Well with Arielle Lorre - 414: Solo Q&A: Can You Be Friends with an Ex? Advice to my 20-something Self & the 5 Beauty Things I Can’t Live Without

Episode Date: October 8, 2025

In this solo, I’m catching you up on everything: walking through hard things and what it actually feels like when life finally turns around. I talk about staying friends with an ex (yes, it’s possible), how my lifestyle now compares to when I was married, and the biggest perspective shifts I’ve had post-divorce. I also get into finding joy in the small stuff, how to want what you already have, and my honest thoughts on kids now that I’m in a happy, long(ish) relationship. For a little beauty chat, I discuss my current in-office treatments, easy chest hacks, what I wish I did earlier, and the top five skincare and makeup products I can’t live without.This episode is brought to you by YNAB, Armra, Boncharge, Foria, Just Thrive, Fatty15, and Ourplace.Visit www.ynab.com/well to claim an exclusive three-month free trial, with no credit card required.Go to armra.com/WELL or enter WELL to get 30% off your first subscription order.Save 15% off my favorite Red Light Face Mask by using code BLONDE at www.boncharge.com.Get 20% off your first order when you visit foriawellness.com/BLONDE or use code BLONDE at checkout.Go to justthrivehealth.com and use code WELL for 20% off your first 90 day bottle of Just Thrive probiotic. Visit fatty15.com/WELL and use code WELL at checkout for an additional 15% off their Starter Kit.Go to fromourplace.com/BLONDE and use code BLONDE for 10% off sitewide.Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.Produced by Dear Media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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stay for the honesty, and leave with the tools to be well, inside and out. Welcome to the show. Can you guys believe that it's October? I just truly can't believe it. I just got done with a meeting and we were talking about 2026 things. And I'm like, I don't understand. 2025 flew by. It flew by. I sound like such an old person. And I feel like this is such like a banal thing to talk about. But I mean, it is crazy the way that time feels like it's just speeding up. But I am really happy that it's fall. I love nothing more than the summer to fall transition, especially, like, right when you're on the cusp of fall. So I don't know how it is where you are, but in L.A. It's still warm during the day, but then it gets cool at night. I'm starting to break out the

coats, which you know makes me so happy. And yeah, you're just like kind of in that mode where you're getting ready to be cozy, be nesting, or at least I am. The holidays are around the corner, all of that. And I feel like I have a lot going on right now. I feel extremely overextended. right now, to be totally honest. But there's also so much good. You guys know my house is about to be done finally for real now. And there's just a lot of exciting things happening with my work that I currently have. And you may have heard me talk last week in my episode with Hallie about what I'm also working on on the side and obviously in a very happy relationship and all of that. And I feel like all of that just kind of enhances this season or maybe vice versa. And I say that with humility because I had some

shitty falls in the past, as most of you know. So if you are in a hard season right now, just remember that you never know if today is the day that it's all going to turn around. I promise you, when I look back on fall 2023, I just did not think that I would ever get better. I was dealing with the ramifications of the Botox situation. I've done a million episodes on that. So if you don't know what I'm talking about, you can go back and listen. I won't bore the core audience here, but my health was in disarray. I didn't know what was wrong with me. My marriage was simultaneously kind of unraveling, not because of the health stuff. It just so happened that it was happening at the same time. And, you know, just one day, things started turning around. And at the time, I didn't even

know that things were turning around. So maybe it's already happening for you today, right now. And I was kind of reminded of this because I went to dinner with Chuck two nights ago. Yeah, two nights ago. And I posted a reel and a TikTok on this. Maybe it's TMI. I try to respect his privacy and all of that. but I was kind of just sharing my thoughts that I had when I got back from that dinner. And obviously we have remained friends, which has not always been easy. But I think we're committed to it. But I just came back from that dinner and I was like, God, we have these things in our lives that we think are completely insurmountable. And then somehow we find ourselves on the other side having gone through it and oftentimes having gone through it and become better for it, if that makes sense.

So I don't know if somebody needs that encouragement. There you go. And I think I probably said it more eloquently in my TikTok or my reel. But anyway, so with my house almost being done, I actually posted a photo the other day from my master bathroom. And I was like, we have come a long way since the Palisades bathroom days. It was a joke because people used to tease me that Chuck kept me locked in the bathroom of our Palisades house because that's where I made so much of my content. He absolutely did not do that, by the way. But after I posted it, I was like, that's crazy that it was only two years ago that I was still

living there, still married, terrified of that relationship ending, but also equally or more terrified of things staying the same. Sad because I really loved him, but knowing it wasn't right for either of us. I just remember that time so viscerally and life could not be more different in a relatively short period of time. So you just never know. Things can change so quickly. They can also change for the worse. So it's a reminder to enjoy when things are going well. And I probably sound like a broken record because I've had these musings before, but I'd say it all the time. And it's just a good reminder for me too. And yeah, so right now I'm just grateful to be in that good place where sometimes I stop and I'm like, this actually is the life that I've dreamt of, actually even

