As I step into my 63rd year, I’m reflecting more than ever on what beauty really means. After decades in the skincare industry — and a lifetime of helping others care for their skin — I’ve learned that true beauty isn’t about defying age. It’s about nurturing vitality, honoring your biology, and staying deeply connected to yourself.

Somewhere along the way, we were taught that aging is something to fight. But what if we saw it instead as a relationship to honor? Our skin is a living record of our experiences — how we’ve cared, laughed, felt, and lived. When we treat it with consistency, gentleness, and respect, it responds with resilience and radiance.

At this stage in my life, I’m far less interested in chasing “anti-aging” miracles and far more interested in building pro–skin health rituals. I want formulas that speak my skin’s own language — signaling renewal, strengthening the barrier, calming inflammation, and restoring what time, stress, and hormone shifts naturally deplete.

This past year taught me a lot. As I reached the end of menopause, I faced a new wave of dryness and sensitivity. I developed a persistent rash around my mouth and eyes that lasted nearly four months. My once-reliable routine suddenly felt too stimulating, too active, too much.

And yet, this challenge brought clarity: my skin was asking for gentleness.

Epicutis and Hydrinity became my skin savers — two lines that combine elegant minimalism with true scientific intelligence. They calmed my inflammation, restored my barrier, and taught me that healing is often more powerful than pushing.

Where I used to be able to layer 2 retinols five nights a week. Today, my skin thrives with Emepelle (retinol) Night Cream alone, just three nights per week. This is my season of listening — honoring where my skin is and what it needs now, not what it needed five years ago.

This year, I’m leaning into intentionality and repair-based skincare more than ever. I’m also deepening my LED ritual — every morning, right after the shower, I lay under my LightStim Elipsa for 10 minutes while listening to EMDR music on Calm. Those alternating left-right tones soothe my nervous system, support my brain health, and allow my skin to repair in the most peaceful way.

Aging gracefully, to me, means partnering with your biology. Working with your skin, not against it. Nourishing it, supporting it, and trusting it.

Here is the gentle, nutrient-rich routine I’m using — the one that is supporting me beautifully during this season of post-menopausal skin.

The morning cleanse is a fundamental step in rehydrating my skin.

Light a candle. Slow everything down. This is my most treasured ritual of the day.

This year is about embracing the gentle approach — feeding my skin instead of fighting it, listening instead of forcing, and celebrating the beauty of where I am right now.

Graceful aging isn’t passive. 

It’s intentional. 

It’s rooted in knowledge. 

And it’s filled with compassion for the skin — and the woman — you’ve grown into.

If you’re navigating changes in your skin, especially during or after menopause, I see you. And I hope this inspires you to honor your skin’s needs with softness, science, and self-respect.