Living Well with Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed

Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder have lived a lot of life in front of the world, but the version of them you meet now feels more grounded and intentional than ever. Between raising two kids, running a farm, and building companies that reflect their values, they are thinking about wellness in a way that is personal, practical, and rooted in real science rather than trends.

What makes their perspective refreshing is how honest it is. They have both seen where the wellness space falls short, and they have shaped their lives around the question of what actually helps a body feel supported. Their work with The Absorption Company came from this place of curiosity, experience, and a desire to create solutions that feel real in everyday life.

In our conversation, they share what is teaching them the most right now, the studies that changed the way they look at supplements, and the rituals that keep them steady while juggling parenting and purpose driven work. It is a look at how two very busy, very thoughtful people are choosing to live well in a way that feels true to them.

For more founder insight on building with intention, read our recent Living Well conversation with Lauren Ireland and Marianna Hewitt, co founders of Summer Fridays,

Living Well with Ian and Nikki

You’ve both lived multiple lives at once—actors, activists, parents, founders. Which identity is teaching you the most right now?

Nikki Reed: Motherhood is my greatest teacher right now. It has reshaped how I experience time, responsibility, and presence. It’s not loud or performative, it’s deeply internal. Every choice feels consequential in a way that’s both grounding and expansive, and it’s teaching me how to lead with more softness and discernment.

Ian Somerhalder: Founding and building mission-driven companies has been my biggest teacher. It forces a level of accountability and long-term thinking that acting never required. You’re responsible not just for an idea, but for the ripple effects of that idea, on people, on systems, on the future.

Before launching The Absorption Company, what gaps in the wellness space did you repeatedly encounter in your own lives?

Nikki: I kept encountering products that looked clean and well-formulated on paper but didn’t translate into real results in my body. There was very little discussion around whether nutrients were actually being absorbed, especially for women navigating stress, hormonal shifts, and inflammation.

Ian: I saw a massive disconnect between marketing and biology. The industry was obsessed with ingredient lists but ignored delivery, dosage relevance, and the body’s ability to process what it was being given.

When you began working with scientists and researchers, what was the first thing you discovered that made you rethink the entire supplement landscape?

Nikki: How inefficient most supplements are. Even high-quality ingredients can become meaningless if they’re not paired or delivered in a way the body recognizes. That realization completely reframed how I thought about wellness products.

Ian: That the majority of supplements never make it to the bloodstream in a meaningful way. Once you understand that, you can’t unsee it. It changes how you evaluate everything.

Was there a specific study, data set, or scientific principle that became the backbone of your formulation strategy?

Nikki: One of the most striking data points for me was learning that nearly 77% of Americans take a supplement, yet over 90% are still deficient in at least one key nutrient. That gap made it impossible to ignore the reality that ingestion does not equal nourishment, and it fundamentally reshaped how I think about formulation.

Ian: What truly shocked me were our internal studies showing that, on average, 84 percent of traditional supplements aren’t being absorbed at all—at the same time Americans are on track to spend more than $60 billion on supplements by the end of 2025. When you sit with that, it starts to feel less like a wellness industry and more like a massive rip-off. People are investing their health, their money, and their trust into products that, biologically speaking, often never even make it past the gate

Can you talk about the first time you felt a difference using your own formulations? What clicked for you?

Nikki: I noticed a steadiness, energy without urgency. My body felt supported instead of pushed. That was the moment I realized we were creating something that respected the nervous system. 

Ian: The mental clarity stood out first. There was no spike or crash, just a sense of sustained focus and balance that felt unusually clean.

To explore the formulations they created through this research, shop The Absorption Company here.

You both work at the intersection of wellness, environmentalism, and social impact. What do you believe is the most urgent truth people need to understand right now?

Nikki: Our bodies are not separate from the environments we live in. Chronic stress, depleted soil, and overconsumption all mirror one another. Healing requires restoring balance, not accelerating fixes.

Ian: You can’t optimize human health in a collapsing ecosystem. Wellness has to account for planetary health, or it’s incomplete by definition.

What’s a simple, accessible way anyone can bring more regenerative living into their daily routine?

Nikki: Reduce inputs and increase awareness. Eat fewer, higher-quality foods. Slow down meals. Pay attention to how your body responds instead of following trends.

Ian: Be intentional about consumption. Whether it’s food, energy, or products, ask where it came from and what it costs the system to produce it.

As parents, founders, and public figures, you navigate a lot of stimulation. What ritual or practice helps you regulate your nervous system most reliably?

