Chef Bae is the private chef behind some of the most famous fridges in Hollywood (Emma Roberts, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Michelle Gellar, half the NBA), and somehow also a one-woman content studio, a product developer, a soon-to-be cookbook author, and the host of a new Fox cooking show. We covered celebrity kitchen tea, business strategy, sea moss confessions, and dating.

Here are the takeaways that stuck with me:

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1. The recipe was never the point

When Brooke started posting in 2018, she noticed something: the food content going viral wasn’t going viral because of the food, think: Kylie Jenner’s salad, Jennifer Aniston’s Friends-set quinoa, Gigi Hadid’s pasta….

Nothing about those recipes was special… it was who was eating them.

With her next thought being, “Wait, I’m the one cooking for these people….” the following steps became obvious.

The part I love is that her actual mission is getting more people to eat healthy, and she figured out that a healthy recipe alone doesn’t inspire anyone (there are millions of them). What inspires people is seeing someone they admire eat that way. Young girls come up to her saying they made “the Paris Hilton lasagna.” It’s like a compounded influence.

People aren’t influenced by information, they’re influenced by people. If you have a message, attach it to a story someone already cares about.

2. She saw the niche before it was an industry

Brooke grew up in a family of five with nine food allergies between them. She watched a massive, underserved audience get ignored, with culinary schools weren’t (and mostly still aren’t) teaching health, wellness, or how to cook for dietary restrictions at all.

So she built her entire education around the gap: business communications, food science, then a health-focused culinary program. That unusual stack is what got her in the door with NBA and NFL athletes. These are million-dollar bodies whose teams often had just one nutritionist for the entire roster, which made no sense given how different we all are! She went deeper: custom meal plans, supplement plans, even analyzing clients’ blood work.

Think of it like this: your “weird” combination of skills is the niche. Nobody else had her exact background, so nobody else could do her exact job.

3. Trust beats an NDA every time

Brooke doesn’t really sign NDAs (and her clients are A-listers who’ve had TMZ slide into her DMs offering half a million dollars for what’s on her phone).

Her logic: an NDA means nothing if someone actually wants to sell you out. What protects her clients is that she’s a genuinely trustworthy person, and they know it. Some even test her early on (casually browsing engagement rings in front of the new chef and waiting to see if it leaks).

Paper cannot replace character, in any industry built on access, or in any relationship actually, your reputation for discretion is the asset. Paper can’t replace character.

@rivkirabinowitz@Chef Bae on Kale in My Teeth podcast out NOW #podcastclips #privatechef #celebritychef #celebritytea #torontoinfluencer

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4. “Plan B is always Plan A”

For her first LA dinner part, the client requested Italian night and promised “everyone eats everything.” Brooke showed up with one gluten-free option in her back pocket. Then the guests arrived…and suddenly no one ate pizza, no one ate pasta, everyone was gluten-free, there was a keto person, a low-carb person, and someone who just wanted chicken breast and zoodles. CHAOS! STRESS!

She calls the guests “the peepers” LOL. They’ll never tell the host, but they’ll discreetly peep over to the wait staff with their restrictions. Now she plans for the party that will actually happen, not the one on paper.

You guys…Plan B is always Plan A.

@rivkirabinowitz@Chef Bae ep of Kale in My Teeth podcast out NOW! #podcastclips #privatechef #celebritychef #celebritytea #torontoinfluencer

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5. The moldy sea moss confession (and the fix)

The number one thing in every A-list fridge? A giant, barely-touched, quietly molding jar of sea moss gel. Everyone’s heard it’s amazing; no one knows what to do with it; it gets opened once and abandoned.

Here’s Brooke’s tip: if you’re a sea moss person, the moment you open the jar, portion it into an ice cube tray and freeze. It only holds its nutritional value for about 72 hours after opening…so pop a frozen cube into your smoothie and stop donating money to mold.

6. She is the whole production team

She’s filming, editing, and uploading all of her content herself (!!!!!) tripod in one hand, spatula in the other, mentally storyboarding while she cooks. A single client day can produce six-plus hours of footage that becomes one 15-minute vlog, a few reels, and a TikTok. Partly it’s her perfectionism, but mostly it’s that celebrities don’t want a camera crew in their kitchen, makes perfect sense to me: a one-woman operation is exactly why she gets the access.

Sometimes your constraint is your competitive advantage. Keeeeeeeep it classy.

7. She turns down the big checks

Hellmann’s and Coca-Cola came with huge money, and it was easy for Brooke to say no as they don’t align with how she actually eats and cooks. The brands she does work with are ones already in her purse, her fridge, her clients’ pantries. Her reasoning was simple: the entire business runs on her audience trusting her, “and if you lose that, you have nothing.”

Easy to read about, harder to do when you need the money, but every “no” to the wrong partnership is compounding interest on your credibility.

Chef Bae’s Supplement List 💊

Screenshot this!!!

What’s actually in Chef Bae’s routine: (and what she builds for clients after reviewing their blood work).

Her “I feel a cold coming” trio:

• Liposomal vitamin C

• Oil of oregano

• Selenium + zinc

And her anti-supplement take: most people are on way too many. If your blood work says your calcium, iron, and vitamin D are fine, all those extra capsules are just giving you, in her words, “really expensive pee.” Test, then fill in the actual blanks.

What’s Next for Chef Bae

A Fox cooking show, American Kitchen, which started in December, and a cookbook in early 2027 called It’s Basically a Salad: as in her forever line, “it’s gluten-free and dairy-free, so it’s basically a salad.”

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xo,

Rivki

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The love I have for fitness has always been so much more than just about the fitness itself.

I would not describe myself as someone naturally coordinated- I have two left feet and butterfingers. This is not to disparage, it’s simply fact. So the thing is- where I’ve taken fitness will always be demonstrative of one of my guiding life mantras: if there’s a will, there’s a way. The strength I’ve built in the gym comes not from innate skill or athleticism, but instead, from telling myself I can, and I will; and from utilizing strategy, education, and consistency.

In that case- we can really do anything, right?

Let’s run it back.

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I had never moved a muscle in my life, until the year after seminary (Israel gap year). I came back and signed up to a gym: manically racing the little avatar on the screen of my elliptical, no method in sight.

Concurrently, I discovered spinning, which was the first time I experienced true athleticism, and coupled with the extreme endorphins- I was hooked. I would do two classes a day: I was the disciple and the spinning bike was my mentor. In the same period, I discovered kickboxing (we’ve all had that stage, haven’t we?). (I need to give credit to trainer Alin, who for the first- and therefore most impactful, time, really made me feel like the love of community, fun, and empowerment that only a good trainer can.)

I distinctly recall watching a strong woman, front centre stance of course, her back muscles rippling, and vowing to myself that I can and I will.

During this period, I also met one of my best friends- meeting at the gym makes perfect sense as so much of our friendship is about self improvement, wellness, and the passion and fulfillment that comes with uncovering your max potential

In between spin and kickboxing and all the things, we did Kayla Itsines from my playroom 4 times a week together, and trained for a half marathon- taking it so studiously, tracking and overthinking as we are both wont to do.

The truth is, I hate running, and I hated training to run, and I hated running and training. We would often run together, and in my youthful self recrimination, when I would fall back in pace to my friend, I would get so stuck in my head, that my success would almost capsize itself, and I couldn’t even enjoy my own personal wins. (More on this later.) (Incidentally, we ended up finishing within seconds of each other during the actual race.)

Between all of this, I was dating a lot, traveling, and also when I met my husband. We moved to Israel for the year after marriage, where I ended up having my first baby soon thereafter. Fitness as a lifestyle fell to the wayside (the longest lull I’ve had since beginning this journey): newlywed laziness, as well as pregnancy, completely eradicated not only motivation, but just the thought of moving my body with purpose at all.

We discovered I was carrying a high risk pregnancy at around the five month mark, which meant I spent 3 or so times a week in the hospital being monitored. The birth was…traumatic (and we were so young!) and although my daughter was born healthy and perfect bH bH bH, it took awhile for me to be able to talk about it without shutting down.

After moving back to Toronto when my daughter was about a month old (I think?), I settled back into routine. I was back at the gym, doing a mix of group fitness: tread interval classes, circuit training, spin, and plyo. Definitely back to being active- although I don’t remember this stage all too well, I believe I felt somewhat dispassionate. The treadmill/weights classes stayed a huge part of my training: still hating the run, but enjoying what I saw my body capable of doing.

At this time, I also began boxing, which was incredible. Total and complete savagery, and with my coordination difficulties LOL, the perfect thing to take my mind off anything but the dance in front of me.

Three years after I had my first daughter, my second daughter was born. I carried her with the same high risk concerns as my first- also very closely monitored. With the cockiness only the youth feel, I stayed completely active. (I was supposed to wear a heart monitor and track closely, and I still carried through business as usual).

Reckless and ridiculous, but we are not deviating from the plot line here, ok. The goal was to get to full term- which I did. I had gone straight from a workout to my OB GYN, and I was told I needed an emergency induction while still cooling down. Essentially, I gave birth on the spin bike, you might say…?

