Ask Graydon Moffat about the origin of two of the most stunning serums in her eponymous skincare line—Fullmoon and Moon Boost—and prepare to be taken on a journey to a frozen forest in the Canadian hinterland, complete with a no-nonsense shaman, sleeping bags piled on a hard wooden floor, and 2:30 a.m. “fire duty” stoking a massive outdoor blaze. While some beauty entrepreneurs might kick back with a glass of cabernet when conjuring their next big breakthrough, Moffat, a vegan chef and yoga instructor prior to launching Graydon in 2012, is okay with suffering a bit if it helps shift her energy in a more positive direction.
At the time of the frosty spiritual retreat, located a six-hour drive from her Toronto home base, Moffat was dealing with personal issues that were making it hard to focus on her fledgling brand. Wanting to part company with all that was no longer serving her, she was more than open to the “teachings of the fire” ceremony that took place under a luminous, waxing moon. Having been christened “Blue Maiden” by her shaman, Moffat listened as she was briefed about the impact of connecting to the lunar energy, and the significance of the color blue.
“Humans have been in relationship with the moon since the beginning of time . . . “
Returning to the city, Moffat wasn’t in great shape. “I was exhausted. I got sick. It was a lot, and I was kind of really destabilized,” she recalls. “And then things actually did start to shift.”
Within a week, she’d met with a supplier who introduced her to a detoxifying ingredient she hadn’t heard of—malachite, which gives Fullmoon Serum its distinctive blue hue. As she continued on her path of moon meditation—outdoors, in her ski jacket—Moffat became increasingly convinced of la luna’s power. And after aligning with astrologer Sara Elise, the duo offered a series of “Moon Bites” virtual lunch and learn sessions. More recently, Moffat unveiled Moon Boost Serum, the peppy, bright orange yang to Fullmoon’s serene yin. And there’s a third moon-themed product in the Graydon pipeline, for launch sometime this year.
Connecting to the Third Eye
Baloo’s sleep mask
Another spirituality-driven beauty maker, Highborn founder Lauren Gannes, named an entire mini collection after the moon. “Moonsaber is probably the most mystical of all of our scent profiles,” Gannes says of the neroli- and blue tansy-spiked assortment of aromatic body oils. A firm believer in the power of rituals, Gannes notes that she was “deep into tarot and my third eye was especially buzzy while manifesting” Moonsaber. “I’m very sensitive to the cycles and always call in my intentions and gently watch my thought frequencies. The universe listens.”
And on the topic of the third eye . . . Baloo Living’s sumptuous, next level sleep mask has a special built-in pocket to slip crystals into, situated right over the chakra to enhance meditation and spiritual connection.
In a more whimsical, Millennial-centric way, Truly serves up a bevy of moon-fixated bath and body products that feel more cheeky and vibe-y than dark and mysterious. Take the cotton candy blue Moon Rocks Whipped Body Scrub, for example, which includes something called “Dream Catcher Oil” in the ingredient list on the front label. Equally colorful, the ashwagandha-infused Moon Jelly Adaptogenic Body Cleanser and Moon Shower Adaptogenic Spa Mist, cast in a vibrant violet, were crafted to tackle modern-day woes like inflammation while also providing a dose of relaxation.
Not that all the lunar love is happening in the privacy of our own salles de bain; spas have been serving up moon-themed treatments for a few years now. Case in point: the elaborate menu offered by Sense Spa at Rosewood San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, which features body work and is centered around all four phases. There’s Otho Zana for the new moon (legs and feet massage); Kresiente for the crescent moon (deep massage); Sinana for the full moon (energy balance massage) and Tazana for the waning moon (lymphatic massage).
Having a Moon Moment
House of Intuition’s Moon Bath
Still, back at home, there’s no question that moon beauty and wellness is having a moment. The outsize success of C & The Moon’s juggernaut Malibu Made Body Scrub is just one example. Founded by Carson Meyer, a committed eco-warrior who serves as co-chair of the National Resources Defense Council, the brand directs a portion of its proceeds to the NRDC. Not surprising, given that Carson is named for one of the foremost environmentalists of our day, Rachel Carson. “Her book The Sea Around Us so beautifully puts into words the symbiotic dance between the sea and the moon,” says Meyer. “Growing up by the beach in Malibu, the relationship between these two forces was made evident to me by the ebb and flow of the tides and served as a reminder of the interconnectedness of all things.”
And lest anyone think the moon is merely trendy, Meyer is happy to set the record straight. “I don’t believe the infatuation with the moon is a new phenomenon,” she says. “Humans have been in relationship with the moon since the beginning of time, whether it be through worship, farming, timekeeper, celebration, or storytelling.”
“Part of our collective obsession with the moon is superficial,” Moffat concedes. “There’s something so beautiful about it. It’s feminine. There’s a lot to love on an outward level. But the more you actually become attuned to it, you’re like, ‘Yes, this is happening.’”
Dana Wood
Dana Wood is the Contributing Beauty Editor at InsidersGuidetoSpas.com. She has been writing about beauty and wellness for decades, and no matter how many times she taps the words “hyaluronic acid” or “healing modalities” into her keyboard, it never gets old. Dana spent a total of 20 years at Condé Nast, serving as Beauty Director for W, Cookie, and Brides. A transplanted New Yorker, Dana now lives in St. Petersburg, Florida. Her peak spa experience? Dana says it’s impossible to decide between the Coco-Mango Body Buff at the Driftwood Spa at Jakes in Treasure Beach, Jamaica, The Land of Beautiful Waters Anti-Aging Facial at Four Seasons Nevis, and the 80-minute 5 Senses massage at the Spa by JW in Marco Island, Florida.