Aging Gracefully Without Botox: Clean Beauty, SPF, and Lifestyle Habits That Work
A pro-flourishing approach to beauty and aging gracefully.
I’m turning 48 this month, and one of the questions I get asked often is: “What’s your secret? How do you look so young?” Or the most frequently asked question, which makes my daughter and I chuckle every time we’re out together: “You’re sisters, right?”
While fun (and let’s be honest, flattering), I never know quite what to say in response.
People are usually surprised when I tell them I’ve never done Botox, fillers, lasers, or anything like that. No judgment for anyone who chooses that path—it’s just not mine. My philosophy around beauty has always been rooted in living well, not chasing youth. I think of it less as anti-aging and more as pro-flourishing.
Inside-Out Beauty: Nutrition, Fasting, and Skincare Habits That Truly Work
For me, it really starts with the basics—the everyday habits that don’t always look glamorous, but over time create the foundation for radiant health, vitality, and beauty.
Nutrition, Hydration & Fasting
I feel and look my best when I eat high veggie-forward (whole food plant-based) meals. I don’t like to call it a “diet” at all—it’s simply how I love to eat. I try to “eat the rainbow,” and I imagine all those phytonutrients working their magic from the inside out, fueling my body with energy and giving my skin its glow.
I also try to avoid foods that I have sensitivities or inflammatory responses to (e.g., processed foods, dairy, eggs), even though I’m far from doing this perfectly! I notice when I don’t eat “on target” or skimp on my water intake, I definitely feel it all over—including my skin.
Another practice that has deeply impacted my health and vitality is water fasting. I did my first extended water fast at True North Health Center in 2018, and the results were remarkable. I didn’t eat food for nearly a month (a post for another time!).
I was told that biologically I had “rewound the clock” by nearly 20 years (your telomeres lengthen when you fast, which is a factor in aging)—something that made me a true believer in its long-term benefits. I also noticed that the doctors who worked there—who had practiced supervised water fasting regularly over their lifetimes— looked radically younger than their age, and that convinced me to integrate it into my own rhythms of life.
Today, I try to do a 3–5 day water fast once or twice a year, and sometimes even a shorter 2–3 day reset when I intuitively feel “it’s time.” My skin immediately clears up and glows from the inside out— it’s amazing how fast and simple it is.
Of course, if you’ve never water fasted before, please consult with your doctor and don’t attempt it without proper medical guidance. It can be incredibly healing, but it’s not something to do casually or without support.
“I think of it less as anti-aging and more as pro-flourishing.”
2. SPF Every. Single. Day.
I started applying sunscreen religiously around the age of 30, so it’s been almost two decades now. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, this wasn’t really a thing, and like many of us, I spent summers baking on the beach without protection (horrors of all horrors!). I definitely have sun spots to show for it, but sunscreen has helped me slow down further damage.
The truth is, SPF is about so much more than preventing sunburn—it’s about protecting your skin from the daily, invisible damage of UVA and UVB rays that accelerate aging, break down collagen, and create uneven pigmentation over time. No matter how good your skincare routine is, if you skip sunscreen, you’re undoing so much of your hard work.
Today, sunscreen is as much a part of my morning routine as brushing my teeth. It’s not glamorous, but it’s the most effective beauty product I’ve ever owned. And while I can’t go back and undo those carefree teenage summers (sigh), I can give my skin the daily protection it deserves now.
My future self—and my health span—thank me for it.
3. Clean Beauty & Skincare
Photo taken by my daughter, Audrey Esperat
When I first started swapping out products several years ago due to my health issues, clean beauty wasn’t nearly as mainstream as it is today. There were only a handful of options. I’m so thankful for the explosion of options we have in 2025 though it can also be overwhelming if you’re not sure where to start.
One of the first products I tried—and still use daily—is Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF. I’ve been using it for over five years now, and it remains a favorite. Over time, I’ve expanded into brands like Merit (love their minimalist, skin-first approach) and Beautycounter—now relaunched under the name Counter. I still use a few of my remaining Beautycounter staples because they were such high-quality products. From my body cleanser to my face wash, I try my best to use non-toxic ingredients.
I’m also very particular about where I get my facials done. I received a facial using Eminence organic products back in 2018, and it quickly became my all-time favorite. Now, I strategically seek out salons that use Eminence because I know how much my skin loves these high-quality, organic ingredients. (Here’s how to locate a spa near you.)
The Lifestyle Factors No Cream Can Replace
Rest Like Your Life Depends On It (Because It Does)
I’ve learned to embrace the fact that my body needs between 8 and 9 hours of sleep a night. Left to its own rhythm, it lands right at 9 hours on the dot. If I get much less, I look and feel 10 years older.
I used to wish I could get by with less—especially in my twenties and thirties, when the message everywhere was that successful people push harder, sleep less, and keep going. But at this stage of life, I honor what my body has always required (I was the same way even as a child). Rest is non-negotiable, and it shows.
Sleep is when your body repairs itself, balances hormones, and literally regenerates at the cellular level. It’s also when your skin resets—so no serum in the world can replace the glow that comes from real rest. Prioritizing sleep isn’t laziness; it’s one of the most life-giving beauty practices there is.
These days, I see rest as a form of resistance against the culture of hustle. It’s also a way of practicing trust—trusting that I don’t need to run myself into the ground to prove my worth, and that by honoring my body’s natural rhythm, I’ll show up with more vitality, clarity, and radiance in everything I do.
“Rest is non-negotiable. When I get less than 9 hours of sleep, I look and feel 10 years older.”