At this stage, I guess I was in a proving myself phase.

Hard to admit, but part of the beauty of reflection is we can see ourselves devoid of the action and really understand the driving motivation.

I was back at the gym within 3 or so weeks. I say this with disbelief (I would give myself so much more grace now!), but again: the outsized feelings of invincibility of our past selves are all part of our stories. This was about 11 years ago- and that’s when I discovered strength training.

Running never came naturally to me, but what I did thrive in was an elite environment of athletes pushing themselves, heavy EDM, and ridiculously fast sprints. I was doing a lot treadmill interval classes, very often doing double tread and running 6 miles in 40 or so minutes, sprinting at 14.2 mph and lifting as heavy as the (freakishly strong) men.

Although strategic strength training began to really fill me up with calmness and joy (and pride at seeing the improvements!), I was anxious to give up the running as I had to work exceptionally hard to maintain these speeds.

My solution? Give up nothing and do more. Oh, Rivki!

I would give 200% at the tread classes and then go straight into my strength programs (I believe my first one was Kelsey Wells PWR). The truth was, I loved it I loved it I loved it.

About 19 months after my second daughter was born, I had my third little baby girl. This pregnancy was similarly high risk, but whether it was faith or just cavalier behaviour, or a strange cocktail of both…I continued working out with no modifications. This was around 9 years ago, for timeline integrity.

Things get a little blurry here, but what I can tell you is about 9 years ago is when I committed fully to strength training. It is my home base, my fitness North Star, if you will. I trained through COVID, and I continued to find pockets of grace that I gave myself: understanding less is more, integrating nutrition into my goals, and not eating less despite them.

I did BootybyBret’s program for awhile, and eventually, began programming for myself. My entire attitude around fitness changed: training myself meant I didn’t have a strong bestie to motivate me, but it also meant I didn’t have a strong bestie to compare myself to. It was quiet. In my mind and in the gym.

I do believe when you’re integrating a new habit that you need to be more ruthless about being consistent with it- but I think the ultimate goal is getting to the point where we can fit our live around these goals, and not vise versa. Hard to implement.

During this time, my husband was training for a marathon. I’ll never forget this: I decided to do his long run with him, and with absolutely no training, I ran a fast 13.1 miles. This was revolutionary to me, as someone who despises running.

It reminded me of two things:

1. The power of all-around training and

2. The impact of taking the pressure off. My mind didn’t have the same performance anxiety and actually got back into flow because I took a break from goal setting (particularly running).

I took my hatred for running, and my love for EDM, along with my desire for a healthy heart, and practiced sprinting, and my husband and I also added in 3x weekly training with that EMS suit. (For anyone who tells you those workouts are “cheating”, you clearly have never done one!) We no longer do these but OMG- not overrated, although I love anthem as supplementary workouts.

I also began doing Megaformer pilates, a workout I hate, but pairs so beautifully with strength training.

I continued programming for myself for a few years- and about a year and a half ago, I got a trainer. This was the first time in my life I had a coach for strength- and what a privilege it is! To take the pressure off, to not rack my own weights (I’ll never get over the diva feeling of this!), to safely push to new limits: what a gift.

My favourite kind of lifting is twice a week training in the 8-12 rep range, and 1x a week training for max PRs, and my favourite lifts are the hip thrust and practicing pull ups.

Now, you’ll find me in a happy, soft place. I train 3x a week (2 lower, 1 upper), and try to give my 100% when I can, with occasional pilates 1x a week. If you had told previous Rivki she wouldn’t be training 5-6x week, she could never have believed you!

But hi, that girl proudly sharing her 545lb hip thrust did not come to this overnight. I’ve done it all, I’ve tested.I’ve played.I’ve sweated.I’ve whined through just about every kind of movement there is.

And you know what they say: the best kind of workout is the one you can stick to.

Chat soon,
Rivki

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Liana Levi is the founder of Forma Pilates, the invite-only studio that partners with Celine, trains half the people on your feed, and, almost most impressively, stayed exclusive while Pilates became the most mainstream workout in America.

Here are the takeaways from our episode of Kale in My Teeth podcast that stuck with me:

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1. Quality Over Clout

Liana fell in love with Pilates at 16 and practiced six days a week for years, well before Forma existed. Watching it explode into the trendiest workout on earth is complicated for her.

Of course, she loves that people love it, but what she can’t stand is the dilution: quantity over quality, studios on every corner, trainers who can’t cue.

“Where do you draw the line between it being about the Pilates or it being about the clout?”

Whatever your industry is, that question applies. When something you love gets popular, the opportunity isn’t to ride the wave and follow follow follow: it’s to become the new gold standard.

2. Can Pilates do it all?

Pilates lengthens, sculpts, defines; sure, it may change how your muscles wrap. What it won’t do is move the scale like other workouts, and doing a reformer class doesn’t cancel out nutrition.

Her words: it’s a lifestyle, not a transaction.

I want to stand up and cheer, as a weightlifter for years, when she told me how open she is about adding weights herself as she’s gotten older…for bone density, and because when nothing else was touching her inflammation, lifting is what finally shed it. (Have you guys seen her weightlifting content?! Unreal!!!)

The most trustworthy people in wellness are the ones who tell you what their thing can’t do, y’know? They’re not overselling their method or product.

@rivkirabinowitzOut now on KALE IN MY TEETH PODCAST: Liana Levi + The Forma Method & Mind-Body Connection Liana Levi is the founder of @Forma Pilates and she’s changing how we think about strength and fitness. In this episode, she and Rivki talk about the difference between Pilates and weightlifting and how to see real results. Liana shares how she built her company, why she keeps things exclusive, and the importance of having a strong work ethic. They also talk about how to handle burnout, why she values therapy, and the real talk behind being a business owner. #pilatesworkout #pilatesinstructor #pilateslovers #podcasting #pilatesgirls

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3. The 30-Day Rule

Everyone asks her the same thing I get asked in every fitness AMA: what are your macros, what do you eat in a day. And her answer is the whole philosophy: “Girl, what I eat in the day may not be what you want to eat in the day.”

No one-size-fits-all! Not in workouts, not in diet, not in skincare. Her actual advice: pick ONE thing. Stay consistent for 30 days. Then re-evaluate: how do you feel? how do you look?

People have become so dependent on being influenced that they don’t know what’s right for them anymore! Try your own experiment and be your own data.

4. Cutthroat But Kind

The Forma method in three words. Her trainers arrive certified, and what she teaches them is everything else: attitude, energy, cueing, commanding a room, reading a poker face. Classes flow with no cued breaks, layering move on move so your mind-body connection gets built without you noticing.

But my favorite part came from her stylist days. Her old boss used to remind her: these women are actresses, not fit models…they’re trying on clothes that don’t zip, year after year. Demoralizing! So Liana treats every woman walking into class like she’s walking into a fitting room: it’s vulnerable. She’ll be nitpicky (with permission…”is it OK if I adjust you?”), but nobody gets yelled at, and nobody feels judged. Had surgery, had a baby, first class ever…the studio should feel like home.

You don’t want to feel authorized in the room, you want to feel capable.

@rivkirabinowitzOut NOW on kale in my teeth podcast!!! Liana Levi is the founder of @Forma Pilates anging how we think about strength and fitness. In this episode, she and Rivki talk about the difference between Pilates and weightlifting and how to see real results. Liana shares how she built her company, why she keeps things exclusive, and the importance of having a strong work ethic. They also talk about how to handle burnout, why she values therapy, and the real talk behind being a business owner. #pilatesworkout #pilatesinstructor #pilateslovers #podcasting #pilatesgirls

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5. NO EGO

She teaches through sinus infections and brutal periods…and tells the class exactly what’s going on (”you guys, I love you, I’m going to sit on the floor hunched over, but I’m here”). And if she can’t give her best, she’ll find a sub who can do it better.

You almost never hear a founder say this: “Some of my trainers are way better than I am. They are what make me great.”

The hallmark of successful people is exactly that: staying a student, surrounding yourself with people who make you better, and leading with kindness because talking about other people is, in her words, low vibration energy.

6. Fail 7 times, get up on the 8th

Forma opened in Texas and somehow, that market just didn’t click. While everything else was thriving, the tempting move was to quietly take the L and spin it. She almost did…and then she booked the flight. Went to Texas, found trainers, built partnerships, gave complimentary classes, got her team excited. Not because it’s her comfort zone (it’s very much not), but because it was the one thing that would force her to grow.

“You’re going to fail 7 times, but on the eighth time you’re going to get back up and you’re going to succeed.”

The failures are the tuition. You’re paying for thick skin either way, might as well get the education.

7. “Privileged” is not a dirty word

There’s a difference between privileged and spoiled. Although Liana will be the first to tell you she grew up privileged, she’s been working since 19, said she’d scrub toilets to be in fashion, and didn’t have to work: she chose to hustle, for purpose, not for rent.

And I related hard here, because I’ve said versions of this myself: my interior design background was my safety net when I went full-time into content. Being able to say no to the wrong opportunities IS a privilege, and pretending otherwise gives everyone watching a completely skewed picture of how success actually happened.

