Jenelle Manzi's Empties
"It’s become a nightly post-performance routine of mine to Instacart ice and plunge."
🌀 Welcome to Empties! 🌀 This is a new series where we go deep on three healthy and healthy-ish things cool people are using to the last metaphorical drop. These can be legit, science-backed healthful or simply health-adjacent, as long as they don’t impact their wellbeing in a negative, unhealthy, or toxic way.
Today, we’ve got Jenelle Manzi, a professional ballerina (!) with New York City Ballet and the founder of Get Golden. The latter just released Sunrise Spread, which is a nut butter that only uses stone-ground nuts, chia seeds, and a sprinkle of salt. Nourishing! I want to drizzle some over my oatmeal with honey and bananas. But that’s just me.
Jenelle says she likes to use the spread to make filled chocolate cups topped with Maldon salt. She also added that they’re working on another new product launching in the spring.
Jenelle thinks it’s 😎 cool 😎 that there’s no single “right” approach to wellness. “It is truly about getting to know yourself, what makes you feel good, and listening to that and doing more of it. My wellness routine is so important for me as a professional athlete and full-time business owner, but I don’t believe that my routine can (or should!) be the end all be all for everyone. My personal ethos is all about balance.”
On the other hand, Jenelle thinks wellness can get 👿 insidious 👿 when it’s equated with exclusivity. “There is so much pressure to have a specific skincare routine and all the new products on deck. Don’t get me wrong, I love my skincare routine as much as the next person, but wellness is also lighting my favorite candle, soaking my feet in an ice bath to calm inflammation, and watching The Huberman Lab on YouTube. It’s also making time to not have a routine at all, whether that means picking up my favorite butter at a shop I like or having a long indulgent night out with friends.”
Let’s take a look at three of Jenelle’s favorite items she uses to the last drop:
PureLift Face
💞 Healthy or healthy-ish?
Healthy!
⏰ At what point in the day do you use this?
I use this in the morning to wake up my face while I check emails 3-5 times a week.
🤔 Let’s get introspective for a moment. Why do you think, deep down, this serves you? Or is it not that deep?
Depends if you consider hot perky bouncy skin “deep.” Ha. For me, I love feeling refreshed with bouncy, energized-looking skin because it makes me feel good. I believe when you feel good about yourself, you operate differently.
☎️ You have the product designers on the phone. They said they can grant you one wish: You get to make one change or adjustment to the product to make it even more indispensable. What is your wish?
I suppose it’s worth the price tag, if I don’t have anything to change about it. It’s a fantastic product.
⏳ Is this something you can see yourself still using in 10 years, or will it have run its course/be obsolete?
Absolutely! Just like we work out our bodies, it’s important to also exercise the muscle of the face to keep you feeling your best.
👽 Aliens from another planet just arrived on Earth. They’ve never heard of this product. How would you describe it to them in just one sentence:
If you glide this over the muscles on your face, you will have chiseled, bouncy cheekbones and awakened-looking eyes. I’m pretty sure they would tell me to shut up. But hey, I love a beauty gadget that works!
💬 In one word, describe how this product makes you feel:
Glowy!!!
You can shop the non-invasive sculpting tool on the PureLift Lab site
Remedy Place Cold Plunge
💞 Healthy or healthy-ish?
Studies show it’s healthy, some think it’s insane :)
⏰ At what point in the day do you use this?
I go to Remedy 1-2 times a week during performance season. But, I have a new hack! I’ve now figured out it takes six bags of ice to create my own ice plunge in my bathtub. It’s become a nightly post-performance routine of mine to Instacart ice and plunge. It’s actually far more cost-effective as well.
🤔 Let’s get introspective for a moment. Why do you think, deep down, this serves you? Or is it not that deep?
I’ve always found cold therapy really helpful for inflammation. Ice plunges at Remedy really did change my life. From the physical benefits of it helping enhance recovery of particularly my legs from ballet, to the mental clarity you get afterwards. Given that it’s such a game changer for me, it serves pretty deep down.
☎️ You have the product designers on the phone. They said they can grant you one wish: You get to make one change or adjustment to the product to make it even more indispensable. What is your wish?
Can you install one in my apartment for free?
⏳ Is this something you can see yourself still using in 10 years, or will it have run its course/be obsolete?
I think cold plunging will always be something I do, but who knows. The body and mind go through phases just as our lives do. What benefits us in one moment, may not in a few years.
👽 Aliens from another planet just arrived on Earth. They’ve never heard of this product. How would you describe it to them in just one sentence:
Sit in this freezing tub of water for six minutes. Trust me, you’ll feel new afterwards. By the end of this interview, these aliens are going to have had enough.
💬 In one word, describe how a cold plunge makes you feel:
REBORN!
You can reserve an ice bath service on the Remedy website or shop ice bags on Instacart
Oura Ring
💞 Healthy or healthy-ish?
Healthy
⏰ At what point in the day do you use this?
I only take it off when I’m performing or going out.
🤔 Let’s get introspective for a moment. Why do you think, deep down, this serves you? Or is it not that deep?
Perhaps some of it is placebo, who knows, but for me it’s deep as it changed my sleeping habits. Being a professional ballerina and also a business owner means sleep is an absolute priority. There were phases where I was really excited about life and business and let’s just say I was not sleeping because all I wanted to do was continue building. It’s great to love what you do, but that excitement can get in the way of sleep, which is obviously necessary for you to function. The Oura Ring really helped me get back on track with my sleep schedule. Another game changer.
☎️ You have the product designers on the phone. They said they can grant you one wish: You get to make one change or adjustment to this product to make it even more indispensable. What is your wish?
I would say to continue improving its accuracy. Again, high price point, but a great and highly effective product.
⏳ Is this something you can see yourself still using in 10 years, or will it have run its course/be obsolete?
It’s perfect at this stage, but check back with me in 10 years.
👽 Aliens from another planet just arrived on Earth. They’ve never heard of this product. How would you describe it to them in just one sentence:
Hey, if you put this ring on your finger, it will override your lack of self-discipline to get high-quality sleep.
💬 In one word, describe how this smart ring makes you feel:
High-functioning
You can shop the smart rings on the Oura website
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Header and illustrations by Olivia Fu