We spoke with Graydon Moffat, creator of GRAYDON Clinical Luxury by Nature. We use and love her line of “crap free” holistic personal care products because she uses incredibly pure ingredients, her products are amazing (and actually work!), she’s local to Toronto, and she’s a great person. We found out how to simplify and save money on quality beauty care, the new fragrance that’s irresistible to men, and natural tips and tools to get the best night’s sleep.
Your All Over Soap is one multi-purpose super wash! Don’t we need to use different products to wash our hands, body, face, hair, and another for the kids?
Well the answer is no, not really. A well-made soap can be used for a wide variety of purposes; we are just brain washed into thinking that we need something separate for every single body part. This encourages unnecessary spending and consumption, and it clutters up your shower and counter top. The All Over Soap is all about simplifying your life. I have some people who buy it in bulk (1 litre refill bottle) and even wash their dishes with it! (It’s the only bottle in our showers and it makes the bathroom smell like a spa!)
Is aromatherapy just for hippies?
Nah– some people just don’t realize that the best smells are from plants. My Mum is a good example of this as she is not what I would call an overly holistic person. She uses artificial fragrances all the time, but she happens to love the smell of my Pink Grapefruit Geranium Blood Orange AromaBlend because it just smells plain yummy. When I blend it for her into one of my creams or oils or soap, she feels super uplifted.
I think part of the hippy association is that a lot of holistic products out there have a dowdy dated feel. It’s time to make aromatherapy products look just a sexy as conventional mainstream items. That’s a challenge I’m trying to rise too.
What is your favourite essential oil, and why?
Oohhh I just love pink grapefruit. It is super fresh and gives me such a perk. It blends beautifully with all sorts of other oils from geranium to peppermint to lavender. I also find that men love the smell of it on women because it isn’t heavy or overly floral. (Our fave is the Fresh BaaLLS Blend that gives us safely smelling laundry. Thanks Graydon!)
Why would someone choose your All Over Body Oil to moisturize instead of just using coconut oil?
There’s no question- coconut oil is great (I use it in a lot of my formulations), but just like a well-rounded diet with lots of different fruits and vegetables, a synergy of oils will feed your skin more effectively than just one oil. Each of the oils I use in my All Over Body Oil has different nutrients and a unique texture and feel. (We made the switch last winter, and totally noticed the difference + it smells incredible!)
Where can we find you when you’re not in the kitchen testing new formulations?
When I’m not in the kitchen testing new formulations, I can be found teaching other people how to make their own beauty products, or teaching yoga. Both are very popular for kid’s birthdays and for GNO’s ( that’s girls nights out– not gmo!). You can also find me hanging with my kid. And walking around Riverdale with crazy little dog.
You haven’t always been lucky in the sleep department. What aids do you use to help you get a good night’s rest?
Restorative yoga poses and a good meditation tape are good tools. But really, the answer is preparing the body for a good night’s sleep – that’s the most effective strategy. For me, that involves eating a dinner that is not too ‘yang’* such as, on occasion when I eat red meat (happy meat of course), and red wine and something salty at the same time…that totally does me in! A simple clean diet of veggies, veggie protein, and complex carbs works much better for my nervous system.
* ‘Yang’ is associated with aggressive male energy, whereas ‘yin’ energy is more female, sustainable, and calming to the nervous system.
What’s on your bedside table right now?
A jar of The Putty (which I put everywhere on my body… from chapped lips to dry feet and everywhere in between to keep my skin incredibly soft and hydrated without feeling greasy). A glass of water. And a book I love called Broken Open.
For more information on Graydon Clinical Luxury by Nature, visit clinicalluxurybynature.com. Tweet with Graydon about clean beauty @ClinicalLuxury, and like her on Facebook too!