Owning your starting line isn’t bragging when the purpose is to provide authentic value: it’s honesty. And honesty is the whole brand.

8. Scale Without Diluting!

Her brother is her CFO and he wants volume, whereas Liana wants the quality, the exclusivity, the integrity; she tells him: we’re keeping it over my dead body, and if we lose it, buy me out. She turns down brand money constantly (“Girl, I need the gas, I’m still building a company…but ew, I don’t like your product”).

Easy to read about, harder to do when the email is sitting in your inbox. But name another fitness brand partnering with an LVMH house like Celine. Staying in your lane is the growth strategy.

Liana’s Keep-Your-Glass-Full List

Screenshot this!!!

Her actual maintenance routine…the stuff that lets her run an empire without running on empty:

And her balance take, which I loved: you’re never going to “find” balance…it’s a constant challenge. The goal is just making sure nothing is exponentially low while something else is really high. Side by side, moving together.

@rivkirabinowitzOut NOW on kale in my teeth podcast!!! Liana Levi is the founder of @Forma Pilates and changing how we think about strength and fitness. In this episode, she and Rivki talk about the difference between Pilates and weightlifting and how to see real results. Liana shares how she built her company, why she keeps things exclusive, and the importance of having a strong work ethic. They also talk about how to handle burnout, why she values therapy, and the real talk behind being a business owner. #pilatesworkout #pilatesinstructor #pilateslovers #podcasting #pilatesgirls

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xx,
Rivki

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Sure, fitness is an area where I have strong opinions and strong habits, but I came into this convo with a beginner’s mindset, because I know that I am operating with blind spots. I know the science shifts. I know what worked at 28 doesn’t always work now. And when you have someone like Jen Sherman sitting across from you- original Peloton instructor, 13 years in, 57 years old and throwing around heavy weights five days a week…you stop talking and you start listening.

The Cold Email

Jen’s origin story is one of the better ones I’ve heard: she was in her early 40s, addicted to indoor cycling in her suburban New Jersey neighborhood, teaching classes locally, happy. Then she read a one-page article in a publication called Well+Good about a startup with a wild idea: put boutique cycling classes in people’s homes on a screen. At the very bottom of the article was an email address. If you’re interested, email us here.

She emailed, without expecting a response. A few days later, she heard back from John Foley (founder and CEO of Peloton). He told her he’d gotten hundreds of emails. But she was the first one he’d responded to. Jenn became the 10th employee of Peloton.

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I keep thinking about this story not as a lucky break, but as what happens when you fall in love with something so completely that you can’t stop yourself from reaching for more of it. She wasn’t strategizing, or building a brand; she was genuinely obsessed with something, and that obsession made her brave. The email wasn’t a calculated career move, it was a woman saying I think I belong in this room.

The Back Nine Era

Jen coined a phrase that I want everyone to hear: The Back Nine Era.

This is, by the way, a golf analogy: when you’re on the back nine of a course, there’s still a whole lot of game left to play, but you play more thoughtfully, with more strategy and intention and less ego about how you used to play.

She came to this realization with clarity somewhere in her 50s. Time is no longer unlimited- that’s not a scary thing, but a wake-up call to start playing the remaining holes like they matter.

“This is not about shrinking. It is not about going quiet. It’s about living life bold and strong and the best version of ourselves.”

She’s talking about a pivot, not a decline; a recalibration, not a retreat. For so many of us who have been culturally trained to dread aging (especially in fitness culture, which has historically been obsessed with bodies that look 25) this framing is genuinely liberating.

The Cardio Queen Problem (What She Got Wrong for Years)

Jen made a living on a bike. Cardio was her identity! But…then she had to let it go as her primary focus.

She told me (directly, without apology) that cardio alone is not enough anymore once you hit your 50s. It’s biology: muscle decreases faster after menopause, metabolism slows, bone density drops. The only real answer to all three is strength training: lifting heavy things, consistently, repeatedly, over time.

Here’s what hit me about this: she said it all started when she got her first bone density test at 53 and found out she had already blown past osteopenia and was in the early stages of osteoporosis, even though she’d been active her whole adult life.

“Everything shifted for me then in terms of weight bearing exercises and strength training. It became non-negotiable for me on a whole different level.”

Now she spends five days a week in the gym lifting, not because she wants to, because she has to, because it turns out, it feels amazing.

20 Minutes Is a Workout. Full Stop.

One of the most practical things she said: and I want you to write this down:

20 minutes of focused exercise blows away 60 minutes of distracted exercise.

She said it herself. We all know the women at the gym who spend an hour between taking photos and taking breaks, and although she’s not judging them, she’s just saying: if you only have 20 minutes, and you use it with intention, that counts. That is enough. That is a workout.

The goal isn’t the number or the PR. The goal is consistency, showing up, and doing something that brings you back tomorrow.

She said: “You meet yourself where you are that day.”

The Menopause Conversation We Should Be Having (Finally)

Nobody tells you what’s actually coming. Jen said this plainly: everyone warns you about hot flashes. Nobody warns you about the mood swings, the sleep disruption, the cognitive fog, the libido changes, the metabolic shift, the weight that arrives in places it didn’t used to.

She went through it and is on the other side now. So here’s what she said worked:

Protein. More than you think. Probably close to your bodyweight in grams daily, which feels insane until you realize how many things it protects. She sneaks it into her smoothie with protein powder, yogurt, and peanut butter powder before she left the house this morning.

Sleep hygiene. She stopped scrolling her phone in bed, or picking it up in the middle of the night when she couldn’t sleep. Sleep is already broken by hormonal changes: why make it harder?

Community. She said this is underrated and she’s right. Going through menopause with women who are also going through it, who will openly compare notes, who will tell you you’re not going crazy, your hormones are, is medicine.

Re HRT: she’s not on it yet, but she’s having the conversation with her doctor. The narrative has shifted dramatically, the science now supports hormone replacement therapy as genuinely beneficial for women who are struggling.

Start Embarrassingly Small

The most classic advice and one of hardest to implement due to its lack of flashiness.

Three workouts a week. Twenty minutes. Intentional movement. Basic compound exercises: squats, pulling, pushing. Can you do a push-up? Start there. You don’t need a complicated plan. You don’t need an hour. You don’t need to earn it or deserve it. You just need to begin.

The women who stay the fittest for the longest aren’t the ones working the hardest. They’re the ones who keep showing up. Consistency beats intensity, every time, for decades.

And if you’re new here...welcome to Kale in My Teeth. We love each other here, and we take the work seriously.

xx,
Rivki

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I want to tell you something about Lindsi Lane before we get into any of it, ok?! She walked in and I went in for three hugs- THREE!!!!! Because there are people you can feel before they even open their mouth, and Lindsi is one of them. She’s warm in a way that feels completely unperformative, which is a lot to say about someone who has spent twenty-plus years building a public life. And she’s also one of those people who has clearly earned her way to where she is, not through luck or a viral moment, but through the kind of old-school hustle that most people in this industry didn’t have to learn because they came up after it was already a real career.

The Fraud Feeling (This One’s for Anyone Who’s Ever Had to Hold a Secret)

For those who don’t know Lindsi’s story: she had two pregnancy losses and then went through a full year of IVF to have her daughter Savi (she also has a son- Tallin).

During that year (the IVF year) she kept it almost entirely private. And the thing that broke her, more than the physical strain or the emotional roller coaster, was that she: felt like a fraud.

“I was waking up every morning and I couldn’t authentically come to camera as myself because I was in so much pain and anger and heartache. And I’m not saying I needed to share, but because I am this person for so many people, when I was carrying on in pain and not being able to show up as my authentic self... that’s why it made me feel that way.”

Her community…her OG followers especially, could feel it. They were DM-ing her. Are you okay? Something’s off. I had a dream about you. And she had to hold the line, keep the secret, wait until she was far enough on the other side that sharing wouldn’t make people worry.

This kind of brave face-ness is a particular kind of loneliness… not just going through the thing, but going through the thing publicly (whatever public means to you- that can be at a wedding or Friday night dinner) while staying private about the thing. And the cruelest part is that the very people who could have given her comfort were the ones she was keeping it from.

She’s on the other side now. And she’s more herself than ever…which is saying something, because she has always been very herself.

Your Brand Is You. Full Stop. (This Is the One I’m Sending to Everybody)

Here’s something Lindsi said I’ll never forget.

“You’re not following me for my husband. You’re not following me for my children. You’re following me for me, and for us, for the bond. I don’t need to rely on anything else but myself to be successful.”

She has been on Instagram for nearly ten years. Her husband Aaron has never really been a part of her brand. Her kids know the camera isn’t always in their face. She set those boundaries from the beginning, and because she did, her community never expected otherwise. They’re not waiting for Aaron to show up. They’re not following her for her family. They follow her for her…I think her warmth yet privacy is a masterclass.

Because when your brand is you (your voice, your taste, your perspective) you don’t have to negotiate it with anyone, or wonder if your marriage is content or if your kids are on brand. You just have to show up as yourself.

