Kylie Vonnahme’s Not So Simple Life

Life — it’s not so simple. So, let’s talk about it. When Kylie Vonnahme left her childhood town outside of Dallas, Texas at just 17 years old, she quickly encountered the many challenges that come with life away from home. Pursuing a modeling career in New York City, Kylie is now signed with Women 360 Management. In between walking for Christian Siriano and posing for the cover of Elle Magazine, Kylie started a podcast with British bestie & fellow model, Sophie Longford.

The Not So Simple Life gets into the nitty gritty of everything from PMS and birth control to astrology and holistic healing. As models with busy schedules, Kylie and Sophie have become wellness fanatics in order to prioritize their health and self-care. We joined in on the conversation to figure out how Kylie made it through this not so simple year with grace and positivity.

What was your inspiration for starting the “Not So Simple Life”?

I started my podcast based off of my love for all things beauty & wellness. I love exploring new ways to care for myself, both mentally & physically. This deep-rooted passion for wellness was something that I always loved to share with those around me. I set out to build this platform to have candid conversations about the unique ways that we can all care for ourselves.

In each episode, my co-host and I are joined by inspiring industry-professionals who share their best tips & advice to help our listeners build a healthy lifestyle around them. Long story short, we wanted to make beauty & wellness a bit more simple by having real conversations with guests who have helped us in our own wellness journeys.

What does beauty and wellness mean to you?

In my opinion, beauty & wellness come from within. It’s not easy to feel beautiful if you are not properly caring for your body. When I feel beautiful, it’s always a product of the hard work that I put into my self-care routines. Clean eating, regular exercise, meditation, getting good sleep, skincare, and balance are all practices that can help someone feel beautiful from the inside-out.

So much has changed over the last year. How did you pivot? What lessons are you taking away with you?

This year, I learned that you must always find the silver lining in hard times & be able to remain true to your values when everything around you hits the fan. For me personally, my career as a model was on hold for close to eight months. Due to COVID-19 regulations, we were not able to shoot in studios, which left almost all models without work. I found myself with quite a lot of time on my hands, so I knew it was important for me to make the best of it. I had to really dig deep and try to figure out what I would want to be doing if my career was suddenly taken away from me.

It’s important to remember that everything will always work out in the end.

During these times, I realized how thankful I was for always making self-care a priority in my life. In 2020, self-care became very important to so many other people as well — we all needed to make health & wellness a massive priority. From here, I felt called to create my podcast in hopes of helping anyone who needed to up the self-care in their life or found themselves stuck with where to begin.

So, my biggest takeaway was to use the struggles that 2020 brought to me as an opportunity to pivot and create something new. Now, 12 months later, my modeling career is back in full swing & I’ve got this wonderful community around me thanks to my podcast. It’s important to remember that everything will always work out in the end.

Morning beauty routine with your must-have skincare products?

I love a good morning routine. As for my beauty routine, I always start my morning with an M-61 Hydraboost HA Serum Pad to gently cleanse my face with an added boost of hydration. Then, I spritz my face & neck with The Seeke Rose Otto Hydration Mist. I apply my favorite Biologique Recherche Serum T.E.W.L. before using my The Skinny Confidential Hot Mess Ice Roller to take away any morning puffiness from my face. After that, I apply EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 and top that with my Biologique Recherché Lotion P50 PIGM 400 moisturizer. Finally, I add a bit of La Mer The Lip Balm & then I’m out the door! I am definitely not afraid of a lengthy skincare routine.

Your favorite ways to stay in shape?

When it comes to staying in shape, I’ve found that consistency is everything. For fitness, I love pilates! My favorite pilates studio in NYC is Brooks Pilates with Sarah Brooks. When I’m home, I love a virtual pilates workout with Melissa Wood Health. I have watched my body transform since doing pilates regularly and I cannot recommend it enough. I am also a big fan of running Central Park once or twice a week when the weather is nice. Lastly, clean eating is the best way to complement all of the hard work that I put into my workouts.

Favorite restaurants, in NYC or elsewhere?

Call me biased, but NYC has some of the best restaurants in the world. I love mediterranean food, so I’m a big fan of Avra Madison & Cafe Mogador. I also eat a lot of sushi, so Nobu & Bond Street are high up on my favorites list. When I’m on-the-go and want to grab something healthy, Springbone Kitchen is my spot!

Dream summer destinations?

My dream summer destination is Aspen, Colorado. All of the locals in Aspen claim that “summer in Aspen” is their best-kept secret. Everyone thinks of Aspen as a place to ski & snowboard, but the summers are incredible. The weather is warm, the activities are endless, the food is delicious & the energy is just everything for me. I am a big fan of road biking & Aspen has some of the best road biking in the world. I spent 3 months of my quarantine there, and I have to say that it was tough to leave. For anyone who needs someone to share their recommendations on how to plan the perfect summer trip to Aspen, I’m your girl!

Top 5 beach essentials and best summer beauty hack?

My top five beach essentials: A good SPF, a hydrating lip balm, a cute hat to protect your face, a portable speaker & a pitcher of spicy margaritas.

When it comes to summer beauty, I think less is more. Let your skin breathe during the summer & apply very minimal makeup, if any.

Where can our readers find you?

You can find me on my personal Instagram, @KylieVonnahme and on my podcast Instagram, @TheNotSoSimpleLifePodcast. You can find our podcast on Apple Podcasts & Spotify!