Inspired By... Joy McCarthy of Joyous Health
We are huge fans of Joyous Health and Founder Joy McCarthy, and all of her immense health and wellness advice. Follow along @joyoushealth if you're not already! Joy is always sharing real, whole food rooted advice as well as many ways we can invest in our holistic wellness.
The Joyous Health Lavender Shampoo and Conditioner is a staple in our shower and the Radiance Loose Leaf Tea is steeping most afternoons. So when Joy launched her new skincare line, we jumped at the chance to partner and get it into the hands of our community.
Here is our chat with Joy!
We have been huge fans of Joyous Health for years! You have incredible cookbooks, a line of beautiful loose leaf teas, hair care and body products – what made you want to expand into skincare?
Thank you so much!! This skincare line has been a long-time coming and we did it for two reasons. 1. My community has been asking us for skincare products for years and I love creating natural, organic, safe and effective products that work. And 2. I'm skincare obsessed. I'm always trying new things and because my skin is sensitive I have to be incredibly careful what I personally use. This makes me a great guinea pig for trying stuff out and finding the best products. But it's not about me because our skincare is a line that can be adapted for all skin types!
What are things that people might not know about skincare and ingredients in many products that aren’t good for us to be absorbing into our skin?
The large majority of skincare products on the market today are full chemicals you just don’t want on your skin because what goes ON your skin, eventually gets INTO your body. The majority of these chemicals fall into a category known as endocrine disrupters. This means they have the ability to mimic hormones in your body and throw your hormones out of balance. The beauty industry has done an excellent job marketing “paraben-free” but this is green-washing at its finest. Many products marketed as “paraben-free” are then full of even worse ingredients to preserve a product such as formaldehyde releasing compounds. You will see this on the label as DMDM hydantoin, quarternium-15 or sodium hydroxymethylglycinate to name a few. Yet it is so misleading when you see “paraben-free” with a picture of a cucumber on the front label! Another key ingredient to avoid is fragrance, sometimes listed as “parfum” and any synthetic scents as they contain phthalates which are plastic compounds and disrupt hormones. Check out EnvironmentalDefence.ca for the Toxic Ten list or page 57 of my second cookbook Joyous Detox for the full list of chemicals to avoid.
We are so excited to offer our customers the Hella Hydrating Serum as a limited Gift with Purchase this month. Can you tell us why you created this product and why the ingredients are good for our skin?
I created this product with the concept of “skinimalism” in mind. This means few, but functional ingredients with nothing to hide. I’m a huge fan of both organic rosehip oil and hyaluronic acid so I created an incredibly hydrating serum with the power duo of these two ingredients, and nothing else.
Organic rosehip oil helps to brighten, intensely hydrate and regenerate the skin due to the fatty acids it contains. Research has shown after 8 weeks of use, the skin's moisture level and elasticity are increased, reducing fine lines around the eyes. It is cold-pressed to ensure all the beneficial phytonutrients remain intact.
Hyaluronic acid is immensely hydrating which helps your skin look and feel more supple because it can hold over 1,000 times its weight in water! A redness or irritation reducer because it helps reduce inflammation.
The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich nutrients in this serum calm irritation, reduce fine lines and help your skin glow, not to mention, make your skin feel hella hydrated!
Skincare has a very special ritual like place in our self-care routines, what is your favourite daily routine that is most important to you and why?
One of my daily rituals that is most important to me is getting outside for a dose of nature. Getting daylight early in the day (before 10am) is essential for your energy and vitality because it helps to set your circadian rhythm which is your body’s internal clock. This helps me have sustainable and consistent energy throughout the day and cues my brain when the sun goes down that it’s time to be tired. Getting exposure to the light as the sun is setting is also extremely beneficial for your body’s internal clock.
On a personal note, the last year has had a lot of ups and downs, what is keeping you positive and inspired in your personal life and in business?
Staying connected to family and friends has been key for me to cultivate and maintain and a positive outlook on life. I have strengthened many friendships over this past year with people who share the same core values as me and it has really helped me manage the ups and downs. One more thing I would love to add that has kept me inspired is gardening. It has been such an amazing gift for me! I find it incredibly enjoyable to plant something, nurture it and watch it grow. It’s been a wonderful hobby to share with my daughter who is 5 and loves watering the plants and harvesting some fresh herbs to add to a salad at dinner!
Shop the full line of Joyous Health products here!