Nikki: Morning quiet. I avoid stimulation before my nervous system is fully awake. Breathwork and time outside help me set the tone for the day.

Ian: Cold exposure and time in nature. Both force presence and reset my stress response faster than anything else I’ve found.

Which supplements anchor your daily routines besides your own brand currently?

Nikki: Other than taking our products daily, I take shilajit religiously. I also supplement with herbs like ashwagandha and milk thistle. I take black seed oil, collagen, Nutrafol, pumpkin seed oil, and saw palmetto!

Ian: I truly live on our products, but I also supplement with biotin, multivitamins, silica, saw palmetto, you name it! I love giving my body what it needs!

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a purpose-driven company but feels overwhelmed by where to begin?

Nikki: Start with curiosity, not certainty. You don’t need the full roadmap, you need a clear intention and the willingness to learn as you go.

Ian: Solve a real problem you understand deeply. Purpose-driven work only works if it’s grounded in reality, not just ideals.

What is inspiring you each right now - books, podcasts, thinkers, creators?

Nikki: I love thinkers, and I love people who are fiercely passionate. Gary Brecka, who is redefining the wellness world; doctors like Dr. Cameron Chestnut, who focus on regenerative medicine, stem cells, and red light as part of their surgical approach; topics like holistic dentistry, with practices that incorporate ozone; and whole-body disease experts like Dr. Connealy, who are changing everything we know about cancer. I could stay up all night reading medical journals, listening to podcasts, and researching…although with two companies, two kids, and a farm to run, that’s proving to be quite difficult at the moment!

Ian: I could listen to Dr. Mark Hyman speak all day! At this moment in my life, building two global companies simultaneously, my schedule is so tight. I’m not able to dive into as many books and podcasts as I would like to. Soon enough!

What’s one question you wish people would ask about your life’s work but almost no one does?

Nikki: What did you have to let go of in order to do this work honestly?

Ian: What would real success look like if profit wasn’t the primary metric?

Shop the Routine

If you’re curious about the formulations Ian and Nikki reference and the products they’ve built to work with your biology, here are a few essentials worth exploring:

Restore Mango Lemonade Supplement is a hydrating, nutrient-rich powder designed to support recovery and daily wellness with electrolytes, vitamins, and glutathione that absorb more efficiently than traditional formulas.

For a more comprehensive reset, the Detox and Destress Stack brings together their two best selling blends, Restore and Calm, delivering double the support through nutrients formulated for up to five times greater absorption.

If rest and recovery are priorities, the Sleep + Magnesium Stack is designed to support deep relaxation and overnight recovery. This duo pairs highly bioavailable magnesium for muscle function and stress balance with Sleep, formulated to promote calm and deeper rest through clinically backed, absorbable nutrients.

For natural energy without the crash, Energy taps into sustained focus and uplift using advanced delivery science.

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The Quiet Magic of Planning With the Stars

Most of us were taught to manage time. Few of us were taught to work with it.

Between digital calendars and endless to-do lists, it’s easy to forget that our energy doesn’t move in straight lines. It moves in cycles. In seasons. In subtle shifts that influence how we create, rest, and begin again.

Magic of I, founded by Kerry Ward, was built on that understanding. A longtime student of astrology and natural rhythms, Kerry created an astrology planner that blends the structure of everyday scheduling with lunar cycles and astrological seasons. The result is something both practical and poetic. A place to organize your life, yes, but also a space to notice the undercurrents moving beneath it.

We chatted with Kerry about her search for meaning, her fascination with subtle energy, and why planning in rhythm with the cosmos can feel less like pressure and more like clarity.

In Conversation with Kerry Ward

Before Magic of I existed, how did you experience your inner world and your relationship with meaning? I’ve always been a deep thinker and feeler in search of, and in practice of, meaning. There really is no before or after, as Magic of I. was born as an extension of myself. My inner world is inherently creative and magical, always looking for patterns and sense making of the chaotic amount of information that is available to us. Often, it’s between the lines in the mystery of it all where it’s most interesting.

I was always drawn to subtle energy and had a deep fascination with it growing up as a child, from occasional exposure to my great grandmother, who was a medium and spiritualist. So there was a connection to knowing that there is something greater than what we see and experience in regular life. I guess that formed a very wide lens of being able to see more of what is available, or not available, to us, and possibly where I fit in all of it (I mean, do we ever really know?).

