Robin Evans, founder of Lévans Beauty, is a trailblazing expert when it comes to sculpting and refining brows. After attending aesthetics school in Boston, Evans relocated to New York City with a mission to establish herself in the beauty industry. Realizing the potential for specialized brow services, she proposed the idea to the owner of the prestigious spa where she was working. While the owner didn’t pursue the idea, Evans embarked on her own entrepreneurial journey and launched a facial and brow studio in SoHo in 2003. Originally known as Robin Evans Skincare, today it is called Robin Evans Brows. In 2023, Evans launched Lévans Beauty, a line of minimalist, clear brow gels offering diverse textures and holds. The name is a play on her own name, Robin L. Evans. For her, it’s about instilling confidence through her craft. “This is my passion—it is what I’m meant to be doing,” she says. “Making women feel beautiful, feel confident, feel elevated as the beautiful women they are. That’s the gift. That’s my purpose.” Here, Evans shares how she maintains her own personal wellbeing.
What does wellness mean to you?
It means feeling good. I want to wake up feeling refreshed. I want to feel happy and positive throughout my day, and I want to go to bed at night thinking that was a good day. I feel lucky I have designed this life for myself. That should be important to all of us. The little skincare routines, a workout, a healthy meal, intention. Even wellness in relationships. Having open communication and understanding of each other. I live for it all no matter how small or how big the thing that I’m doing is. Feeling good mentally, physically, and spiritually is the most important thing in my life.
What are your favorite things to do to maintain your personal wellbeing?
I quit drinking approximately a year and a half ago, so maintaining that has been an integral part of my wellbeing. Acknowledging my struggles with alcohol and openly discussing them has been empowering. Achieving this mindset took effort, but I love my life without the stressors surrounding alcohol and the things I accomplish without it. Being a naturalist, I turn to healthy foods, supplements, and alternative treatments such as colonics and IV hydration therapy to correct or alleviate whatever problem I’m having.
Is there a specific fitness activity that you love and why?
I used to love yoga, and although I still do it sometimes, I find it tough to get there. If I’m out of routine, then I can quickly lose interest. I love routine, and I sometimes refer to my life as an extreme routine. So, what I find works best for me is working out at home as it helps me stick to a regular routine in the long term. I have a small fitness room with an elliptical and free weights.
What is your favorite healthy food, and do you have a favorite way of preparing it?
I always try to keep spinach and blueberries in the fridge. They are great superfoods high in antioxidants and they make a great salad combined. I like to add shredded carrots, walnuts, cranberries, and feta or goat cheese. When crafting the salad, I also like to make a dressing with olive oil and fig balsamic vinaigrette because it’s easy and absolutely delicious. I also always have Daily Harvest on hand in the freezer as well. I’m in love with the plant-based bowls and the gluten-free veggie pasta bowls, as it feels like I’m getting extremely fresh, healthy meals with convenience all in one.
What is your favorite healthy beverage (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), and do you have any insider tips for preparing it?
Funny enough, water. I drink lots and lots of water. I rarely drink anything else. But I also love to juice and have the cutest little DASH Compact Juicer at home to make anti-inflammatory shots with oranges, apples, ginger, carrots, and a turmeric blend called “Claim to Flame” from Apothekary. Sometimes I drink from a small juice glass, and other times, I put it in a fancy shot glass for a quick, healthy morning juice shot.
What is your greatest wellness achievement?
Probably quitting drinking. Drinking was no longer serving me. I wasn’t somebody that could have just one or two drinks. As I got older it wasn’t as fun anymore, and the hangovers were harder and longer. This took me a while to fully figure out in my life. I started by only drinking about once a month, which really helped shift the habit. And slowly over a process of a few years, it was only every other month that I would drink, then every three months. And once it got to that, I thought, I don’t need this anymore. And it changed my life in so many deeply fulfilling ways. I’ve never been happier and healthier in my life and feel more like myself and the person I’m supposed to be by making this very conscious healthy choice.
What is your idea of balanced healthy happiness?
This is really important to me. I’ve worked extremely hard over the years, and work-life balance is something that I’ve also worked hard towards. I never work a five-day or 40-plus hour work week anymore. I work hard when I do, but I have enough time and days in the week to just be. To enjoy my home, enjoy where I live, spend time with my fiancé and my dog, and spend time doing projects around my home. Last year I planted strawberries and lavender, and although it’s a small garden, it’s mine and I love tending to it. And this year, I’m adding tomatoes and basil and setting up a little outdoor Italian kitchen to make pasta next to my garden. So, I guess you could say, I like to work hard and relax hard.
Do you have a secret health or wellness tip you would like to share?
I just ordered a cold plunge barrel. I got it for my birthday, and I can’t wait to get it. I live on the water, so I started cold plunging over the winter. And let me tell you about this activity. It does something to you. You immediately have a sense of happiness and wellbeing. I don’t know if it’s from the endorphins or the oxygenation, but it’s the most amazing feeling. It also helps with inflammation and metabolism, which is important for me to address at my age and being post-menopausal. And now I’ll be able to step right outside my back door to take a cold plunge any time.
What brings you joy?
Being happy within myself is the most important thing to me. Loving myself, loving how I feel, loving who I see when I look in the mirror. If I’m not truly happy with myself, inside and out, which I think is also important, how am I going to be happy in other relationships and in the things I do in life? My fiancé and I just had a short getaway to Newport, RI, and it was blissful. It reminded me of the importance of doing the extra things for yourself, and that romance and love are an important part of joy. I also love beautiful things and enjoy shopping and treating myself, but I have a perspective of not needing excess. I feel joy knowing that I’m being the best person I can be. Everything else is just extra joy.