250K Followers, 5 Capsule Collections (Data Over Vanity)

Lindsi will be the first to tell you she doesn’t have a million followers…and in the same breath, she’ll tell you she’s had five capsule collections.

She’s obsessed with data. Link click rates, conversion, what her community actually buys versus what they just double-tap. When she pitches a brand, she doesn’t walk in with just a follower count: she walks in with the receipts.

“What does that say? I am someone who converts. I have a community that is very devoted to the things I say because they trust what I’m putting out there.”

She used the words “customer service” to describe what she does, which is both refreshing and a little bit genius. The relationship she has with her community is a service relationship. They come to her with questions. They trust her recommendations. They keep coming back. And that’s more than reach- it’s trust, which is built over years, one honest recommendation at a time.

In a world where everyone’s chasing the number, Lindsi is chasing the relationship…and the results speak for themselves

The Aaron Story

I’m going to give you the short version because the long version is a Hallmark movie and I want you to listen to the episode.

Lindsi was dating someone, and she went out one night to a bar with all her single friends. She was, by her own description, “hanging from a chandelier, dancing on the table.” She saw a man walk across the room and thought: who is that? He came over. He was a friend of the guy she was dating.

You guessed it…his name was Aaron. They were Facebook friends for two and a half years, and never dated. She went through a bad relationship, and was back on the apps- and ya….he popped up as the first person on her Bumble feed. LOOOOONG story short: they’ve been married for ten years.

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And the guy she was originally dating? Um…..Best man at the wedding.

What I love about this story beyond the obvious is what Lindsi said about how Aaron handled the beginning: he gave her time to fall in love at her own pace- he never pushed, he waited, and she’s someone who needed to come around on her own terms.

Mom Guilt With No Happy Ending (Finally, Someone Said It)

I have to be honest about this section because Lindsi was honest and I want to honor that.

She came in for our episode after a 5:30 AM flight after being up all night with Savi, who had spent the whole night sick. She came in glowing and warm and present…and when I asked her about mom guilt (as i always do- because im fascinated with everyone’s unique approach) she said something I’ve heard very few people say out loud:

“I have no happy ending, because that’s a whole episode and life story in and of itself!”

She’s not going to tell you she’s figured it out, or sell you a framework for having it all. She said that you can have it all, but there are trade-offs- which I agree with. You miss things, and that never gets easy.

What I took from this is that the goal isn’t to resolve the guilt: it’s to have something worth feeling the guilt for. She loves her kids AND her job, and refuses to pretend one cancels out the other.

“Let It Come and Let It Go”

I asked Lindsi, at the end of the episode, to leave us with something.

“Let it come and let it go. And that can be anything and everything you want to pertain it to your life for. But…let it come and let it go.”

Jobs, people, toxicity, grief, seasons. Things will arrive and things will pass. The only way through is to stay loose enough to let it happen.

And then, almost as an afterthought: “What’s meant for you will always find you.”

And if you’re new here...welcome to Kale in My Teeth.
We love each other here, and we take the work seriously.

Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.

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xx,
Rivki

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The sale pieces I'd actually buy, knits to jewelry.

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That’s the edit. New ones every Monday on IG and Wednesday here on Substack. Subscribe so you don’t miss them.

xx,
Rivki

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From Russia, With a Blog (The Origin Story Is Wild)

Valeria was born in Russia, moved to Israel as a child, then landed in Canada at 16, alone, modeling, navigating a new country with a mother who worked nonstop to keep them afloat. She started blogging in the earliest days of blogging, back when “influencer” wasn’t even a word and the internet was just a place where weird people wrote about their feelings.

Here’s what got me: she didn’t start the blog because she had a strategy. She started it because she was lonely and trying to make sense of her life. The Modern Fox became what it became because she was authentic before authentic was a brand pillar.

And then Gary came into the picture (her husband, now her business partner) and believed in the vision harder than she did. She said something that was unforgettable:

“He saw something in me I couldn’t see in myself yet. And I had to decide whether to trust that.”

That’s an entire marriage philosophy in one sentence.

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“You and I Against the Challenge” (The Marriage Framework I’m Texting to Everyone I Know)

Okay, this is the part where I need you to put down whatever you’re doing.

Valeria and Gary have a weekly check-in where they sit down and they go through five questions together, one of which is rating the relationship on a scale of 1-10. And here’s the thing: if the ratings don’t match, that gap is the conversation.

Not “what’s wrong with you,” not “why are you being like this”, more like, we’re not in the same place right now. Let’s figure out why.

The whole framework operates on one core principle: you and I against the challenge, not you against me.

The moment conflict becomes adversarial, the moment we’re across the table from each other instead of side by side looking at the problem, we’ve already lost.

I’m not saying every couple needs this exact ritual, but the principle behind it is non-negotiable.

1. Name the framework.

2. Put the thing outside of you.

3. Fight the problem, not each other.

Curiosity Is the Most Underrated Business Tool You Have (This One’s for the Builders)

When I asked Valeria what she thinks the most important trait is for building something, she didn’t say discipline, resilience, or some variation of “bet on yourself”...She said curiosity.

Curiosity keeps you from being threatened by what you don’t know. It turns “I don’t understand this” from an indictment into an invitation; it’s the thing that makes you ask the next question instead of pretending you already knew the answer. It’s what let her learn a completely new platform every two years without burning out on the pivot and what let her go from fashion blogger to media company without losing her identity along the way.

Valeria walks through her career as one long question: What’s next? What else? What if?

“I Get To Do This”: The Work Reframe That Actually Helps (This One’s for the Moms)

We talked about the mom guilt that shows up when you love your work. The specific flavor of it: not just I’m missing something but I should not want this as much as I do.

Valeria’s answer was simple and I’ve been repeating it to myself ever since:

“I get to do this. Not I have to.”

When she catches herself in the spiral (tired, resentful, running on empty) she stops and asks: is this something I get to do, or something I have to do? And almost always, the answer is “get to.” These are good problems.

I said something similar to a friend recently and she looked at me like I was being a little too positive for the moment. But I don’t think it’s toxic positivity…I think it’s a genuine reorientation. There’s a version of overwhelm that’s actually just... ingratitude wearing a hoodie. “I get to” doesn’t minimize the hard. It just reminds you that the hard is attached to something you wanted.

Burnout Is a Season, Not a Failure (She Said It and I Could Have Cried)

This might be my favorite part of the whole conversation.

Valeria does not believe in balance, she believes in seasons. There are seasons where you’re pressing hard on the gas (new launch, big opportunity, the moment demands everything you have), and there are seasons where you brake: both are necessary and neither is permanent.

She said she runs at 80% capacity on purpose, not 100. Because if you’re always at 100, there’s no room to absorb anything, and when a bad day hits, you have nothing left. 80% leaves 20% for life to be life.

She also mentioned monthly resets: moments to zoom out, assess what’s working and what isn’t, recalibrate before the freight train gets too far down the track. She doesn’t wait until she’s collapsed to check in with herself.

80% as the goal.

The 70/30 Content Rule (File This Under: Actually Actionable)

For anyone building a brand, a platform, a business, Valeria has a content framework that’s stupid simple and deeply wise:

70% of what you make should be what you genuinely love. 30% should be experiments.

The 70% is what keeps you sane, it’s why you started- your voice, your obsession, the stuff you’d make even if no one was watching. The 30% is where you stay alive to what’s shifting (new formats, new platforms, new conversations) without abandoning who you are.

She also drew a distinction I want to hold onto: an influencer reacts to culture. A content creator builds culture. One is chasing. One is leading. She made a deliberate shift from the former to the latter at a certain point in her career, and her business reflects that.

The Creator Method, her education platform, is a whole other conversation, but the thread through all of it is the same: don’t just build an audience. Build something that has a point of view.

Showing Up Jewish in the Mainstream (She Didn’t Have to Say It, and She Did)

I wasn’t going to end here, but I think I need to.

After October 7th, Valeria made a choice to show up publicly and visibly as a Jewish woman. Not quietly. Not apologetically. She knew it would cost her something with some segments of her audience, and she did it anyway.

She said something that I keep coming back to:

“I’d rather lose followers who don’t want this version of me than pretend to be a version of me that fits everyone.”

In an industry that runs on broad appeal, that is a radical act.

And if you’re new here...welcome to Kale in My Teeth. We love each other here, and we take the work seriously.

xo,
Rivki

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Okay, Prime Day is here and I went DEEP.

I scoured Amazon and pulled together the products I genuinely own, use, and reach for all the time. These aren’t random deals, this is what’s actually on my shelf. I batched it all by category so you can skip straight to what you came for.

So if you’ve been waiting for a sign to try something I won’t stop talking about, this is it. Everything here has my stamp of approval.

Let’s get into it. xx

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Skincare

The Rejuvenating Night Cream by La Mer, the splurge that earns its spot. If you’re going to treat yourself once a year, now’s the time.

U Beauty The RETURN Eye Concentrate, my under-eye hero, brightens and smooths overnight.

