The holidays have always been rife with nostalgia, but after a year as stressful the last, this particular turn of the season calls for more. The signs of burn-out are rampant this year—as one viral meme put it, “2025 feels like being awake during surgery.” The sentiment is reflected across all corners of society, from the supernatural to the scientific. So while the year’s end is traditionally punctuated by efforts to rest and regroup, you are not alone in feeling the need for something akin to an intervention.
The American Psychological Association dubbed it a “crisis of connection,” and celebrity tarot reader, psychic medium and professional witch Sarah Potter points out that even the cosmos are a’storm with astrological turmoil. “We are going through a collective transformation [with] a strong theme of restructuring from the inside out,” she says on the phone of the retrograde-heavy state of our skies.
This holiday season, she insists, is one to prioritize rest and renewal. “It makes perfect sense that people are craving comfort, softness, grounding and renewal as we move into the holidays.”
If it feels like chronic stress has run you ragged this year, it is not just in your head: what begins as a persistent worry translates into a biochemical trigger corresponding to an activated, stressed-out state in the body. When the body’s inner-alarm has been blaring nonstop, the effect snowballs: you might begin to feel wired-but-tired, or emotionally on-edge in a way that impacts your mood. Meanwhile the body becomes more susceptible to colds and struggles to fight off infections.
Hopefully the holidays will offer you some moments of pause, when you can make time to invoke the relaxation response. Brief moments when the mind feels calm, and the body’s “rest and digest” takes over, actually allow for detox and repair to take place, with far-reaching effects on your wellness. It might look like clipping on a calming Nuropod device for vagal tone while you sit on the couch, lounging atop a warming Heat Healer PEMF Mat, or making time for a session of yin yoga, breathwork or meditation. Beauty-lovers can do so by zoning-in on their sensory skincare rituals, or zoning-out beneath a red light therapy mask.
Of course, the holidays have also long been associated with the kitchen. Seasonal nostalgia teems with memories of the season’s best flavor profiles—maple, apple pie, roasted chestnuts, cinnamon or pumpkin spice. Coincidentally, the kitchen is also one of functional medicine’s most-emphasized domains for prioritizing the impact of nutrition on health. The holistic notion of food-as-medicine has also impacted the beauty sphere; hence, the skin- and hair-targeting supplements that have made their way into your pantries, from dermatologist-created teas to collagen supplements.
So, as 2025 becomes 2026, the moment is ideal for cooking up recipes for rest, renewal and beauty, this holiday season. (By the way, science substantiates the merits of beauty sleep, so you can feel justified in taking a post-snack siesta afterwards.) Below, peruse a few seasonally-inspired recipes to snack your way to beautiful new beginnings in 2026.
Biomecult: A Maple Vanilla Smoothie Plus Prebiotic Fiber
Hippocrates supposed all disease begins in the gut—the state of which certainly shows up on the skin. A growing body of research documents both the gut-skin correlation and the preeminence of the microbes that inhabit them. This is why the integrative esthetician Jenn Mills, impacted by the microbiome’s transformational role in the clarity and health of her client’s skin, dreamt up the Biomecult Prebiotic Fiber, $69.
The tasty blend of Chicory Root-derived inulin, organic flaxseed powder, organic psyllium husk and cacao can be easily added to smoothies, batters, or even store-bought banana bread mix. (Hint: the Gonanas Fudge Brownie Banana Bread mix is a personal, gluten-free favorite.) Rumor has it that it does much more than help with “regularity,” and her colleagues, like the esteemed celebrity facialist Candace Marino of The LA Facialist, have already embraced it. Biomecult even sparked a collaboration with the Denver, Colorado-based REV Skin & Wellness studio and Green Collective Eatery to create the skin- and gut-loving smoothie below.
- 1/2 cup cauliflower rice
- 1/2 cup banana
- 1/2 scoop bone broth powder
- 1 scoop Biomecult powder
- 1 cup almond-cashew milk
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 date
- Optional: line cup with probiotic coconut yogurt
Par Olive: Apple Pie Collagen Oatmeal
Collagen is a buzz-word in beauty for being one of the structural proteins in the skin, responsible for fending off wrinkles and creasing. But the popularity of collagen peptides as beauty supplements comes down to the ingredient’s gut-supportive effects. As triple board-certified gastroenterologist Nina Nandy, MD, FACG, confirms, this study shows that collagen supplements reduced gut inflammation and resolved mild digestive symptoms in women.
There are many theories as to why this might translate to the skin—like that it fortifies the epithelial lining of the intestines and mitigates inflammation from “leaky gut.” But the fact is, collagen powders remain a top supplement among beauty-lovers, and just in time for the holidays, Australia’s top ingestible beauty brand Par Olive dropped a Limited-Edition Maple & Cinnamon Pearl Marine Collagen Superpowder, $89. Their collagen peptides come from the skin of wild cod, and the formula includes vitamin C-rich Kakadu plum and sustainable freshwater pearl powder for its mineral nutrients. To get the most of the holiday flavors, whip up some of their oatmeal recipe below.
- 1/2 cup organic oats
- 1/2 apple, finely diced
- 1 cup whole milk (or plant-based alternative)
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 tsp Par Olive Marine Collagen Superpowder in Limited Edition Maple & Cinnamon
- 2 tbsp dried mulberries
- 2 tbsp walnuts
- 1 tbsp Skyr or plant-based alternative
Combine the oats, liquids and apple in a small saucepan and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the oats and apple absorb the moisture. Then, add the collagen powder and stir thoroughly to combine. Spoon the combination into a bowl and add the yogurt and toppings (with an optional drizzle of maple syrup) to your liking.