better. So I think back to when I could not figure out how to get unstuck, both when I was stuck in that marriage and then, of course, 11 plus years ago before I got sober, I never could have imagined anything close to how things are today. So I will just start with updates and then I will get to your questions. But with the house being done soon, let me know if you guys want me to ask Eric, my designer, to come on the show. We could do an interior. your design episode, how to elevate your home or your space, that kind of thing. But also he and I have a good relationship and we're kind of silly together. So I think it could be like a fun Q&A style too, not just for design questions, but also about our process over the last year or so overall style,

all of that. I know that doing remodel content isn't always the most relatable, but he also has great tips for doing things like on a budget as well. So we've been doing the remodel since officially September of last year. We had our first design meeting in the very beginning of August of last year. So a lot of people are like, this is the longest remodel ever. And trust me, I have felt that way too at times, but it's really only been a year. So it's not too too bad considering all of the work that we have done. But man, there were so many times when I was like, I just want to finish and sell my house. I think it's a common experience doing a remodel. And especially during the fires and how scary that was, I really truly was like, I am selling my

house when I'm done because I don't want the stress of it. And then anyone who's done it knows for so long you feel like you're just bleeding money, like so much cash out every month, multiple times a month. It feels like there's nothing to show for it when you're in that construction phase. So I'm sure everybody has at least a moment of regret in the whole process, but now seeing it all come together, I just could not be happier and more excited and more proud of what we made. It feels so me and also I think a bit unexpected at the same time. And I've said this before, but Eric was able to articulate a design that's more me than I could have done if I had done it myself, if that makes sense. So it's really beautiful. I can't wait to continue showing you guys more of it as we wrap up the process. And I can't wait to start living there. A question that I get nonstop in these Q&As and also in my personal life is since my boyfriend and I have lived together for the past year plus, what is going to happen when my house is done. And while on the one hand, I feel like it's nobody's business. On the other hand, I understand the question. But the answer is basically there's no formal plan. other than that we will spend all of our nights together, obviously.

We're not just going to be like, see ya, and we'll probably be at my house most of the time, and then his house some of the time. So, you know, we've been together for a while. It'll actually be two years in January. And everyone's like, oh, your new boyfriend. And I'm like, is he still my new boyfriend? But yeah, we've been living together since last September. So, you know, you can't put the toothpaste back.

in the tube, nor do we want to. But to be totally honest, when I bought my house, I just didn't really play the tape through. Obviously, had I given it more thought, I probably would have not bought something in L.A. and maybe bought something in New York or Miami, and then we'd have his place here and a place there, which we still might do. But anyway, okay, you guys are like, Kim, there's people dying. So that's that with the house. Oh, we were actually about to move some furniture, though. I think I may have mentioned this. So I had my couch and my bed and some end tables custom made, and we were going to move in last week, and there was a fire at the warehouse. So that has to be remade. So that's also dragging things out. And I think a year ago, maybe I would have cared more,

but after seeing people lose everything in the fires and just getting a different perspective this year, I'm like, whatever, it's a couch. So yeah, other than that in my life, I have that venture that I have shared a bit about here and there on Instagram, and I talked about it in my episode with Halley last week. It's getting really exciting. I'm so looking forward to launching that next spring, which is crazy because it has been so long in the making. And I vacillate between wanting to share all of the behind the scenes of like building an entire brand and then just waiting to we're closer to launch to start sharing everything. I'm kind of leaning towards the ladder right now, but definitely let me know what you think. I feel like sometimes when influencers,

are like, oh, I'm working on something exciting and teasing it. It's just kind of boring. So I don't know. Some people really like seeing the brand building content. And then I think other people really don't like it. And I feel like people right now just want comfort content or value content and don't care so much about building a brand. Like that's not relatable for a lot of people. Nor is building a house. I get it. So I hope that you guys are still with me listening here. But I am really excited. It's been a huge game changer for me and for the people who have been testing it. And I know it will be for you as well, which is why I made it. So anyway, I'm being vague and annoying right now, but definitely stay tuned for that. And whatever updates I share when I have no chill. And other than that, what else?

I mentioned I had that dinner with Chuck last night. It was nice. Everyone is asking me if I watch the Charlie Sheen thing and the thing, the documentary on Netflix, and whether I saw Chuck in it, which yes, I did. And I knew a lot of what was shared about that time, particularly with two and a half men, because I heard it all from Chuck, but it was actually interesting to hear it from Charlie's perspective. And I asked Chuck about it last night, and he was like, we tried literally everything to help him and to keep him sober, including sober companions 24-7, getting him to live at a rehab, things like that, but he was uncontrollable at that time. And anybody who has an addict in their lives knows how difficult that is. And it was really traumatic, I think,

definitely for Chuck and anybody else who was dragged into it. And especially Chuck being on the receiving end of so much unnecessary hate and vitriol, but obviously they've buried the hatchet. I met Charlie at a rap party for one of Chuck's shows a couple years ago that he was and he could not have been more kind and humble. So hopefully he stays the course and has a good career ahead of him. So that is that. And what other housekeeping items do I have? Oh, you guys loved the Miguel episode, which I was happy about.

