This Mother And Daughter Duo Talk Their Holistic Daily Routines

To celebrate Mother’s Day, we chatted with Mukti, founder of cult organic skincare line Mukti Organics, and her daughter, Kiyana Lloyd, who not only have a strong mother-daughter bond they cherish, but who also share a professional life – Kiyana works for her mother’s brand as creative director and social media manager. Both passionate about organic beauty and wellness, they shared their in-depth daily skincare and health routines with us – as well as the exact steps they’re taking to cope during lockdown.

Mukti

“My daily routine is to meditate upon rising for 20 minutes.

I was trained by Vedic practitioner, Gary Gorrow. This is my daily sanity. I then do 10-15 minutes of holotropic/Wim Hof breathing to alkalise my blood and reset for the day. I walk my dog, Yuna the jug, on the beach each morning along the shoreline where the water laps at my bare feet to get a negative ion charge. I ensure that I get the morning sunlight into my eyes, sunglasses free, to reset my circadian rhythm as well as sunlight on my body to get my daily dose of vitamin D. This is then followed up by a plunge in the ocean. All of this is done generally before 9am.

I live by the beach in Byron and swim most days.

Since moving here my hair has become quite bleached by the sun. Internally, my Bioactive Collagen Booster assists with strengthening and conditioning my hair. I wash the salt out of my hair after swimming in the ocean and follow with a leave-in conditioning treatment with peptides to help with the structure, and I use an Aveda mousse to prevent frizzing. I prefer a lived-in beach look. If I have an event to attend, I get my hair blowed and styled usually in loose waves. I’m fortunate that in low humidity, it holds a curl.

I’m currently loving Nimble, and also Nagnata leggings and jumper for cooler days. They are Australian made locally by Laura May. They are super comfortable, stylish and made from sustainable fabrics. Love!

I am a bit of a minimalist and don’t wear much makeup other than a touch of concealer, a smudge of eye liner and mascara.

I use my Hydrating Cleansing Lotion daily followed by the Hydrating Rose Blossom Mist. I interchange my serums and elixirs depending on what my skin dictates. At the moment, I use a combination of the following: Antioxidant Facial Serum (old faithful), Hyaluronic Marine Serum (hero), Vital C Elixir (hero), followed by a few drops of Antioxidant Facial Oil and Marigold Hydrating Crème. I like to use my Dr Denis Gross LED Mask. For makeup, I love Kjaer Weis, RMS, and Eye Horus.

Eyelash curlers are a must as well, as framing the face with an eyebrow pencil. A small amount of highlighter on the upper brow and cheeks, and a bit of bronzer, create a lovely natural and healthy glow.

I usually get regular facials from our spa therapists at our headquarters in Maleny or from Stacey Burt at the Little Company in Byron Bay.

I also get my brows done once a month and regular waxing. I swear by regular body brushing, IV vitamins, meditation, clean healthy living, and minimal alcohol. Maintaining an awareness of the body and its functions at a cellular level is so important to me. If I am unwell, I turn to herbal medicine and supplements. I avoid pharmaceuticals at all costs.

For my skin and general health, I oil pull, use an LED light, and dry body brush before showering using my Bioactive Body Elixir. As I have my own clear light infrared sauna, I go in that two to three times a week. I also take regular ice baths – I have a super large chest freezer outside on back deck. I hop in after training sessions or after three rounds of Wim Hof breathing for as long as I can tolerate, one to three minutes. It’s a mind over matter challenge.

Taking time daily to nourish and nurture your skin is an important part of self-care.

Having a rest from makeup during lockdown is a blessing for all skin regardless of age or skin type. Regular exfoliation and masks are no longer time constraining must-dos but a pleasant indulgence. Facial massage and acupressure point location can assist in relaxing facial muscles and stimulating the circulation. Lockdown is a good opportunity for self-acceptance and self-love (minus injectables, fillers and false eye lashes), authenticity and inner reflection with less focus on external gratification stemming from insecurities. I remind myself, how can I use this time to best be of service and create a positive impact on the world when things return to “normal”?

Everything that I consume is from organic farming.

