What Julia Haart Can’t Live Without

My daughter Miriam always tries to get me to drink healthiercaffeinealternatives. I won’t say I put it out of my head completely, but I’ve probably cut it down toa canof Diet Coke a week. I used to drink six cans a day. But sometimes I need that energy boost, and I don’t want to drinkcoffeeanymore because then I won’t be able tosleep. Marquis tastes like soda. There are a bunch of flavors, but this is my favorite. I love that it doesn’t taste like grass and doesn’t have an aftertaste, yet it’s organic. It’sgreen tea, yerba mate, all the healthy ingredients, but it tastes bubbly and fun.

When I was still in my ultra-Orthodox community, it was an eight-year process before I actually walked out the door and educated myself. This was one of the first ten secularbooksI ever read, and it’s been my constant companion. It reminds me that it isn’t about seeing the present; it’s about seeing the future and envisioning who you want to be, and believing it’s possible. I love this idea about our personal legend and that we can defy all odds. There’s a part in there, which is so moving, where it says that somewhere along the way, as we grow fromchildreninto adulthood, we are convinced that destiny is not inour hands. And what happens to us is some kind of happenstance, or it’s controlled by some other power, and we relinquished our own ability to manifest our destiny. Especially with everything I’ve gone through, it’s been a really helpful and useful reminder.

My body was coveredheadto toe until I was 42, right? But myfaceand my hands were exposed while the rest of mybodywas not. My skin cannot handle the sun. I don’tburn— I go straight to boils and sun poisoning, so I’m religious aboutsunscreen. And what I find difficult is that nosunscreenlasts all day — it just doesn’t. And if you want to put on a cream or a liquid in the middle of the day, you have to reapply yourmakeup. This thing, you just close your eyes and spray. It’s also the size of my middle finger, so it’s small, and I can pop it into any bag. Not only am I gettingSPF40, but it also prolongs my makeup and freshens it up.

I was in Ukraine on the front lines in January. I delivered ambulances and medicalsuppliesliterally to Bakhmut, like the war zone. I was there with a group of people, some of whom weredoctors, and, on one of our many long rides to the front lines, somehow we got onto the topic of manifestation and choosing your destiny and not leaving things to some higher power. One doctor recommended Dr. Joe Dispenza’s work to me. I readthe book, and then I went through all the studies. But the morning and evening meditations are such fantastic ways to bookend your days. It just keeps mecalm. It reminds me that I have power and can manifest what I choose. That’s a comforting thought, especially when you’re going through a really nasty divorce.

I started using Starbuckscapsulesin aBreville Nespressomachine during the pandemic. I even used Starbucks cups. Half the time you would see me walking around with a Starbucks, well, I made it in myhouse. But it made me feel better, and then I got used to it. I use DaVincisugar-free vanilla syrup. I used to buy the Starbucks one, but they stopped making it, so I had to find an alternative. Then I add cinnamon from Sri Lanka and mix it with organicmilk, and it’s just so good. It’s my morning must. And then my later-morning must, and then my soon-to-be afternoon must, and then myafter-lunchmust, and then I really try to stop.

You don’t even realize how difficult it is to finda cupthat doesn’t have a plastic top. All these cups that say plastic-free mean the actual body of thecup, but not the top. I found this one, and it’s made of allplant-basedmaterial. Top to bottom, there is zero plastic. It keeps everything warm, and it’s comfortable to grip. Now I rotate between two.

I have very drylips. I usedAccutaneas a teenager, and I’m old, so in those days, they would give you these insane doses. I’m always looking for something tomoisturizemy lips, especially in the wintertime. And I don’t know whatingredientis in there, but this is the first time in my life my lips have feltsoft. I put it on before I go to sleep, and put it on in the morning. For touch-ups, I have the one that’sin the tube. It’s taken me forever to find something that actually works like this.

It’s like brushing your teeth, you know? It’s become part of my regimen that when I don’tice my face, I’m like,Ah, if I’d only iced my face.I’m a 24/7, nonstop-moving, love-to-work human being. So downtime for me is a) very difficult to find and b) even when I’mrelaxing, I’m always thinking of 900 things. This is almost meditative. It melts at the rate it melts, you can’t speed it up, and you’re slowly pushing it all over yourface. It’s a soothing sensation, and you become very present. I do my face, neck, and décolleté, and sometimes if I have a little leftover, I’ll smear it on my shoulders because why not? Then I put on theGlow Serum,eye cream, and theTNS advanced serum. And after all that, it’s time for moisturizer. I use AMEŌN’sHoly Cream. When I shower at night, there’s nothing there, like it’s soaked all the way in. That’s how I know it’s working better than any othermoisturizerI’ve ever used.