Most recently updated 1/12/21

The Unconventional Wisdom series features founders making waves, and shares their insights and journeys about living a beautiful life.

We sat down with renowned clean beauty brand Odacité’s founder and CEO, Valerie Grandury, to get the inside scoop on her expert (and totally healthy) skincare tips. Hailing from France, Valerie shares how to get glowing skin and care for your skin at any age, as well as how she manages overwhelm.

You’re a clean beauty pioneer, having founded Odacité in 2009. How did Odacité become your life’s work?

Odacité was born when I was healing from breast cancer. I promised myself to never again expose my body to toxic ingredients, starting with the products I used on my skin every day.

I was raised in France and living in California. So I decided to combine the best of both worlds: the expertise of French skincare and the green California lifestyle.

What’s your definition of good skin?

For me, good skin is well-hydrated, and has a smooth texture and healthy glow.

If you’re giving skincare advice to a busy woman in her 20’s or 30’s, what would you tell her?

Make time for your skincare routine! Skincare morning and night is an opportunity for a 5-minute break that’s all about you — all about self-care and self-love. 

In your 20’s, start building a healthy skincare foundation: cleanse, mist, treat (with a targeted serum concentrate), and moisturize. 

In your 30’s, build your age-defying routine by adding an eye cream and a night serum.

What are the most important changes women start to face in their 40’s, 50’s, and beyond? How does this affect skincare routines?

For me, these are the best ages for women. We’re confident, we care less about what other people think, and we can enjoy all the great things we’ve learned.

When it comes to skin, it’s time to amp up your antioxidants and hydration. Look for vitamin C, Coq10, and beta carotene. 

As we age, our skin produces less oil, making it harder to keep the skin moist. So you should add more oil serums to your routine. Skin cells also reproduce slower, so you can help cellular turnover by exfoliating 2-3 times per week.

Many NakedPoppy community members say they’re sensitive to scent. What’s your philosophy on scent?

Yes, fragrance, scents, and artificial perfume are bad for your skin and for the environment. They’re created in labs, with almost no regulation, using hundreds of chemicals. According to the Academy of Dermatology, artificial scents are a major source of skin allergies and irritation.

We never use artificial scents. Instead, we rely on the extraordinary powers of pure essential oils, which are known to have remarkable benefits for the skin (and the mind). 

Each product is also dermatologically tested through what’s known as known HRIPT (Human Repeat Insult Patch Test). This is a clinical study to establish that the formula is non-sensitizing and can be considered a very low risk of allergic reactions and/or skin irritation.

French people are famous for having adopted micellar water long before Americans. Does micellar water play a role in the Odacité line?

Micellar water is a no-rinse cleanser. It was originally created because the water in Paris is harsh to the skin. So, by skipping the water rinse, you help maintain better skin integrity. 

Like most Parisian girls, I grew up on micellar water, and I LOVE it. It’s fast and effective, even on those late nights when the last thing you feel like doing is cleansing your face!

With Blue Aura Cleansing Water, I wanted to elevate micellar water. We kept the micelle technology — tiny balls of cleansing oil that attract dirt and oil — and replaced the water with fresh, organic aloe vera. We infused it with turmeric, holy basil, and neem, and added salicylic acid to maintain clear pores.

What’s the most common skincare myth (or myths) you’ve encountered?

Believing that you can use the same product every day and see amazing results. Just like you don’t eat the same food every day, you shouldn’t feed your skin with the same products every day.

Skin is constantly changing due to environmental factors we don’t have control over, like the weather, pollution, hormones, sleep, diet, and stress. You can wake up with dehydrated skin from a “too much coffee and not enough water day,” and then go through a stressful day and have a pimple flare up by the end of the day. No product in the world will fix both hydration in the morning and pimples at night.

So many of us feel overcommitted. What are your favorite tips for managing overwhelm?

I can definitely relate to that overwhelmed feeling. For me, the only way to manage it is to schedule “me time” in my calendar, just like any other meeting. I take those “me time meetings” very seriously, as they are the key to me staying healthy, creative, and productive. 

For example, when I travel, I always make time — even if just an hour — to go to a museum and be inspired by the beauty of art. I also love to visit botanical gardens. 

When I’m not traveling, I schedule a sunrise hike three times a week with my dogs. I do yoga twice a week. Then Sunday morning is for the farmer’s market, and the rest of the day is time with friends and family. 

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