My relationship with meaning has not always been straightforward, and I don't expect it to be at different times of my life either. There will always be something that will humble you to your core and reset your beliefs on what is possible. What is the saying: ‘you need to get lost to find yourself’? Well, there were many moments of feeling completely lost and confused about what ‘it’ all meant, and how to shape my own life into what I wanted, and why I am here. I think this is pretty normal for deep thinkers and feelers. And sometimes the world just absolutely baffles me, and there is no sense to be made.

When I discovered astrology, after dabbling in different modalities to find some kind of overarching structure (which included an obsession with TCM, body systems, and the menstrual cycle), I felt a quiet knowing that this was an ‘in’ to making some sense of this mystery we are all part of. And it has. It has been a system that has put language to what was indescribable for me: subtle peaks and valleys of feeling, cycles and undercurrents that affect all of us, whether we are aware of them or not. The applications have felt endless, whereas other modalities always hit a ceiling, so to speak. It has given me a tool to investigate ‘meaning’ or understand the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of what unfolds or is about to unfold. It’s not the only tool, because I keep my scope open, but it has definitely helped me find meaning. Just understanding the birth chart and its intricacies was life changing for me.

Your language often speaks to incarnation, presence, and the sacredness of being alive. How does that understanding shape everything Magic of I creates? It’s an anchor for meaning, a perspective that expands general everyday thinking to see beyond the mundane. Everything Magic of I. creates invites deeper engagement with life through learning, introspection, shared wisdom, practical application and structure, or just providing the space to explore the inner world through writing and journaling. I’m not here to create something mundane or mediocre. If we are here on this earth, at this time, living our lives, shouldn’t we be doing that in a way that nourishes and supports our uniqueness with layers of magic and intention? I think so.

You often reference cycles, duality, and the relationship between shadow and light. How have those themes influenced the way you understand time and personal growth? Massively. This all began when I wanted deeper connection and understanding of my own cycles, not just understanding hormones and what they do in the body, but the complete state changes that happen: how our psyche changes and adapts in conjunction with hormones, and how our bodies respond. How our spiritual connection changes and how our beliefs shift throughout our cycle. It’s not always pretty. It was all so fascinating to me. There is an inherent flow and unfurling movement, and once I understood my personal cycle, I felt the layers of bigger cycles that impacted me as a human (body and mind). Which is when I began dabbling in and understanding different systems of time and subtle energy, and how to utilise and harness those. Shadow work is a given when you are diving into these depths, and I don’t shy away from the not so nice parts of life, because that is what is real. It’s not all love and light. You can’t have one without the other.

The astrology planner balances structure with poetry. How did you approach designing a tool that could support both presence and practical, everyday planning? In all honesty, I designed this for myself and what I needed as a dreamer and creative to actualise my dreams and desires, while integrating and learning the multitude of layers of astrology which supported my need for an overarching system. I needed to create some kind of order of the many layers of seeing and interacting with time and cycles, to be able to see clearly what is coming up, when, and how to utilise the ‘secrets’ (subtle energy) that I knew existed, and that had a big impact on me as a sensitive person.

Coming from being deeply interested and invested in understanding the subtle psycho-spiritual layers of the menstrual cycle, this also had to be incorporated, because it is all connected. Overall, it’s very masculine feminine: the holder of structure for unbridled creativity and exploration of life to unfold. Or left brain right brain.

In your experience, how does honoring natural fluctuations in energy help people stay consistent without forcing output? Well, it’s permission for a lot of people to tap into what they really feel behind the facade of how our ‘normal’ world and systems function. We all know if we try to paddle upstream, it is way harder than flowing with the current. There are more ideal times to take action, and times where we need to rest, wait, and listen.

It can be boiled down fairly simply, as the first layer, to the elements: earth, air, fire, water. Each one has a particular constitution and pattern, and when you know how to utilize these, things tend to flow a lot better, and forcing isn’t really a concept anymore.

It’s having the tools and the knowledge that helps people get in touch with these cycles and to work with them. Similarly to the menstrual cycle, if we become more aware and equipped with wisdom, we know how to work with them instead of against them. This can be applied to moon cycles, planetary cycles, and seasonal shifts.

What did you want this planner to offer that traditional planning systems often overlook? Choice in how you engage with the world. It is structured around the Gregorian calendar, which we know is made up and a vast majority of the western world uses, so it is very much a part of many people’s reality. But I wanted a choice in how I, and others, engage with time and natural cycles. So without completely disconnecting from a reality that a lot of people live in, I have combined them.

If you just want to follow moon cycles and astrological seasons, you can. If you want to stick with what is considered ‘normal’ time structure while dabbling in astrology, you can. But essentially, I wanted to provide an insight into the undercurrents that are constantly moving through our lives.

