Why I Love A Collagen Golden Milk As Part Of My Nighttime Routine
Morning routines get all the glory—people spend years perfecting their own, finding out the exact steps to take to achieve their most productive, happy, and mindful self. A good thing, I might add! How you start your day sets the tone for the rest of it and thus should be crafted appropriately. Certainly, I am not a morning person, but I've been putting in some effort to make my daily coffee routine extra special—helping me feel equal parts energized and focused as I clock in for the day.
However, as a lifelong night person, I tend to make the same argument that we really should put effort into how we wind down in the evening. Here, too, I'm making efforts to ensure I'm drifting off to sleep having ended the day right.
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One way I love to do this is through warming golden milk, the beloved ayurvedic mixture long used as a healing tonic.
Why I'm adding golden milk to my nighttime routine.
I've been a fan of this drink for some time—as are many people, I might add; golden milk is one of those things that's just as revered in its modern iteration as it has been in its entirety of use (which is along history of use). But unfortunately, I don't make it a regular habit.
But as I start to take a critical look at how I prepare my body for rest, I'm realizing that my evenings really could use a soothing step in the same way my morning routine demands coffee. "Once you've tried golden milk, you'll be hooked on the way it settles your mind and body at the end of the day and invites your entire being to relax and let go of any worries as you drift off to sleep," Kulreet Chaudhary, M.D., neurologist and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, told mbg about the evening ritual. "Turmeric has gained the recognition of the scientific community for its potential for helping the body in a plethora of ways. Its broad uses are likely due to its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antioxidant qualities."*
For my own blend, I take inspiration from board-certified family medicine physician Bindiya Gandhi, M.D., and her go-to mixture that she shared on the mindbodygreen podcast—with a few tweaks depending on what I have in my kitchen. "There is definitely truth and power in turmeric," she notes.*
- Bring your milk of choice to a low boil on the stove (Gandhi likes coconut, but I just use whatever I have around the house).
- Once it's warm, mix in 1 Tbsp. turmeric and a pinch of black pepper (to enhance absorption).
- Take it off the heat, then add a drizzle of honey, a pinch of cinnamon and cardamom, and I add 1 scoop of mindbodygreen's beauty & gut collagen+.
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If you're looking for more golden milk blends, there's this iced latte version or a rose-infused option.
How my collagen golden milk helps me wake up glowing.
The drink, in and of itself, has impressive antioxidant properties thanks to turmeric's active ingredient curcumin, which helps support your body's inflammatory response.* I enjoy the blend with an added scoop of collagen, however, as I find it helps enhance my overall skin texture and appearance.*
Collagen supplements are basically broken-down collagen molecules (called hydrolyzed collagen peptides) that are easily absorbed by the body, where they travel throughout and do their work.* In regards to skin, they are shown to promote your body's natural ability to create collagen and elastin1 by supporting your skin cell's fibroblasts.*
But here's the cool part about mindbodgyreen's blend specifically: It actually contains curcumin from turmeric root, as well, so you're getting an extra splash of the active that makes this root vegetable so powerful.* Additionally it contains other antioxidants to help tend to free radicals and combat oxidative damage: This blends together vitamin C, E, and SGS.* I also love it for biotin, a skin- and nail-supporting B vitamin, and hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring humectant that helps your skin hold in moisture.*
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The takeaway.
This year, I'm revamping my morning and nighttime routine, including adding this golden milk latte to the evening. The blend supports my skin,* warms me from the inside out, and lulls me to sleep.
Alexandra Engler is the beauty director at mindbodygreen and host of the beauty podcast Clean Beauty School. Previously, she's held beauty roles at Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, SELF, and Cosmopolitan; her byline has appeared in Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and Allure.com. In her current role, she covers all the latest trends in the clean and natural beauty space, as well as lifestyle topics, such as travel. She received her journalism degree from Marquette University, graduating first in the department. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.