Move To Mindful: Indie Lee

'Move to Mindful' is a new series of interviews about people’s connection with mindful beauty— a movement beyond clean, nontoxic beauty that also incorporates ethical, sustainable, and wellness practices. The goal of these interviews is to provide space for open discussion, always with this mantra (and then some): You do you, while being *extra* for our planet and humanity too.

Indie Lee, the "queen of clean skincare", is our first guest! She needs little to no introduction as she is a pioneering leader in the independent beauty industry. Her globally renowned skincare line, Indie Lee, has helped forge the way for clean beauty to become mainstream and continually sets the precedent for all-natural skincare. Indie is a longtime advocate for multi-faceted wellness and recently launched "Mindful Monday", a weekly mindfulness practice which she leads on her Instagram/IGTV every Monday at 8 pm EST.

@indielee

DEFINE WHAT ‘MINDFUL BEAUTY’ MEANS TO YOU.

To me, mindful beauty isn’t just about the products we use on a daily basis. It’s about being present in your self-care practice. This can include slowing down your nighttime routine to include dry brushing or doing a weekly facial mask. Perhaps it’s creating space in your day to exercise or swap out your old and expired products each season. I also believe mindful beauty is loving yourself - mind, body and soul.

WAS BEAUTY THE INITIAL CHANGE YOU MADE WHEN TRANSITIONING TO A MORE MINDFUL LIFESTYLE?
The initial change was leaving my high-powered career at HBO to get back to basics by building a 750-square foot greenhouse in my backyard to support school gardens and sell edible flowers to Whole Foods. This change was serendipitous since I a few years later would formulate the first Indie Lee products out of the same greenhouse!

WHAT CAUSED YOU TO MOVE TOWARDS USING MINDFUL BEAUTY PRODUCTS?
My diagnosis of a rare brain tumor and as little as six months to live, in 2008. My doctor told me it could be attributed to something as simple as my skincare, and I knew I had to make a change. That meant throwing out all of my conventional beauty products and moving to cleaner options.

WHICH BEAUTY PRODUCT WAS THE FIRST YOU SWITCHED? AND WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT MINDFUL BEAUTY/SELF-CARE MUST-HAVES?
I went all in when I switched. I know it sounds crazy, but after my diagnosis, I tossed all my products and started fresh with cleaner products. That being said, I don’t recommend this if you’re trying to go clean for the first time - it can be expensive and overwhelming (which I learned the hard way). It’s best to swap gradually when you run out of one conventional product and can replace it with a clean version. It’s a much easier approach.

My current must-haves: my gua sha and my I-Recover Mind + Body Gel. I never leave home without them.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT MINDFUL SELF-CARE PRACTICE?
Meditation twice daily. This is something I’ve been doing for years and I maintain the practice even when I’m traveling.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING NEXT FOR MINDFUL BEAUTY?
My hope is that we stop using social media as a platform to compare ourselves to others. I find so many of us compare our looks, our bodies and our lifestyle against curated feeds. We are all perfectly imperfect and I want to celebrate that.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WANTING TO MAKE THE MOVE TO MINDFUL BEAUTY PRACTICES?
Don’t give in to pressure to do everything all at once. Starting slow and gradually sets you up for success. For example, when you get close to running out of one of your conventional products, begin doing research on clean alternatives that might be a fit for you. This way, you can gradually swap out your routine effectively and without emotional or financial pressure.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MINDFULNESS MANTRA?
Live with passion, on purpose, and with full presence.