 

The other side of beauty

 

There’s another dimension of beauty that we often fail to consider. That beauty is reflected in how you show up for others.

How do you make others feel when they’re around you? Do you radiate love and acceptance when you meet others? Give them your full attention and care? Give off vibes that make others want to be around you?

This beauty comes from the heart and is not swayed by the quality or quantity of your wrinkles. 

This was the core of the conversation. You can go here and listen in.

 

Reverting to the practical, here some of my favorite beauty-supporting tips that you might add to your personal regimen.

 

How to support your beauty – from the inside out

 

  • Water – Lots of it – about half your weight in ounces every day. And make sure it’s filtered and clean. If you don’t believe in the importance of filtering, go here to the Environmental Working Group, enter your zip code and take a look at what’s coming out of your tap! In my quick search I found arsenic – 38x the acceptable levels, Bromodichloromethane – 183x, and a long list of other potential cancer causing chemicals with excesses from 4.6x to 452x.

 

  • Bathe in the Morning Sun – Despite all the advice to avoid it, we need direct sunlight. It wakes us in the morning. Sets our circadian rhythm (making it easier to sleep). Provides needed nutrients. Builds stronger bones. Strengthens our immune, digestive, respiratory, and endocrine systems. Twenty to thirty minutes of morning sun will build you a base of protective melanin.

 

  • Sleep Deep – Sleep equals regeneration. Some quick tips: Earlier to bed. fifteen to twenty minutes of bright morning light. Don’t sleep with your phone and its EMFs! A little magnesium before bed (I use this one). 

 

  • A little daily exercise  – Do something daily to raise your heart rate. A brisk walk, spin, a 20-minute workout (there are all kinds of Apps out there to help – this is one of my favorites. Check out Harley’s classes, trainer to the Superheros. Ten to twenty minutes with choices at every level. Exercise brings more blood to your skin to nourish it.


  • Develop some sort of calming practice – This can be meditation. Getting out into nature and putting bare feet on the ground. Deep breathing is body altering!  (Here’s my fav book on the subject, Breath, by James Nestor). Deepening and slowing your breathing pattern will literally change your biology, lower your heart rate and blood pressure – among other things too extensive to cover here.

 

  • Protect your skin microbiome – You have a protective army of little microbes living in and on your skin. Protect and take good care of them – you need them! Get outside  – in the forest, by lakes and streams, in your garden. Different environments will bring different varieties of these microscopic passengers to you. Do not harm them with disinfectant soaps and chemicals!

 

  • Add collagen and/or bone broth to your daily regimen – Collagen in. Stronger skin. There are an infinite number of collagen supplements on the market today. Here’s my pick  (I have no affiliation with them other than I love and trust their products). PaleoValley Grass Fed Bone broth powder. I use a scoop daily in my coffee. If you’re not into powders and want the real thing, here are my favorites: Fond bone broth or Brodo. Heat, add a squeeze of lemon and drink daily.


  • Go natural with your skincare regimen – It’s estimated that the typical American woman will be exposed to more than 160 carcinogens – IN ONE WEEK. Let’s avoid this since they get absorbed into your system and mess with your health and your beauty! EWG also provides a “Skin Deep” site when you can check the toxicity of any products you use. 

 

Skincare products I love and use

 

Here are some my favorite naturals – and some gifts and offerings as well.

 

Annmarie Giani Skincare – Annmarie makes handcrafted skincare with organic and wild ingredients only nature could provide. Their cleanser is like bathing your face in florals. They’re offering a special trial kit for my clients. Go here to learn more.

 

NuSkin Pearls (TruFace Essence Ultra) – These total rock and are addictive! I’ve used the “Pearls” religiously for 14 years now. They diminish the loss of collagen and help to rebuild and keep your skin firm. The best testimonial is that of a friend of mine, whose former husband, having not seen her since she started on the pearls, accused her of getting a facelift. They’re precious – but they’re worth it.

 

ION* Skin Support – This is a product developed by Dr. Zach Bush and his team at Intrinsic Health. The name ION is derived from “The Intelligence of Nature”, and this product – unlike anything on the market, defends against toxins and supports the microbial community on your skin. 

 

Welleco Australia – This is the company Elle MacPherson founded about 8 years ago. I just learned of it but have ordered her favorite – The Super Elixir Greens. Whole food supplements like this, are more readily absorbed into the body than synthetics. 

 

Here’s to your beauty!

 

With love ♥

 

PS – What are your thoughts on beauty? Let me know in the comments below! Or email me @ elaine@elainepauly.com