Beauty, Self-care, Skincare & Grooming Foundations

Believe it or not, it starts from the very basics, foundations that not only support beauty but also mental & physical health, well-being, and longevity.

It is not only the products you are taking. My approach is first to eliminate things and habits that cause damage to your beauty, skin, health, and premature aging, rather than to treat it.

I will keep those foundations brief because I plan to develop each one into a separate article in the future. Remember, your body is your temple. You cannot buy a new one.

I am fixing the well, not the sink.

Once you have the foundation ready, you can attack and find the right products, procedures, and techniques for you and take it to the next level, so here are the basics:

1. Nutrition

You are what you eat and drink!

Drink plenty of water (a gallon a day is a good ballpark, but this amount may vary depending on your weight, sweat rate/etc). Remember that your body is composed of approximately 60% water. Ensure the source of water is suitable, which is spring water. If you cannot afford to drink spring and alkaline water at all times, make sure to filter the water you are getting from the tap, as it contains many toxic chemicals, and who knows what else is in there. I enjoy drinking decent quantities of naturally carbonated mineral water.

What I am adding here in my 2025 edit of this article is electrolytes. I've been using it every single day for the last 4 years, and proper hydration starts with electrolytes.

Test and isolate potential foods that cause problems and inflammation, or even do a food allergy test. Ensure you know which foods work well for you. You can even take a DNA test for it. I am currently going through the Autoimmune Protocol.

You already know that eating vegetables and fruits is essential. Use that as a base and start incorporating foods like nuts, wild salmon, other types of fish, bone broth, avocado, and legumes, as they are the best choices for your beauty, skin, health, and overall well-being. The key is to maintain a balanced and consistent approach, and to recognize which foods have a direct impact on your health.

The Mediterranean diet seems to be the most logical choice here, and I know that because I grew up in that region.

Junk and processed foods are your worst enemy here, and I would be careful with dairy, excess alcohol, and tobacco intake. You don't need to give it all up, but consume it in moderation and be aware of how it affects your body.

2. Sleep

It is called with a reason "beauty sleep"

You need a minimum of 8 hours of uninterrupted, high-quality sleep, ensuring that deep and REM sleep are intact, as they are the most important parts of sleep. A high dosage of CBD can improve your deep sleep quality. Additionally, suppose you have trouble falling asleep, like me, and your mind is always racing and thinking. In that case, CBD can also help you fall asleep, calm your mind, and reduce inflammation, among many other benefits it offers. I like to combine it with L-theanine, apigenin, magnesium glycinate, and glycine.

Maintain a room temperature of around 65°F (18°C), as this is optimal for quality sleep.

Ensure your bedroom is completely dark, with no signs of light. That includes no screens or technology (such as a phone or TV) in the room. And no, an eye mask will not guarantee 100% success. Your skin has photoreceptors that absorb light, just like your eyes, but not as efficiently. Therefore, ensure the entire room is completely dark. My rule of thumb is that you should not see your hand in front of you. If you need extra help with this category, numerous sleep apps and products are available to help you track and improve your sleep, which I will discuss in a separate article on sleep. Lastly, I would like to incorporate an Eight Sleep Pod into my routine, which I believe takes your sleep to the next level.

3. Stress Management & Mental Health

Inside is as important as outside

Stress can be your worst enemy here and can lead to premature aging and other undesirable outcomes. Consider blood work for cortisol and DHEA-S, as these are critical markers for adrenal health. Make sure to avoid drama and toxic people, as they can be something that takes you back without you even realizing it. Keep your eyes wide open, analyze every aspect of your life, and don't hesitate to ask for help when needed.

Begin developing a positive mindset and attitude. Always look at the bright side, making sure your cup is half-full rather than half-empty, and don't worry over things you have no control over. Make peace with it, learn from it, adjust, and always move forward.

Keep in mind that it is still a work in progress, and it does not happen overnight. It needs constant effort, attention, and mindfulness.

