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Nikki Reed on Wellness as a State of Being
February 19, 2025
Photos by: Sami Drasin
What inspired you to start The Absorption Company?
This company is very personal to me, in that I was going through my own complicated health journey and found myself very focused on supplements, their efficacy (or lack of), and a desire to understand more about the industry in general. What I discovered shocked me. From the lack of transparency to minimal regulation, coupled with the fact that most supplements aren’t even absorbed, I became fixated on being a part of creating a solution.
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness means so much more than what we eat, what we look like or how much yoga we do. It is a state of mind, a state of being, and the ability to truly feel well from the inside out.
Are there any self-care rituals you rely on to feel grounded?
I feel most grounded when I get outside. Even 10 minutes a day in sunlight, or taking a walk is the most grounding practice for me right now. Part of remaining grounded is honoring where we are at, and sometimes for me, that means only 5 minutes for myself and that's okay!
What does a typical morning look like for you?
Mornings are crazy right now! I wake up at 5:30am to get a head start on work by 6am. Some of my colleagues are on the east coast so it’s nice to get an early start, plus I’m a morning person! Before I had my second baby, I would prioritize a workout or 30 minutes in the sauna before the house woke up, but now I am in full-on mom-juggle mode. This particular season of life just doesn’t allow for that, which I am embracing. Now, I wake up, get to work, get the babies up, make breakfast, pack lunch, do school drops offs, roll calls on my way home, and dive back into work until evening. If I am lucky, I jump on my stationary bike and pull myself off video during a Zoom while listening in, or I sneak away to do a 10-minute workout video outside. I love to multitask sunshine and a workout!
How did you become interested in clean beauty, and why is it important to you?
I had a major aha moment sometime in my early 20’s, when I realized that our connection to our health was deeply intertwined by what we put on our bodies. I stopped wearing deodorant and chemical perfumes, and transitioned to products I made myself or ones that had ingredients I could recognize. I started reading labels. I started questioning and researching. At the end of the day, our skin is our largest organ, and we need to treat it with care and consideration for how it impacts our entire body.
Which Oak Essentials product is your favorite, and why?
I love the Oak Cleansing Balm! I’m a huge fan of the balm because it leaves my skin feeling moist, which is so soothing!
What’s sparking joy or creativity for you right now?
I would say apart from my family, my greatest joy is being around animals, especially my horses. I am a lover of all things in nature, but I really value my time on the back of my horse, walking, and listening to hooves moving through leaves. Creativity comes in so many forms, and if you watch closely, you start to realize that it’s not always in the most obvious forms. Sometimes, creativity comes from designing, but sometimes it comes from making spreadsheets and working with numbers. It can all be creative, and it can all inspire creativity, it just depends on how you look at it!
Nikki's Clean Oak Routine
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