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I'm not as young as I'd like to think I am - or as old, for that matter. Personally, I'm with Sophia Loren on the topic of age:

"There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age."

I have friends 10, oh 20 years older than me, and then others that are quite a bit younger. And it's their thoughts, wisdom, ambition, energy and humor that attracts me to them. You know those people right - "they're an old soul" wise beyond what their actual years could allow and you want to soak up so much knowledge from them. Or then there's that person who has the nonchalance of a child and you want to dance on tables and run loose in the street all night with them.

Queen B said it best: "The most alluring thing a woman can have is confidence." And there's something to be said for growing up a bit and knowing that your self worth comes from one source, and that source is you.

I was having a catch up with a group of girlfriends a while back and one of the girls who's in her mid-20's and who I absolutely adore, in mid-conversation about skincare and aging commented "Andi gives us all hope."

Hmm, "hope" ...well it hadn't occurred to me... uhm, thank you? I think? It got me thinking, I'm asked sometimes about my routine, I spent 10+ years in the beauty business so fair enough... so in support of the elusive fountain of youth and "hope" here's my guide to self care, my essentials to live a healthy life, including a few Ayurvedic techniques I live by whether out traveling (yep all of this can be done in an RV) or at home in day to day living.

Follow these tips and you'll be on track to looking the metaphorical age you already know you are.

1. Eliminate Toxins

When you wake up the first things on your list should include a few moments of detox. This may seem obvious but the first thing you should do is brush your teeth and scrape your tongue (I have a copper tongue scraper that cleans easily). Don't wait until after coffee, you need to release the toxins first.

A morning ritual: warm lemon water. Sometimes I flavor with whatever other herbs I happened to have in the kitchen.

Next wash your face with cool water and before you even cleanse your skin spend 3 minutes massaging your face with oils. The massage activates your lymphatic system and releases endorphins. If you're not sure which oils are best for you an ayurvedic practitioner can recommend the right things for you. The spa I go to has a quick quiz available with a list of oils that are appropriate for each ayurvedic energy type. Once you've detoxed follow this 4 step system to create beautiful skin:

Cleanse, Tone, Exfoliate, Moisturize

My skin is the thing I probably spend the most time on. When I worked in the beauty business I probably said this 10 times a day "cleanse, tone, exfoliate, moisturize." All the makeup in the world won't do what this 4 step process will. (And as much as possible keep it organic. If you wouldn't ingest it, why would you put it on your skin?)

The last moment of detox (again pre-coffee!) comes with drinking a warm cup of lemon water. Just 1/2 a lemon offers all sorts of benefits and will start your day with energy and a healthy body.

2. Up Your Supplement Game

There's quite a few supplements that have been in my arsenal forever. Vitamins C and B, probiotics, omega 3's and turmeric. Each of these are absolutely foundational. There's lots of others out there of course, but these are my daily must haves, in fairly decent doses. I saw a vitamin expert speak several years ago (an orthomolecular doctor, fancier term) and the evidence is real. The best bet is to get on a preventative plan.

The first several are on lots of lists, however, turmeric has started gaining attention just recently. It has antioxidant properties, helps memory and neural functions and supports healthy inflammation response. These are all major for me. My body's natural stress response is greatly improved with this mix of supplements.

I personally recommend this one:

youtheory® Turmeric Extra Strength 120 Capsules

Why take supplements versus getting your vitamins and antioxidants through your food intake you may ask.... You simply can’t get the same benefits from an orange or by sprinkling the ingredients of your kitchen’s spice rack on your food. However, if you can do both it's even better. I've got a recipe below for Golden Milk. Similar to Chai Tea but with all the benefits of turmeric, it's a great way to add even more antioxidant power into your diet.

youtheory® Turmeric is a 20x concentration, it's basically turmeric amplified. One dose of the new extra strength formula capsules (look for this particular new packaging with the orange label, I found mine at Costco) is 1,000 mg per two capsues. That's 3 times the amount of turmeric compared to the old 450 mg/ 3 capsule formula. It's also vegan and is free of gluten ingredients. It's so good for your skin, joints and general well-being.

3. Glow From the Inside Out

I've lived by the motto of practicing perfect imperfection for years! To seriously embrace the #wokeuplikethis approach, to be fresh, naturally you and a bit undone you have to start on the inside. When you're putting the right things in and on your body, your natural glow will shine through. Drink plenty of water, eliminate processed foods and sugars, meditate at least a few times a week, practice yoga or some sort of mind centering exercise and you'll be setting yourself up for beauty success. Remind yourself to laugh daily too. Laughing removes stress hormones and boosts your immune system. Like Audrey Hepburn said: "I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls."

I'd love to hear your beauty tips girlinas. What's your routine? And what's in your bag? Fountain of youth support all the way.

As promised, my Golden Milk Recipe is below!

xoxo,

Andi

Golden Milk Recipe

1 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric
1 piece ginger, unpeeled, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Ground cinnamon

Whisk coconut milk, turmeric, ginger, honey, coconut oil and 1 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors combine, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into mugs and top with a dash of cinnamon.

pening photo in Marfa by Ben, photos of you theory by Chelle