U Beauty The Super Hydrator, mega-dose hyaluronic moisturizer, so plumping.

The Super Intensive Face Oil, a few drops and your skin drinks it up.

INNBEAUTY Project Extreme Cream, anti-aging, firming, lifting, all in one jar.

U Beauty The Mantle Skin Conditioning Wash, gentle vitamin C + E cleanser that melts off makeup.

U Beauty The Plasma Lip Compound, the treatment that plumps and conditions, I keep one in every bag.

U Beauty Resurfacing Compound Serum, the one everyone’s obsessed with, and for good reason.

Mighty Patch Original (Hero Cosmetics), the #1 pimple patch. Keep these stocked, always.

U Beauty The Smooth Dynamic Wrinkle Defense Serum, multi-peptide complex that does the heavy lifting.

Ultra Violette Supreme Screen SPF 50, the sunscreen-primer hybrid I never skip.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, a cult classic for a reason. Rarely on sale.

U Beauty Barrier Bioactive Face Mist, a midday spritz that actually does something.

U Beauty The Sculpt Neck + Décolleté Concentrate, the area we all forget. Don’t.

Jouer Luminize Dark Circle Correcting Eye Patches, 10 minutes and you look awake.

Osea Ocean Cleanser, mineral-rich, gentle, clean-beauty gel cleanser.

Makeup

Saie Glossybounce Lip Gloss, gloss-meets-lip-oil, non-sticky, so good.

Saie All-Over Powder Makeup Brush, worth it for the application alone.

Saie Slip Tint Tinted Moisturizer SPF 35, my everyday no-makeup makeup base.

Saie Glowy Super Gel, liquid highlighter for instant glass skin. The glow.

Jouer Soft Focus Brightening Powder, blurs everything, sets nothing into lines.

Nudestix Nudies Blush Stick, 3-in-1 cream blush for cheeks, on the go.

Saie Dew Liquid Blush, flushed-from-within color that lasts.

Saie Dew Bronze Liquid Bronzer Stick, sun-kissed in two swipes.

Etude Nymph Aura Volumer, that lit-from-within strobe everyone keeps asking about.

Hair

Slick Back Hair Brush & Wax Stick Set, for the sleek, no-flyaway ponytail.

Virtue Correct Overnight Scalp & Hair Elixir, works while you sleep, wake up to better hair.

Body

Osea Undaria Algae Body Oil, visibly firming and smells like a vacation.

Osea Anti-Aging Body Balm, the richest, most luxe body moisturizer.

Hanni Fragrance-Free Splash Salve Body Mask, for anyone with sensitive skin who still wants glow.

Beauty Tools

Shark CryoGlow LED Face Mask, at-home red-light + cooling. My nighttime wind-down.

Kitchen & Coffee

De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Espresso & Coffee Machine, auto milk frother, café drinks at home. A game-changer.

Ninja SLUSHi XL Smart Frozen Drink Maker, frozen drinks all summer, need I say more.

Sunglasses

This Prime Day is the moment to stock up on shades. Here are my favorites at every price:

Mosanana Oversized Retro Aviators, a little drama, in the best way.

Retro Oval Cat-Eye Sunnies, vintage-inspired and so flattering.

TYA Oversized Aviators, the classic that goes with everything.

PHIKTTU Retro Oval Cat-Eye (90s/Y2K), narrow, lightweight, UV protection.

Y2K Metal Wrap-Around Shades, trendy, lightweight, barely-there.

COLREA Retro Rectangle Sunglasses, the editorial-looking pair for pennies.

Y2K Wrap-Around Sport Sunglasses, the 90s revival pair everyone’s wearing.

That’s the roundup! Tell me what you’re grabbing or restocking. And if there’s a category you want me to deal-hunt next, let me know.

Happy shopping,

xx, Rivki

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I have to be honest with you. I walked into this episode, and into the 10-hour seminar I attended the day before recording it, with a cynical posture.

Not because I was resistant to David Ghiyam or his teachings. Quite the opposite. I’ve watched friends and people in my world be deeply moved by what he shares, and I wanted to understand why with the same rigor I bring to everything else I care about. But I’m an Orthodox Jewish woman, who was always raised that the integration of Kabbalah can onlyy be learnt once living at the highest vibration (that was always drilled into us!) and my values are non-negotiable. My heritage is not a starting point I’m looking to evolve beyond… it’s quite literally the foundation.

So the working title in my head going into this? The Pragmatism of Mysticism. I wanted to understand how Kabbalah fits with the Judaism I live, not as a replacement for it. What Is Kabbalah, Actually?

If you’ve ever been told that Kabbalah is reserved for the spiritually advanced, that you have to earn it, that you’re not holy enough for it: I get that. I’ve thought it too.

But David reframes it completely. He describes Kabbalah as the technology behind the laws we were given. The science behind the why. When someone told him to keep Shabbat because it “brings you closer to God,” it didn’t move him. When he learned the energetic mechanics of what actually happens when a woman lights Shabbat candles (what it does to her soul, to her vessel) suddenly he was all in.

This resonated so deeply for me because I’m a scientist about my fitness and I don’t just eat a certain way because someone told me to. I study it. I understand the biomechanics. And once I understand it, I’m motivated in a completely different way. Kabbalah, as David describes it, is being a scientist of your soul.

(This is risky because not everything we do spiritually or within Orthodox Judaism is easy to understand. But we’ll get there.)

The Two Forces, Simplified

Kabbalah, at its most basic: there are two forces. The light of the Creator: which is the energy of fulfillment: and the vessel, which is us, the souls of humanity. The whole game is learning how to expand your vessel to receive more light.

Everything (Shabbat, kosher, candles, how we speak to each other, how we handle our anger) is a tool to help expand that vessel. Not a moral scoreboard or a box to check, but technology to help you become more like the Creator so that more light can come in.

As David said: “It’s not what you’re doing. It’s always, is it reactive? Is it coming from a place of fear and lack?”

The Pause That Changes Everything

One of the things David shared that I keep coming back to: the only real free will we have is in moments of pain or lack.

When life is going smoothly, we’re essentially on a pre-written script, but the moment something hurts (a relationship that’s hard, a situation that makes us want to react) that is the moment we actually get to choose which destiny we’re moving toward. Each destiny above is better than the last, already written, waiting for us to elevate into it.

We can work on accessing each new destiny by getting good at the Pause.

When you feel reactive, when you want to grab for instant gratification, when you want to vent or spiral or give up: pause. In that pause, the ego quiets, and the soul takes over…and then, somehow, the light comes in and the situation shifts.

He started doing this at 15 as a kid making his first million; realizing that pausing before a trade and eliminating fear was producing better outcomes than reacting, so he applied it everywhere and the miracles kept coming.

On Mom Guilt (This One’s for Us) (Lifechanging)

I couldn’t not bring this up, because I know I’m not alone.

I’m a working mom with boundless ambition and daughters I want to show up for completely. And the tension between those two things lives in my chest most days. I asked David about it directly: what do you say to the woman who wants a career and to be fully present? Who feels like she’s always failing one or the other?

His answer stopped me:

“The greatest gift you can give your children is the environment of you acting like the Creator. Whether you’re in the room or not. If you’re in the room and you’re anxious, that’s hurting their soul. And if you’re sitting somewhere thousands of miles away with certainty...they’re being nourished.”

“It doesn’t matter what you do. Just stop doing it with guilt.”

Because here’s what I didn’t know: in Kabbalistic understanding, guilt is not accountability. Guilt is actually what solidifies the mistake. When the Israelites sinned with the golden calf, it wasn’t the act that brought darkness: it was the guilt that cemented it. Accountability looks like evaluating what happened, learning, and moving forward with certainty. Guilt looks like replaying, punishing yourself, staying stuck.

For the working moms, the ambitious women, the ones trying to hold it all... this is our permission slip to put it down- the effort, but the guilt.

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Kabbalah and Orthodox Judaism: Are They at Odds?

Short answer: no.

Longer answer: Moses brought four levels of wisdom down from Sinai. The deepest oral level (the Sod, the secret) is what became the Zohar, the foundation of Kabbalah: this was always part of the tradition, not separate from it.

What Kabbalah does is explain the why behind the practice. And when you understand the why, you’re not following rules out of obligation, you’re using tools with intention. (For example. There’s a profound difference between keeping Shabbat because your parents kept Shabbat, and keeping Shabbat because you understand what it’s doing energetically to your soul and your family.)

I told David about a beautiful thought a friend shared with me: the Hebrew word for Jewish law, halacha, has the same numerical value as kli, vessel. They are, perhaps, one and the same. You cannot have the vessel without the structure…you cannot have the structure without the vessel it’s meant to hold. By understanding, we integrate the structure and the vessel.

The Takeaway I’m Living With

At the end of every episode, I ask my guests: if someone’s only tuned in for the last 90 seconds, what do you want them to hear?

David said:

“Everything that is simple is of the light of the Creator. Everything that is complicated is of the negative side. Realize that there’s no good or bad: everything is elevating you. Every mistake is bringing you closer. And so there’s no reason to have guilt, because everything is helping.”