Sometimes I feel like I've been doing this so long. I mean, I've been doing this for six and a half years every single week. So podcast years are like dog years. And I feel like every year is like seven years. years. So really, I've been doing this for 42 and a half years. That's how I feel. And at this point, as much as I love interviewing experts, I also like to just sometimes talk to friends, talk to people who I share a kindred spirit with, like, Hallie, like the editors from People Magazine, Jackie and Brittany, like Nina Westbrook, who I adored, where it's like fun and light. There's also

value packed in and like Miguel, where we just have rapport and we can have a conversation and also just kind of be silly. I feel like that's the second time that I've said that today. But I was talking to Chelsea, my manager who's been like my brand manager for, I think around six years now. And we were talking about solo episodes and sometimes I feel like I get a lot of the same questions over and over again. So if you feel like I'm not doing solo episodes frequently enough, that's kind of why. I mean, there's only so many ways that I can talk about certain things. And I feel like, you know, I've done specific episodes when it comes to like beauty, sobriety, my upbringing, breakups, my marriage. And then like Q&A, what am I eating? How am I working out? What's my morning and nighttime skincare routine? Like these

things get a little bit redundant. So anyway, we were thinking of kind of changing the format a little bit and doing like monthly friend episodes where Chelsea and I can talk about things going on in our lives, also take questions, talk beauty and wellness and all of that in, you know, not an educational way, but a way that provides value, but also in a really casual format. And I think the great thing about that is that she's married with two young kids and she's on the other end of the business. And then I'm not married, no kids, and I have a way different life and different perspectives. So there would be something for everybody and you'd kind of be getting everything. So let me know if you guys like the sound of that. I feel like a lot of people really loved the casualness of Patreon where I basically did what I'm doing right now, which was stream of consciousness, life updates, a little more personal than what I would share on the normal weekly podcast.

But, you know, right now I just feel like my life is so monotonous where it's like my house, nonstop work. and then my social life. And that's pretty much it. So I think it would be fun to have a friend on monthly to bring some variety to the episodes and do that format. Okay, enough housekeeping. Let's get to the Q&A portion of this episode. I tried to pick questions that I don't normally cover.

So somebody asked about everyday real life stuff. Do I have an assistant, a driver, a stylist, a chef? this person said that they are manifesting. So I hate to tell you, but I am the chef. I am the driver. I'm also my stylist. And I am my assistant. I don't have an executive assistant, but Chelsea runs my entire work life. And then we have other people that work with us and that work with me that handle various aspects of my business. But there's no day-to-day person right now managing my normal life tasks. And I actually did an episode on Patreon, so my Nesties will remember that about the difference between my lifestyle when I was married versus my lifestyle now, which I think people were kind of curious

about, which I understand. And people might remember that, but I'll kind of summarize it now. So when I was married, I'll never forget my parents came out to visit us. And my dad made a comment about how nice it was that we, and I'm quoting him here, didn't have to deal with the bullshit in life, like, meaning we didn't have to deal with the day-to-day minutia of filling your car up with gas, getting your car wash, shopping for groceries, paying the bills, taking care of things around the house. Like, when we traveled, it was like, what time do you want to be at the plane? I'm telling you guys this now because this isn't my life anymore. So don't hate me, okay? And what food do you want on the plane? Looking back, I didn't even realize at the time how convenient that was,

I guess, because it just becomes the norm. And also, while we had all of that, it just didn't feel like the lifestyle was super, super extravagant. Chuck is a very low-key guy. So yes, there were all of the trappings of that lifestyle, but it just wasn't over the top, but everything was taken care of. and, you know, I really never thought about money. Like, now that I look back, I'm like, God, that was kind of, just kidding. But, you know, now I live with my boyfriend. He has helped with things and I still don't have to like do things around the house. And I will have a house manager, housekeeper at my house.

So I know that this isn't relatable, but that's the truth. All I can do is speak my truth. something that Chuck said to me the other night because I was like, yeah, it's just hard. I feel like my job is to just try and stay relevant. It's like a fight to stay relevant every day. And he said, all you can do is be honest. Otherwise, you're pandering. And people know when you're pandering because they have a good bullshit detector. So I'm just sharing my honesty. But what else? I have somebody, Antoinette shout out, who handles my travel. But I pay for it. And other than that, I actually enjoy my life now because I like cooking. I like grocery shopping. I like styling my

outfits, things that I don't consider minutia, things that I consider like some of the joyful things in life. Like I get so much joy driving to the grocery store and going to pick out whatever it is that I'm going to then go home and cook. And I like putting gas in my car. I realize how absurd I sound right now. But anyway, I understand why my dad said that. It's like, all of that was just non-existent in my last relationship. It was just off the table. So we just had to like be and that was it. But yeah, I mean, it's just I don't, I have been through this conversation so many times and I feel like I've talked about it so often on my podcast, not lately, but definitely around the time that I got divorced and I never want to speak poorly about Chuck. And I feel like I've

