We’re always curious what brand founders themselves use for their morning and evening rituals. Especially in MIJA co-founder, Sarah Koszyk’s case where so much of the focus is on wellness from within. Yet MIJA has always had an eye on beauty and how it all manifests on the outside. We reached out for the full scoop, we think you’ll love Sarah’s well-thought out approach to developing a cohesive inner and outer beauty protocol.
“Keeping a morning and evening ritual is in itself beneficial for our wellbeing because it allows us to adhere to our body’s natural circadian rhythms. I value my daily routines.
I love waking up and taking a few moments to meditate and reflect on any dreams I had. Meditation helps ground me at the start for whatever will come up in the day. Then I usually do some type of workout whether it’s a barre class, HIIT session, swim (I’m in a Masters class), or run. After that, I’ll sit down with my family and it’s time for my morning elixirs.
I drink Superstar daily. Depending on what I’m having for breakfast, I’ll drink Superstar just mixed with warm water or I’ll add it to a smoothie for my meal. It’s a great tonic to get your body prepped, and ready for the day. I think setting that foundation is important which is why I also made something for those whose philosophy is ‘coffee first.’ My husband is such a coffee connoisseur and he adds our Galaxy Cloud Creamer to his daily coffee. It basically counters the negative side effects of coffee, while supplementing it to turn it into a functional wellness step.
My husband is also an amazing cook and makes breakfast for us a lot, like omelets with fruit or pancakes topped with almond butter, homemade jam, and chia seeds. Regardless of what we’re eating, we do our best to take time and sit together in the morning as a family. Even if it means waking up a little earlier before having to go to work and school. It’s nice to be able to spend time with one another.
Then I get ready to go about my day. Most of the time I’m trying to beat traffic into the city, or on my way to the South Bay, so my morning skincare routine isn’t too many steps. Usually a splash of water, or a light cleanse with something gentle like YÜLI’s Halcyon Cleanser, or Jan Marini’s C-Esta Cleansing Gel gets my face refreshed and ready. I love a good moisturizer, and currently it’s been Alpyn Beauty’s PlantGenius Melt Moisturizer. I first tried their products at a Credo-EWG summit, and loved their creams. This one is pretty new, and I just love how my skin feels throughout the day. I might do an eye product to look more ‘awake’ if I have time, and I find that creams work better for me. I’m currently using Dr. Perricone’s Hypoallergenic Firming Eye Cream, which is nicely rich, and doesn’t irritate my eyes. Finally, I always put a sunblock on my face to protect it from the elements, such as EltaMD UV Physical Broad-Spectrum SPF 41 Tinted. Lately, I’ve been trying Asian sunscreens like Shiseido Japan’s Anessa SPF50 for when I want something lighter, and not mineral sunblock based. Those Asian sun filters are just best in the world right now!
Evenings though, are my time to wind down and relax. I usually start with a warm cup of nighttime tea which I’ll add the Galaxy Cloud Creamer for additional boost of calming clarity and focus, plus the L-Theanine really helps with sleep. Warming, non-caffeinated drinks help center me and give me that extra comfort needed after a long, taxing day. After I put my son to bed and spend more time with my husband, it’s all about me-time for that last 30 minutes of the day.
First, I’ll cleanse my skin with an oil cleanser to remove the gunk of the day that’s at the surface. I like Pai’s Light Work Rosehip Oil Cleanser , it’s a light and gentle mix of plant oils that feel good to massage around my skin before I wash off, and go over with my gel cleanser. Then, I’ll add an epidermal serum to repair my skin from any tissue and sun damage, such as YÜLI Ambrosia Beauty Nectar. It just picks my skin up! This also has the added benefit of deeply hydrating my skin, especially when I follow with either Marie Veronique’s Pre+PostBiotic Daily Mist or Tatcha’s Luminous Dewy Skin Mist that my make-up artist friend first introduced me to when I stayed with her in LA years ago. I’ve always loved oils for the skin. Topically, they’re like supplements for the skin. And I just love the YÜLI oils because they’re so fresh, and high quality, and the science behind their formulas is incredible. I top off face mist with the YÜLI Liquid Courage, which is not only a wonderful topical antioxidant serum, but also loaded with Vitamin C, CoQ10, which are great nutrients for the skin.
Once I have all the products applied, I’ll spend 5 to 10 minutes doing a Face Yoga Method routine. I’m doing my best to naturally age gracefully. Face Yoga Method helps firm and tone the muscles in my face and neck to prevent sagging, drooping skin.
Journalling has been a helpful practice for me mentally, and I’ll do that next. My head spins a lot and thoughts are constantly racing around up there, so journaling helps me put things down on paper and let the thoughts go. I’ll also spend a little time prepping for the following day so that I have less things to do in the morning when the chaos begins. I typically don’t go on my phone or computer during my wind-down time so I’ll just spend some time reading before going to bed.
The secret sauce to skin aging
I do my best to maintain firm, bouncy skin! My secret sauce includes a variety of things (there is never a one-shot solution). I’ll do Face Yoga Method to stimulate the muscles for strong, firm skin. I eat a really well-balanced, healthy diet, but I’m sure I also fall short with all the micronutrients I need, since I have high stress levels, which cut into my worries, frets, and wrinkles. I take Superstar daily to ensure I get those needed missing nutrients. Superstar is perfectly dosed with a balance of vitamins straight from superfoods, which are the most bioavailable. For example, vitamin C is very important for radiant skin and our bodies can’t make it. Vitamin C also helps with collagen production. However, it is water-soluble, which means any excess vitamin C just goes out, and worse can be taxing for the system to filter out. Superstar has the perfect dose of vitamin C, allowing the body to reap the most benefit.
The Extras
Hydration is so important for radiant skin. When people ask me ‘what is one tip to keep your skin fresh and glowing?’ I say – stay hydrated! During the winter months, since it’s cold, people tend to drink less water. Staying hydrated during the very dry, winter months is even more important, too. Drinking warm cups of water and including Superstar, lemon, and Manuka honey, can be a powerhouse plan to not only optimize your skin health but also support your immune system. I also know coffee can by dehydrating although it’s a good go-to warming drink in the winter months. Adding Galaxy Cloud Creamer, which not only has a calming effect to mitigate the spike/jitters from the coffee’s caffeine, but it also has healthy MCT fats, which can lubricate the body, too, and reduce the dehydrating factor.
Currently, I’m also really enjoying experimenting with skincare masks during the winter. It’s the perfect evening activity while we’re tucked away in the warmth of bed.
I use Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum as an acid mask for when it makes sense to exfoliate. I feel in the winter, we’re layered under so much, and having some exfoliation helps to keep things fresh. This serum, applied as a dollop of mask just once a week is so effective, without too much irritation. For winter-time moisture, I’ve started trying May Lindstrom’s Honey Mud as a delicious moisture mask. It’s like a dessert on my face!
The last thing I’ve been experimenting with, I probably shouldn’t say. But I’ll give you a little teaser anyway. It’s an upcoming MIJA product that really takes care of it all: face, hair, and body. So I’ve been testing it daily with my team to make sure we have the formula just right for luscious, smooth skin and hair. And it also smells and feels aaah-mazing! I know MIJA has focused on beauty from the inside out. We wanted to expand the concept because topical products can really make it a 360 wellness experience. Of course, we partnered with the best in the business to make this divine and nourishing product. Stay tuned!”