4. Blood-work

Do not enter is blindly, know your baseline and causation

One of the most important overlooked and underestimated foundations. The heck with all of it if you don't know your bloodwork markers and what is the cause behind your potential issues that could harm you or kill you in the long term. I would suggest doing comprehensive blood work for the sake of your own health, which you should be doing regularly anyway, not for the sake of your appearance and beauty. For instance, the endocrine system, such as thyroid health, as well as your heart, liver, and other organs, can reveal a great deal about why the outside and inside are behaving the way they are. I fixed my own thyroid and autoimmune issues since my bloodwork revealed them, and I am currently lowering Apo B, which I decreased by 60 points in under 3 months—more details about it in future articles.

Additionally, if you have any concerns, consider getting an ultrasound. Gut health is also essential, and it can be a cause of many issues – you probably heard about autoimmune diseases. I am also conducting extensive reading and research, as I will be affected by it and need to address the issue.

5. Working Out, Stretching & Yoga

You already know all of this, but:

Proper exercise stimulates a multitude of positive reactions, from chemical to physical, and ties into stress management, promotes good sleep, enhances nutrition, and elevates all the foundations I mentioned today.

Try to do strength training 3 times a week.

Walk outside in nature as often as possible. Research shows it improves nearly every aspect of your health and mood, especially in green environments where sunlight and natural light exposure support your body’s rhythm.

Incorporate all aspects of working out, such as weight-lifting, LISS (Low-intensity steady-state cardio), HIIT (High-intensity interval training), and yoga. Again, balance is the key.

I am definitely slacking when it comes to meditation, yoga, stretching, and even cardio due to my knee injuries...

Make sure to move your body frequently. If you have a desk job or don't go out often and don't move much, make sure to get up every 25-45 minutes and do dynamic stretching, walk around, and move. Please go out and walk in nature, as it boosts your health in all its foundations. Stretch properly, and again, do yoga.

6. Sun

Hmm, you did not expect this one?

This is more important than you think. The sun is a double-edged sword. We would die without it, and it plays a key role in your health and beauty. Make sure you get moderate sun exposure for at least 15 minutes a day to get that natural vitamin D, which boosts your immunity and mood, keeps in check your circadian rhythm, which is crucial for sleep, and helps with better sleep and is a key player for excellent gut health. Therefore, the sun can help you in all those categories mentioned before.

Simultaneously, excessive sun exposure or intense sunlight with high UV rays can be damaging and detrimental, ranging from rapid skin aging to severe health consequences, including death. Damaged skin can cause premature aging. That leads to another problem: most sun protection, which you might think helps, is full of chemicals. While it might protect you from harmful UV from the sun, its toxic chemical ingredients will do almost (if not the same or even worse) damage than the actual sun.

Try to protect yourself with clothing, hats, sunglasses, and other similar items first, then research healthy sun protection products.

When I was a kid, one of my biggest mistakes was going to the beach during the strongest sun (10 AM-2 PM) every summer without protection. I am paying the price now, so please avoid it. If you fall into this, make sure to check yourself with your doctor for skin cancer, because prevention is better than a cure.

My current routine in 2025 involves taking astaxanthin for UV protection. Astaxanthin is a red antioxidant from microalgae that I take as a supplement to help my skin resist UV damage and sun aging. I also check UV with an app every time I go in the sun. My rule of thumb is that if the UV index is over 3, I use sunscreen, especially since I use tretinoin, a prescription retinoid, which makes my skin more sensitive to UV light.

7. Fasting

It is free & it is the future (actually past & present)

Try all ranges of fasting, as it not only helps you get in shape and lose weight, especially visceral fat, but also benefits your beauty and longevity. Numerous new genetic studies support this, as it activates many anti-aging reactions, fights diseases, and increases lifespan, among other beneficial effects.

I have been practicing intermittent fasting since 2011, and since 2018, I've started doing the 5-day mimicking diet once a quarter, which I've discussed on my Instagram.

8. Breathing

Another one?

Explore proper breathing techniques and exercises. This is probably the first time you heard about it. It plays a crucial role and can be life-changing, just like exercising and yoga. You trigger numerous positive chemical changes in your body, resulting in increased blood flow due to the presence of more oxygen in your system, which leads to improved mental and physical health and balance.