And also most importantly: structure to the utter chaos it can be. Structure for pulling the threads of our lives together, of our dreams and wishes together, and having a sacred physical space where that can be recorded and expanded upon in a way that feels natural, with some gentle nudges to action on things that will improve and expand our inner and outer worlds.

When someone opens the planner for the first time, what kind of experience or feeling were you hoping to create? I want them to feel hopeful, expansive, excited, and inspired at the endless possibilities of what their lives are, and can be. I wanted that for myself, and that was the energy of the creation of this tool. I wanted to feel supported when I needed it, and yet free to explore, but have something to come back to on the days I felt out of touch or lost. All of these desires have been poured into this space, and I would feel content and fulfilled if others felt them too.

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The Spring Reset We’re Actually Doing This Year

There’s a certain shift that happens when spring arrives. You open the windows. You crave lighter meals. You suddenly want to reorganize everything from your closet to your calendar. The body feels ready for something fresh.

But instead of jumping into extremes, this year’s reset is about subtle, sustainable shifts. No dramatic overhauls. Just intentional changes that help you feel clearer, lighter, and more energized as the season turns.

Here’s what our spring reset actually looks like.

Start the Morning Clear

Before coffee. Before email. Before the scroll.

Celery juice has become the first ritual of the day. We’ve been reaching for the Celery Juice from Pressed Juicery, which feels clean, simple, and grounding. Hydrating first thing in the morning supports digestion and elimination, and celery juice adds that subtle fresh start energy that feels aligned with the season.

On busier mornings, keeping a few green juices in the fridge makes it easy to layer in kale, cucumber, celery, lemon, and apple without turning breakfast into a full production. It’s not about replacing meals. It’s about adding something vibrant and alive to the day.

Clean Out the Fridge, Not Your Entire Diet

A true reset starts with what is already in front of you.

We begin by clearing out the refrigerator. Toss the sauces that have been sitting there since November. Check expiration dates. Wipe the shelves down. Then restock with color. Citrus. Herbs. Leafy greens. Berries. High quality proteins.

When your fridge looks intentional, your choices follow. You reach for what is visible. You cook more simply. You snack more consciously. A reset does not require eliminating everything. It requires paying attention.

Small decisions, repeated daily, shape how you feel by the end of the week.

Move Energy, Don’t Just Talk About It

Winter routines tend to be more sedentary. More time indoors. Heavier meals. Less natural light. Spring is the invitation to move again.

Long walks in the evening. Pilates with the windows open. Strength training to wake up muscles that have been on autopilot. Lately, we’ve been loving classes at Pvolve for exactly this reason. The workouts are low impact but incredibly effective, focused on functional strength and controlled movement that leaves you feeling energized rather than depleted. It feels aligned with spring energy. Intentional. Strong. Sustainable. Check out Jennifer Aniston’s Pvolve Sculpt Anywhere Bundle here. 

Even ten minutes of stretching while sunlight fills the room can shift your entire mood.

Movement supports circulation and lymphatic flow, but it also resets your mindset. When your body feels unstuck, your thoughts follow. Spring energy is expansive. Let your routines expand with it.

Reset One Corner of Your Home

You do not need to overhaul your entire life in one weekend.

Pick one area. A kitchen drawer. Your nightstand. Your bathroom shelf. Remove what you do not use. Wipe it down. Put back only what feels necessary and aligned.

The physical act of clearing space creates mental clarity. When your environment feels lighter, it subtly reduces friction in your day. You spend less time searching, less time overwhelmed by visual clutter, and more time moving with intention.

Spring energy is about flow. Your home should support that.

Set Intentions for the Season Ahead

Spring is not just a physical reset. It is an energetic one.

Before overhauling your diet or routine, take an hour to get clear on what you actually want from this season. More energy. Better sleep. Stronger boundaries. A new creative project. A shift in your career. Write it down. Be specific. Clarity creates momentum.

There is something powerful about pausing long enough to define what “feeling lighter” really means to you. Is it less stress in your calendar. More movement in your week. More time outdoors. Fewer distractions at night.

If you need structure, revisit our Manifestation Guide as a framework for turning intention into action. It walks you through identifying your goals, aligning them with daily habits, and building consistency without overwhelm. A spring reset works best when it is tied to something bigger than aesthetics. It should support who you are becoming next.

When your habits are connected to intention, they stick.

The Real Goal

The goal is not perfection. It is to feel lighter in your body, clearer in your mind, and aligned with the season you are stepping into.

A little more sunlight.
A little more movement.
A little more green.
A little more space.

