I've always been interested in the science of beauty. 

Like, what causes wrinkles? Is it the sun? Dry skin? Stress? Is it just inevitable? What type of nutrition will create the best complexion? Will putting oil on my face make me break out or turn me into a dewy goddess?

I'm also keen on external beauty curation methods, like wearing makeup, painting my nails, and selecting all-black outfits. 

Here are the best beauty tips I can offer you. At least, these are the tips that help me feel my best. Do you, babe. 

1. Drink all the water!

I'm pretty sure 'drink water' is the oldest beauty tip known to [wo]man, and I hate to break it to you, but this tip isn't going anywhere. Water keeps your skin hydrated and it helps your body with literally all of its functions, so drink up. When I have a special event on the horizon, like say....my wedding, I will sometimes download a water app and let it obnoxiously remind me every hour to chug 8 ounces of H20. 

2. Consume healthy fats. 

I'm not totally keto or totally paleo or totally low-carb or totally into any way of eating. However, a lot of the more modern anti-carb diets boast the benefits of healthy fats. Aside from making you pretty, good fats promote brain and lung health, immunity, and heart function. Some of the healthy fats I'm fond of include avocados, coconut oil, olive oil (uncooked), raw nuts, avocado oil, MCT oil, and nut butters. Since Joe and I are trying to eat super-duper clean leading up to our wedding in March, I've also been making more fatty freezer fudge lately. 

3. Sleep like a little baby. 

I have always been a big promoter and participant of sleep. Sleep is everything. I really don't know why people boast about being so busy that they hardly sleep, but to each their own. Find out more about why I'm goo-goo ga-ga about catching my Z's here. They call it beauty sleep for a reason, guys. 

4. Eat less dairy. 

Eating less dairy (or no dairy) is something I've been trying to do on and off ever since I was briefly vegan in college. Although I realize that livestock is literally the biggest pollutant on earth, I don't believe that eating meat is harming my health. Dairy, however, has turned out to be bad for my skin, energy, and physique. I don't know if this is universally true, but cutting dairy worked for my beauty agenda. 

5. Eat less sugar, even naturally-occurring sugars. 

Okay kids, here's a mini lesson about sugar: The first thing you need to know is that our bodies don't give a shit whether it's corn syrup or dried apricots; all sugars will be processed the same upon consumption. Scope out the grams of sugar on your nutrition labels—you may (or may not) be surprised which foods are high in natural sugars. For instance: milk (and more specifically, skim milk) has more sugar than fattier milks and it comes in the form of lactose. Basically, anything ending in "ose" is a sugar, like sucrose, fructose, maltose, glucose, etc. Fruit is not the devil, of course. All I'm saying is that a serving or so a day will suffice if you're trying to get that J.Lo glow, you know?

6. Paint your nails.

I've been forgoing a natural nail bed and painting my nails on a regular basis for as long as I can remember. Painted claws make me feel good. They make me feel like I'm put together and professional. 

7. Supplement with collagen. 

Collagen supplementation is a new thing I've been doing for bridal beauty prep. I've been putting collagen peptides (powder) in my coffee every morning and also like to put a spoonful in soups, pancakes, and smoothies. It says on the packaging that it takes 30-60 days of regular use to see any results. I happen to be at about that mark now and am seeing results for sure. My skin looks better, my hair is softer, and my nails are growing a little too fast. And even if the beauty benefits of collagen are just a hyped-up placebo, at the very least, it's low-calorie grass-fed protein. 

8. Get down with oils. 

You may know by now that I wash my face every night with organic olive oil (it's one of my signature beauty tips) but let me tell you about some other beauty oils I love. RMS Beauty coconut oil makeup remover wipes are one of my favorite beauty products. The only ingredient on the disposable cloths is coconut oil. You just warm the packet in your hand for like 10 seconds and then use it to remove your makeup. I also like jojoba oil. It's a super versatile beauty oil that can be used on dry skin, cracked lips, and cuts. You can use it to remove makeup....it's good for pretty much anything! Additionally, since I'm such an eyebrow junkie, I sometimes apply a mixture of castor oil and coconut oil on my eyebrows before bed to help them grow. 

9. Get some Omega-3s.

Omega-3s are great for your skin as well as a bunch of your internal organs. You can get them from eating fish regularly or by taking a supplement. If you start taking an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement, don't expect instant results. However, after 3-6 months, you may start noticing that your skin looks more glowy and your joints feel less creaky. I've been taking Ritual vitamins for almost a year now and I actually truly think their seaweed-extracted Omegas have done my skin a favor. Patience, people. 

9. Wash your pillow cases and face towels often. 

I've heard that it's good to sleep on clean pillow cases because the oils from your skin will build up on the fabric and transfer back onto your face (or something like that) which can cause breakouts. This makes sense to me, kinda like how they tell you to never touch your face with your grimy little hands. For this reason, I make sure to change out our sheets and face towels at least once a week. 

10. Use a retinol. 

I am pro-retinol because science. It's the only product that can actually reverse fine lines and other signs of aging. Find out more about why I believe in using retinols and about my Retin-A prescription here. 

11. Whiten your teeth. 

White teeth make your clothes look cleaner and I don't know, I just think white teeth look good on everyone. I am a fan of the OG Crest White Strips but sometimes order these cheaper Cool Teeth Whitening ones from Amazon since they work pretty much the same. 

When in doubt, utilize FaceTune! But be cautious of a heavy hand if you want to look un-FaceTuned. Also, just own it. We all dabble in editing apps. 

So those are my tips. Use them, adjust them, say, "Fuck beauty!" and do what ever you want! I don't make the rules.