Turning 30 and Drinking From the Fountain of Youth

Living and ACTUALLY Learning? Plus my attempts at delaying an inevitable plastic surgery addiction.

In mid-April I turned 30. Going into my birthday I was feeling great, ready to take on this new chapter in my life with all the lessons I learned during my last decade. Thirty minutes before midnight though, I had a slight menty b when I thought about how fast time was moving. I felt like I turned 20 yesterday and here I was at the precipice of never being able to say I am 20-something ever again. That episode brought me to an aha moment. Though I can’t stop time, I can take every lesson from my 20s and use them to make every moment of my future better. Fingers crossed that my 30s are as good as everyone has promised. 

Below I have a list of some of the most important lessons my 20s taught me. If these sound cliche to you, it’s because life is full of cliches. Some of the most obvious life advice is what people need to hear over and over until it sticks. I would love to hear about what your 20s taught you in the comments. 

• Focus less on exercise and more on movement. 

• Movement is the greatest privilege, take advantage of it. 

• Fun new toys and things are fun until they start feeling like they weigh you down. Be selective with what you acquire. 

• Do not procrastinate when it comes to your health. Never miss an annual checkup! 

• The library is one of our greatest resources.

• Audiobooks are the secret to learning new things after school. I never have the time to sit down and read a 600 page book but I can definitely listen to one at 1.5 speed during my daily walks. 

• Your life can change for the better in a day, you just need to leave your house.

• You can survive grief. It will change you forever but you will find joy again. 

• You only get one body. Take care of yourself. 

• Don’t tell your whole life story on the internet. There is power in keeping things close to the chest. 

• There is no shame in loving reality tv. Bravo has brought me some of my best friends. 

• No matter how popular Crocs are, they are ugly. Don’t wear them in public. 

• Be aware of the news but don’t live in the news. Stay sane. 

• Know when you are spiraling and call it out to yourself. 

• Manifestation is real! As a nice palm reader at the Renaissance Festival pointed out, manifestation works both ways. If you focus on bad things, you can manifest those as well.

• Good sleep will change your life. 

• Words matter. Say what you mean and truly listen when people talk to you. 

• Ride bikes when you travel! Some of my favorite excursions have been on bikes. 

• Don’t be modest, accept the compliment!

• Invest in real jewelry. We as a society waste so much money on cheap crap we only wear a few times. 

• There is food that’s good for your physical health and unhealthy food that is good for your mental health. It’s ok to have a treat. Balance is everything. 

• Career pivots are normal. If you hate where you are, things can change! You just have to lead the charge.

• Stop doom scrolling! 

• Never take the people you love for granted. Even if you are going through it, show the people you love that they matter and are appreciated. 

  

Gandiana Jones and the Fountain of Youth 

I always want to ask people how old I look but then realize that I don’t actually want to know the answer. I think I look good for my age?? Keep any comments to the contrary to yourself please! 

When it became clear to me that I would not be rocking my dream body for my 30th birthday (or ever) I focused on what quick fixes I could implement to feel like my best self. After being talked out of botox and lip filler by a trusted esthetician (I was spiraling) I made a bunch of appointments for less invasive treatments all designed to boost my self confidence and set me up for a beautiful 30th year. 

• Diamond Glow Treatment with Custom Facial at Glow Spa and Wax House - I’ve been known to go in for a deluxe facial from time to time. I always think they are relaxing and nice but I never felt like they made a great difference in my skin (probably because I am so militant about my skincare). The treatment was a combination of a traditional facial with a peel as well as a hydration treatment where a diamond tipped pen is used to push serums into the skin. This was the first time where I could tell a huge difference in my skin after treatment. I looked literally lit from within and smooth. Would definitely go back and do this again. 

• Laser Hair Removal at Spa7 - This has been an ongoing thing I have been doing for over a year. As someone that would often characterize herself as a hairy monster, laser hair removal has done wonders for my confidence and has given me so much time back now that I don’t need to shave all the time. Ask for Alexa if you go. 

• IPL at Wild and Beautiful Med Spa - Since I wasn’t ready to dive into the world of botox I wanted to get an IPL treatment in order to tackle signs of premature aging like broken capillaries, small wrinkles, and sun spots. The treatment consists of numbing the shit out of your face and then getting a laser shot at your face for 15 minutes. I have only gotten this treatment done once but I have noticed a difference in the look of the veins around my nose and under my eyes. I got a membership at this med spa in order to be able to go once a month for a treatment. I am going to try microneedling

  next! 

• Spray Tan at Hush Hush Tan - Nothing makes me feel like THAT bitch quite like a spray tan. So much better than anything I can do at home. I felt cute and sunkissed for a week. I will always regret not having a spray tan at my wedding. 