about Chuck or about that relationship or anything like that. But for anybody who thinks that it's like better to be sad on a private jet, I can tell you that the grass is not greener. Somebody asked if I miss being married. The only weird thing that happens is I still panic sometimes because I will get this thing where I'm all of a sudden like, oh my God, my ring fell off. It's so weird. It's been almost two years. So I don't know why that happens sometimes. I don't know how long that will last for. But anyway, I feel like I've said too much. Okay. If my boyfriend had kids, would that have changed anything for me? It's so hard to say now because now that we've been together for a long time, and I love him so much, I'm like, yeah, I would be with him if he had kids. But I'm not sure if it would

have affected me wanting to date him in the beginning. But I think when I went through my divorce and was thinking about dating, I kind of had the attitude that kids were not a deal breaker for me. It's the age. Like I'm 40 now. I was 38 when I got divorced in the range that I was looking to date. So like 40 to 50 for the most part, the reality is that most guys are divorced and have kids. And I just happened to find an actual unicorn or Harley found the unicorn for me. And I think that's part of the reason that he thought we would be such a good fit to begin with because we have similar lifestyles and desires when it comes to how we want to live our lives. Like we're just very, very aligned. in all of the ways. But somebody asked if I have or have had the desire to be a mother. And I mean, this is another question that I get on the daily, not from people that I know, but from strangers. I think it's really nosy, not this person asking. But when people are like, oh, well, now that you're in a happy relationship, don't you want kids? And I'm like, no. Like, it has not changed. I don't know how else to explain it. I just feel like I fully. I fully

lack the desire to have children. Like, I would liken it to me asking somebody if they want to have like a squirrel. Okay? Just go with me here. Let's see if I can talk this one out. And again, this is not directed at the person who asked the question because I think that they didn't know and they were just curious. But if I was like, now don't you want to squirrel, like, squirrels are cute, but do you have the desire to have a squirrel for the rest of your life? Maybe you are like, I mean, they're cute so I could see how some people would want one, but no, I don't want one at all. I don't feel the need.

I don't feel the want to have a squirrel in my life. But I can look at it objectively and think it's cute and it's like nice for somebody else, not that anybody has a squirrel. But that's basically how I feel. Like I just cannot relate to being like, oh my God, I need that. I will say occasionally very, very sporadically, I see a cute kid and I'm like, it would be fun to have like a little mini, Chris and I, you know, but then I play the tape through and I'm like, yeah, no, don't want that. So, you know, people can change their minds. Maybe one day I'll wake up and be like, I need that. And that would be okay too. But I really don't foresee that happening at all. And I am very happy with my childless life. Health is the true wealth. and life and there has never been a better time to take control of your health than now. So much of that health starts in the gut, but unfortunately processed foods, pesticides in your food, antibiotics,

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adjust your dosage if you want to start with something like half a capsule or if you want to give it to somebody in your family who doesn't like taking supplements. So visit justthrivehealth.com and save 20% on your first 90 day bottle with the promo code, well. Don't forget to check out their other all natural clinically proven products too. I love their digestive bitters. So many benefits to digestive bitters. I take them before meals and it has been a game changer. I also love their focus in memory. They have gluten away. and more. So again, that's just thrivehealth.com code well. Since you're listening to this podcast, I know that you are health conscious. I'm sure that we all have things like our nutrition,

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taking Ned's mellow magnesium. It truly keeps me so balanced, especially when I'm crossing different time zones. I'm traveling. I'm eating different things than I normally eat. It just keeps my body super resilient. It helps with any jet lag because not only does it have magnesium, it has al-thianine and gabba. It also really helps with my digestion. It's so good. They have little travel packs that I love. They have delicious flavors, so I just mix it in with my water. about an hour or so before bed, and it helps me to calm down and relax and just, like I said, stay super balanced. Ned has recently been acquired by Foria, so you can now purchase Mello on Foria Wellness.com, but you can also continue to purchase Mello on hello ned.com as well, if you would

like. So if you are worried that this change is going to disrupt your shopping experience or subscription with Ned, don't worry, you can still purchase your Ned favorites on their site like you always have, but you can also purchase mellow onphoriawellness.com, plus if you would like to try foria's pleasure and intimacy formulas, Foria is offering a special deal for our listeners. Get 20% off your first order by visitingphoriaweilness.com slash blonde or use the code blonde at checkout. That's foriawellness.com slash blonde for 20% off your first order. What dreams do I have yet to fulfill in life?

I don't think I have specific dreams per se. but I will say I'm just very driven and very motivated when it comes to my business. So I have business goals, but they're very service oriented. So it's like I want to grow my podcast to massive audiences, right? But it's because I truly believe in the conversations, maybe not this one necessarily, but the conversations that I have with my guests. I believe in that. And I believe in their ability to help people, whether it's through the value that it provides, the education it provides, or just entertainment or comfort, whatever it is. It's not like my sole purpose is to grow because I want to make more and more money.