That is enough.

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7 Questions to Ask Your Dermatologist to Catch Melanoma Earlier

Most of us assume a yearly skin check is enough. You go in, hear that everything looks fine, and move on for another 12 months.

But board certified dermatologist Dr. Michael Christopher says that reassurance can sometimes be misleading. Skin exams are not standardized, and one clinician’s “full body check” can look very different from another’s, especially when it comes to using dermoscopy, a tool that helps detect melanomas the naked eye can miss.

Dr. Christopher detects 150 to 215 melanomas per year, compared to a state average of about 17. The difference, he says, is not about patient behavior. It is about how thoroughly the exam is performed.

We asked him to explain why melanomas are still being missed, what a truly comprehensive skin exam should include, and the exact questions patients should be asking to catch melanoma earlier.

Why do so many melanomas still get missed even when patients are doing yearly skin checks Skin checks aren’t a standardized process. One clinician’s “full body exam” can look very different from another’s in how systematic it is and whether dermoscopy is used consistently. Melanoma can be subtle, sometimes even pink or non pigmented, and can mimic benign lesions to the naked eye. Dermoscopy allows us to see diagnostic structures beneath the surface that simply cannot be evaluated clinically.

What does a truly thorough skin exam actually include and what should patients expect during one A thorough exam is a true head to toe evaluation of all skin surfaces, including higher risk and easy to miss areas like the scalp, behind the ears, the back, between the toes, the soles, and the nails. It should also include the use of a dermatoscope, a handheld magnifier with light, on all pink and pigmented spots.

What early warning signs do you see patients dismiss or misinterpret most often The most commonly dismissed warning sign is change. Patients notice a mole evolving but wait because they assume it can just be watched until the next routine visit. I also see people dismiss spots that intermittently bleed, crust, itch, or do not heal. Any new or changing spot deserves evaluation sooner rather than later.

How does dermoscopy change melanoma detection and why is it not standard everywhere yet Dermoscopy reduces missed melanoma because it allows visualization of pigment networks and vascular patterns that the naked eye cannot see, enabling earlier recognition. While dermoscopy is encouraged, education around it is not standardized. As a result, depth of knowledge and skill can vary widely. That gap leads to inconsistent use of a tool that can meaningfully improve detection.

Are there specific areas of the body where melanoma is most commonly missed? Melanomas are most often overlooked in areas that are hard for patients to monitor and easy to under examine quickly, such as the scalp, behind the ears, the mid back, the back of the legs, the soles and between the toes, and around the nails. Hair bearing areas, especially the scalp, are also technically challenging without a careful, systematic approach.

How often should someone really be getting checked based on risk factors like skin type, family history, or past sun exposure There is not one perfect interval for everyone. Many average risk patients do well with yearly exams, but higher risk patients, including those with a history of melanoma, many atypical moles, a strong family history, significant sun damage, or immunosuppression, often need checks every 6 to 12 months, sometimes more often, in addition to regular self exams at home.

What are the most important questions patients should ask their dermatologist to make sure nothing is overlooked

1. Do you use a dermoscope routinely, and will you examine every mole, pink or pigmented, with it?
2. Based on my individual risk factors, how often should I be evaluated for skin cancer?

 

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In Conversation: Miranda Kerr on Certified Organic Beauty and Long Term Integrity

Miranda Kerr does not talk about wellness like it is a trend. She talks about it like it is a responsibility.

When she previously joined us as Guest Editor in Chief, her perspective was already clear: wellness is not something you perform, it is something you practice. That through line still runs through everything she builds and speaks about today. Whether she is talking about family, formulation, or the future of beauty, there is a steadiness to her point of view.

For her, the roles of mother, entrepreneur, and public figure are not separate identities she switches between. They inform each other. “I love this question because for me, these roles are not separate. They shape each other and are so interconnected.”

In Conversation with Miranda Kerr

Motherhood as the Anchor

At the center of everything is motherhood. “Being a mother is what anchors everything. My boys are my greatest teachers. They remind me that presence matters more than perfection, that the energy in the home sets the tone for everything, and that wellness starts with how safe and loved they feel.”

That grounding perspective shapes how she manages her time, her nervous system, and her priorities. “Motherhood has made me more intentional about my time, my nervous system, and the example I set. If I am calm, grounded, and nourished, they feel that.”

Balance, for her, is not about doing everything at once. It is about choosing what matters most.

Why Certified Organic Still Matters

When Miranda launched KORA Organics more than fifteen years ago, transparency in beauty was limited. Words like natural were used loosely. She saw a gap between what consumers believed they were buying and what they were actually putting on their skin.

