AllSwell Creative // Laura Rubin

Putting pen to paper is POWERFUL. Sharing with otherS is POWERFUL. Making space and time to connect with ourselves and with others is POWERFUL. Allswell is a wonderful resource to do just this.

AllSwell is a creativity company, encouraging mental flow in all its forms. Founded by Laura Rubin who believes that everyone has an innate creative voice just waiting to be let loose, Allswell offers curated notebooks, workshops, and trips to inspire the creativity within us all. She explains. “You don’t have to be an artist, you just have to be you. So, now that we’ve got that mental barrier out of the way, let’s make some space to let that voice out, let it play and inform your decisions.”

AllSwell started as a passion project launched to encourage creativity. Born from a morning surf check with uninspiring results, Laura decided to sit on the beach and journal instead. “Swell or no swell, all’s well.” As an inveterate scribbler and journal-keeper, she wanted to invite more people, like you, to reap its benefits.

Since Laura likes to both write and draw, she was on the lookout for one lightweight notebook that offered both lined and unlined paper for tossing in a beach bag or backpack. She couldn’t find any so she made some and put them on offer. They sold out. So she made some more. And those sold out. People liked these notebooks. Moreover they were hungry for analog creative experiences, ways to express themselves.

What started as a bit of a whim, fulfilling a personal need, AllSwell is now much more. It’s about waking people up to the fact that their life is a creative act.

Purchase a notebook and put the words on the page or draw your vision in images. Need help leaping over the mental hurdle that you’re not creative or simply jump-starting the process? Attend one of their workshops and, trust us, that hurdle will fall away and you’ll be on your way to tapping into your innate voice. For the adventure seeker, join them on an AllSwell Excursion and see for yourself what a change of scenery can do for resetting your inspiration and mindset.

So take a moment to express yourself in an utterly private way. No “likes”, no judgments. Just you, your ideas, pen, and paper. Creativity unplugged. See how Laura GLOWS.

AllSwell Creative // allswellcreative.com

how they glow
questionnaire

LAURA RUBIN

Name:

Laura Rubin

Nickname:

Ruby, Rubes, the Rubinator (not kidding). 

Profession:

Founder of AllSwell Creative and Left Left Right

Where did you grow up:

Bouncing back and forth between the East Village, NYC and Westchester County. One parent in each place. It was a good mash-up, mixing culture and nature. 

Where do you live:

Venice, CA

When you're eating healthy, what is typical...

BREAKFAST: I’m an early riser and typically eat two breakfasts, like a Hobbit. Homemade matcha latte loaded up wth adaptogenic goodness and some seasonal fresh fruit, maybe a sliced apple with some almond butter from the farmer’s market. Second breakfast is a couple of hours later, usually a couple of eggs and some sauteed greens and fermented veggies in a “garden bowl“ type set up. 

LUNCH: I do a big shop at the farmer’s market on Sunday and that’s what I live off of all week. For lunch I typically throw together a salad with a several ounces of protein and shake up some lemony homemade dressing, add in a mix of seeds on top for extra crunch and texture. 

DINNER: I love making nourishing homemade soups in the winter. When the weather starts warming up I almost exclusively cook dinner outside on the BBQ, grilling veggies and protein. Again, whatever looks good at the farmer’s market is what I end up eating all week. I don’t follow recipes much, just go by feel and freshness.  

SNACK: I have a slight addiction to Moon Juice’s spicey dried mango. It’s a problem. 

What are your favorite spots/restaurants to eat healthy?

In NYC, ABCv and Souen. // In LA, Little Prince is my new favorite. 

What is your favorite indulgence?

I like shaking a batch of cocktails at home on a sunny weekend afternoon to have with snacks while we listen to records or play cards. Two of my favorites are a Last Word or a Hemmingway Daquiri. But I don’t get mad about a good glass of biodynamic wine or bubbles, either. 

Who are your most Trusted healers?

Kumi Sawyers might give the best massages on the planet. She has intelligent hands. 

I love an infrared sauna. In NYC I go to Higher Dose and in LA I hit up Pause Float. I will eventually have an infrared sauna in my home but my current (charming but small) bungalow is too tiny to accomodate. 

The Adams sisters (Sadie and Tess) of Take Care give these insanely effective microcurrent facials. My whole face gets a literal lift. 

What would be your last meal on earth?

My favorite holiday is National Fried Chicken Day on July 6th and I celebrate it annually. I love the pairing of crispy, salty fried chicken and a bottle of vintage rose champagne. Add in some good coleslaw and a key lime pie. Afterwards you could shoot me and I’d be borderline okay about it. 

What is the best dish you cook / your favorite recipe?

My friend Maria Moyer’s recipe for Pozole. 