Like that's a byproduct. But at the core, it's like, no, I want to reach so many people because I believe in this so much. And that's why I have been grinding for six and a half years on this. Not because it's like the most fun thing to do all the time because I don't know what people think it's like, but it is so much work. And, you know, it's only a. portion of my business. But yeah, it's because like I want to reach people. I want these conversations

to help people. I want to have conversations about the conversations. I want to bring them to more people. Same with the product. Like I am now dying to talk about it and get it out there because of how massively it has changed my skin and the feedback from some of the most respected experts in the industry who have tried it. I'm like, I just want you guys to have it already so that you can love it and experience the benefits. Like there's nothing that I love more than seeing people share my podcast or getting feedback on a podcast episode that was helpful. And that's what I want to do with this new category as well. So anyway, I try to keep my lens flipped outward instead of inward because I'm in such an inherently self-centered line of work that if you don't continually think of how

you're serving your audience, I just don't know how people can sustain doing this career because like it's just I get so tired of myself and so tired of talking about myself, which is all I'm doing so far in this episode. But I digress. So yeah, my dreams are just like growth, expansion, service. Other than that, I feel like kind of what I said in the beginning of the episode, I kind of am living my dream right now in a lot of ways and it's so cheesy. but I really do feel like it's about wanting what you have and not getting what you want. So regardless of the circumstances in your life, there is somebody worse off who would like pray for something that you have. So I really try to keep that perspective, nurture what I do

have right now and not look too far into the future. It sounds very like polyana of me, but that's also my spiritual side that I have to maintain on a daily basis through my sobriety. And it really is such a gift, especially right now when it feels like the world is just on fire. So anyway, advice to 26-year-old me. I get asked this question a lot. And I feel like I give some version of the same answer. And this question, I think, probably always comes from my 20-something listeners who would like some wisdom. but I don't know. My circumstances were kind of unique. So first and foremost, my advice to my 26-year-old self

would be get sober. I was such a effing mess at 26. My God, I think of the things that I could have accomplished had I not been a disaster most of my 20s. I got sober at 28, but everything happened for the best and led me to where I am today, so no regrets. But if I had to give myself advice, I think I just felt so behind in my 20s and this is cliche, but I would tell myself that I don't have to have it all figured out. I would tell myself to focus on my passions and really hone my curiosity because I feel like those are the things that hold the keys to your future. And I would tell myself to just be myself. So I think had I been able to do that, to be myself, be authentically myself. be authentically myself. Focus on the things that I loved. Focus on the things that I was curious about.

Like that would have molded me into a good version of myself. If that makes any sense, I'm thinking this in my head. It's very tough to articulate. But I thought that I had to be somebody else and have it all figured out. And I couldn't. And I didn't. So instead of admitting that I was struggling, what I did was I just said, fuck it. And I threw myself into this party lifestyle. And I acted like I was choosing to do that instead of admitting that I felt lost. So it's easy to say all of this and see it more clearly in hindsight. 26 year old me didn't listen to anybody. And it's just such a different time now also. Like 15 years ago, social media and self-optimization, and podcasts and improvement and wellness were not really things that we had access to. We had Facebook

and maybe the very, very beginnings of Instagram. So it was just hard. I wonder if having all of that is beneficial to younger people because they have things to aspire to and they can access all of this information in a second, you know, and you can get all of these tips and tools. And I don't know. It seems like it could be beneficial, but it also seems like it would add a lot of pressure to have everything from career to looks to wellness to light style. Everything perfect because of course everyone's comparing themselves online. So I would imagine that it can feel a bit overwhelming. But yeah, my biggest thing was that I was trying to be somebody else and be a different version of myself for different people. And I was living so inauthentically. And in reality, the success that I've had in life is all a result of being authentically me and pursuing my passions and exploring my curiosities. So that would be the wisdom that I would try to impart on my stubborn 26-year-old self. And I would also say, like, you can literally do anything you want. Excuses are just false narratives that you are feeding yourself. I just had Jen Atkin and

Anastasia Suarez on my show last week. Those episodes will be coming out in October, and they both had really inspiring stories of starting with nothing, and they hustled. I am talking. Anastasia came here seeking political asylum from Romania. She didn't even speak English, and she built a billion-dollar brand, and she started by knocking door-to-door at different salons, again, not speaking English and trying to get her foot in the door. And she built a billion-dollar brand on eyebrows. That was not even a thing in the 90s when she started. So they both really inspired me that like there are no excuses. You can really do anything. Anybody can be successful and people will come at me with the arguments of socioeconomic status and race and all of that.

Okay. There are absolutely people who have unfair disadvantages and have the cards stacked against them. That's a completely different conversation. But It was just very inspiring and, you know, I believe in telling people that they can do anything that they want because I do believe that. Oh, somebody actually asked, this is kind of on the other side of that coin. Something that I regret not doing in my 20s. I mean, I guess all of the things I just talked about, although I'm fine now. I regret not having my finances together in my 20s. I had investment money that I blew on, blow. So that would be one, but would it have made a difference? Probably not. Sunscreen is another. I'm a broken record, but I wish that I had listened to my mom my whole life and not absolutely fried myself any chance that I got.

That is kind of the only regret. But I kind of regret not finishing college, not really for the academics, because I feel like I got a good life education. And I have been an average. I have learned so much from podcasts and books and documentaries and absorbing the wisdom of people who are much older, much wiser, much more accomplished than me. And I've been fortunate enough to be in rooms and relationships with those kinds of people. And, you know, I learned a lot in my 20s, even though I was a disaster. I learned a lot of life lessons. The thing about the college experience that I feel like I sort of regret not having is just the relationships that you get as a result of going through college. But I always say that I have no regrets.