You never regret investing in your spirituality- find more from David at davidghiyam.com and follow @itshannaheve who is my genius bestie and his girlfriend!

And if you’re new here...welcome to Kale in My Teeth. We love each other here, and we take the work seriously.

xx,
Rivki

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xx,
Rivki

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Instead of sharing individual items, I wanted to put together a few mix-and-match outfit ideas using some of my favorite finds. Think interesting textures, playful pattern mixing, soft tailoring, and those pieces that instantly make an outfit feel more elevated.

Shop the Edit HERE.

Mix & Match Ideas

Complete the Look

I couldn’t leave Zara without checking the accessories section. These are the pieces that instantly elevate the outfits above, from woven bags and fisherman sandals to statement earrings and chic summer hats.

Shop the accessories edit HERE.

More like this?

I’d love to know if you enjoy these styling edits. Comment below and tell me where I should scour next.

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xo,
Rivki

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To listen: click here!

I think one of the biggest misconceptions about social media is that people assume creators make money simply because they have followers. The reality is more like this:

Followers are top-of-funnel, and trust is the real currency online.

At this point, you already know that the creators making the most money are not always the biggest creators- but they’re the creators whose audiences actually listen to them, trust them, and take action.

There’s a huge difference between a) being watched and b) being influential, and d I think the industry has shifted dramatically over the last few years because brands are realizing that too.

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HOW CREATORS ACTUALLY MAKE MONEY

Most people think creators make money from one sponsored Instagram post.

In reality, most successful creators have multiple revenue streams. Sooooo…Let’s get into it:

1.⁠ ⁠Sponsored Content

This is the obvious one:

• Instagram reels

• TikToks

• Stories

• YouTube integrations

• Podcast sponsorships

Brands pay creators for exposure, storytelling, and access to audience trust.

But the biggest shift now is that brands no longer only care about reach.

Now, they look at the holistic picture:

• conversions

• saves

• shares

• click-throughs

• purchases

• retention

A creator with 20k followers who converts well can outperform someone with 500k followers.

2.⁠ ⁠Affiliate Revenue

Affiliate changed the creator industry completely.

For the first time, creators could get paid based on actual performance. This is powerful because unless creators have long term brand campaigns, every month as an entrepreneur looks different. Now, the creator is back in the driver’s seat because as hard as they want to work creating linkable content, can directly translate into what they earn.

Platforms like:

• ShopMy

• LTK

• Amazon Storefront

• rewardStyle

allow creators to earn commission when followers purchase through their links.

This completely changed brand strategy because now:

• brands can track ROI

• creators can build recurring income

• performance matters more than vanity metrics

Some creators make more from affiliate than from sponsorships, especially creators whose audiences trust their recommendations deeply. Reiterating this: partnerships can be fickle (unless in long term agreements). Some months, there can be more than you can handle; and others, it’s quieter. Affiliate revenue takes the creator and puts them back in the lead.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ASPIRATIONAL CONTENT AND CONVERTING CONTENT

When it comes to content, brands will often have two goals: convert, or build brand awareness/brand worlds- a longer term play that doesn’t always convert immediately, but creates an understanding of who the brand client is, which is the future of marketing. People are buying into the lifestyle and the world of an object: who is the ultimate x customer? I want to look/behave like that, so I’ll buy the product.

Let’s break that down:

Some content exists to build aspiration, brand identity, and create emotion, while positioning taste

Other content exists to educate, answer objections, show usability, and above all- drive purchases.

A beautifully shot luxury hotel reel may not generate immediate sales, but it creates desire and brand association, whereas a casual “I use this every day” video converts. You need both. Creators appreciate when brands are clear about the campaign expectation as the content is vastly different for both.

GIFTING DOES NOT EQUAL CONTENT

Sending someone a gifted product is not the same thing as paying for a campaign- creators are businesses themselves, and although brands know there is no expectation of posting, if a creator gets gifting and doesn’t post about it, she loses the opportunity to build a relationship with the brand.

Or, if a creator posts but doesn’t “put their back into it” and the item doesn’t perform well, that can lower their conversion rate so other brands may not feel as motivated to send gifting going forward. It’s a whole thing.

Gifting is really an introduction, opportunity to build relationship, and awareness.

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CREATORS ARE BUILDING MEDIA BRANDS

The creators surviving long term are not acting only like influencers anymore: they’re building ecosystems.

For example:

• podcast

• newsletter

• affiliate platform

• community

• events

• long-form content

• partnerships

• product collaborations

For longevity, the question needs to become:

“How do I build an audience ecosystem that people trust across multiple touchpoints?”

That said, and this may sound counterintuitive, but you cannot create with the goal of monetizing. I built KIMT with the goal not being to earn, and that’s truly how it ends up happening and you establish a new revenue pillar. Be patient, but also- have other revenue streams while you’re in earning purgatory, because… let’s be practical here, too ;).

THE REALITY OF CREATOR LIFE PEOPLE DON’T SEE

@rivkirabinowitzKinda busy #ditl #nycinfluencer #beautyinfluencer #ditlvlog #fashiongirl

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People see trips, events, beautiful dinners, glam and cloutmaybe?

But behind the scenes it’s negotiations, contracts, a lot of no or unanswered emails/DMs, editing (!!!!!!), analytics, strategy, burnout, pitching, production, constant reinvention. It really sometimes does feel like a 24/6 job.

Creators today are production companies, marketers, editors, salespeople, talent, strategists all at once.

That said, the fun sides can be glamorous as they look- I’m not here to woe-is-me the industry. It is incredibly cool to build a business from a place of creativity, and that will never get old.

NETWORKING IS A MASSIVE PART OF THIS INDUSTRY

One thing I’ve learned is that relationships compound over time.

A dinner conversation today can become a brand deal, a podcast guest two years later. People underestimate how relationship-driven this industry is. The nature of the job is a lot less social than you would think (I spend most of my days at home on my computer doing emails, decks, scouring for links, or editing)- but imho, the networking side is an integral part of this machine. That tenacity to follow up and engage IRL is the engine here.

THE BIGGEST MISTAKE CREATORS MAKE

Chasing virality without building trust is a huge no-no.

You can go viral and still not have a sustainable business! Virality should not be the goal!

FINAL THOUGHT

Social media is no longer just “posting online.:” It’s media, marketing, storytelling, commerce, psychology, community; and the creators who understand that, and build intentionally are the ones building real businesses from it.

Have questions?
Leave them here or DM me!

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Xoxo
RR

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That said, there is a huge misconception that to be an influencer, you need to be okay with
1. Being public-facing
2. Sharing your life

I need to break that down.

1. Being Public Facing

Quite simply, in this industry, the more eyes on your page, the greater your success can be. This gets confusing when you’re actually a deeply private person, but someone who loves to share creativity. I don’t know if it’s my ego, but the idea that I can be perceived as someone who is comfortable with a New Age level of sharing does not sit well with me. Offline, true, I am likely just as capable of small talk or meeting new people, but for me to share my heart wholly in my relationships, we need be tier one of tier one of tier one. I do think you guys know me very well, because you know what excites me and what my goals and ideas are, but it’s uncomfortable for me that there’s an element of dishonour in this job: She is online, therefore she protects her inner sanctum less than I do.

It’s complicated.

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2. Sharing Your Life

I feel so deeply connected to you guys because of the fact that we share ideas together. But do you know: when my Architectural Digest article came out, I cried all day. I had such an internal conflict when they pitched us, because as an interior designer, this was the highest goal to reach; I just never expected for it to be of my home. It was confusing for me- because on the one hand, I was honoured to be asked to share the love we put in to this space; and on the other- a part of me felt like I’d abandoned myself.

This job, or maybe it’s aging, or maybe it’s self awareness, or maybe it’s all- but I have changed in so many ways. I don’t know if it’s because of the extreme energy output of this career, but my introversion has become so dominant. I want to be home, in sweats, with a book, or working.

I think when someone ostensibly builds their career online, people begin to treat them differently. This is not said in a self important way, but the reality remains as such: if someone already follows you, but they don’t want to acknowledge that (either they’re giving you space, or their own sense of importance doesn’t want to give credence to the fact that they know you, “I’m no fangirl!”). The result: you might be ignored in settings where you’d be happy to be included. How can someone act relaxed in a conversation if they’ve already known where you’ve been and don’t want to admit that?

On the flip side, if they do know you, decisions as to your IRL character/skin/outfit/parenting will be made based on that snap experience: I sat next to her while she was on a date and she was on her phone the whole time, etcetera.

Ironically, I often get told, “You’re always out and about!” This feels like it could not be farther from the truth: all I do is work, work out, and take care of my family. The glamorous side of being an influencer, as I’m sure you’ve been told, is not all that glamorous. 80% of the time, I’m just on my computer. Having said that, it would be irresponsible not to mention that when I am “out and about”, it usually is glamorous. My goal is to never get used to the doors that have opened for me through hard work: I always want to stay green and bright-eyed around it all.

