The Art of Turning 45
Everything I am doing, feeling and reaching for as I step into my next chapter.
"I do not want to spend the next decade trying to look like I did in the last one. I want to feel stronger, more radiant and more connected to myself than ever before."
Hi beauties. On November 16th I officially turn forty-five, and honestly, this birthday feels different. There is a quiet weight to it that I have been sitting with lately, in the softest way. Not a weight of worry, but a deep awareness of how much I have grown into myself over these last few years, and how intentional I want to be about the years ahead.
This birthday lands in a month that already feels sacred to me. Between my own trip around the sun and Citrine's fourteenth anniversary, November has become my yearly invitation to slow down, reflect and recommit to the woman I am becoming. Thirteen years of Willow by my side, fourteen years of pouring my heart into Citrine, and a lifetime of learning that how we care for ourselves truly shapes how we move through the world.
I have never been someone who fears getting older. I feel embodied, powerful and more myself than I have ever been. But I have become increasingly intentional about how I age, because I genuinely believe our forties can be some of the most radiant, grounded, vibrant years of our lives. The difference is that we have to show up for ourselves differently than we did in our twenties and thirties.
Over the past year and a half, I have made some meaningful shifts in how I care for my skin, my body and my overall well-being. Some are rooted in clinical science, others in daily rituals, but all of them come back to one belief: longevity is the most beautiful form of self-love. Here is what that looks like for me right now.
I.
Skin Longevity
Where Clinical Science Meets Conscious Beauty
I have spent over a decade curating the most exceptional clean skincare at Citrine, and one of the biggest truths I have come to is that beautiful skin is not about chasing every new trending ingredient. It is about consistency, clinically supported formulations, and understanding what your skin actually needs at this moment in your life.
As I approach forty-five, my focus is sharper. Collagen support, cellular health, hydration, and maintaining a strong, resilient skin barrier. My daily routine is built around brands that bring together botanical intelligence and modern skin science in a way that feels aligned with my values and delivers real, visible results. Ayuna, Kypris, Irene Forte and Westman Atelier are all anchors for me right now.
But this year I also made a decision that has quietly changed everything. I started exploring professional treatments alongside my topical routine, and the most transformative addition has been CoolPeel with Theo Keating at Dew Skin here in Arizona. Theo has become such an important part of my skin story this year, and I wanted to bring her directly into this blog so you could hear her perspective too.
Featured Expert
Theo is a board-certified Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner who specializes in regenerative aesthetics, an approach built on the belief that the most beautiful results come from within. Rather than masking the signs of aging, she uses treatments that awaken the body's own natural renewal processes and encourage the skin to rebuild its collagen, strength and radiance. Every treatment plan is thoughtful, personal and designed to bring out each client's natural beauty in a way that is subtle, lasting and true to who they are. She has an artist's eye, a clinician's rigor, and an energy I trust completely. Below, she walks us through the science behind CoolPeel and the strategy we built together for me as I approach forty-five.
What is CoolPeel, and how does it support skin longevity rather than just treating visible signs of aging?
CoolPeel is a modern take on CO2 laser resurfacing, which has long been the gold standard for skin rejuvenation. Traditionally, those results come at the expense of days to weeks of downtime. CoolPeel keeps the benefits of CO2 without most of that recovery.
The difference between correcting and preserving is where CoolPeel really stands out. Many laser treatments work on the surface, softening a line, brightening a spot, or blurring texture for a temporary fix. CoolPeel works with the skin's own biology. The laser delivers energy that creates microchannels in the skin while leaving surrounding tissue untouched, and that controlled renewal triggers the body's natural healing process, leading to increased collagen and elastin production. Not only does the skin look refreshed, it is prompted to rebuild the structural proteins that keep it firm, smooth and resilient over time.
When evaluating my skin and my goals as I approach 45, why did you specifically recommend a series of three CoolPeel treatments for me?
As you approach forty-five, your skin is at a turning point. Collagen and elastin production slows steadily from our late twenties on, and the hormonal changes of the mid-forties tend to speed that process up. Cell turnover also slows, so sun damage, uneven tone and dullness build up more easily. When I looked at your skin, I saw early fine lines around the eyes, uneven pigment from sun exposure, and some loss of the smooth, tight texture you had a few years ago. None of these call for an aggressive treatment, but all of them respond beautifully to steady renewal.
That is why I recommended a series of three treatments instead of a single session. A single CoolPeel gives a lovely refresh: smoother texture, brighter tone and finer pores. New collagen builds gradually over the weeks after each treatment. Spacing three treatments about a month apart lets each session build on the healing response of the one before. You end up with a cumulative result that is softer, more natural and longer lasting than one stronger treatment could give, with very little downtime each time. It also lets us adjust the intensity as we go, based on how your skin responds.
The real goal is not to make you look different. It is to have your skin at forty-five look rested, healthy and confident, and to set a strong foundation so it keeps aging gracefully. After the series, a maintenance treatment once or twice a year, plus a consistent AM and PM skincare routine and daily sunscreen, will help protect what we have built.
How do professional treatments like CoolPeel work alongside a consistent, high-quality skincare routine to support healthier-looking skin over time?
