Welcome back to The Align Edit: an exclusive series from our favorite lifestyle creators & wellness experts to help you ALIGN with your highest potential.
This week, we invited our friend Allison McNamara, founder of MARA Beauty, to share her secrets for lasting radiance. From growth mindset reframes to her sworn-by skincare protocol, we’re chatting about the practices that keep her in her PRIME.
Because PRIME is your return to baseline.
The moment before excess. Before noise. It’s not about doing more, but about building a strong foundation to hold your most expansive life →
What’s your favorite arrae product and why?
Allison McNamara: Literally impossible to choose, but I love anything that involves protein and building lean muscle -- therefore I am obsessed with Clear Protein+ and Tone. Creatine was my new personal supplement discovery of 2025 and I do believe implementing Tone into my workout routine has helped me build and retain lean muscle mass.
To elevate our lives, we have to let go of the old stories, habits, and beliefs that are weighing us down. What are a few things you’ve surrendered lately to align with your highest self?
Allison McNamara: This year, I’ve surrendered to the belief that I have to do everything myself and carry every outcome on my shoulders. Letting go of over-control has created space for better systems, stronger partners, and more creative clarity.
I’ve also released the idea that growth has to feel rushed or reactive. Choosing intentional, sustainable expansion—both in business and in life—has helped me show up more grounded, more decisive, and more aligned with the long game I’m building toward.
Finally, I’ve been unlearning the habit of tying my worth to constant productivity. Creating space for rest, intuition, and perspective has actually made me a better founder, leader, and human.
What’s one new belief you’ve formed about yourself or your business lately?
Allison McNamara: Not necessarily a new belief but really just going back to the basics that anything you want to create is possible. When you embark on your business journey, there is so much possibility and hope and excitement. As you get into the weeds, even though you’re so much closer to your goals, they feel farther away. I love seeing my friends and colleagues succeed, whether that’s an insane collaboration or new retailer launch, because it’s a reminder that anything is possible for each and every one of us.
Your skin is absolutely glowing! Walk us through your skincare routine and a typical morning in your life.
Allison McNamara:
There are a few pillars I swear by for great skin: hydration, key actives, balanced hormones and a calm nervous system.
I wake up around 7am on days when I don’t have a morning workout. I like to brew some coffee, do my red light panel, and walk my dog outside for some natural vitamin D. Then, I do my simple but effective skincare routine →
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I damp my face with cold water or use a mist. Next, two pumps of MARA Pearl Peptide Glaze, which is my favorite way to start the day.
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I do about a dropper full of our 15% THD Ascorbate Sea Vitamin C Serum. These might be my two favorite products that I make – and they are also the only two I use every single morning!
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After that, I whip up my Clear Protein-infused Stanely, get dressed and then apply SPF as my final step before heading out the door!
What’s your secret to achieving a glowy base under makeup? What skincare products or protocols are you using?
Allison McNamara: Our MARA Pearl Peptide Glaze is literally the best base for makeup! It’s hydrating and gives you a gorgeous, moisturized, non-greasy glow. It has a primer-like blurring effect and plays nicely with any makeup consistency (read: does not pill!) It also leaves skin hydrated and supported all day long so your makeup doesn’t get dry or cakey.
What are some predictions you have for beauty brands in 2026? What’s an example of a shift in consumer behavior that led you to pivot?
Allison McNamara: I do think we will see a return to minimalism in skin and wellness. There are SO many options right now, the market is insanely saturated and there has been economic uncertainty and rising costs all year. I predict we will see customers whittling down to the basics, making smarter investments, and ultimately focusing less on viral trend and more on long-term results. I also personally hope we see the return of the party girl grunge makeup. Fashion and beauty are cyclical – the return of the Tumblr era is the next stop after y2K and I’m kind of ready for it.
List your top three tips for founders (or aspiring entrepreneurs) who want to build a timeless brand – no sugarcoating:
Allison McNamara: If you don’t have a point of view, you don’t have a brand.
Timeless brands aren’t built by constant iteration. They’re built by founders who commit to their vision. Clarity compounds.
Your standards are your strategy.
Product quality, packaging, hiring, the customer experience, every choice trains the customer on who you are. Iconic brands are obsessive long before they’re big. If you tolerate mediocrity anywhere, it shows up everywhere.
Build for durability, not dopamine.
Viral moments fade. Discount-led growth weakens brand equity. Fast money often costs you later. The brands that last are built by founders who can resist urgency, protect the brand when it’s inconvenient, and make decisions that still make sense a decade from now.
Fill in the blanks: I used to think self love looked like ____, but now I’ve realized that it feels like _____.
Allison McNamara: I used to think self-love looked like pushing harder and proving I could handle everything, but now I’ve realized that it feels like discernment—knowing when to rest, delegate, and choose myself without guilt.
In your opinion, what’s one of the most magnetic traits that someone can have? When hiring, what traits do you look for in your team members?
Allison McNamara: Charisma and confidence! People who aren’t timid, who take up space naturally, and who can command attention tend to elevate every room they’re in. That presence creates momentum and it makes ideas land, decisions move faster, and teams feel energized.
When hiring, I look closely at how someone shows up, not just what’s on their résumé. Can they clearly articulate their thinking? Do they trust their own voice? Are they comfortable owning a point of view? Especially in interviews, confidence matters because it signals self-awareness, decisiveness, and leadership potential.
Depending on the role, I’ll sometimes choose someone who can confidently present a mediocre idea over someone who struggles to communicate a great one. Execution, alignment, and influence require clarity. A strong idea that can’t be expressed rarely makes it to market, while a well-communicated idea has the power to evolve, improve, and rally others behind it.
How do you stay inspired?
Allison McNamara: I’ve always been a creative and can get inspired by just about anything – a piece of art, a great book, a word, the way light hits an object that makes you pause in your tracks. I do my best work when I’m in the air, too so it’s a great excuse to say yes to the work trip or go on the vacay!
What’s one new thing you’re set out to learn this year?
Allison McNamara: Not sure if this counts but I have always wanted to do The Artists Way and I’m going to do it, so stay tuned!
