Gabby Bernstein On Aging: Her Best Protein Tips, Red Light Masks & More

The last time I spoke to New York Times bestselling author Gabby Bernstein, I walked away with about five new recommendations for skin care tools. Microcurrent devices, red light panels, lymphatic drainage boots—this girl loves her gadgets! So, of course I had to ask about her favorite high-tech tools in the context of healthy aging. What would she tell her younger self to invest in? What treatments does she use consistently as she grows older? 

This time around, though, her answers were on the much simpler side. Yes, Bernstein still loves her lymphatic drainage boots—but she also sings the praises of a protein-rich diet, positive energy, and a solid snooze. You know, the basics. 

"Beauty comes first from our energy. It's definitely an inside job. The more we work on our inner life, the more we put out an energy that is attractive. When I say attractive—yes, sexy, beautiful, but also magnetic. When you feel good, you emit really good, positive vibes. That energy speaks way louder than a visual cue or an actual appearance. 

"So I start there, and I'm also really conscious of what I put into my body. What I drink, what I eat, and even what I think will affect my longevity… I talk a lot about protein. It's huge for me, particularly as I age. But I also haven't had a drink in 18 years. I am really conscious about the thoughts that I think. I'm conscious about not having sugar and just being really mindful of my intake mentally and physically.

"I didn't grow up with a lot of external beauty tips. [But] I was brought up really mindful of food. Like, we were the family that went to the health food store and didn't eat processed things. So it's about understanding the value of my diet [for beauty]. 

"In particular—and this is such an important thing to me now, as an adult—having a high-protein, high-fat diet. Just really being mindful of the foods that I was eating for energy but also for having the physique that I wanted throughout my life and being able to maintain that. 

"On a busy day, I will start the morning with a smoothie—maybe throw some protein powder in there—and a coffee. I do that around 8 in the morning, and then around 11, before lunch, I get a little hangry because I'm usually sitting at my desk writing or on calls. That's when I would pick up a think! bar. 

"I am a big believer in baby lasers. I can't really do a hard-core laser, like Fraxel, because I have rosacea. But really light lasers I'll do sometimes—like a baby Fraxel or a light Vbeam, just for brightening.

"I'm really mindful of not overly exfoliating and not taking out too much of the natural oils in my skin. I will use a very gentle cleanser and just hydrate—like overly hydrate. I definitely think water is No. 1 because if you're dehydrated, your face is dehydrated.

"And vitamin C serums are a must for me. I will never start the day without a serum. Then the other thing I would say to my young readers here: Wear a f*cking hat and get SPF 50 in your makeup. I don't go anywhere without SPF on my face.

"I stopped eating [refined] sugar when I was 35, and my skin cleared up. I wish I'd known that sooner because my skin was always cystic. Had I stopped sugar sooner, I would have not had to deal with that [as much]. 

"A good night's sleep… I have a whole routine.