Some of the techniques you can explore include holotropic breathwork, Soma, and DMT breathing, among others.

It is not mainstream because there is not a lot of money to be made. You cannot sell air or get rich selling breathing techniques that are already free on the internet. Please don't be lazy and start it; many apps on your phone help you kickstart it and push you to do it.

9. Facial Exercises

You probably did not think about that one as well

We work out our legs, biceps, glutes, and abs, but I bet you never worked out your face? I know, sounds crazy, but try it! I am sure half of you are thinking about how to get rid of your double chin. This will definitely help, along with a proper diet, of course! You will likely encounter an advertisement for a jaw exerciser after reading this. LOL.

Since 2023, I have been chewing mastika gum, which not only benefits the jaw muscles and oral health but also significantly improves gut health.

Your face and neck, like the rest of your body, contain muscles, so be sure to include exercises that target these areas as well. You can easily find them online. Additionally, I saw on Shark Tank that there is yoga for the face as well, so try that and exercise your face and neck muscles. Could you not knock it until you've tried it? Or start chewing gum if you don't already, and do it for longer times.

Once you get that in check

Then, start exploring and allocate enough time and effort to see what really works. Try to isolate one product and one technique at a time, keeping in mind that you have no major lifestyle, diet, or other changes that might affect your health, skin, and beauty. I spend a considerable amount of time with this, especially before I recommend something to you. With that being said, this is what you need to try:

10. Derma-rolling / Microneedling

Also known as Collagen Induction Therapy. One of the things I strongly believe in is for skin, scars, and hair. Ensure you use high-quality serums and products to enhance it. It is essential to ensure you learn how to use it properly, as you are putting needles into your skin, which can be dangerous if not done correctly. With that being said, which should always be the gold standard, ensure that you know your products are legitimate, of top-notch quality, and authentic.I prefer electric derma pens over rollers because they offer better precision and results. I strongly advise against using derma rollers.

11. Research & Test the Products Properly

I am one of those who spend ridiculous amounts of time and effort researching what product I am getting before I even purchase it. I narrow it down to the ultimate single ingredient, read reviews both good and bad, and then proceed with my experimentation, where I try to keep all the variables fixed and usual, and really see what impact the product has on me. Ensure you do the same and really pay attention to what you are getting from your product, and if it is worth your money.

12. Sauna + Cryotherapy

Numerous studies have proven the effectiveness of using a sauna. If you haven't heard of Cryotherapy yet, it is quite the opposite of a sauna, but it offers just as many benefits – cold therapy. It is used just from the neck down, and there is also an application on your face. I tried it on my face, and the experience has been mesmerizing. Look into it and try it!

13. Supplementation

Now I can write here as much as I did so far, but I will keep it short. In 2025, I take about 40-50 different supplements a day, which is about 90-120 pills a day, so go figure.

Please avoid products that claim to be miraculous and have a questionable source for their raw materials and quality. Start with good nutrition and measure what you might be missing. It can be a vitamin, a couple of minerals, or even more. I enjoy using a variety of supplements to boost my immunity, lower cholesterol, support my gut health and microbiome, improve skin elasticity, slow down the aging process, and enhance my overall health and well-being.

Some of my favorite supplements are:

Astaxanthin, collagen (& bone broth), hydroisolate protein, Ceramides, CBD, Ashwagandha, Berberine, NMN+, NAC, electrolytes, Vitamin D+K, Vitamin E, Zinc, Selenium, Magnesium, and extracts from garlic, turmeric, and ginger, among other ingredients that I share on my Instagram. I also use a mix of supplements for skin, nails, and hair from Nutrafol and Swisse.

Suppose you are interested in learning more about each foundation? In that case, I have some great news: I will dive deep into each foundation and elaborate on how to maximize your well-being, health, grooming, beauty, longevity, and beyond that!

Stay tuned and stay beautiful, healthy, and happy, my friend!