Part of my journey in becoming refined by grace, rooted in simplicity, and radiant with purpose.
It started with a feeling—one I couldn’t quite explain.
My energy was low. My skin felt different. Brain fog crept in and lingered like a cloud. Social media led me to believe it might be a cortisol issue. So I did what many of us do when something feels off: I ran the tests, trying to connect the dots.
My cortisol was perfect.
But my mercury and lead levels? Dangerously high.
I remember staring at the results in disbelief. Where was it coming from? I eat clean. I take care of myself. I’m cautious about what I bring into my home. The culprit wasn’t hiding in the food—it was right there in my skincare drawer.
And that moment became the beginning of something bigger.
It became part of my journey toward clean beauty, honest health, and wholehearted living.
It became part of becoming Refined by Grace, Rooted & Radiant.
The Pretty Bottles With a Hidden Cost
The serums I’d trusted. The anti-aging creams recommended by influencers. The late-night impulse buys that promised youth in a jar. All those “clean-looking” bottles… weren’t clean at all.
I learned that many cosmetics—especially lipsticks, eye shadows, and wrinkle creams—can contain trace heavy metalslike lead and mercury due to pigment and raw ingredient contamination. Even FDA-approved products can legally include them in “safe” amounts. But over time, those trace amounts add up.
I was applying them to my face. Every single day.
So I did what felt both terrifying and freeing:
I threw it all away and started over.
From Consumer to Curious: A South Dakota Discovery
I had been using beef tallow for a while—curious like so many others about its benefits and grateful for the results. It worked well enough, and I appreciated how it made my skin feel.
But last year, while traveling through South Dakota, I came across something that changed everything: buffalo tallow.
It was tucked away in a small, locally-owned shop—handmade in small batches, infused with herbs and essential oils. The label talked about traditional rendering methods, sustainable practices, and the nutrient-rich properties of buffalo fat. I picked it up out of curiosity. There was a reverence about it—a connection to the land, to heritage, to healing.
I bought it without knowing what to expect.
That night, after a long day of travel and sun, I opened the jar, scooped out a small amount, and gently massaged it into my skin. And in that quiet moment, something shifted.
I knew—I wouldn’t go back.
Why Buffalo Tallow?
Buffalo tallow isn’t just beef’s cousin—it’s a game changer.
Buffalo are often raised differently—on small, forage-based farms, without added hormones or synthetic feeds. And nutritionally? Buffalo tallow contains higher levels of omega-3s and CLA, both known for their anti-inflammatory and skin-repairing properties.
Even the texture and scent were gentler. When I first rubbed that creamy balm into my skin, it felt like my face exhaled. I layered it under my foundation. I used it at night as a balm. I mixed it with a drop of Mary Kay oil for cleansing.
And you know what? It worked. My skin began to heal.
This Is More Than Skincare
Somewhere along the way, I realized—this wasn’t just about beauty products.
It was about my entire lifestyle shifting. Quietly. Intentionally. Radically.
I’ve been craving simpler things:
Meals from scratch. Walks without my phone. A slower morning rhythm. Clean beauty. Clean living.
Not to chase perfection, but to pursue peace.
Buffalo tallow felt like a reflection of that—a product from the earth, untouched by synthetic processes, steeped in ancestral wisdom. Indigenous communities once used it for salves, ceremonial balms, and healing ointments. They saw it as sacred, not trendy.
When I use it, I feel connected to that history.
Like my skin knows this substance.
Like I’m coming home to something ancient and trustworthy.
Living Radiantly, Simply
At 57, my skincare routine is shorter but more effective than ever. A few clean products. No long list of ingredients I can’t pronounce. No empty promises from fancy packaging.
And here’s the surprising part:
The journey to detoxing my makeup bag led me back to my own body.
To trust it.
To honor it.
To listen to it.
We don’t need more noise. We need nourishment.
We don’t need more filters. We need truth.
And sometimes, the most powerful shift isn’t a new product—
It’s a return to what our grandmothers already knew.
Final Thoughts: Rooted and Radiant
This blog—Refined by Grace, Rooted & Radiant—was born from the desire to live more intentionally. To clean out more than just my beauty drawer. To clean out distractions, toxins, and anything that doesn’t honor the woman I am becoming.
Buffalo tallow may seem like a small detail.
But for me, it represents something greater:
A return to peace. To simplicity. To healing from the inside out.
And that’s the journey I want to keep walking—
Clean beauty. Honest health. Wholehearted living.
With grace and glowing skin,
Marie
✨ Refined by Grace, Rooted & Radiant
http://www.marykay.com/Mariegolden
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