I’m a Reiki healer who also happens to be a beauty editor. Because of this, I’m always open to any beauty practice that’s considered even slightly woo-woo. Sometimes, the universe really delivers in this regard and sends me exactly my kind of people. I was introduced to auric aesthetician Mikaela MacLean by a good friend, and I immediately became infatuated with her. MacLean is a woman of many talents. First, she’s a fellow Reiki healer and gifted aesthetician, and she’s the host of the Beauty by Design podcast and lead educator for organic beauty brand LilFox. What I love even more about MacLean, though, is that she incorporates the study of human design into her practice and creates a totally unique experience for her clients, who can opt to receive a chart reading, energetic beauty prescription, and skin consult through her website.
I got the incredible opportunity to chat with MacLean about my own human design chart, and she even gave me a few beauty essentials I now consider holy-grail items. Not sure what human design is or how it can relate to your skin and overall health? Don’t worry. MacLean gave me a bit more insight. If you love a bit of woo-woo energy in your beauty routine too, keep reading. I’m sharing my complete energetic beauty prescription and chat with MacLean below.
What is human design?
I love learning about as many esoteric and energy-based healing practices as possible, but I’ll be honest with you. I didn’t know much about human design until chatting with MacLean. She told me a bit more about what it is exactly. While it is complex and you’ll probably want to work with a well-versed practitioner like MacLean to get the full picture, I found the reading I received extremely resonant.
MacLean explains, “It’s a system that synthesizes esoteric wisdom from astrology, the I Ching, the kabbalah, and the Hindu-Brahmin chakra system with modern-day science—quantum mechanics, astronomy, genetics, and biochemistry. It’s not a belief system. [It’s] a science experiment involving your personal energy field. I think of it as astrology and self-development on steroids. It’s a way to deeply understand and, more importantly, accept yourself. Why spend years on the therapist’s couch, as I have, when you can learn your design and make sense of your life and, more importantly, heal with lightning speed? It uncovers things you may never get to through traditional means.”
How does human design connect to beauty and skincare?
MacLean has a beautiful way of connecting our traditional ideas of beauty and skincare with the spiritual. She doesn’t just consider the outward appearance of your skin when treating you—she looks at your entire energy field.
“I’ve been obsessed with outer beauty my entire life and worked in the field professionally for over 20 years,” she says. “At some point, you realize focusing only on the external is never going to solve all of your problems—you have to begin looking inward for real peace and happiness. I see human design as a diagnostic tool for inner beauty, like I’m reading your ‘lab results’ from the universe. I can detect where your hang-ups and issues are coming from and help you exfoliate the unwanted gunk to reveal the beautiful energy you have underneath. If I’m in the treatment room, it’s a topic of conversation with my client. I’ll do energy work during their facial, selecting music, a yoga nidra, sound healing, essential oils, crystals, etc., based on their chart and what they are reporting as their concerns at that visit or even how the astrology of the moment is affecting them. I also do distance work—what I call ‘auric facials’—where I’m doing it all remotely. Energy is not confined to time or space, and I love hearing back from people how much of an impact it has for them even though I didn’t touch them in person.”
This is truly the most comprehensive way to approach beauty and skincare. As a Reiki healer myself, I see a connection between mental, spiritual, and physical health. MacLean is one of a kind. Even though we’re located in different states, I’m dying to get one of her auric facials.
My Energetic Beauty Rx
MacLean first started creating energetic prescriptions to support each particular design type. “My ‘prescription’ or Energetic Rx is what I’ve synthesized my work into over time—studying, collecting, and curating my ‘energetic beauty pharmacy’ full of energy-healing remedies,” she says. “I’ll write up a prescription of what they could benefit from at that time, again, based on their chart and current complaints. If someone is struggling with, say, anxiety, I can find the source in the chart and prescribe specific frequencies to listen to, physical practices to use, or other alternative modalities to help them. I have an extensive podcast, so I will also recommend episodes that they can listen, learn, revisit, and heal after our time together to continue the process. The prescriptions are an amazing way to make it all tangible, not just a theoretical concept. They help bring it out of the mind and into the body, where human design is meant to be lived.”