Where do you grocery shop?

Farmer’s market in Mar Vista on Sundays and I supplement through the week at Erewhon as needed. 

Top 3 items you always have in your kitchen?

1. Good olive oil
2. Lemons
3. Maldon Salt

What is your fitness regimen? (how often & what you do)

I do pilates 2x a week (love me some Karen Lord), hike 1-2x a week to get my nature fix, and either go for a run or hit the gym (I like down and dirty Gold’s Gym instead of a fancy gym) 1-2x a week. I also surf when there are waves and I can take the time to hop in the water.  

What is your skincare routine? (Products, facials, etc.)

I don’t wear much makeup but I’m a nut about my skincare. I’m prone to breakouts so I use EIR’s charcoal face wash morning and night. It deep cleans without stripping my skin.  Depending on how thirsty my skin feels I mix and layer serums including Hyarulonic Acid from Sonage, Amore Pacific’s Rejuvanating Serum and Glow Drops from Dr. Barbara Sturm. 

At night I alternate between two products from Take Care – their Generation serum and a stem cell product that I keep in the freezer. Sadie Adams from Take Care always turns me on to the best new natural skin products. Sometimes I microneedle with a roller for greater product penetration or use a light peel from Amore Pacific. 

What are your favorite makeup/natural beauty products?

Take Care’s Levity spray for dewy skin.

Odacite’s rose facial oil mixed with a little of Dr. Hauschka’s bronzing tint for a subtle glow.

Hurraw! Lip tint in black cherry for a hint of lip color. 

If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 products would you take with you?

1. An AllSwell Journal
2. A “wet brush“ to detangle my mop of hair otherwise I’d be dreaded by day 5
3. EIR sunblock

What professional beauty/health/fitness/spiritual gurus do you swear by?

Dana James, nutritionist, changed my life by switching my perspective about my personal archetype. 

Alexandra Defacio of Greenstar Wellness in NYC (A „shamanic colonic“ might sound like a punchline but is actually profoundly healing)

Top 3 favorite songs?

1. As by Stevie Wonder
2. Cortez the Killer by Neil Young
3. Vivrant Thing by Tribe Called Quest (gotta have some booty shaking in the mix!)

Most-watched movie?

Annie Hall. I probably know every word by heart. 

Most life-changing book?

Too many to name. I read about a book a week. But I buy multiple copies of Tribe by Sebastian Junger and give them to the special people in my life. It’s about the profound healing power of community. I recommend it widely and often. 

Favorite shops/boutiques?

The Strand bookstore in NYC // Bird at Platform in Culver City  // Warm in Nolita, NYC // Traveler in Malibu (just opened!)

Coolest place you've ever visited?

An artist colony on a small island off the coast of Homer, Alaska

Favorite hotels?

The Ada Hotel outside of Bodrum, Turkey (most amazing breakfasts ever and a gorgeous hammam) // Il Pelicano in Italy for a slice of dolce vita // Flor Blanca in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica for some pura vida // The Surfrider Hotel in Malibu for a bit of a staycation

What is the best gift you've ever received?

A full set of the Oxford English Dictionary from my Mother. I’m a word nerd. I literally cried when I received it. 

Most profound healing experience you've ever had?

Being loved completely and profoundly as I am. 

Who are your most trusted healers?

Mother Nature // Life Coach Breck Costin // Sarah Rigano (@formandlight)

What is the biggest learning experience you've had to face and what did you take away from it?

I was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer at 31. The healing journey I’ve been on since imbues my days with a certain sweetness and urgency. I don’t just live for myself, I live for the other women with whom I underwent treatment. They didn’t fight any less hard for their lives than I did and yet not all of them made it to the other side.  Every day is precious, even the rough ones, so please don’t waste them. Your life is a creative act. If it’s not filling you up with meaning and joy, make a change. Have fun. Do things that scare you but light you up. That’s why I learned how to surf, why I started AllSwell, why I bought a pickup truck, why I moved to the West Coast...the list goes on...

Describe your perfect day.

I don’t believe in perfect days but this would be a damn good one:

Morning surf session with a friend or two in an uncrowded line up. 

Leisurely lunch with a great crew, a bottle of wine and a lot of laughter. 

Afternoon in bed with my man. 

Evening hike as the sun sets and a full moon rises. 

A great book and a good fire. 

What is your most valuable glow tip/secret?

LOVE YOURSELF

Favorite quote?

Fear is the cheapest room in the house. I’d like to see you living in better conditions. - Hafiz

What are you grateful for?

Each and every day on this planet

What makes you glow?

Teaching AllSwell journaling workshops. It’s my favorite thing to do, watching people wake up to their own creativity, appreciating their innate voice.