“I believed there needed to be a higher bar. Certified organic follows strict third party standards, ensuring products are free from synthetic chemicals and unnecessary ingredients. That level of accountability felt essential to me.”

She is clear about the distinction. Clean beauty is unregulated. Certified organic follows rigorous standards. “We owe it to consumers to be clearer about what those words actually mean so they can make informed choices.”

For Miranda, this commitment is personal. When her mother was diagnosed with tumors during her teenage years, it changed everything. “It prompted our family to take a much closer look at everything we were putting in and on our bodies. That experience was a profound wake up call. It made me realize that what you put on your skin should be as safe, nourishing and intentional as what you put into your body.”

She built the brand she could not find. “I couldn’t find anything on the market that truly met those standards, and that gap is what led me to create KORA Organics.”

Efficacy Without Compromise

One of the biggest misconceptions she challenged early on was that organic meant ineffective. “I felt strongly that we could create results driven formulations powered by certified organic ingredients, rich in antioxidants and nutrients, without compromising on performance.”

Results still matter to her. “I don't want to use products on my skin just because they are healthy, they need to be results driven.” Backing claims with consumer studies and data is part of that integrity.

For Miranda, purity and performance are not opposites. They are non-negotiables.

The Products She Still Uses

 

More than fifteen years in, Miranda still uses the formulas daily. “I’ve been using our formulations since I began R&D in 2006, and I genuinely credit that consistency for the health and resilience of my skin today, almost two decades later.”

For newcomers, she suggests the Noni Glow Face Oil, which “represents the heart of the brand: certified organic ingredients, powered by Noni as a superfood for the skin, and results driven without unnecessary chemicals,” and the Turmeric Brightening and Exfoliating Mask, “like an instant at home facial” where “your skin is brighter, smoother and looks fresh and radiant.”

She also highlights the Plant Stem Cell Retinol Alternative Serum, which “gives retinol results, it lifts and softens the signs of aging without the irritation,” and the Turmeric Glow Drops Niacinamide Alternative Serum, a plant based alternative designed to deliver brightening and pore refining results in a certified organic way.

“I don't want to use products on my skin just because they are healthy, they need to be results driven.”

What Separates a Good Brand From a Great One

When asked what defines a truly great wellness brand, her answer is immediate. “Integrity and intention. A good brand can follow trends and create appealing or viral products, but a great brand is rooted in purpose and consistency. It knows who it is, what it stands for, and it doesn’t compromise those values as it grows.”

Education and transparency matter just as much as formulation. “Great wellness brands also invest in education and transparency. They respect their community enough to explain the why, not just the what.”

It is about long term trust over short term hype.

Redefining Success

Meaningful work, for her, is not measured by revenue alone. “It’s the messages from customers who say our products helped them feel more confident in their skin, or supported them during a difficult health or life transition. It’s hearing that someone changed the way they think about ingredients or became more mindful about their overall wellbeing.”

And in this phase of her life, success looks different. “Success now looks like alignment. It’s feeling present with my family, fulfilled in my work, and grounded in my values. It’s having the freedom to choose quality over quantity in my time, my relationships and my commitments.”

If there is a through line in everything she shares, it is sustainability. Not just in sourcing or packaging, but in energy and priorities. As she puts it, “My family and our health comes first. And from that foundation, everything else flows more harmoniously.”

For Miranda Kerr, certified organic beauty is not a marketing term. It is a standard. And long term integrity is not a strategy. It is the foundation.

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In Conversation: Why Burdock Belongs in the Hair Growth Conversation

When most of us hear the words hair growth, we immediately think about results. How fast. How much. How soon. It can start to feel like something we need to manage or measure instead of something that happens naturally when our hair is supported the right way.

For founders Ksenia Zaytseva and Anna Dzhilavyan, burdock was never a buzzword. It was part of childhood. A kitchen ritual passed down from Ksenia’s grandmother. A messy homemade mask that friends kept asking for. That ritual eventually became the foundation for Bur Bur, their clean, botanical haircare brand rooted in tradition and backed by modern science.

In this conversation, Ksenia and Anna share how that early ritual evolved into a modern botanical formula, what science confirms about burdock and scalp health, and why creating the right environment for hair may matter more than rushing the outcome.

In Conversation with Ksenia Zaytseva and Anna Dzhilavyan

When people hear “hair growth,” they often think about speed and results. How does burdock reframe that conversation? Burdock reframes growth as a byproduct of health rather than a race. It works at the root, literally and metaphorically, by supporting circulation, calming the scalp, and creating the right environment for hair to grow naturally over time.