Anima Mundi Herbals: Gingerbread Latte
A steaming mug of coffee is a non-negotiable in countless morning routines, and one single scoop of this herbalist-created tonic can elevate it into a ritual for improved mood and cognition. The herbalist founder of Anima Mundi Herbals selected the herbs and ingredients that make up the Happiness Tonic Powder, $35, specifically for better moods.
Adaptogens like Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Mucuna and Maca support feelings of calm, focus, balance and sustained mental energy. Other selections like dandelion root touch on detoxification, while chicory root serves as a prebiotic fiber and burdock root supports healthy blood sugar levels and inflammatory responses. Each ingredient was expertly selected for its supportive properties, while also creating the type of slightly bitter, coffee-like flavor that makes for an ideal gingerbread latte dupe.
- 1 1/2 cups plant-based milk
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp vanilla powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder (up to 1 if you prefer it spicy)
- 1 tsp Anima Mundi Happiness Powder
Begin by warming the milk as you prepare the other ingredients. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat, stirring in the dry ingredients. Garnish the drink with options such as chocolate shavings, coconut whipped cream, a cinnamon stick or a dash of cinnamon powder.
TBoyChic Living: Immunity Tea
When the weather turns colder and flu season peaks, everyone wants to avoid getting sick. Even if you do catch a cold, simple steps to help fortify the immune system can come right from your teacup. Allie Rose, a longtime branding and consultancy maven, and the founder of TBoyChic, has always been passionate about the functional benefits found in nutrition. This is the exact cup of immune-boosting tea that she brews up for her family once the weather turns chilly and colds begin circulating.
Opt for a form of superfood honey, like the propolis-, royal jelly and bee pollen-infused, medicinal blend by Beekeeper’s Naturals Superfood Honey, $39.99, to get the most out of its antibacterial benefits and to soothe scratchy throats in the process.
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 3-4 whole cloves
- 3-4 black peppercorns
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 2 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1/2 – 1 tsp turmeric (freshly grated or ground)
- optional: 1 tsp loose black tea or 1 black tea bag
- 1-2 tsp honey, to taste
- fresh lemon, to taste
- fresh mint leaves (optional)
Bring your water to a boil and add the ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and turmeric. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for 10-12 minutes for optimal spice. If using tea, add it in the final 1-2 minutes of simmering, then remove it from the heat. Strain the liquid into mugs. Once it has cooled slightly, stir in the honey and squeeze in lemon to taste. Add mint if desired.
Agent Nateur: Sleepy Girl Mocktail
The integrative physician Kelly McCann, MD, once shared that close to 75% of the population is naturally deficient in Magnesium. It is responsible for hundreds of biological processes that range from blood pressure regulation to muscle and nerve function. But what it is best known for these days is how it can improve your sleep.
Better sleep is just the tip of the iceberg of what Agent Nateur calm (beauty), $84 for 24, supplement aims to offer. The incorporation of spermidine supports the hair, even impacting pigmentation. Organic tart cherry, taurine, glycine, GABA, tryptophan and 5-HTP further support calm and longevity in each serving of the liquid sachet. If you happen to be a fan of fizzy beverages, the recipe below will allow you to sip more nutritiously.
- 1 sachet of Agent Nateur calm (beauty)
- sparkling water
- optional: tart cherry juice
- optional: ice
Little Saints: Sober Toddy
There is a reason that the warming Hot Toddy has been referred to as an “emotional support cocktail,” with all of its cold-fighting lore to boot. Yet as Potter’s recent publication of Sober Magic, $18.99, reveals, there is a growing movement of the “sober curious” that are shifting away from drinking traditional spirits. In their place, a variety of adaptogen-infused, non-alcoholic alternatives have taken their place in the market.
Little Saints St. Oak, $42.49, is a non-alcoholic whiskey alternative that hints at rye but serves up a trifecta of functional ingredients—Lion’s Mane and Reishi mushrooms, plus Damiana—along with its woodsy, spice and vanilla-spiked flavors. When you combine it with the “medicinal” properties of the wintry beverage, you get a throat- and sinus-relieving concoction to boot. Traditionalists like to keep the recipe simple, but kitchen witches like to infuse the recipe with echinacea and chamomile teas for extra herbal boosts.
- 2 oz Little Saints St. Oak non-alcoholic whiskey alternative
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1-2 cups boiling water
- optional: cinnamon stick to garnish
- optional: 1 star anise pod to garnish
- optional: 3-4 cloves for garnish
Vita Coco: Erewhon x Erykah Badu Mama’s Bang Bang Smoothie
Dermatologic nurse practitioner Amaju Amoruwa emphasizes the importance of hydration once the weather turns cooler. She explains how dry air, indoor heaters, stress and even less vitamin D, can all impact the skin’s lipid barrier function, trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and inflammation. All this to say that the time is ripe to sip on a naturally electrolyte-rich beverage like coconut water, found in Erewhon’s most recent celebrity smoothie collaboration with the singer Erykah Badu.
Besides the Vita Coco Organic Coconut Water base, Amoruwa identifies seasonal health benefits associated with the smoothie’s recipe: the adaptogen ashwagandha reduces stress, spirulina and chlorella support the liver and detoxification and vitamin C-rich berries support immunity. Mushrooms like Lion’s Mane and Turkey Tail support the brain, gut and immune system, while containing beta glucans—a polysaccharide known to be more water-retaining than hyaluronic acid.
- MALK Organic Coconut Milk
- Vita Coco Organic Coconut Water
- Herb Pharm Ashwagandha
- Organic Lion’s Mane
- Organic Turkey Tail
- Organic Orange Juice
- Organic Spirulina
- Organic Chlorella
- Organic Dates
- Organic Hemp Seeds
- Organic Goji Berry
- Organic Coconut Cream
- Organic Freeze-Dried Strawberries