Meet Natalie
My name is Natalie, and my title is Digital Marketing Lead at Graydon Skincare. My position at Graydon is the perfect fusion of my passion for health, beauty and e-commerce.
My mother worked at Estée Lauder, so I was introduced to beauty when I was young. Combined with the fact that I have two older sisters, there were always many beauty products in my house (like, big scary drawers full of cosmetics). I loved playing around with makeup, skincare and testing new products.
My mom started using Graydon Skincare when the company was very young (around 2014). Ever since, my family has been hooked! There could never be enough Superfood Serum and Face Food in my house! Graydon products made sense to me, not only because they worked amazingly for my skin, but I was also attracted to holistic health and clean beauty.
After graduating from Queen's University with a bachelor's in Health Studies, I decided to open a shop carrying wellness products that I loved. I knew that digital marketing was key to the success of any online store, so I became obsessed with studying the world of e-commerce.
Thanks to taking a leap of faith and asking Graydon to collaborate with me on a particular product, I ended up landing a job on the Graydon Team. I feel so lucky to work for a company with products and values that I wholeheartedly believe in and for a founder who I admire professionally and personally. I also work with a team of dedicated, fun, genuine, hardworking people who teach me so much every day.
When I am not working, I enjoy making art (currently floral watercolour and embroidery). Homemade pasta and a gripping fiction novel is my idea of a great night. I also dream of owning a country home with horses, chickens and a pet pig. For now, I'm enjoying life in Toronto with my fiancé and planning our 2023 wedding in Ireland!
—Natalie
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Pregnancy update
I'm thrilled to share that my fiance and I are expecting our first child this September 2022! We cannot wait to welcome our little one to the world.
I'm currently 33 weeks pregnant and am grateful for an overall positive pregnancy. There's no doubt my self-care practice has been key to supporting my journey and helping me stay grounded through this transition. The body undergoes so many physical, mental and emotional changes during pregnancy. I know pregnant women hear this enough, but I’m saying it again: Paying attention to your body and wellbeing is extra important right now!
I enjoy daily meditations on my Expectful pregnancy app, and my skincare routine plays an important role in my self-care practice. I love starting and ending the day with a grounding skincare routine that uses nourishing, clean, high-quality ingredients. Not only do Graydon products make my skin feel amazing, but more importantly, they are safe and healthy for me and my baby.
Pregnancy skincare routine
So, without further ado, here is the Graydon Skincare routine supporting me through my spring/summer pregnancy!
Putty all the time: I have a 240 mL bottle of Putty because I truly can't get enough of this cream. I use it for my face and my entire body after showering. The manuka honey, turmeric and oatmeal feels so comfy on my skin and my growing belly.
Triple cleanse 3x a week: Fluctuating pregnancy hormones combined with summer heat is a recipe for breakouts. Three nights a week, I do a triple cleanse with 1 pump of Face Foam and 1 pump of Aloe Milk Cleanser with the Bamboo Charcoal Sponge. This gives me all the wonderful benefits of niacinamide, white willow bark and azelaic acid with a gentle exfoliant! My skin feels brand new after this triple cleanse.
Daily AM skincare routine: I like to wake up my skin with Aloe Milk Cleanser and the Bamboo Charcoal Sponge. Next, I apply 1–2 pumps of Skin Stuff Face + Eye Cream. This moisturizer makes my skin feel super soft and supple. I also love that it has ceramides to reinforce my skin barrier and that it doubles as an eye cream!
I finish with 1–2 pumps of Face Glow to give my skin a natural, dewy glow. I might apply some under-eye concealer and that is often my makeup for the day! I also keep a bottle of Face Food Mineral Mist in my fridge when I need a cooling refresh during the summer heat.
PM skincare routine: On the evenings that I'm not doing a triple cleanse, I end my day with 1–2 pumps of Face Foam and the Bamboo Charcoal Sponge.
Next, I make a Skin Smoothie with 1–2 drops of Moon Boost Serum and 1–2 drops of Fullmoon Serum. I will often tweak the smoothie depending on whether my skin is craving more oil or water. The abundance of vitamins in Moon Boost Serum and the bio-retinol and collagen in Fullmoon Serum make my skin feel hydrated, nourished and revitalized.
I hope that by sharing my routine, I've given you some inspiration for your own skincare routine (whether your growing a baby or not)! It’s normal for your skin to change during each stage of pregnancy (and with the seasons). I love that Graydon products can be easily mixed and matched to meet my skins changing needs.
I also want to note that essential oils should be treated with caution during pregnancy, and some of the products I mentioned have essential oils. After doing my own research and speaking to my doctor and midwife, I feel safe and confident with the low dose of essential oils in these products. However, I encourage you to have this conversation with your doctor/OB/midwife.
—Natalie