I like to compare it to a plant. If you give a plant good water, care, and natural nourishment, it grows strong, full, and stays healthy for a long time. Fast results don’t always mean sustainable results. Creating the right environment for hair growth is something that can support you for a lifetime.

Burdock oil wasn’t something you discovered later as founders, it was already part of your lives. At what point did you realize this family tradition had the potential to become something bigger? The realization came very organically. One day Anna and I were sitting in the kitchen and I was mixing the original burdock mask recipe for a friend. That happened a lot. Most of our friends were asking for the recipe or asking us to make it for them once they tried it.

I remember saying to Anna, this is so messy to make at home, I wish there was a product that was exactly this recipe. And she just said, let’s make it. That was the moment it clicked.

Ksenia, your grandmother Ludmila sits at the heart of BUR BUR, and even her name means “love to the people.” What did she teach you about self-care, and how does that philosophy continue to shape both the product and the values behind the brand today? Her name translates so perfectly to what we believe in. The concept of care, for me, was never something that needed words. It was shown quietly, through small, everyday moments and actions. Taking care of yourself helps you learn how to take care of others too. That understanding lives at the core of BUR BUR and shapes how we think about care, both in the product and beyond it.

Anna, when Ksenia first shared her family’s burdock ritual with you, what stood out as something worth preserving and how did you help translate that deeply personal story into a brand with intention, structure, and longevity? I’ve known Ksenia since we were kids, and I’ve always known how deep her bond with her grandmother was. In a way, they were soulmates.

What stood out to me was how real the ritual was. It came from our childhood, from our family, from traditions. BUR BUR exists because of those deeply personal stories and i think people can feel it. I think thats why Bur Bur feels special and different.

As you began developing BUR BUR, what did modern science confirm about burdock that aligned with what you already knew intuitively? Growing up in Eastern Europe, burdock oil is one of the most well known ingredients for hair health. What stood out to us was how little people in the US knew about it.

Science confirmed what tradition already taught, that burdock is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant rich, and supportive of scalp health. It strengthens the foundation where hair grows. That alignment between science and tradition gave us confidence to introduce it in a thoughtful way.

Your formula is intentionally minimal and botanical-focused. How do you decide which ingredients truly belong in the formula and which don’t? Every ingredient has to make sense in relation to the original grandmother’s recipe and to scalp health. Nothing is there just to sound good. Hair oils have a stigma of being too heavy or hard to wash out, so we spent a long time perfecting the balance. When we found our botanist and developed the way our burdock and nettle infusion is made, it changed everything. Every other ingredient exists to support and balance that infusion. The formula ended up being even better than we imagined.

Why was oil the right delivery system for burdock, especially when oil is still misunderstood in hair care? Burdock plant doesn’t produce oil on its own, it has to be infused into a carrier oil. Oil allows for slow absorption, massage, and ritual.

Oil is misunderstood in hair care because not every oil works for every hair type and it needs balancing ingredients. Our formula is carefully balanced to nourish without weighing hair down.

“Clean” can mean many things in beauty. What does being a clean brand actually mean to you in practice? To us, clean means transparent, non-toxic, and made with intention. No unnecessary ingredients, no greenwashing, and no shortcuts.

Clean isn’t a label or a trend. It’s a series of choices we’ve made consistently, even when it’s harder or more expensive. It’s simply our standard.

Sustainability is deeply embedded in BUR BUR, from glass packaging to reforestation. Why was this non-negotiable from day one? Because care can’t be selective. If we’re asking people to care for their bodies, we have to care for the environment those bodies live in.

Sustainability wasn’t an add-on, it was part of the moral foundation of the brand. Anything else would have felt dishonest.

For someone discovering BUR BUR for the first time, how should they think about incorporating your product into their routine Think of it as a ritual. Use it with intention. It’s like going to the gym, eating well, or taking care of your nervous system. Consistency matters. Ideally, it becomes something you do for a long time, not a quick fix.

Beyond product use, what lifestyle factors do you believe most impact hair health and growth? For me personally, sleep is huge. Stress management and nutrition play a massive role. I notice immediately when I’m not eating well, sleeping enough, or when stress is high, my hair growth slows down.

Everything affects hair, from shampoo to brushing to the products you choose. It’s all connected.

What should people realistically expect to notice first when using burdock before visible hair health and growth? Most people notice shine, softness, and manageability first. Within two to three weeks, they usually see significantly less shedding. Our clinical testing showed a 50 percent reduction in shedding after 50 days.