Movement for Strength, Movement for Energy
For most of my adult life, I’ve been more of a walking-and-Pilates kind of girl. Long before Pilates was trendy, I was doing it at home in my teens and twenties—if I remember correctly, with a VHS tape (which really dates me!) and later with DVDs. I loved the strength, posture, and grace it gave me.
But in my 40s, I realized I needed more strength training, which is where weightlifting and Pure Barre came in. From the very first class, I was hooked. For several years now, I’ve been doing Pure Barre classes 4–6 times a week. It keeps me strong, centered, and energized—my ultimate energy and joy booster.
Pure Barre combines strength training, core stability, and graceful movement in a way that makes me feel strong, feminine, and empowered. Along with weightlifting, it’s helped me build resilience in my body while keeping me energized for daily life.
With the combination of music (which lifts me on even the coldest, darkest day) and group class structure (even a quick hello with others in the gym brightens my day!), it has become a cornerstone of my well-being. In fact, if I miss my Monday workout, it throws off my whole week!
Even my husband can’t believe how consistent I’ve been— but as they say, when you find something you love, staying consistent is no longer a struggle. Movement is no longer just about looking fit—it’s about cultivating strength and vitality so I can flourish in every season ahead.
3. Joy: The Most Underrated Beauty Secret
This may be the most important factor of all.
When I was younger, I was not nearly as joyful or grateful as I am today. Back then, I carried heaviness, perfectionism, and stress far more than I’d like to admit—and it showed, both inside and out.
Over the years, I’ve learned that joy isn’t something that just happens to us—it’s something we cultivate, protect, and prioritize.
That doesn’t mean I’m always in a good mood (I’m human!). But it does mean I now fiercely guard my joy. I’ve learned to say no to the things that drain me or don’t align with who I want to be, and to say a big, wholehearted yes to the things that are life-giving—whether that’s time with people I love, movement that energizes me, or quiet moments of prayer and reflection.
I’ve also seen this same truth in the women I’ve worked with: the more emotional freedom they experience, the more their whole countenance changes. Faces literally soften and brighten.
I believe that’s what people often notice in me today—not perfection or the absence of stress, but a spirit that’s freer, lighter, and more joyful than it once was. And that radiance, I believe, is the most underrated beauty secret of all.
“Healing and wholeness radiate outward—you can literally see it in someone’s face.”
Aging Gracefully: Joy, Surrender, and Health Span
My skin is not flawless, and I don’t want anyone to think it is. I have sun spots, fine lines, and the normal changes that come with age. I don’t look like I did at 15—or even 25—and I’m not trying to. Part of aging gracefully is accepting and loving our bodies as they are, whether that’s after giving birth, during perimenopause, or, in my case, after a hysterectomy + oopherectomy (i.e., removal of ovaries) that pushed me suddenly and very dramatically into menopause. (No one told me that your hormones drop so precipitously after having your ovaries removed that your skin immediately starts to thin and sag!)
“I don’t look like I did at 25, and I’m not trying to. Aging gracefully is about loving our bodies at every stage.”
The more we, as women, can love every part of ourselves and surrender to the reality of aging without angst, the healthier and happier we will be. For me, surrender brings freedom, joy, and yes—youthfulness.
In 2018, when I was at True North Health Center, I learned about the concept of health span—not just living a long life, but living as many healthy, vibrant years as possible. That shifted everything for me. My focus isn’t on turning back the clock—it’s on increasing the number of joyful, strong, flourishing years I have ahead. Especially now, with a granddaughter in my arms and the hope of one day meeting my great-grandchildren, my priorities have become crystal clear.
So if I can look my best and feel my best in the process? That’s simply icing on the cake.
“My focus isn’t on turning back the clock—it’s on increasing the number of joyful, strong, flourishing years ahead.”
Why I Choose a Natural, Pro-Flourishing Path to Aging Gracefully
Aging is a gift. Every year is evidence that I’ve lived, grown, and been blessed. I want my daughter—and now my granddaughter—to see that you don’t have to fear aging or erase the evidence of it to be beautiful. There’s freedom in embracing where you are, taking good care of yourself, and letting your inner vitality shine through.
It’s funny—more than a decade ago, my daughter and I were featured in Selfie (watch the 8-minute version here), a Dove documentary by award-winning filmmaker Cynthia Wade, exploring how women and girls see themselves. Even then, the message was about acceptance and redefining beauty on our own terms. Today, as I write this piece at 48, that truth feels even deeper: beauty isn’t about resisting age—it’s about living with joy, wholeness, and vitality in every season.
So, no Botox for me (at least not anytime soon). My “secret” is actually no secret at all: it’s a life of intentional care, inside and out. And if people happen to think I look younger than I am, I’ll take it as a happy side effect of flourishing well.
“So, no Botox for me. My ‘secret’ is a life of intentional care, inside and out.”
Reflection Questions:
1. How are you learning to embrace your own reflection—not just in the mirror, but in the story your life is telling?
2. What is one small habit you can start today that will help you flourish from the inside out?
Ready to explore this further?
Let’s begin the next chapter—one that honors your brilliance, your beauty, and your whole self.
You’ve spent so long taking care of everything and everyone. What if it’s finally your turn?
If you’re ready to reconnect with your inner peace, realign with your purpose, and flourish from the inside out—I’d be honored to walk with you.
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Meet Dr. Andrea Lein
I’m Dr. Andrea Lein—psychologist, speaker, and guide for brilliant women who are ready to live life beautifully. Here, I share reflections on emotional well-being, intentional living, modern motherhood, and the art of flourishing—because a beautiful life isn’t a luxury, it’s your birthright. More about me →
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