By Womaness Editors 4-Minute Read
Since she was 16, Kym Douglas has worked in entertainment—and her accomplishments are an homage to working hard and loving what you do. Using her Second City improv chops and professional training to engage audiences, the lifestyle expert has been featured on a slew of programs, from Hallmark’s Home & Family to a regular segment on The Ellen Degeneres Show. She’s also authored six books and contributed to national magazines with her unique blend of wit, warmth, and wisdom. Everywhere she goes, she shares her passion for all things beauty and wellness, from the latest cult products to DIY recipes to celebrity secrets.
Kym’s your go-to source for looking and feeling your best in Tinseltown (and beyond). But she’s also a major inspiration: When faced with a breast cancer diagnosis in 2018, she leaned on family and faith to overcome the disease, becoming a source of strength and hope for women going through their own battles. Read on to discover how the vivacious woman dubbed a “cross between Goldie Hawn and Lucille Ball” embodies everything menopositivity, every day.
First thing I do each morning
“This is the wrong answer and I don't suggest anyone else do so, but I check my phone (I know, I know) to see if my 23-year-old son Hunter called or texted, or if my mother, who is in assisted living and is 92, needs me. It's part of what I call being in the ‘Sandwich Generation.’ I have an adult child who still needs me at times and an aging parent who needs me a lot, so I must be ready to run at a moment's notice for either of them. It's important to me to be connected to my family at all times.”
Three things I always keep on/in my nightstand
“A cooling spray to cool me down when night sweats hit—and they always do at 3:00AM—a big Yeti cup of ice water with mint and lemon that stays cold all night (I am an ice addict), and my Bible.”
“Just figure out what will make YOU happy and trust it a lot more. Don’t ask others for advice who don’t have a clue what they are doing. You’re doing great!”
My go-to beauty hack or wellness ritual
“Gosh, are you talking to me? I have literally six books filled with my beauty hacks. So you want just one? I would say facial oil after the age of 30. It’s helped my skin stay taut and moisturized and supple. Then, of course, a laundry list of creams, lotions, homemade options, under-eye creams, Let’s Neck serum, rose water, toner, hyaluronic acid, and on and on. My wellness ritual is a daily cup of matcha green tea. I make sure it is triple-screened for toxins. My favorite brand is Pique Tea.”
My inner age (the age I really feel) and why
“I would say 35. I didn’t have my son Hunter, ’til I was 37 and he has only just moved out. I am in what they call the ‘empty nest’ stage of my life. For me it's like being back at the place before I had kids. I have a bit more time. I can do what I want to do. I don't have to make big dinners any more for my athletic son and his six huge friends that drop in without notice. (Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of that time.) I can stay up really late watching streaming shows like Real Housewives or White Lotus! Woohoo!”
Advice I would give to my younger self
“Ooh Kym honey, you need to stop trying to be so perfect. Here’s the thing: Nobody really cares. Nobody is thinking about you as much as you think they are thinking. So give yourself a break. Listen, Kym: You got it, you really do. We all do. We just have to believe it and focus on what we really want. It’s all going to work out and you can go ahead and stop trying to prove yourself to those kids from high school that didn’t see your talents or worth. So what? You don't have to prove them wrong anymore. Start living our OWN life! Don’t live to please your mom or dad anymore; they are fine. They love you whatever path you take. Just figure out what will make YOU happy and trust in it a lot more. Don’t ask others for advice who don’t have a clue what they are doing. You’re doing great!”
“After 40 or 50, we are really just getting started, so you better watch out!”
We don’t believe in “The Pause.” Tell us, what are you not pausing on?
“I come from the Midwest with a carpenter father and homemaker mother from Scotland who came here with zero connections and even less money, so I have a very strong work ethic. It’s one of my greatest gifts from my parents and has served me well. I love working. I love having a purpose, a common goal with others working towards making something great. I have worked in TV since I was 16 years old and never plan on stopping. I don’t believe in pausing. I only believe in ‘pivoting’ and I am doing that right now.”
Word that best describes your Womaness
“I feel it's ‘agelessness’. We have been so programmed by society and media that women after childbearing years are really not of much value anymore. Put out to pasture. You lost your sex appeal, you married, raised your children, worked your job, kept your house clean, entertained your friends, threw your holiday parties, and helped take care of your parents but now you’re DONE. Well...umm...no, that’s actually not the case. Women like Jane Fonda, Helen Mirren, Demi Moore, Jennifer Aniston, J. Lo, and Kris Jenner are showing everyone that after 40 or 50, we are really just getting started, so you better watch out!”
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