Actress, dancer and mother of two Jenna Dewan doesn’t just snap her fingers to maintain her toned physique—it takes hard work and healthy balance. This week, I spoke to the A-lister—via Zoom of course—about what life has been like for her during quarantine and how she strikes that equilibrium we all strive for.
How has your beauty routine changed during quarantine?
“I’ve gotten very into the at-home facials and I’ve had to color my hair quite a few times, so I’ve gotten pretty good at that, too. Because I’ve been home and haven’t had the ability to go get a treatment—I also have a newborn at home—I’ve been doing at-home self-care treatments with masks and different tools I have like microneedling and gua sha. My gua sha stone is from Georgia Louise—her rose quartz Butterfly Stone that she gave me. I also really like the brand OSEA. I use their hyaluronic serum, they have a great cleanser, and they have this incredible body oil that I’ve used every single day—it smells so good and it’s all-natural. Their products have been new finds and new favorites during quarantine.
But, one of the biggest blessings and lessons I’ve found during this time is how much I needed to simplify everything in my life, including my beauty routine. I was just using too many products and doing too many treatments, and my skin just kind of reacted great to simplifying things.”
How have you found balance during such a stressful time in the world? And with a newborn!
“There’s so much going on at the moment. [Dewan apologizes on the Zoom call in case we hear her “one kid home schooling upstairs, one that’s going down for a nap and four dogs.”] Being a mom, it’s really hard to find that time for myself—it’s just the honest truth. In the morning during my baby’s first nap of the day—if I don’t do stuff in the morning, it doesn’t get done—I make sure I try to do pilates, meditate, take a shower and take time for myself. Little things that set me up for success. If I miss that and I don’t give that to myself, the rest of my day just spirals out. Meditation has been a game changer in my life. I do breath work meditations; I do TM-style mantra meditations; I do lots of things that sort of bring me back to a place of connection with myself and spirit. I also started taking new probiotic supplements, and I’ve noticed a lot of incredible, positive benefits in my life.”
Which probiotic are you taking?
“RenewLife Ultimate Flora Women’s Care Probiotic 25 Billion. I’ve been a big proponent of probiotics for a long time, but then I was not sure I was taking the right ones and I had different issues that were all going on. Then Renew Life was recommended to me and I found they had a particular formula for women—for all the issues we deal with as women—so I said, ‘I’m going to try this and see if it helps.’ It not only helps with digestion, but also immunity, and I loved that it also has respiratory health covered, especially during this time. I know how much the gut and the mind are connected, and after giving birth, you’re balancing hormones and regaining your strength, so I needed a boost.”
What positive changes have you noticed?
“I started taking this once a day and I noticed such a huge difference: In about a week, my bloating went away, so that was pretty immediate. I had a C-section, so in general my gut health was needing a little extra help to recuperate from the surgery and everything. I wrapped my stomach with an abdominal surgery wrap for the first couple months to try and help it all rebalance—half my stomach was distended and my digestion was really weird—but ultimately it all came down to me carving out time to work out, eat right and take supplements. Then I started having more energy. It’s hard because we’re in one of the most stressful years, probably of anyone’s lives, and you feel fatigue. And with a newborn, I’m exhausted. But when I started working on my gut health, I felt less fatigued and more energy, and my brain fog was clearing up.
As things began balancing out, it therefore created more emotional balance and helped me de-stress during the day, and now I swear by it and I’ve given it to my friends. I’ve taken it every morning for a few months now, and I really believe in this product—I only support things that really work for me.”
Do you take any other supplements in addition to probiotics?
“I take zinc, some basic vitamins—vitamins C, D and a liquid B complex—and some minerals that I mix together in some water.”
Are you generally a healthy eater?
“I believe in eating 80/20. I do 80 percent as healthy as possible—vegetarian, vegan, lots of vegetables and smoothies—and 20 percent I’m eating Mexican food if I want it. I’ve gotta be able to indulge and have a glass of wine and feel good in that way. That helps me not be so strict and focused in one way.
What do you teach your daughter [Everly, 7] about living a healthy lifestyle?
“She asks me if I’ve had my green smoothie in the morning. She knows that I’m vegetarian and she’ll tell the world she’s a vegetarian too. If you live with wellness being a priority for you, then in those actions, they sort of, by osmosis, create their own opinions. But I try not to push anything on her. If she goes to a birthday party, I don’t keep her from having cake or eating a bag of chips—I want her to experience life—but I tell her that she might not feel as great that night or might get a stomachache. It’s all about that balance.”
