Photo Credit: Pamela Hanson

Over the weekend I shut down for some glow time to rest and be with my son and catch up with his Godmother- fashion and beauty icon and ultimate “cover girl” Lauren Hutton. It’s always a pleasure to catch up with Lauren because she imparts such wisdom and grace that  inspires others. She reminds me that every moment is an opportunity to be wild and free while exploring life. We talked about my work with women and mothers, my book Mama Glow and about changing the way women perceive their bodies during pregnancy and in older age. Lauren is an inspiration because she embraces who she is and has never tried to disown her age. Lauren always has glow tips to share, she even has a line of beauty products that she uses to express herself. I am finally sharing some distilled wisdom from her glow tips on beauty, aging, self love and healthy living.

Be comfortable in YOUR OWN skin- Own Your Glow

An outfit is only as stunning as the woman who is wearing it, and that “glow” factor truly requires the woman in question to feel confident about not only what she is wearing, but who she is. When you love yourself and you are confident you radiate that energy into the world.

Flaunt Your Smile

Part of being a stylish woman is flashing a genuine smile.  Nothing is less intimating than someone who has a smile on their face and Lauren is all about smiling. She was on the vanguard of speaking out against beauty norms when she was pressured to close her famous gap tooth smile. Lauren said her smile was complete with that gap. Her smile has graced the pages of thousands of magazines, and campaigns over the course of her career. A good smile opens almost any door.

Celebrate your AGE!

One part of being comfortable in your skin is accepting the aging process. “We have to be able to grow up. Our wrinkles are our medals of the passage of life. They are what we have been through and who we want to be. I don’t think I will ever cut my face, because once I cut it, I’ll never know where I’ve been,” says Lauren. She has always embraced her age and her gorgeous lines that create the textures of wisdom in her skin. Lauren is against airbrushing and celebrates the embodiment of the older woman. Any wrinkles that appear are ones made from many smiles and deep belly laughs- not harsh living. Many of us want to preserve our skin as long as possible. Start taking preventative measures – moisturize twice a day, eye cream at night, monthly facials, chemical free sunscreen, and eat foods that help protect skin from UVA/UVB like coconut, and don’t abuse the sun. Drink lots more water and eat anti-aging greens! Your skin will thank you later.

Read a Good Book!

Lauren is always giving me book suggestions, many of which are in my personal library. She believes in cultivating our intelligence and not relying on beauty to charm those around us. It also makes us great conversationalists. Books take us on journeys far and wide. (Which is another big deal for Lauren- travel) Lauren was encouraging Fulano to read when he was 3! I make sure to have a pen and pad ready for our hang sessions because I usually have to head to the local library or Barnes and Nobles to pick up her latest suggestions. My latest book suggestion from Lauren is Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy.

Eat Clean

When I would visit Lauren in California with Fulano she would have all sorts of fresh fruits, veggies, squashes, leafy greens, all growing in her yard. It was like a little piece of heaven at her home. The foods eaten were mostly from the land right there. There was an ocean spray and cool wind that came off the ocean and the food was charged with the energy of the landscape and that grounded us. Not everyone has access to a garden or can grow most of their food, but you can eat lower on the food chain and support local farms through CSA and Farmer’s markets.