Definitely not in my life choices because those were the choices that led me to where I am today, except for the frying my skin one. Okay, since I'm talking about skin, I will go into questions about my recent laser experience. So somebody asked what in-office treatments am I doing? Am I doing filler, laser? What's happening? So I got, I would have to ask Miguel, but maybe around like point one to point two of a syringe, maybe less of lip filler. Last time I was in Miami, just in my top lip. Other than that, no treatments. People can fight me on this. But I have not done anything really since the Botox incident in 2023. I have. I have not gone under. I did not go under anesthesia even when they took my boobs out that fall when I thought that maybe my boobs had something to do with it. I have not had surgery since then, despite what people want to say.

And yeah, I mean, I did that boob surgery awake because boob breast. I did the breast surgery. We're all adults here. I did the explant awake because I was terrified of the meds. And Miguel and I actually talked about this in our episode. about how I've been on the fence of like doing little things since then. And I back out because I'm just traumatized from that whole situation that I went through. And then of course, you know, I've been dealing with MCAS. So I'm sensitive to everything. I'm on a lot of medications.

It's just a tricky situation. So I have not really been dabbling. I have gotten a few facials. I did light CO2 around my eyes, which kind of seemed to do nothing at first. And now I'm like, I think it made my skin worse in that area. I think that my body does not produce collagen that well. And so these collagen stimulating things are not really doing what they're supposed to do for me. I did just do cool peel laser on my neck and my chest. I documented that on Instagram. I have not shared it yet, but maybe when this episode is out, I will have, because I will have been through the healing process, which is what I've been waiting for because I want to put together a reel and a TikTok that's really like start to finish the process and the result so hopefully my collagen wants to

regenerate on my neck and my chest. I've not done a face laser since fractal in December of 23 but cool peel that I did on my neck and chest is like a stronger clear and brilliant and a lighter fractal and honestly I had a good experience but I was kind of shocked at how painful it was after maybe because I'm sensitive to begin with, and I have a disproportionate inflammatory response to pretty much everything, but especially heat, and, you know, that laser is ablative. And so I had more of a response, I think, than I would have had I done this a few years ago before I had this condition. But it burned. It was spicy, not getting the laser itself, but definitely afterwards. And as I record this, I'm six days out, so I can't really speak to the result yet because I'm still sandpapery,

and I'm waiting for the skin to sloth off. But I did it to treat some mild pigmentation from being in the sun a lot this summer and then texture issues. So it's supposed to stimulate collagen, hopefully. And if anybody is around 40, then you know that the chest starts to become fragile. And I will say silicone chest pads make a huge difference for me when I remember to put them on. and when they can stay on. The issue is they come off a lot because I sleep hot and I know a lot of you guys have the same issue. But I have a hack. There is this thing on Amazon called the chest pillow. It looks odd and it takes some getting used to. But it's basically this contraption. It's kind of, looks kind of like a front bra with like a silk pillow that goes between your breasts against your

chest when you sleep and it helps to prevent lines from side sleeping. So I wear the chest pad under the chest pillow and it keeps the pad on. So that's my hot tip. I find tape to be not as helpful on the chest because it's still scrunches. So you're not getting those fine lines, but it's still bunching up. So I don't generally tape on my chest. But I do both. Like the pillow is not the best to sleep with. so I don't do it very often, but it does really work. And now that I've done the laser, I'm probably going to get a little more diligent when it comes to that and just at least stick to the pads or the pillow or something. So I'll be doing all the things to preserve my laser results. And that's really it.

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to fatty 15.com slash well and using the code well at checkout again fatty 15.com slash well and the code is well for in office treatments I don't see this in person but in videos I'm noticing like my lower face looks a little loose. I feel like I'm noticing a little bit of jowling in my lower face, which is so odd. And my best friend and I were talking about it yesterday, like noticing actual aging. It's just weird because you really don't think that it's going to happen to you. Yes, I've noticed dynamic wrinkles when I move my face because I haven't done Botox, but the skin sagging, Like, that's a whole other thing. And I really don't sit there and like nitpick my face or anything in front of a mirror. But I do have to see myself every single day on video. So you can say what you want. But if you had to see yourself on video every single day, you would notice things too. So I don't know what to do about all of that. It's only in certain light too and certain angles. And I sent a screenshot to Miguel today. And he's like, I don't know. I was talking to you for two. two hours like a few weeks ago and I didn't notice anything. So maybe it's just the studio. I have to say

so many of these podcast studios record at the worst angles with the worst lighting. It is wild how different people can look in different lighting. So we need to give people on podcasts, not just me, some grace. I can look like five different people in five different studios. It's kind of a mind fuck. So sometimes I get a video back and I'm like, oh, that's great. Like this is what I really look like. And then I get another video back that looks nothing like me. And then it's just crazy. So somebody asked about treatments that I plan to do. I don't really have anything aside from getting more consistent with facials, maybe some more chest laser if needed. And I do want to try PRX as well. So that is basically a no downtime, no peel.

