Wellness Wins: pregnant at 49, what keeps beauty editor Lisa Oxenham blooming

As a beauty editor for over 25 years, I’ve tried everything – the launches, the lotions, the trends. From the start, beauty has meant something deeper to me. It’s less about chasing perfection and more about maintaining inner peace. I enjoy the creative aspects of my job – directing shoots, experimenting with makeup – but my focus has always been on how we feel rather than how we appear.

I’ve learned to read my body like a mirror: lack of sleep shows on my skin. Anxiety hits me in my gut. Movement makes everything flow better – from my thoughts to my energy. This awareness has guided me for decades.

Now pregnant again at 49, that instinct has grown stronger. I’ve never believed that ageing means slowing down. If anything, it heightens your awareness of what really matters. Movement, breath and connection to the earth — these are my anchors.

I grew up in the Cotswolds, surrounded by fields. Even after 25 vibrant years in London, nature always felt like home. I returned when my daughter was three; I wanted her to experience what fresh air really smells like. I wanted her to feel the seasons on her skin and know how soothing it is to walk barefoot in the grass.

These days, my wellness rituals are closely tied to nature. I find myself drawn to ancient practices like Ayurveda, acupuncture, and Chinese medicine – systems that see the body as a whole.

As a mum – and now pregnant – my time is limited. My approach to wellness is straightforward. It needs to fit into my life and actually work. Most of what I do comes from listening to experts and adapting it to my own life.

Here are six things that keep me feeling strong, grounded and connected.

Lisa Oxenham  – my wellness wins through pregnancy and beyond

1. Natural cold water swimming

There’s nothing quite like swimming in nature to reset me. I’m fortunate to have beautiful lakes nearby in the Cotswolds. One of the best spots is the Rewild Swim Club at Elmore Court, where they light the fire pit and offer a Scandinavian wood-fired sauna available all year round. That contrast therapy mix of icy water and deep heat feels like a total nervous system reset.

Cold showers and cold water immersion has been shown to improve circulation, release mood-lifting endorphins and support immunity — but for me, it’s simpler than that. The sharpness of the breath, the stillness of water, the feeling of being fully alive in my body. That’s what brings me back. Once the baby arrives, I can’t wait to return – it’s pure medicine.

Cost: £19 per person at rewildswimclub.com

2. Pick your own veg box

Wellness begins in the soil. My daughter and I are part of the Stroud Agricultural Community, where we pack our seasonal veg box each week – pulling produce straight from the ground. It’s a simple ritual, but it teaches her how food connects to the land, the seasons and our bodies.

As a Soil Association certification ambassador, I’ve learned so much about how organic farming supports biodiversity and avoids synthetic pesticides that can disrupt hormones and gut health. Food grown in rhythm with nature tends to be richer in omega-3s, antioxidants and polyphenols. What we consume – and what we avoid – matters, both for our health and the planet.

3. Natural beauty and home scents – for skin and the planet

In my industry, I’ve tried countless products, but I always come back to those that are gentle, honest and aligned with nature. Whenever possible, I choose organic, plant-based skincare that supports skin health without harming ecosystems.

What excites me right now is the evolution of ‘greentech’ – where cutting-edge science meets nature. I love brands like Almora Botanica and Skin Diligent, which use rigorous testing to support the skin’s natural function, and Weleda, which is deepening its research while staying rooted in biodynamic principles. Read my favourite natural skincare buys that are also suitable for pregnancy.

I genuinely believe skin recognises kindness, and that extends to our environment too. At home, I use natural candles such as Sacred and Wild organic beeswax massage and bath oil candle, £125 and clean household products from Greenscents. I’m not chasing perfection, just choosing more consciously.

4. Nature is your gym – and yoga is your mood booster

My relationship with movement has evolved over the years. Pre-pregnancy, I’d run through the woods – no headphones, just breath and birdsong. It felt like moving meditation. I even became strangely hooked on jumping over gates – not something I’d recommend now, but it brought a wild sense of joy at the time.

There’s something about being active in nature that no gym can replicate. The fresh air, the uneven ground, the freedom – it all lifts both body and mind.

Yoga, too, has been transformative. I discovered Victoria Woodhall’s Rocket Yoga Zoom classes during lockdown and practised every day. It changed everything – my mood, posture, and presence.

Now, at eight months pregnant, I’ve paused, but I’ll return. Yoga brings me back to myself.

Yoga at victoriawoodhall.com £13.99 per month with a 7-day free trial

5. No-alcohol drinks that nourish

I haven’t touched alcohol for almost a decade – not because I had to stop, but because I love the clarity it brings. I wake up feeling balanced.

Instead, I have a few daily wellness rituals I look forward to: Ancient + Brave’s True Hydration, £27.49 an electrolyte powder that supports cellular hydration, brain function and focus, and Equinox organic kombucha £23.99 for 12 bottles, which gives a light, natural lift and feeds the gut microbiome.

6. Pregnancy supplements I swear by

I’ve also been using Ovaher Fertility & Pregnancy Support Capsules and Ovaomega, their vegan omega 3 DHA supplement, since the start of my pregnancy – and I’ll continue post partum. The fertility and pregnancy formula is packed with key nutrients like folate, vitamin D, choline and magnesium to support hormone balance. Ovaomega delivers 400 mg of clean, algae-based DHA – a vital nutrient for the baby’s brain development, mood regulation and inflammation control.

These supplements have supported me more than I expected — physically, mentally, and emotionally. The Fertility & Pregnancy capsules are £15.99 (56 caps), and Ovaomega is £19.99 (28 caps).

Buy Ovaher online and at Boots from £15.99

7. Massage: my calm on demand

Massage has become another essential practice. When I’m in London, I book Urban’s at-home treatments via their app. Their pregnancy massages have done wonders for ankle and leg swelling, and the tension just melts away. It’s a quiet moment of peace I try to make time for.

Urban massages from £69 in major UK cities