@rivkirabinowitzLet’s go :) #publicspeaking #affiliatesystem #dayinthelife #influencertips #podcasthost @Jenni Kayne

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I’d love to take you guys behind the curtain of (1) how I built this, and (2) more insider information about the social media industry.

If this speaks to you, let me know! There is so much to cover!

Warmly,

RR

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I’ll leave you with these three recipes:

1. Healthy Protein Muffins:

Makes 12 regular-sized muffins.

• 1 cup oats

• 1 cup egg whites

• 2 ripe bananas

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 cup monk fruit sweetener (or sugar, or brown sugar, or coconut sugar)

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup nut butter

Preheat oven to 350. Blend oats into a fine flour. Mash bananas until smooth, then add egg whites, nut butter, and sweetener. Mix well (I did this in a Vitamix). Bake 18 or so minutes.

2. Not So Basic Red Cabbage Salad

• 1 bag red cabbage

• 1 avocado, diced

• 1-3 rib celery, sliced thinly as possible

• 1/4 cup parsley

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• Arugula micro greens, half in salad, half on top

• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

• 1/3 cup sliced almonds

Optional: scallion, sliced thinly
Optional: 1 small jalapeño, sliced thinly
Optional: 1/4 cup cilantro (I recommend this, but I know you guys feel strongly)

Dressing:

• Scant 1/4 cup oil

• ¼ cup rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

• 2 teaspoon honey

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce/tamari/coconut aminos

• Salt and pepper, to taste

3. Simple Arugula Salad (pairs well with fish)

• 4-6 cups arugula

• About 4 carrots, shaved into ribbons

• 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced

• 1/2 fennel, sliced as thin as possible

• 1/3 cup golden raisins

• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Maple mustard dressing:

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2 T maple syrup

• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

• ½ tsp Dijon mustard

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp pepper

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So before I recommend anything, here’s why I feel comfortable guiding you through this.

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How To Shop This Guide

A sale is not a reason to buy everything, but a chance to restock what you already love, or invest in products that solve a real problem for you.

Before you check out, ask yourself:

• Does this address something I actually need?

• Does it fit my lifestyle?

• Does this recommendation actually apply to me?

That’s how you build a routine that actually works!!!! Overconsumption happens by panic-buying the internet’s current obsession…!!!

PART ONE: SKINCARE

This is the category people get the most overwhelmed by, so I wanted to make it the clearest.

I’ve broken everything down by concern so you can understand what to buy, how to use it, and what actually makes sense together.

For Acne-Prone Skin

Acne is not just a teenage issue. Hormones, stress, and combination skin all play a role.

The goal here is to treat breakouts without stripping your skin.

Step 1: Cleanse
Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Gel Cleanser ($30)- Removes excess oil and buildup without leaving skin tight or dry.Massage into damp skin for about 60 seconds, then rinse with lukewarm water.

Step 2: Tone + Treat
Caudalie Vinopure Natural Salicylic Acid Pore Minimizing Serum ($52)
Apply after cleansing, ideally while skin is still slightly damp. Salicylic acid works inside the pore, which is why it’s so effective for congestion and breakouts.
Sunday Riley Peace Keeper Acne Treatment ($85) - spot treatment
Sunday Riley Breakout Breakup ($35) - Use 2–3 nights a week to keep congestion under control.
Tower 28 SOS Rescue Spray ($28) - For reactive, inflamed skin or barrier support.

Step 3: Moisturize
ILIA The Base Face Milk Lightweight Moisturizer ($58) Or Caudalie Vinoperfect Moisturizer

Weekly Treatment
Caudalie Pore Minimizing Instant Detox Mask ($42) - When skin feels congested or oily.
Caudalie Vinopure Acne-Prone Skin Routine Set ($49) - If you want a routine built out.

For Hyperpigmentation + Brightening

This is the category I understand most personally.

Olive skin holds onto marks. A breakout can leave behind a trace for months. If you deal with post-acne marks, dullness, or uneven tone, this is where I would focus.

The most important thing to know is that brightening takes consistency.

Step 1: Cleanse
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel ($72) - A gentle second cleanse, or a great standalone cleanser in the morning.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm ($72) - A beautiful first cleanse in the evening that melts off makeup and sunscreen without disrupting your barrier.

Step 2: Brighten + Correct
Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum ($82) - One of the most worthwhile products if dark spots are your focus.
InnBeauty Project Pro C Serum ($56) - Best in the morning to brighten and support skin daily.

Step 3: Moisturize
U Beauty The Super Hydrator Moisturizer ($48) supports the barrier while using actives.

Eye Area:
ILIA Bright Start Retinol Alternative Brightening Eye Cream ($46) - A gentle evening eye product for dark circles and puffiness.
InnBeauty Project Extreme Cream Eye Firming ($52) - A strong morning option when you want the under-eye area to look brighter and smoother under makeup.

Set Option:
Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Set for Dark Spots ($82) - A smart choice if pigmentation is your main concern and you want to try more of the system together.

Tools
Shark Cryoglow- Breakouts, dark marks, and loss of firmness.

For Anti-Aging + Fine Lines

This is my primary skincare focus right now.

The goal is skin that looks healthy, smooth, and alive.

Step 1: Cleanse
U Beauty The Mantle Cleansing Balm ($78) - A more nourishing cleanse for drier or sensitive skin.

Step 2: Treat
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair ($98) - A classic for a reason. A foundational repair serum. Use consistently at night.
Caudalie Resveratrol-Lift Instant Firming Serum ($84) - A beautiful daytime option for firmness and smoothness.
U Beauty Resurfacing Compound Serum ($88) - One of the best multitaskers. Brightens, smooths, and refines.
Additional options:
U beauty wrinkle repair
Dermalogica Phyto Nature E2 Exosome ($158)
Caudalie Premier Cru Serum - This line from Caudalie is a game-changer.

Step 3: Moisturize
La Mer The Rejuvenating Night Cream - A richer evening option when you want your skin to wake up looking rested and replenished. or U beauty super hydrator
U Beauty The Sculpt Neck + Décolleté Concentrate Cream ($138) - A reminder that your skincare should not stop at your jawline.
Morning: Caudalie Premier Cru Cream
Night: Caudalie Premier Cru Rich Cream

Eye Area
La Mer The Rejuvenating Eye Cream ($245) - For fine lines, crepiness, and firmness around the eye area.
U Beauty The Return Eye Concentrate ($148) - A lighter, serum-style eye treatment that works beautifully in the morning.
Caudalie Premier Cru Eye

Face Oil
U Beauty The Super Intensive Face Oil ($188) - A few drops at night over moisturizer

For Texture + Smoothing

Texture is roughness, unevenness, and makeup that doesn’t sit well.

The fix is gentle exfoliation, consistency, and hydration.

Exfoliate
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant ($20) - A classic. Gentle, effective, and one of the easiest ways to keep skin smooth without overcomplicating things.

Treat
U Beauty Resurfacing Compound Serum ($88) - This earns its place here too. It’s one of the strongest multitaskers in the lineup.

Moisturize
U Beauty The Super Hydrator Moisturizer ($48) - Hydration helps texture more than people realize.
ILIA The Base Face Milk ($58) - A lightweight option that sits beautifully under makeup.

What Not To Layer All At Once

A quick rule: you do not need to use every active in one night. More is not better.

Be careful combining:

• exfoliating treatments with tretinoin

• Multiple acne actives in the same routine

• resurfacing products on already irritated skin

When in doubt, alternate. Skin responds much better to consistency than chaos.

A simple rule if you use tretinoin: keep the rest of your routine calmer than you think it needs to be.

PART TWO: MAKEUP

My makeup philosophy is simple: skin should look like skin, just better.

Even with breakouts, I prefer less coverage over heavy makeup

PART THREE: HAIR

My hair is coarse, wavy, and dry-prone, so this section is for anyone dealing with the same.

Step 1: Pre-Wash or Overnight Scalp Treatment

1. Briogeo Scalp Revival Rosemary Pre-Wash Oil ($32) - Massage into the scalp before washing.

2. Kérastase Genesis Strengthening Scalp + Hair Serum ($64) - Use a few times a week when breakage is the issue.

Step 2: Deep Condition

3. Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask ($39) - Your weekly reset.

Step 3: Leave-In on Wet Hair

4. Crown Affair The Leave-In Conditioner ($48)

5. Briogeo Farewell Frizz Rosarco Milk Leave-In Conditioner ($25)

   Choose one, or layer both if your hair is extra dry.

Step 4: Serum + Repair

6. Virtue Damage Reverse Serum ($60) - For damaged mid-lengths and ends.

7. Virtue Overnight Scalp and Hair Elixir ($60)

Step 5: Styling

8. Crown Affair The Smoothing Air Dry Cream ($38) - For air-drying without the frizz.

9. Virtue Healing Oil ($26) - The final polish.

Step 6: Tools

10. Dyson Airwrap Co-anda 2x ($750) - The splurge.

11. SharkBeauty SpeedStyle Pro FLEX ($150) - A very good less-expensive option.

12. Crown Affair The Towel ($59)

13. Slip Queen Pillowcase ($120)

14. Crown Affair The Scrunchie No. 001 3-Pack ($24)

These are the kinds of details that actually improve hair over time.