I think of professional treatments and home care as two halves of one strategy. CoolPeel does what no cream can do. It reaches below the surface, clears away damaged cells and prompts your skin to make new collagen. But that renewal happens over weeks and months, and what your skin gets every day in between decides how well it heals, how long the results last, and how gracefully it keeps aging. The treatment opens the door. Your routine keeps things moving.
Before treatment, a steady routine prepares the skin. Well-hydrated skin with a healthy barrier and daily sun protection heals more smoothly and responds more evenly. Depending on the skin, we may also adjust certain active ingredients such as a retinol or a melanin suppressor in the days or weeks before the appointment.
Right after treatment, the focus shifts to calm and repair. The skin is actively renewing itself, so we keep the routine simple with a gentle cleanser, a soothing barrier-supporting moisturizer, and diligent sun protection. We hold off on stronger actives like retinoids and exfoliating acids until the skin has fully recovered, usually within a few days, and we tell you exactly when to reintroduce each one.
Individual results vary. CoolPeel is a medical aesthetic treatment; consult a licensed provider to find out if it's right for your skin.
For me, Theo represents exactly the kind of practitioner I want in my corner as I step into this next chapter. Lasers and skincare are not competing approaches in my world. They are deeply complementary. Professional treatments can address concerns that topical products alone cannot, while thoughtful, consistent daily skincare supports long-term skin health. The goal has never been to look twenty-five again. The goal is to have incredible, healthy, radiant skin at forty-five, fifty-five and beyond.
"I no longer train to be smaller. I train to be stronger, for the woman I am today and the woman I want to be twenty years from now."
II.
Strength
Training For The Woman I Am Becoming
If you had told me two years ago that I would genuinely look forward to lifting weights, I would have laughed. But here we are. About a year and a half ago, I committed to consistent strength training, and it has been one of the most transformative decisions I have ever made for myself.
Yes, my body has changed. I am stronger, more toned, and I feel more confident in my skin than I have in years. But the mental shift has been even bigger. The gym has become my time to disconnect, challenge myself, and do something entirely for me. No phone calls, no emails, no mom duty. Just me and the barbell.
I also pair strength training with pilates and long walks, which have become sacred to me. There is something about moving my body in different ways that keeps me feeling energized rather than depleted. I do not train to be smaller anymore. I train to be stronger, for the woman I am today and the woman I want to be twenty years from now. As we move through perimenopause and menopause, maintaining muscle mass becomes essential for metabolic health, bone density and graceful aging. This is not vanity. This is longevity.
III.
Nourishment
Eating To Nourish, Not Restrict
My relationship with food has evolved so much over the years. These days I focus on nourishment, not restriction, and it has changed everything. I aim for around thirty grams of protein per meal, prioritize fiber-rich foods, healthy fats, and colorful, nutrient-dense ingredients that support an anti-inflammatory way of eating. My body responds to this kind of feeding, not to depriving it.
Fiber has become especially important to me for digestive health, blood sugar balance and supporting a healthy gut microbiome. I am also intentional about supplementation. Magnesium, vitamin D, creatine, essential fatty acids and collagen all have a regular place in my daily routine, chosen based on what my body actually needs rather than what is trending.
I still love my morning matcha, blended with protein and collagen, and I keep LMNT electrolytes close by to stay deeply hydrated. None of this is about perfection, and none of it is restrictive. It is about giving my body the building blocks it needs to thrive, so that I feel vibrant, grounded and clear-headed every day.
IV.
Protecting My Peace
The Inner Work Is The Real Work
One of the biggest lessons I have learned as I approach forty-five is that true wellness is not just what we put on our skin or on our plates. It is also how we manage stress, how we prioritize sleep, how we create boundaries, and how we make space for joy in the smallest, most sacred ways.
I have been leaning deeply into circadian rhythm living this year. Morning natural light within the first thirty minutes of waking, blue light blockers after sunset, and really committing to consistent sleep. I check my hormones regularly, prioritize nervous system regulation and have been exploring kundalini and breathwork when I feel the need to come back home to myself.
As a business owner and a mother, slowing down does not always come naturally to me. But I am learning that rest, recovery and protecting my energy are just as valuable as another workout or another skincare treatment. Candlelight evenings. Phone away by nine. Time alone with my thoughts. Time with Willow where my attention is undivided. These are the quiet luxuries I am building my life around now.
Turning forty-five feels like coming home to myself in a way I could not have imagined at thirty. I feel more embodied, more powerful, more radiant, and more deeply connected to who I am and what I am building than I ever have before. Citrine has given me the gift of fourteen years of pouring love into this community, and Willow has given me the gift of becoming a mother in the fullest, most expansive sense of that word.
If there is one thing I know for certain as I step into this next chapter, it is that the most beautiful version of ourselves is never behind us. She is always still arriving. Our forties are not a decline. They are an invitation. To invest in ourselves more deeply. To live more intentionally. To hold our softness and our strength in the same breath.
Thank you for being here with me. For celebrating fourteen years of Citrine with me. For walking into this new chapter alongside me. I am wishing you abundant years ahead, filled with radiance, strength, nourishment and so much self-love.
