3 things to start doing in your 20s & 30s to be happier, healthier, and wealthier

Plus, a full list of blood tests to ask your doctor for to get a comprehensive picture of your health.

Hello friends!

It’s wild to think about, but I’m officially at the tail-end of my 30s. As I inch toward 40, I feel lucky that I’ve acquired so much wisdom over the years, thanks in large part to the millions of mistakes I’ve made in my life. On top of the whole “lived experience” thing, I’ve also spent my career interviewing world-famous doctors and health experts.

In this week’s episode, I’m focusing on things to start doing in your 20s and 30s so you can live your absolute best life in your 40s, 50s, and beyond. There’s a lot of juicy stuff in there, including advice from leading experts that you’re definitely not getting with a quick Google search. I’m not going to give it all away, so for now let’s talk about something literally thousands of you write in to me about weekly: Skincare.

You don’t need a 10-step skincare routine

The beauty industry and social media lead us to believe that a 10-step skincare routine is the key to healthy aging skin. I used to believe it too! But a 10-step skincare routine won’t do anything but make you spend a bunch of money you could be putting toward building wealth (more on that in the episode!). If you’re feeling fancy, you can use a moisturizer or even a retinol or a tretinoin, but that’s it—you really don’t need anything else.

But please, skip the exfoliants and acids. They strip our natural skin barrier, and then companies sell us products to rebuild our barrier layer. It’s a vicious, insidious cycle.

My picks: I use a prescription tretinoin (.25), but the Maelove retinol is great if you have more sensitive skin (despite the dropper bottle, which is the worst delivery system).

Sunscreen is everything

Investing in a really high-quality sunscreen and putting it on every day (yes, even when it’s cloudy out) is the single best thing you can do for your skin. Please, please skip the tanning sessions and start wearing tons of sunscreen in your 20s. Sunscreen works primarily by blocking UV radiation, which is one of the biggest accelerators of skin aging. UV rays, especially UV-A rays, penetrate deep into the skin and break down collagen and elastin fibers. These are the proteins responsible for keeping skin firm and smooth. Without protection, UV exposure leads to wrinkles, sagging, and loss of skin elasticity over time.

My pick: I love the Live Tinted SPF50—it has a beautiful lightly matte finish (I find most sunscreens are very greasy looking) and great ingredients. I use the shade 9!

Preventative Botox isn’t a thing

I’m all for Botox, but preventative Botox is a huge waste of money. It was invented by the beauty industry to make you start spending money earlier. Starting young means you'll just need more Botox over the years, and if you don't have visible lines at rest, all you’re getting is an expensive neurotoxin injection that does absolutely nothing for your skin.

From this week’s episode:

“I want to be very clear on this. You do not need a 10-step skincare routine. You think you need one because the social media universe relies on you buying new products all the time, but most of those products are useless at best, and at worst, they're creating new problems that you'll then purchase other products to solve.”

The takeaway:

Don’t spend thousands of dollars on skincare products and “preventative” Botox in your 20s. Just wear sunscreen, and wear a lot of it.

For more advice I wish I’d known in my 20s and earlier in my 30s, including genius tips for building wealth that doesn’t involve skipping your morning latte and the absolute most important type of exercise to do in 30s, check out this week’s episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

And nake sure you’re following the podcast wherever you listen so future episodes show up right in your feed!

xo,
Liz

PS: Below, paid subscribers will always get a piece of high-value content related to the theme of the episode. Paid subscribers can also access a full transcript, comment on posts, participate in the chat, access Q&As with me, and more. Today, it’s a list of the most important blood tests to ask your doctor for.

The best functional blood tests to get a full picture of your health (+ how to get your insurance to cover them)

One of my tips in the episode was to get some labs run, which can provide key information about your health outside of the symptoms that many of us self-diagnose with.

You guys always ask me, “okay, but which labs?” which is an excellent question, so I reached out to one of my favorite past podcast guests, Michelle Shapiro, a functional registered dietitian to get a comprehensive list. Michelle works with patients all day every day, running labs, doing detective work, and interpreting that information to help people feel their absolute best (if you want to work with Michelle or her amazing team, you can reach out here—as someone who has personally experience their services, I highly recommend, especially if you have an issue you’re trying to get to the bottom of).

“These are common blood tests that can provide valuable insights into your health,” Michelle said. “We’ve also included additional test recommendations for those experiencing symptoms like fatigue or hormonal imbalances. This information is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. For personalized interpretation, I highly recommend reaching out to your health providers.”

Note that the why is as important as the what. “Keep in mind that some healthcare providers may hesitate to order tests they are unfamiliar with or uncomfortable interpreting,” said Michelle. “Having a clear explanation for why you want each test can help the conversation.” To help with that, she included a brief explanation of the reason each test is beneficial. And make sure you read to the bottom, where she shared some tips to get insurance to cover as many of these tests as possible!