It has TCA, it has cogic acid. It has, I think, hydrogen peroxide. And it kind of regenerates the skin. And again, promotes collagen and elastin production with very little downtime. That's always my issue is that I just can't really have downtime. So that's on the horizon for me. It's kind of funny because I think I was talking to my boyfriend about it last night. And I'm like, I think in five or ten years,

years, they're going to have such crazy advancements in skin aging that we are going to look back and be like, remember when we did peels? That was so barbaric. Would I travel to South Korea for treatments? That's going to be a no for me. I definitely want to go to South Korea and just experience the culture and get all of the K-beauts and maybe do some non-invasive treatments, but I am definitely not injecting anything. And I also, I don't know, I just don't want to do crazy lasers or anything like that. So it's funny. I've turned into a bit of a treatment prude when it comes to all of that stuff because of my experience with Botox. I feel like there was a time when I was, was it Samantha Jones who said she was like a triitarian? No. Oh, she was trisexual. She

would try anything once. I was like a triitarian. I think I talked about it in an old episode where I was like, I'll try anything. I don't feel that way anymore. Let's see. One or two things I would have done sooner beauty-wise. Number one is sunscreen. Number two, this is hard. Maybe I would have like harvested my little 20-year-old stem cells. Had that been an option back then? I don't know. That just popped into my head. Let's see. Something more normal and accessible. It's so boring, but I would have started a solid skincare routine sooner. It has literally done everything for me in the last few years, and I can only imagine how much better my skin would be had I kept my body and my face out of the sun. My face does not get sun, not since I was like 28, 29, but that obviously was a huge one. And yeah, had I been taking

care of my skin from a younger age, so pretty basic, but those things really are foundational. I saw Dr. Shereen Idris do a post the other day that I feel like a lot of people need to watch because she was talking about how people's transparency is then weaponized against them. And I feel like that happened to me a lot because I used to be really open about the things that I did. And yet, no matter how much I talk about how much skincare has changed my skin, people want to attribute it to something that I did in like 2021, 2017. And that's just not how it works. And it's. anybody in the industry, any expert will tell you that it's what you're doing the 99% of the time, which is the morning and nighttime skincare routine versus that thing that you're doing 1% of the time.

So that's the hill that I'll die on. That's the tangent that I always end up on. Sorry. But skincare, skincare, skincare. And I'm not just saying that because I have a product. I'm saying that because it totally changed everything for me. Okay. So many things about my fat trans.

fur, which I think is coming up again because Miguel and I spoke about it. So go back and listen to our episode if you haven't because we go into it very in depth, including how I reacted to the swelling and how he has actually since changed his technique. I think it's across the board techniques have been changed. But the main questions that I get about that are when did I do it? So I did it in 2021 and did it last? It absolutely lasted. And I haven't noticed. I haven't noticed. I haven't that it's gone down at all. In fact, sometimes I feel like my face is so puffy and I'm like, oh my God, but that's from the MCAS, the immune disorder that I'm currently dealing with, and the insane water retention that comes as a result of that and then also all of the meds

that I have to take for it. Like I can just feel. It's like I just feel like a squishy whale a lot of the times. But anyway, yeah, the fat has definitely stayed despite periods of losing a fair amount of weight and fluctuating in that sense. It never really goes down in my face that I've noticed. And I don't feel the need to do it again at this moment in time. But I'm pretty sure that all of the more micro questions that people had about that that I've seen in this Q&A as well were answered in that episode. I also did a TikTok of my whole experience. So you can go check that out as well. Bride or die five skincare slash makeup products I couldn't live without. I don't know if this is like five skincare and five makeup or five skincare or makeup. But I'll do skincare and then I'll do makeup.

So five total. Okay. So skincare is pretty easy for me. My big five would be my product, of course. And then a vitamin C. I use Janmarini. I have been using the skinstiticals C.E. Ferulic a little bit here and there. But I always just reach for that Janmarini. I love it. a good daily moisturizer. I use the Janmarini transformation cream and a good sunscreen. I either use the Janmarini or I've been using color science a little bit. It's a mineral sunscreen, which I love. And a retinal. I use Jan age intervention duality. It has a benzuel peroxide in it and a transretinol. It's like the best product that I've used for adult acne, which I don't struggle with anymore, but it just keeps my skin so clear. I also love Shawnee Darden, retinol, and

I find myself going back to skin better Alpharet from time to time as well. So that's five. That was easy. With those products, by the way, cleanser is less important. I feel like all of the bases are covered with those specific products, so you can really use any cleanser. Okay. Makeup is also easy.

I am addicted to the rare beauty brow gel. A lot of people ask what I do with my brows. I do literally nothing. I just use clear brow gel. That's it. and definitely a good lip liner. I am not myself without a lip liner. So I go back and forth lately between Bobby Brown and pale mauve for anybody who used to pour a sink or suede. I truly feel like it's the closest color to that. And then also Westman Italia. Definitely House Labs Foundation.

