6 Unconventional Skincare Tips I Wish I Knew Earlier

If you're like me, you're on a forever quest to biohack your way to looking and feeling your best at every age. If you're new to my skincare line MARA or my background – hi, I'm Allison McNamara. You may have come across my signature blue skincare bottles on Sephora’s Skincare's Next Big Thing wall. Or perhaps you've spotted us in your favourite celebrities’ beauty routines (thank you Hailey Bieber, Chrissy Teigen, and Olivia Munn). If not that, then perhaps you've watched one of the thousands of online videos I've made. Yes, being a beauty founder is my second life. My first? As an entertainment and fashion journalist, where I wrote, hosted and produced content during the digital golden age of media.

I called POPSUGAR home for quite some time and did everything from teaching you how to clean your engagement ring, to the most bananas backstage interviews at NYFW, to co-hosting the Oscars red carpet for ABC. My two favourite career highlights from that time were appearing on the Today Show and hosting my own TV show, Midnight Style on FYI Network. You most likely didn't see the latter, because the show flopped – which left me at a crossroads: do I continue pursuing my passion of helping other people tell their stories, or do I finally tell my own? On a family trip, the idea of MARA was born – a triple entendre of the Sea of Marmara (in Istanbul), my last name McNamara, and mara translating to ‘sea’ in Gaelic.

Fast forward to today and I've had my algae-infused skincare company since 2018, and I'm so proud of our assortment and what we've been able to achieve thus far. We are leaders in clean algae biotechnology, with a clinically tested proprietary algae blend that improves the look of ageing, plumpness, and hydration in just 15 days. Sourced, of course, from Ireland and France – paying homage to our name. A no-compromise approach when it comes to efficacy means these products have to do the work of three, and perform better than everything I’ve ever tried before.

But, as someone who has, somehow, recently become the oldest person in most rooms I walk into (I'm 38), my new mantra has been balancing my cortisol and hormone levels, and using the time I do my skincare to also focus on ritual and wellness. Ahead, a few unconventional skincare tips I’ve acquired along the way that have been my skin saviours for youthful-looking skin – hopefully well into my 40s and beyond.

Make Space For Magnesium

It took me about 35 years to realise how critical magnesium is for skin health and overall wellbeing. From about 33–35, I suffered from chronic eye twitches and muscle twitches, which I chalked up to stress and lack of sleep – because, you know, I run a business that’s never taken outside capital. And while yes, that certainly played a role, the true culprit was a severe magnesium deficiency, which also subtly wreaked havoc on my skin quality and glow. What’s interesting is, I was taking a daily vitamin with magnesium, but learned there are so many forms of magnesium – all with different functions for the body. I introduced BioOptimizers, with all seven forms of magnesium, into my routine and almost instantly my twitches subsided, my sleep and cortisol levels stabilised, and yes – the glow and quality of my skin improved dramatically!

Align Skincare With Your Menstrual Cycle

I intuitively treat my face and rotate between actives based on my skincare concern that day. Naturally, I reach for Algae Retinol Face Oil around three nights a week, Flower Acid Algae Serum (our exfoliating lactic acid) one or two nights a week, Clear Skin Mineral Milk (a BHA salicylic acid exfoliant) one night a week, and then a day or two where I just focus on hydration with Universal Face Oil. However, I noticed that during my luteal phase (pre-period) my skin tends to be more reactive and sensitive, so I began reducing the actives I use during that time – and noticed a huge difference in my skin. Our algae is incredible for this phase of the month, so I usually soak myself in Universal Face Oil only on those nights.

Omit Anything with Hyaluronic Acid

I’ve been on an anti-hyaluronic acid kick for years. MARA products do not contain it, anywhere. I found this ingredient to be the culprit for drying out my skin, regardless of the molecular weight or the cost of the formula. If you’re experiencing dryness, I highly recommend removing any product with HA from your line-up to see if you notice an improvement in hydration – this is much more common than you might think. I love sea moss; we use it as an HA replacement in SeaDream Algae Crème. For moisture, I prefer one of our lipid-rich oils, like our trusty Universal Face Oil, to combat dryness.

Focus On Face-Lift Foods

I love that the gut–skin health connection is at the forefront right now. A few of the biggest switches I made were incorporating bone broth into my morning routine (pre-coffee!) to coat the gut, along with my vitamin C first thing. I also focus on antioxidants via dark purple foods – blueberries, blackberries, Japanese purple potatoes – because their anthocyanins help stabilise collagen cross-links and fight glycation.

Consider Colostrum & Collagen

While the jury is still out on the scientific proof for this one, I have to let you in on it. I was a ride-or-die Agent Nateur Holi Mane user for years, and I do love that product – I noticed a major improvement in both my hair and nails. But the real kicker came when I swapped that for Cowboy Colostrum. I blend this into whole milk for my coffee each day, and I’ve now been using it for about four months. My skin has a glow that’s unmatched!

Gua Sha Your Scalp

While not technically skincare, my hair has taken a few sharp turns that required immediate attention after several bouts of Covid and weight loss. I scalp gua sha every evening now, after applying the Nécessaire Scalp Serum, and have noticed vast improvements in hair thickness and health. I love the Wildling gua sha, and also use it for my neck.