There are five main types of designs in the human design system: generators, manifestors, manifesting generators, projectors, and reflectors. My human design is a reflector. Making up only about 1% of the population, reflectors are highly sensitive and intuitive beings who sample and reflect the energy of others around them. We almost reflect the energetic health of others back to them. For my particular design, MacLean had a few ideas and beauty recommendations. “I would suggest focusing on being the cleanest, clearest vessel you can be. Your sensitivity to the world around you benefits from constant exfoliation. As a lunar being, your moon gates hold significant importance (gates 57 and 31). This particular combination gives you a deeply wise, intuitive voice of leadership and influence.”
Because I’m a reflector, MacLean also says that I’m extra sensitive to energy coming from others, the environment that I’m in, and even the astrological weather. Below are the items she recommended for me.
DoTerra
Frankincense Essential Oil
MacLean recommended a drop of frankincense on the crown area for me at night to open up that energy center to divine downloads. Luckily, I was already a fan of frankincense essential oil. In fact, it’s one of my all-time favorites. This formula from DoTerra is my go-to because it’s incredibly high-quality and diffuses beautifully. It is a bit pricy, but if you love diffusing essential oils and the sense of calm they bring, don’t hesitate.
HausWitch
Sacred Space Selenite Gem Essence
A crystal MacLean recommended I incorporate into my daily life and practices is selenite—a crystal I’m already a huge fan of because of its cleansing, charging, and spirit-elevating abilities. One of my best friends who knows me super well gave me this selenite essence for Christmas, and I’ve been obsessed with the amount of peace and healing it brings me when I use it. Sometimes, I’ll take a few drops under the tongue, or I’ll add it to the water when doing a salt-and-crystal healing bath.
LilFox
Illumina Quartz Crystal Spa Eye Mask
This mask is functional and gorgeous, and it’s probably going to be my new obsession. Sometimes, I wake up with aggressive under-eye bags. This is the kind of mask you can pop in the fridge overnight and whip out in the morning to calm them—all while looking cute AF.
“I’m really big on selenite for reflectors in general to clear energy, but I also love a clear quartz eye mask (again, LilFox makes a great one) since you’re meant to achieve clarity over time. The weight of the mask is great for stimulating the vagus nerve, and I recommend wearing it while doing my energetic beauty sleep [meditation] for reflectors or the energy-cleanse track,” MacLean says.
Anima Mundi
Rose Petal Powder
The fact that MacLean sent me this recommendation as part of my Energetic RX further proves we’re on the same wavelength. I already love and use Anima Mundi’s rose powder daily. I like to put it in my matcha. Many healers believe that rose is one of the most healing botanicals, opening the heart chakra, calming inflammation, and maybe even reducing wrinkles.
LILFOX
Aphrodite Pure Rosewater Toning Mist
This super-luxe face spray is infused with fresh rose petals and soothing pink rose quartz essence. I’m a huge fan of facial mists, and I can’t wait to try this perfect-for-reflectors pick.
TRONQUE
Ionic Body Dry Brush
“Reflectors need significant time in their own space. A bathroom is ideal, where you can partake in cleansing beauty practices—using a dry brush with copper bristles, taking salt baths, or exfoliating with body scrubs,” MacLean says.
Dr Teal’s
Epsom Magnesium Salt Soak With Eucalyptus & Spearmint Essential Oils
This inexpensive soak is the key ingredient in my weekly salt soaks. I try to take salt baths two to three times a week, and I was glad to hear from MacLean that this is the right move for my particular design. This Dr Teal’s formula is so soothing, smells amazing, and melts away tension, stress, and negative energy in just 20 minutes.
Knesko
Rose Quartz Face Mask
I love Knesko’s skin philosophy and that each product is charged with Reiki. This rose quartz– and reiki-infused mask is perfect for a reflector self-care moment.
LilFox
Pink Aura Tonka + Yuzu Celestial Salt Soak
LilFox takes luxury bath soaks to a whole new level. Featuring pink Himalayan salt, tonka, yuzu, cedar, and coconut milk, this soak softens the skin and has the most relaxing aromatics.
Monk Oil
Palo Santo Skin Potion
Another beauty brand I’m a huge fan of is Monk Oil. Monk Oil infuses its formulas with flower essences and other high-quality essential oils to protect and heal the skin. This particular potion contains frankincense and palo santo to heal the skin from within and dispel negative energy.
MacLean says that reflectors are most connected with the earth and should spend as much time in nature as they can. Even on days when I can’t get outside and go for a walk, I like to lay on my PEMF mat because PEMF technology mimics the healing vibrations of the earth. I know it’s a huge investment piece, but if you can afford it, it works wonders for reducing stress, soreness, and inflammation, and it really improves the quality of your sleep.