I put a little bit on the back of my hand first and then rub it around a brush. And then I just get that perfect little sheer tint with that dewyness from that foundation that I love. It's so good. And definitely blush. So my go-to that I always go back to is nude sticks in Bohemian Rose. It's a nice, creamy, kind of dewy, but not crazy-dewy blush that I love. Okay, so that's basically my makeup routine there. Oh, M-PH underpainting palette. Okay. This is amazing. I'm not a contour person, but I've become a little bit fascinated with underpainting, especially because my face has been so puffy lately that I'm like, I got to do something. I have like true moon face. And again, a result of the water retention. So I'm getting into just contouring around my cheek area a little bit. And it also has a

bronzer and a concealer and a color corrector in there. So it really does it all. So I would recommend that product to anybody actually. And it's creamy. It's not like a weird cream to powder. No, it's just cream. It blends so nicely. I love it. So those are my five for makeup. And then if I had to pick five overall, it would definitely be my product, vitamin C, sunscreen, houselapse, foundation. Brow gel. This is so hard. Yeah, my product, vitamin C, sunscreen, brow gel, and lip liner. maybe my product, sunscreen, house labs, foundation, brow gel, lip liner. Please let me have blush too. That would be six.

Okay. What else? How am I getting back to routines and making time for myself after summer travel? Well, when this episode comes out, I will be in Miami for work and also for fun. So the travel is not really stopping, although this is the first time. in the entire time that my boyfriend and I have been together, that we don't have like a big trip planned. And my travel is really just like little work trips here and there, some trips to see family, things like that. So I very much am trying to get back into routines. I am really into

doing my jigsaw puzzles right now, my jumbo jigsaw puzzles. I like to get them themed for whatever season it is, by the way. So right now I do fall scenery. So the one that I'm I'm working on is like a farm and it has pumpkins and sunflowers and like fall fruit. I don't know. It's this whole thing. It's the thousand piece jigsaw puzzles. You can get them on Amazon. I just type in like fall. And then I love doing those. I do those in the morning when I wake up usually for like 20 or 30 minutes to stay off my phone. And I've been doing some baking. I know I owe you guys a peach crisp recipe. So that'll be coming as soon as I get back. And when my house is done, there will be so many more recipes, food, tutorials, healthy eating, healthy baking, what I'm eating, things like that. It's just very

difficult with the layout at my boyfriend's house right now for me to film these things. So that's why that content has kind of taken a back seat, but it's very much still a part of my life and something that I want to continue to share with you guys. And I'm going to have to get back into some kind of workout routine when I get back to L.A. I am so deconditioned from not working out the entire summer that I worked out last weekend with our trainer and I made it through 15 minutes and had to stop. And then I just went and walked on the treadmill. It is super hard for me. Super, super, super, super hard. So I'm going to be building back a routine starting at zero. So if anybody wants to join me, I feel like this is my M.O. I see.

start and stop and start and stop. But that is just my truth and my reality when it comes to exercise, my relationship with exercise over the last over two years since I got sick has drastically changed. And I felt really good in the spring having built a routine and like built a solid foundation again. And I was to the point where I could work out consistently without having my immune flares and all of that. And I was feeling strong. And then just things fell by the way side when I was traveling. So I am going to work on that. I have some good fitness episodes coming up. Those are very motivating. So that'll help me get back into it. If you haven't listened to the episode with Dr. Shannon, definitely go back and listen to that because she has the best tips for just building a

sustainable routine. So I'll probably go back and listen to that myself. And that's it. I just, once I get back from this next trip, I will be in L.A. for at least a few weeks. Then I pop over to New York and then I'm like back as far as I know for November. So it'll be a nice time to just get into that nesting mode that I love, get back into a workout routine, get back into my cooking and eating healthy and all of that. So I will definitely share all of that content. And that is it for me today. So hope there was something helpful in that episode. Thank you for listening. If you have not rated, subscribed, subscribed on YouTube, reviewed, followed on Spotify, follow the podcast Instagram. I think we're at like 95,000 people.

I really want to get to 100,000. So that would be amazing. As always, I appreciate you guys. Love you. Talk to you soon. I hope you enjoyed that episode. If you liked the episode, and if you like the show in general, please take a second to rate, review, and subscribe. It goes such a long way in supporting the show. Follow the show over on Instagram at well.pod. You can also follow my personal Instagram at Ariel Laurie. I'm always sharing great clips from the episodes, and we also have full episodes on YouTube as well if you want to watch in entirety. Thanks for listening.

Hi, friends. I'm Cameron Rogers, Mental Health Advocate, Mom of Two. creator and host of Conversations with Cam. This podcast is dedicated to having honest conversations, prioritizing your well-being and reminding you that no matter what you're feeling, you are not alone. We'll discuss mental health maintenance, the ups and downs of motherhood, the trials and tribulations of life, and have a lot of fun along the way. Whether you're knee-deep in diapers or just trying to keep your sanity intact, this podcast is for you. Expect laughs, maybe a few tears, and hopefully some breakthroughs along the way. Make sure to subscribe and tune in for new episodes of

conversations with Cam every Wednesday morning. note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.