Growth comes with consistency. But after 6 months to a year, I truly believe you won’t recognize your hair.

Discover Bur Bur’s burdock-based formula here.

The post In Conversation: Why Burdock Belongs in the Hair Growth Conversation appeared first on The Chalkboard Mag.

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A Ritual Guide for the Year of the Fire Horse

The Year of the Fire Horse carries bold, expressive energy. It is fast moving and instinct driven, the kind of year that nudges you to stop circling your ideas and actually act on them. You may feel more decisive, more creative, and more willing to take risks. That spark is powerful. But without intention, it can also feel scattered or overstimulating.

Fire is not something to suppress. It is something to tend. When it is grounded, it becomes magnetism and momentum. When it runs unchecked, it can leave you feeling depleted even while you are accomplishing more. The goal this year is not to dim your flame but to direct it. Small, consistent rituals throughout the day can help your body keep pace with your ambition so that your energy feels steady rather than frantic.

Here is how to move through a Fire Horse year in a way that feels strong, embodied, and sustainable.

Morning Fire with Focus

Mornings in a Fire Horse year can start quickly. The instinct is to grab your phone, pour coffee, and dive straight into motion. Instead of matching fire with more fire, begin with grounding warmth. Giving your nervous system a few steady minutes before stimulation changes the tone of the entire day.

Anima Mundi’s Golden Moon Milk is a comforting place to start. With turmeric, reishi, and calming botanicals, it feels steady and centering rather than energizing in a sharp way. It creates warmth without pushing you into urgency. If you want something that supports mood and emotional resilience, the Happiness Tonic offers adaptogenic support that helps stabilize your baseline before the day accelerates.

Take a few minutes while you sip to write down one clear intention. Not a full list. Just one bold move you are committing to that day. Fire loves clarity. When your energy has direction, it feels powerful instead of chaotic.

Ritual Recommendation
Golden Moon Milk for warmth and grounding
Happiness Tonic for steady mood and motivation

Midday Heat that Feels Grounded

By midday, Fire Horse energy can start to feel buzzy. You are moving quickly, making decisions, juggling conversations. The momentum is exciting, but this is often when tension builds.

This is your cue to soften.

Instead of reaching for more stimulation, shift toward something that keeps your energy open and steady. Anima Mundi’s Euphoria Elixir supports an uplifted mood without feeling sharp. The energy feels warm and expansive rather than intense.

For something even more heart centered, their Rose Powder offers a subtle cooling balance. Rose helps soften fire without dimming it, which feels especially aligned this year.

Step outside. Take a slower breath. Let your ambition stay grounded.

Ritual Recommendation
Euphoria Elixir for uplifted steadiness
Rose Powder for heart centered balance

Creative Flow without Overextension

Fire Horse years are creative. Ideas arrive quickly and enthusiasm builds fast. The challenge is not inspiration. It is pacing. Without structure, you can pour too much energy into too many things at once.

Instead of forcing productivity, create a container for your creative time. Clear your desk. Light a candle. Stir your tonic slowly. These small acts signal intention and calm your nervous system so that focus feels natural rather than forced.

Anima Mundi’s Belly Love Powder can be supportive during high output periods. Digestion and creative flow are closely linked. When your body feels comfortable and balanced, your mind feels more spacious. For deeper grounding, reishi based blends help cultivate calm clarity so that your energy remains sustainable over time.

Fire balanced with earth is what allows you to build something that lasts.

Ritual Recommendation
Belly Love Powder for digestive balance during busy days
Reishi based blends for steady creative focus

Evening Cooling to Protect Your Flame

One of the hallmarks of Fire Horse energy is difficulty slowing down. Even at night, your mind may keep planning what comes next. That forward momentum is exciting, but it makes evening rituals essential.

Cooling and calming herbs help your nervous system shift out of stimulation and into restoration. Anima Mundi’s Dream Elixir Liquid is formulated to support relaxation and smoother transitions into rest. Sipping something warm in low light signals closure to your body. It tells your system that the day is complete.

Before bed, reflect on one thing you moved forward that day. Not what is unfinished. Not what is pending. Just what shifted. This simple practice keeps the year feeling empowering rather than overwhelming. Rest does not weaken your fire. It protects it.

Ritual Recommendation
Dream Elixir Liquid for evening calm and nervous system support
A warm herbal cup to mark the end of the day

 

The post A Ritual Guide for the Year of the Fire Horse appeared first on The Chalkboard Mag.

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