It's not everyday you talk expensive haircuts and the best deep tissue massage spots with the type of woman who turns a terrifying diagnosis into an opportunity to educate—and a business model.
But that's exactly what went down when we found ourselves at Dawn Russell's West Village apartment, just before Valentine's Day. After being diagnosed with stage 3 cancer in her mid-20's, Russell went on to dive deep into nutrition as medicine. Fast forward some 15 years of research later, and she's the founder of 8G, a game-changing supplemental tablet made up of packs-a-nutritional-punch greens (you guessed it—eight of 'em) that will make you feel a whole lot better about opting for a sandwich over a salad for lunch.
With her career (and, uh, life) trajectory in mind, it makes sense that Russell was just the type to put in the penultimate word on treating yourself from the inside out. Here, she breaks down exactly what it means to her—from acupuncture and cupping, to splurging on flying with flat lay beds to pancakes in bed at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills.
On how she defines 'treat yo' self':
"Massages, acupuncture and cupping are crucial for maintaining my life pace at the moment; launching a company, having two little boys and being a wife.
I spend a ridiculous amount on a haircut twice a year, but then I can literally wash my hair and air dry, always. Finally, I treat myself everyday to some kind of sweet. I have a huge sweet tooth, but then balance it all with 8G. Once a year, I go away by myself for a few days to recharge my body... or race car driving school to recharge my soul! Finally, I spend most of my time with my family. It feels like a treat, so I have to include it."
On the last way she splashed out to show herself some love:
"I'm answering these questions while on a TransAtlantic on a full-flat sleeping bed. No matter how long it has been since taking a ride on the plane, I am always very grateful for it."
On her ideal shopping spree:
"Having to never do anything—it would all magically appear in my closet!"
On how healthy habits double as self-care:
"A good sweat is critical for cleaning out my body and mind. It is essential for my body to work, given my medical history."
On the junk food she can never say 'no' to:
"Anything sweet, any and all the time."
On her dream indulgent day:
"Breakfast in bed with my husband and two boys, preferably spelt pancakes from the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills... or pain au chocolat croissants from our favorite bakery in Paris! Swimming; a deep, deep tissue massage; a good sweat from Ashtanga yoga or my trainer. A good book; fun time with my boys, husband and husband's godfather, Chuckster; a really good laugh with a girlfriend; 20 minutes of snuggle and movie time with my boys after their bath when they smell like heaven. Finish it all with dinner at Osteria Basilica with my husband by candlelight, and asleep in our bed. I know it requires being in several countries in just one day, but you asked me to dream!"