While she’s currently earning Emmy buzz for her role as corporate villain Elizabeth Prescott in Prime Video’s Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat, Wendy Braun has never waited for Hollywood to define her next chapter. With more than 80 credits and a thriving international coaching practice that has reached clients in 25-plus countries, she’s built a life on her own terms.
Off-screen, Braun has become a trusted voice in the wellness space, helping creatives silence self-doubt through mindset work, neuroscience and tools like her guided meditation, Creating Success While You Sleep. Rooted in the science of what the mind absorbs in those final moments before sleep, the practice has resonated with thousands. We sat down with Braun—following our recent conversation with her costar LaNisa Renee Frederick—to talk Emmy season, her inner and outer beauty rituals and why the calmer her mind gets, the clearer her skin becomes.
Your guided meditation, Creating Success While You Sleep, has resonated with thousands of people. What inspired you to create it, and what do you want listeners to feel when they wake up after using it?
“I love that it’s a lot of people’s ‘secret sauce.’ What inspired me was studying the neuroscience behind what happens in the final moments before we fall asleep. The last few minutes before sleep are incredibly powerful—that’s when the doorway to the subconscious mind is wide open, and whatever you’re thinking and feeling is what your mind continues processing throughout the night. Most people go to bed scrolling, replaying problems or worrying about tomorrow. I wanted to create an alternative. Creating Success While You Sleep guides you to ‘feel the feeling of the wish fulfilled’—focusing on the emotions of the life you want to create instead of ruminating on what’s missing.
What’s been so rewarding is hearing from listeners who wake up feeling calmer, more grounded and more connected to their true selves. Not because their circumstances changed overnight, but because their focus did. To me, one of the greatest beauty secrets isn’t found in a bottle. It’s learning how to make your mind your ally instead of your enemy.
As a gift to NewBeauty readers, you can download this meditation for free at WendyBraun.com/sleep.”
Since sleep is on the brain, walk us through your nighttime skin-care rituals. What are your non-negotiables before bed?
“I love that you call it a ritual—that’s exactly how I think about it. For me, skin care isn’t just about taking care of my skin. It’s about taking care of myself. Removing my makeup is non-negotiable. No matter how tired I am, I cleanse, tone, apply serum and finish with moisturizer.
Lately, I’ve been enjoying gua sha or a red-light therapy wand while I sit at my vanity and slow down enough to just be present. During that time, I appreciate three things about myself, three things about the people I love and three things about my life. As ambitious women, we’re often trained to focus on what’s missing, so often we even look in the mirror searching for flaws instead of what’s already beautiful. I’ve intentionally replaced that habit with appreciation. It’s been one of the most transformative shifts I’ve ever made.”
How does nervous system regulation factor into your beauty routine? Do you think there’s a real connection between inner calm and how your skin looks and feels?
“Absolutely. All the skin care and makeup in the world can’t fully conceal chronic stress, overwhelm or a constant stream of self-criticism. Beauty isn’t just what we put on our skin—it’s what we feed ourselves physically, emotionally and mentally. When my nervous system is regulated, everything changes. I sleep better, make healthier choices and feel more present. And yes, my skin reflects that.
Instead of reaching for your phone first thing in the morning and consuming everyone else’s highlight reel, I encourage people to begin the day with what I call a V.I.E.W.P.O.I.N.T. shift. Put your hand on your heart, take a deep breath and remind yourself: I am Valuable. I am Intuitive. I am Enough. I am Worthy. I am Powerful. I am Open. I am Innovative. I am Nice To Myself. I am Thankful. It’s a simple practice, but it shifts you from being a rapid reactor in your life to a conscious creator of it—and that inner calm has a way of showing up everywhere, including your skin.”
What does your ‘everyday mom’ skin look like versus your press-ready skin—and what products or steps bridge that gap?
“My everyday look is much simpler than people might expect. When I’m home, I usually wear no makeup at all. Most days it’s La Roche-Posay moisturizer, IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream with SPF, a touch of mascara and an e.l.f. Monochromatic Multi Stick on my cheeks and lips—I always keep a few in my purse because they’re the easiest way to freshen up in seconds.
When it’s time for a premiere or Emmy season event, that’s when the glam gets dialed up: more definition around the eyes, a stronger lip, wispy lashes and Charlotte Tilbury’s Beauty Light Wand and Westmore Beauty Body Coverage Perfector for extra glow. But press-ready skin isn’t about becoming a different version of myself—it’s about enhancing what’s already there. Glowing skin begins long before you sit in the makeup chair. Hydration, movement, sleep, stress management and good nutrition create the foundation.”
What’s the one product in your glam bag that genuinely surprises people?
“My Pat McGrath Labs Lip Sculpt + Shade Contour Duo in Naked Blush ($32). My makeup artist Suzanna Melendez introduced me to it, and it’s become my desert-island glam product. It’s really two products in one—the liner and lip color complement each other perfectly, so I don’t have to carry multiple things around. It creates beautiful definition without looking overdone and pulls your whole look together in seconds. And the gold packaging doesn’t hurt. That’s always my favorite kind of beauty product—the ones that make getting ready easier while still making you feel glamorous.”
Between starring in Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat, running your wellness business and being a mom, where does self-care actually fit in?
“I always say: You can have it all. You just can’t do it all yourself. Sometimes self-care looks surprisingly ordinary—it looks like my teenage boys helping around the house while I take a little time for myself. It also looks like creating space instead of filling every available moment. One of my favorite practices is sitting in my backyard for thirty minutes without my phone. No productivity, no scrolling—just being present. Everything in nature reminds us that beautiful things grow first from within. To enjoy beautiful fruits, you first have to tend to the roots. The same is true for us. When you make a non-negotiable appointment with yourself—whether it’s twenty minutes in nature, a bath, a face mask or sitting quietly in meditation—it becomes much easier to show up fully for everyone else.”
With Emmy buzz building, how are you taking care of yourself mentally and physically during such a high-pressure season?
“What helps me most is remembering that all of it is icing, not the cake. The cake is the life I’ve built, the people I love and the work I get to do. When I stay connected to that, the pressure tends to disappear and the joy returns. Movement is a huge priority because it helps me process stress and stay grounded. I’ve also worked hard to release perfectionism—confidence is far more magnetic than perfection. Honestly, one of my favorite luxuries isn’t something I buy. It’s creating enough space in my life to enjoy the one I’ve built. These days, sitting outside with nowhere I need to be, and the people I love nearby, feels surprisingly luxurious.”
