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Holy shit, I’m turning 35 this year! Don’t tell anyone, k?

Since my 30th birthday, I have been on a serious mission to prevent any type of visible aging. And while I love my collection of skincare products, a healthy lifestyle is truly the most effective thing you can do for beautiful skin and a youthful appearance. (And Botox. Don’t forget preventative Botox.)

Here are some of my favorite tricks to make it easier!

1. 💦 Drink lots of water

Yeah, I know this one is boring, but hear me out because I have some hacks for you! Every esthetician I know swears that water is the literal fountain of youth, so we have to make it a priority. Use this link to figure out how much water you should drink every day. I personally aim for ten 8oz cups.

Having this cute, reusable baby pink glass & silicone water bottle in plain sight helps me to remember throughout the day, especially while I’m busy working, which is when I tend to forget. The first rule of adding a positive habit: Make it obvious (or visible.) (Source)

Tracking has been proven super effective in good habit formation (Source). To track my water intake, I have a cute app on my phone called Plant Nanny, which reminds me to drink water every few hours. When you drink (and track) enough water, the animated plant grows and makes cute noises.

Plain water is tasteless and therefore pretty unappealing to drink, in my opinion. I love to add tons of fresh basil leaves and fresh mint leaves to my water bottle for flavor and aroma. I have both plants in my kitchen (you can buy them pretty much anywhere plants or herbs are sold) so I never run out. Just make sure to water them daily and give them lots of sunlight! I also add fresh squeezed lemon juice to my water to make it even more thirst-quenching.

But here’s my favorite water-drinking hack. Newman’s Own makes a fantastic Light Virgin Lemonade, which is pretty much just water + lemon juice + stevia. Lemon juice is a great source of vitamin C, and (in case you aren’t familiar) Stevia is a sugar substitute that has no carbohydrates, calories, or artificial ingredients. This lemonade is a fantastic option for fooling yourself into drinking tons of water... without consuming unnecessary calories (only 20 calories per serving.) Just make sure you get the one that says Light! Sometimes when I’m too lazy to slice & squeeze an actual lemon in my water, I just pour a splash of this into my water bottle and I’m ready to go.

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2. Get at least 7 Hours of Sleep

My boyfriend, Ham teases me for how much I sleep. His nickname for me is “Sleeping Beauty,” which I don’t mind if I’m being honest. Truth be told, he’s jealous of my ability to sleep for 8, 9 sometimes even 10 hours. Sleep not only feels amazing, it’s also incredibly important for your health and to prevent aging, which some now consider a disease, by the way (Source). The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 7 hours for adults. How much sleep are you getting every night? Tell me in the comments section at the bottom of this post.

All the good healing and regenerative stuff happens while we sleep. This is why it’s not only important to get enough sleep, but for the quality of your sleep to be good. (Check out this blog post I wrote with my favorite products to help you relax in the evening.)

“A study done by UCLA researchers discovered that just a single night of insufficient sleep can make an older adults’ cells age quicker. This might not seem like a big deal, but it has the potential to bring on a lot of other diseases.” (Source)

David A. Sinclair, Ph.D., A.O. is a Professor in the Department of Genetics and co-Director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at Harvard Medical School. He is best known for his work on understanding why we age and how to slow its effects. He says, “The body has to restore itself overnight, and if you skip sleep, you are pushing yourself closer and closer into old age. Take a nap every once and while. It’s amazing what it will do for your health.” (Source)

If you’re a psycho like me about getting enough high quality sleep, you should really check out a company called Eight Sleep. Ham and I recently invested in the Pod Pro Cover which has been a total lifesaver. Click here to read my product review.

3. ☁️ Avoid the sun & wear SPF ALWAYS, including indoors

The sun is the worsssst in terms of aging your skin. Seriously stay the fuck out of it as much as possible. Also you should wear SPF all the time, including for brief walks outside (like walking to your car) ..and even inside. Here’s why: “The Skin Cancer Foundation states that most windows block UVB rays, the type that typically give you a sunburn. They don’t block UVA rays. You’ll think you’re not getting the sun’s rays, but UVA rays can go deeper into our skin than UVB rays and really degrade our collagen production” (Source).

Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, says, “Lightbulbs, especially LED bulbs, as well as the screen from your computer or device emit high-energy visible (HEV) light,” he says. “This is light in the blue spectrum that has been shown to penetrate into your skin and contribute to the development of both wrinkles and dark spots” (Source).

Fortunately I have a fantastic option for you to wear SPF 50 and protect your skin every day, indoors and outside, without feeling greasy or smelling like gross sunscreen. My favorite daily moisturizer with SPF is Cosmedix Peptide Rich Defense Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 50.

SHOP MY FAVORITE SKINCARE PRODUCTS NOW

I also highly recommend wearing a baseball cap or other type of hat that protects your face from the sun when you’re outside, whenever humanly possible. Take it a step further with gloves!

4. 🥑 Healthy Diet & Supplements

I’m not a doctor, nor a nutritionist, so let’s just keep this minimal and say fresh things that grow = good.. processed things that come in a box / bag = not so good. Extra credit if you supplement your healthy diet with lots & lots of vitamins, including a daily probiotic. The 4 best vitamins for beautiful skin are Vitamins A, D, C, E & K. This is the one I get from Amazon.

Also, you want to make sure you get enough healthy fats, like avocados and nuts. Fat is not only good for your skin, but it’s vital for your brain health as well, which we love!

On that note.. are you sick and tired of figuring out what to cook or order for dinner every night?

I was so over it. I tried Blue Apron and Hello Fresh, and I loved the convenience of the meal kits... but they were so expensive, I just couldn’t justify it. Then I found Dinnerly.

Click here to get a free box from Dinnerly - on me!

Dinnerly has allowed me to take the guess-work out of dinner completely, and quit grocery shopping — which felt like a huge waste of my precious time. But what really sold me on this particular brand is the price. I still can’t believe that Dinnerly meals are only $4.99 per person per meal, and they are literally the exact same thing as Blue Apron and Hello Fresh. (I’m talking the same exact chicken with the same packaging from the same vendor.)

I’ve been using the Dinnerly kits to make dinner for myself and Ham 3 nights a week for the last year, since we started living together. So I can vouch for them that the quality is consistent. In addition to being super affordable, they have so much variety and the meals are incredibly tasty. They have options for vegetarians, pescatarians, as well as low-calorie and low-carb. The meals are pretty healthy and balanced too — you know we eat clean and are a very health conscious couple. Plus you can make them a bit healthier depending on what type of oil you cook with, how much butter or ghee you use, and how much salt you use.

You know I don’t recommend any brands or products that I don’t absolutely love, and I recommend Dinnerly to all my friends.

Click here to get a free box from Dinnerly - on me!

5. 🍷 Limit alcohol as much as possible

I know.. I love a glass of wine or a Manhattan with a maraschino cherry after a long day, so this is the one I need to work on the most personally. But unfortunately, drinking alcohol is terrible for your skin.

“Alcohol is actually one of the worst, most aggressive compounds to destroy your skin,” says New York nutritionist Jairo Rodriguez in this article. The main reason is dehydration, but It also speeds up collagen loss by depleting crucial nutrients, like vitamin A. 😭 It also disrupts your sleep cycles, which takes us back to point #2.

But don’t worry! I have some great tips for you if you’re interested in becoming an alcohol minimalist.. for your skin, or for your health in general.

The easiest way I've found to cut way back on alcohol is to not drink during the work week and save it for weekends. When you do imbibe, make sure you combat dehydration by drinking lots of water. (Turns out our Moms were right all along!)

My favorite 0 calorie mocktail is club soda with a dash of bitters and a lime wedge, with a giant round ice cube and some fresh basil or mint leaves. (Yes, technically bitters is alcohol, but I don’t count it since it’s just a dash for aroma.) If you want something that packs more of a punch, try GT’s Kombucha in the Guava Goddess flavor.

I’ve also recently become a big fan of non-alcoholic beer. Even though I’m more of a wine drinker, occasionally I enjoy a beer.. especially with Mexican or Chinese Food. I always keep a case of non-alcoholic beer from Athletic Brewing Co. in the fridge. It honestly tastes exactly like regular beer and they have a bunch of different options like IPA, golden, light copper, and dark. They’re much lower in calories than alcoholic beer and their branding & packaging is super cute.