• Brow Wax and Tint at Glow Spa and Wax House - I live in a constant state of fear that Kayla (the woman that does my brows) will move out of Austin. She is incredible. She has the best playlists and somehow makes a brow wax enjoyable. My brows have never looked so good. Go see her if you know what’s good for you. 

Got more questions about my beauty journey? Ask away in the comments or reach out on Instagram! 

April 2024 Empties 

Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush in Beverly Hills - As with most Merit products, I was obsessed with this blush when I first tried it. It is sheer and foolproof in application. Where this product failed me was in its longevity. The formula is slippery and evaporates from my face within an hour. I think this is the perfect product for some people, it just isn’t the perfect product for me. I have another color I am trying to use up but after that I don’t think I will repurchase it. 

Kevin Murphy Young Again Hair Oil - I have been using this hair oil for years. This was probably my 6th bottle. I use this every night before brushing out my hair and think it is one of the reasons my hair is so healthy despite bleaching the shit out of it for years. The texture of this oil is light and allows your hair to just drink it up. I already had a backup and will continue to buy this as long as Mr. Murphy keeps making it. 

Sol de Janinero Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 62 Perfume Mist - I was ready to retire this sweet scent until I wore it one day and a woman at a J Crew Factory store followed me around and asked what I was wearing. I told her the name of the brand and she asked me to spell it. When she didn’t trust my spelling abilities (fair) she asked me to look it up online so that she could take a picture of it on my phone. I have never had this happen with any other perfume. Perhaps this is a sign I should repurchase? I probably won’t for a while but the interaction was quite memorable. 

Naturium Dew-Glow Moisturizer SPF 50 - If you are an OG reader of this newsletter you know this SPF fucks! It’s so good, especially for the money. If you are trying to step your SPF game up, buy this. Chefs kiss, no notes. 

Benefit 24-Hour Brow Setter - The biggest critique I have heard of this product is that the hold isn’t strong enough for people trying to achieve the laminated brow look. As someone who believes brow laminations are a plague on society, I think this is a good thing. The product helps shape your browns and provides a nice brushed out look without making it look like your eyebrows are glued to your face. I actually bought another gel to try but ended up buying another one of these because I liked it so much more. 

Bread Hair Oil - I don’t think this product was made for my particular hair texture. That’s on me, I should have done my research prior to purchase. Will not be buying again. Beautiful packaging tho. 

SK-ii Skinpower Advanced Cream - I hate to say this but I really liked it. It was deeply nourishing and kind of the perfect night cream. After using this I would wake up the next day to the most plump and juicy skin. No one needs to spend this much on a moisturizer though. It’s a nice to have but not a need. Buy it on sale. 

Saltair Lush Green Body Wash - This was a solid shower gel. A great texture and an amazing scent that I enjoyed in the shower but couldn’t really smell after toweling off. This isn’t really an issue for me since I use scented lotions and I don’t want the smells competing.  I am also vain and I love the way this packaging looks in my shower. I have ordered another scent to try out and will report back. 

Unite Lazer Straight Shampoo and Conditioner - I am pretty sure I got a fake product from Amazon because this stuff smelled FUNKY. Don’t be an idiot like me and pay full price for the real thing. 

Lume Acidified Lavender Sage Body Wash -  Another example of me not doing the research before buying. When I saw the word acid in the title I assumed it was an exfoliating body wash, which it was not. I also did not like the smell. Would not repurchase. 

Naturium KP Body Scrub & Mask - When you get laser hair removal you really have to step your exfoliating game up in order to prevent ingrowns. This scrub is super gritty and doesn’t leave a residue. My only issue with this product is that the squeeze packaging wastes a lot of product because it gets trapped in the tube. Otherwise this is one of the best scrubs out there. 

Flamingo Foaming Shave Gel - Shaving is one of my least favorite activities on this planet (hence the laser hair removal) but Flamingo products make it bearable. This shave gel is the perfect texture and smells great. Not the sexiest product, but definitely the best one in the category. 

Nutrius Brazilian Body Butter Cream - I picked this up at Costco hoping for a Sol de Janiero Bum Bum Cream dupe ($48!!!). I would say the only thing this body butter dupes is the packaging. I actually like this product more. The scent is less sweet but still very pleasant. The biggest pro of this product for me is that it does not contain any glitter. I slather this on my body before going to bed and wake up a whole ass dewy dumpling. Pick this up if you see it at Costco! 

Thank you so much for reading this installment of the Gborysh Gazette. I’m so happy to have you here. If you like what you’re reading, please consider sharing this newsletter. (And if you have the time to like it or leave me a comment, that would mean a lot to me!) 

P.S. I don’t have any affiliate links :)