
Marie Veronique
If I’m honest, I have to tell you that using the term "aging gracefully" implies something very different from what actually happens. The kindest thing I can do is give you the truth, brutal though it may be: there is simply no magical way to decay and die that isn’t somewhere between unpleasant and downright horrifying. The notion of “graceful aging'' is perpetuated by the young in an attempt to gloss over the terror of impending physical decline with reassuring phrases. However, this state of blissful denial starts eroding about the same time as the losses start piling up: hearing, eyesight, friends, beloved pets, teeth, hair… and bear in mind that the calamities, as in global warming, only increase in number, variety and severity as one nears the end of one’s allotted time. Any old person can tell you all this but whether you’re ready to listen or not depends on where you happen to be on the age spectrum.
The answer, like life itself, is brief. No. Don't kid yourself; decay is not attractive, nor is it graceful. The only thing you might possibly retain at the end of it all, when you've lost hair, teeth, relatives and most of your senses, is your sense of humor, though why the hell you should retain that is beyond me. Check back with me in a couple of years on that one.
Owning your age suggests that aging is the enemy in the corner that you just have to face up to. If aging gracefully reeks of denial because there's nothing graceful about decay, “owning your age” strikes a note of defiance that also misses the mark. Both phrases speak to fear underscoring the issue here— “Oh aging, I am afraid of it.” Yes, it's sensible to “own up to” fear of aging, but it's not necessary to stop at that point—in other words, being realistic about your fear is a good thing, but it does not mean you should succumb to hopelessness.
A strange comfort is to be had from using the scientific method to look at the facts—and the fact is entropy (measured at the rate at which energy loss to the system increases to the point where the system can no longer function) in a human system is always going to win in the end. You will decay and eventually die. However, there are things that you can do to slow the rate of entropy, and this is where science works in your favor. We know that for skin the biggest single entropy accelerator is free radicals from solar radiation causing sun damage. In fact, the stats are that 2% of wrinkles are caused by aging, and 98% are caused by sun. So you can slow skin wrinkling (a sign of aging) by staying out of the sun during peak hours and wearing zinc oxide only sunblock whenever you go out, even if it's raining (because UVA rays (think A = aging)) come through clouds and glass. Taking sensible precautions such as this can slow the rate of entropy, and it's a reasonable course of action you can take. We are beginning to find out how the body and the skin ages in other ways as well that can be addressed with other ameliorative actions, some topical, some nutritional. So. Aging. Inevitable yes, but visible signs of it like wrinkling can be ameliorated with sensible protective measures. You can't stop the decay, but you can delay certain aspects of it. We can’t change reality, but we can offer perspective, and aging is a journey that is unique to every individual—how you deal with it, what you do to cope, etc. Entropy is in all of our futures—including the planet's—but you can do things to slow the rate down. The scientific method makes facing the inevitable tolerable for me, while taking advantage of scientific advances makes the journey more pleasant for all of us. My concept suggestion would be, “Delay the Decay!”

If you had to choose, which would be your favorite product from the Marie Veronique line?
Did you become a chemist because of your skin issues, or was chemistry something you always wanted to study, for other/different reasons?
We know how you keep your visage looking so...graceful! What about your spirit and mind? What are some practices and rituals that you perform regularly that help you to feel healthy and full of vibrancy?

What is your personal definition of clean beauty? What, if anything, does it have to do with “aging gracefully” or “owning your age ” or whatever one chooses to call it ?
MARIE VERONIQUE GENTLE RETINOL NIGHT SERUM
"As I mentioned above, retinol is the heaviest hitter of all. Long term retinoid users enjoy an epidermis with less age spots and wrinkles supported by a lovely thick dermis. Our high tech formula contains both Vitamin C and retinol, delivering near-miraculous results."
MARIE VERONIQUE VITAMIN C+E+ FERULIC SERUM
"The high daily amount of Vitamin C the body needs to function normally may not leave enough left over for our skin to repair itself, which is why it’s critical to deliver it topically. It’s imperative to choose a well-formulated Vitamin C serum such as ours — getting a serum that actually delivers to the skin is very, very tricky."
MARIE VERONIQUE BARRIER LIPID COMPLEX
"This strategic and rich oil blend replenishes the same key lipids that are naturally found in the barrier lipid layer of the skin. There is simply nothing else like it."