Do you struggle to wind down after work or before bed, without a drink to take the edge off? I wrote another blog post, called How to Chill the Fuck Out Without Wine, just for you!

6. 💪 Exercise often & track your workouts

Working out is one of the best things you can do for your skin. Regular exercise helps your skin in the following ways:

- Improves oxygen flow to your skin
- Stimulates collagen production (wow!)
- Increases blood circulation
- Reduces cortisol, which can lessen stress-related breakouts

Amazing, right?

Once upon a time, before a global pandemic changed the way we live, I was obsessed with group fitness classes. Then.. bam. COVID swept through New York, everything closed, and ALL the group fitness studios in my neighborhood shuttered their doors, never to return. 🤬

We have a gym in our apartment building.. but motivating myself to go is hard enough, and once I’m there I have to figure out what to do. I hate the guesswork and it isn’t ideal. You too?!

As a result, my overall fitness and strength is nowhere near what it once was. Neither is my ass. 🍑😢

But then… I discovered Obé Fitness and ..MY GOD, I am so glad I did!

Try Obé Fitness for FREE for 30 days using this link!

Obé’s website describes it as “your new fitness everything” and that’s a perfect description. It’s a website + mobile app with tons of group fitness classes.. like, I’m talking, every type of class you could think of. And let me tell you.. the instructors and classes are FAB-U-LOUS! I am working out 3-4x a week again for the first time since before March of 2020.

Here’s the best part. It’s cheap! And we love a bargain. Obé is $27 per month, $65 per quarter, or $199 per year. When you take into consideration the fact that one SoulCycle class is $38, an entire month of unlimited fitness programs and classes for $27 is a STEAL.

Still not convinced? You can (and should) try Obé Fitness for FREE for 30 days, on me using this link. Give it a try for yourself and let me know what you think!

Let’s get in shape together this year and start looking YOUNGER, you want to?!

7. 🧴 Daily AM & PM skincare routine

If you’ve read my blog before, you know I am totally obsessed with SKINCARE.

Skincare routines should vary from person to person, since everyone’s skin is different.. but it’s essential that you use quality products & stay consistent.

My 9 step daily skincare routine is so long, it needed its own post. Click here to read it now.

If you’re too lazy to read the whole thing, here’s the Cliff’sNotes version:

Summer Friday’s CC Me Vitamin C Serum
COOLA Sunless Tan Anti-Aging Face Serum
The Super Pack of serums from Glossier (budget option)
VEGAMOUR GRO Brow Serum
Cosmedix Hydrate Plus Broad Spectrum SPF 17
Cosmedix Peptide Rich Defense Moisturizer with SPF 50
Cosmedix Purity Solution Nourishing Deep Cleansing Oil
Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Pads
Dr. Dennis Gross Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum
Cosmedix Radiance Age Restorative Serum
Cosmedix Emulsion
Cosmedix Resync
The Skinny Confidential Ice Queen Face Oil

Click here to shop my favorite skincare products now

My 9 Step Daily Skincare Routine

8. Sleep next to a Canopy humidifier

It’s so dry in New York in the winter, which takes a serious toll on my skin, lungs, the inside of my nose, hands, allergies. The solution? Enter Canopy Humidifier.

Click here to get $10 off your order from Canopy!

A humidifier is your best friend when it comes to youthful, dewey, plump, moisturized skin year-round. Also.. better air quality with moisture means improved breathing, which contributes to better sleep… and can even prevent some boyfriends from snoring, lol.

You have options, but I splurged and upgraded to this adorable pink humidifier by Canopy X The Skinny Confidential …and I am so glad I did. I really love it!

I made the executive decision to upgrade to Canopy after reading that other humidifiers are breeding grounds for mold and bacteria… which made sense since the previous one I had was impossible to clean thoroughly. Canopy is anti-mold and anti-bacterial because it uses mist-free technology, and is super easy to clean via the dishwasher. Plus it came with 3 super yummy essential oil fragrances by The Skinny Confidential. And I mean, just look her… she’s so fun! (They also have a sleek white option if you’re not as extra as me with the baby pink aesthetic.)