PART FOUR: FRAGRANCE

I’m extremely sensitive to fragrance, so this category is very edited.

I don’t like anything too powdery, too floral, or too loud. I want something clean, warm, slightly androgynous, and easy to live in.

These are the kinds of scents that feel like an extension of you, not an announcement.

Discovery sets are especially worth it if you’re still figuring out your scent profile.

My Personal Top 10 From The Sephora Sale

If you don’t want to overthink it, these are the ones I come back to and would repurchase

One Last Thing

Beauty is an investment, and skincare takes patience.

You won’t use a product for a few days and wake up transformed. The real difference comes from consistency and not overwhelming your skin.

All links are on my ShopMy. Comment SEPHORA SALE, and I’ll send them to you.

Take care of your skin. Trust the process.

Leave a comment

With love,
Rivki
The Rivki Report

These JC sunglasses are such a vibe. The shape is a little unexpected but still super wearable, and the blue tint just makes everything feel cooler.

This eyelash serum has been one of those quiet staples. If you’re trying to grow your lashes without overcomplicating your routine, this one is easy to stick to.

These eye mask prisms are perfect when you want to look a little more alive fast. I feel like they actually make a difference before events or even just a long day.

This knitted top is one of those elevated basics. It’s fitted in a really flattering way and works with literally everything.

This dress is so good. The texture makes it feel special but still wearable, like something you can dress up or down depending on the day.

This scalp serum is one of those under-the-radar products that actually helps if you’re trying to focus on hair health and growth.

This cashmere v-neck is that easy throw-on piece that still looks polished. The kind you end up reaching for constantly.

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Dr. Diamond’s Metacine Instafacial Plasma growth factor serum is an all-time favorite. Usually shared as part of the trio, but if you want to try just one, this is a really good place to start.

These kitten heels are so chic and practical at the same time. Perfect height where you can actually walk in them all day.

These sunglasses are more of a statement moment. A little warmer, a little bolder. Also, you can use code RIVKI15 on these.

This silk scarf is such a fun way to add something extra to an outfit without trying too hard. Hair, bag, neck- everything works.

These necklaces from the Hannah B x Katie Sands collection are just happy pieces:
The Turquoise and Red Jasper Necklace is such a fun pop of color if you want something a little bolder. The Vibrant Pastel Fish Necklace is more playful and beachy, perfect for spring outfits. And the Seaside Shell Gemstone Necklace is a little softer and easy to layer with everything.

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xo,
RR

This vitamin C serum has been so good for brightness lately. It’s one of those formulas that actually makes skin look more awake and refreshed.

This black liner is one of my go-tos. Super precise and actually stays put, which is all I want in a liner.

A Chocolate brown pair of pajamas that feel elevated but still cozy. I love a matching set that feels a little chic even when you’re just at home.

These Gucci Sunglasses are so good. Slightly bold but still classic, which is my favorite combination for sunglasses.

The Tula Rich Rinse Cream Cleanser is such a nice gentle reset at the end of the day. It’s creamy but still gives that clean feeling. Use code RIVKI30.

This Cotton Cashmere Fitted Ribbed Cardigan is such a good layering piece. Soft, fitted, and perfect with skirts or denim.

Obsessed with this Zebra Calf Hair Belt. It’s the easiest way to add something interesting to a simple outfit.

The H&M Blouson Jacket is such a good everyday throw-on piece. Easy, relaxed, and works with almost everything.

Jouer Prêt-à-Porter Eyeshadow Palette is a really easy everyday palette with a great mix of matte and shimmer shades. Use code RIVKI20.

The matching Jouer Prêt-à-Porter Blush & Bronzer Palette gives such a soft, natural glow. Perfect for quick everyday makeup. Use code RIVKI20.

Still loving this Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System for easy at-home blowouts. It makes styling so much faster.

This brown leather jacket is such a forever piece. Classic, effortless, and goes with everything. Use code RIVKI15.

xo,
RR

The Overnight Scalp & Hair Elixir- This is officially its third week here lol. At this point, it’s not a feature; it’s part of my routine. I love waking up with softer, healthier-feeling hair without adding another complicated step. It just works. Use code RIVKI20 🤍

This Double-Breasted Cropped Blazer- This is so good! Structured but still feminine. The cropped cut keeps it feeling fresh instead of corporate. I would wear this over a slip dress, with a long skirt, or just denim and a kitten heel. It instantly elevates everything.

The Albertine Anniversary Top- its soft peach shade is what got me. Romantic, delicate, slightly vintage-inspired but still very wearable.

The Elowen Anniversary Skirt- With the Albertine top, it’s a dream set, but I also love it styled separately with a simple knit or crisp white blouse. The movement and color feel very main character in spring.

This 1960s Beaded Satin Pillbox Hat- You already know I have a soft spot for a pillbox. This one is such a good one: the beading, the shape, the way it feels collected rather than just purchased. I love pieces that tell a story.

This Airy Setting Spray + Smoothing Mist- I love makeup that still looks like skin. This sets everything without heaviness and gives that soft, slightly blurred finish that makes everything look smoother but natural.

This Peptide Lip Shape Contouring Lip Shaper- The easiest way to look polished in two seconds. It subtly defines without looking harsh and works perfectly with gloss or balm.

This Brooke Studs- Still here. Still obsessed. They have that subtle vintage feel I always gravitate toward. Easy for everyday but still feel special.

Tacit Eau de Parfum- Fresh but not basic. Citrus and green notes with depth. Clean, refined, and lingers in the best way.

The Augusta Console Table- One of those pieces that instantly makes a space feel styled. The shape and tone feel elevated but warm. Timeless without being boring.Overnight Scalp & Hair Elixir

XO,
Rivki

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1. This Kari Knitted Jumper is cozy, flattering, and easy to wear on repeat. A dependable go-to that always feels right.

2. These studs have that subtle vintage feel I always gravitate toward. Easy enough for everyday, but still feels special.

3. This Overnight Scalp & Hair Elixir is one I love waking up to. Softer, healthier-feeling hair with almost no effort.

4. This Rollneck Cable-Knit Sweater has been on repeat lately. It feels classic and perfect for layering.

5. This Cashmere Boyfriend Sweater is back again. Still one of my most worn pieces. Soft, slouchy, and the easiest throw-on that always works.

6. This Fairfax Skirt in Studded Faux Leather is cool but still wearable.

7. This LOULOU Necklace is delicate but still makes a statement. Beautiful layered or worn on its own. Use code RIVKI15.

8. This Pro-Collagen Balm Home & Away Set is such a good value if you already love this balm or have been curious to try it. Even better, it’s currently on sale.

9. These DUO Chocolate Bites are a little energy boost during the day or a wind-down moment at night. It feels like a small ritual I actually enjoy.

10. This Porter Vanity Case is practical and chic. Perfect for travel or keeping everyday essentials organized in a way that still looks good.

11. This Double-Breasted Crewneck Blazer in Herringbone instantly elevates everything. The structure feels strong but still wearable and pulls an outfit together without trying too hard.

12. This Sheepscape Hoodie is cozy but still feels elevated. Perfect for days when comfort is the priority, but you still want to feel put together.

13. This Belted Sheath Dress is polished and flattering. One of those dresses that works for work, events, or anything where you want to look put together without overthinking it.
    
    xo,
    Rivki

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Kari knitted jumper that’s cozy, flattering, and easy to wear on repeat. One of those pieces that just works with everything and never feels fussy.

Panthella 160 portable lamp has such a beautiful, thoughtful design. Love that it comes in so many colour options and instantly warms up a space.

This rollneck sweater in stripe is a great classic layering piece. Timeless, easy, and perfect for adding a little interest without trying too hard.

This pajama set is soft, comfortable, and so pretty. The kind you genuinely look forward to changing into at the end of the day.

The INNBEAUTY PROJECT Extreme Cream moisturizer is making another appearance this week. Still loving how firm and hydrated my skin feels when this stays in my routine.

These Brooke studs have a subtle vintage feel. Easy enough for everyday, but still feel special and polished.

This Black leather crossbody bag with passementerie detail balances structure and fluidity beautifully. The sculptural silhouette and tonal passementerie circle make it feel elevated without being loud.

This waisted denim blazer continues to be a go-to. The fit is so flattering, and it instantly makes even simple outfits feel styled.

This soft top handle bag feels timeless and chic. A great everyday structured bag. Use code RIVKI12.

The ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Balm Home & Away set is such a good value right now. Even better, it’s currently on sale!

This wool sweater with a removable fur cuff feels cozy but elevated. Love that the cuffs are removable, so it works dressed up or more casually. Use code RIVKI15.

xo,
Rivki

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CADAR Jewelry is rooted in movement and intentionality- so it was easy for Joyce and I to imagine a night that brought together women we admire in fashion and the arts in an environment that felt meaningful and unforced.

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