I’m a stickler for nutrient-dense food that is going to feed my body and assist me with feeling great and aiding longevity. I’m primarily plant based and eat meat occasionally although it must be biodynamic and grass-fed. I eat fish once a week. I fast intermittently every day for 12-18 hours so my eating window is reduced. In that time, I will have two meals one that is a protein based smoothie and the other is a small amount of protein, and salad or vegetables. My favourite indulgence is baked sweet potato wedges served with guacamole. For snacks, I opt for to-die-for activated nuts with dried mulberries, blueberries and Pana dark chocolate.

My fiancé, Matt Chaplin, is a personal trainer and we are fortunate enough to have a fully-equipped studio where we train daily.

For my mental and physical health, this is a daily non-negotiable. I walk every day for 45 minutes along the beach and I train three to four times a week with Matt. In training sessions, our holistic objective is human optimisation and primal movement patterns. Matt is a biohacker that tests just about everything. He walks his talk and is one of the most committed and healthiest humans I have met. Clearly, a great influence in my life.

My mother was a fashion model and makeup artist, so I learnt from an early age about the importance of taking care of my skin.

I started using natural skin care products from Dr Hauschka at about 12 years old. My mother protected us from the sun from a young age and smothered us in white zinc and hats when we spent our summer holidays at the beach.

The transition to self isolation hasn’t really affected me much as far as my day to day routine.

I work remotely from home. The restrictions in relation to seeing friends and socialising is difficult but connections and communication is stronger as most people are making more time for each other and strengthening bonds with like-minded folks. I have several friend threads and we check in on each other most days with titbits, recipes and general emotional support. Of course, like everyone, it is a bit of an imposition on freedom and normal liberties, so that can be frustrating.

I am maintaining vigilant awareness in relation to my thoughts and avoiding watching the news completely.

I find it very fear based and negative so it affects my mental continuum and as our thoughts affect our emotions, in turn they have a huge impact on our immune system. As 75% of our immunity and 90% of our internal communication system resides in our gut, gut health is paramount to overall health and immunity.”

Kiyana

I love homemade sweet potato chips and smashed avocado with a form of protein for dinner. Another favourite is my morning smoothie, which has two scoops of protein, organic berries, collagen, cacao, hemp seeds and various other powders (like reishi mushrooms and Vital Greens) which I alternate.

My routine is fairly simple, but I ensure I am consistent and stick with the same one each and every day.

I cleanse morning and night and always use our Hydrating Rose Blossom Facial Mist before I even think about a next step – it’s an absolute must to help with absorption of skincare. I then use a Mukti Serum and finish off with a daily moisturiser that has SPF in it.

I stick to the same routine most days, however I love trialling new products like masks, serums and exfoliants.

Normally I only have time to mask once a week.

In isolation I have been using our Deep Cleanse Antioxidant Masque three times a week. It keeps your skin moist and hydrated. It also balances oil production and feeds your skin with essential fatty acids and antioxidants, which encourages a brighter glowing complexion – win!

Normally I love getting a facial from our Mukti Beauty Rooms in the Sunshine Coast once a month. They help with deep cleansing, exfoliation and restoring the skin.

Always wear sunscreen and a hat – you won’t notice the sun damage until your in your 30s.

My other tips are to always use a face mist and serum as a primer under foundation as it makes it looks less cakey and gives you a natural glow.

I think using an internal collagen supplement and chopping your split ends every three to six months makes a huge difference in the appearance and health of your hair.

I use products that are natural, organic and contain no ‘nasties’, so that’s Mukti of course. I always rinse hair in cool water as it helps with shine. Air drying as much as I can too to prevent my hair drying out.

We are very lucky to have an online business, but it’s a nice change being able to sit outside on the computer instead of in the office.

I think isolation is easier if you have a routine. I like to take a 6km walk in the early morning sun and get takeaway coffee, as it makes me feel less stir crazy. I also do a HIIT session on iPhone apps at home every afternoon.

I’ve been buying lounge wear – I bought some really comfortable Nagnata merino wool tights that I’ve been wearing everyday. Clothes wise, Girlfriend Collective and Mate the Label are both great sustainable clothing brands I found in the States while travelling. For homewares, I’m loving Uniqwa, I Love Linen, The Dharma Door, and Hello Trader.

By eating well I am able to support my body and take care of my immunity.

To help support immunity, I suggest switching to organic skincare, using eco friendly house products (I love ecostore) and eating fresh produce that will help support your immune system.”