There’s a simple solution for the winter blues, and his name is Isaac Boots. The former Broadway dancer is a one-man fitness phenom with more energy than a double shot of espresso. When he’s not whipping Jessica Chastain, Kelly Ripa, Lisa Rinna, and Faye Dunaway into shape, he hosts Torch’d by Isaac, a high-energy mat workout on Instagram (@torchdbyisaac), where he tempers the torture with a good dose of sass. “Arms straighter!” he commands. “Just like my mother wanted me!” Behind the cheekiness is some serious heart. Since launching Torch’d, during the pandemic, Isaac has single-handedly raised more than $2 million for No Kid Hungry, a cause with special meaning for someone who grew up on food stamps. Here, he shares the beauty and wellness essentials that keep him jumping and jacking.
WAKE-UP TIME: Even when I can sleep in, my body wakes up at five A.M. I chug a liter of water immediately while still in bed. Then I do 200 push-ups.
BREAKFAST: I love breakfast food but try not to eat before noon. I have one cup of coffee and then slap on my Torchd energy patch. It’s infused with green tea and CBD to give you consistent energy without the crash. The patch keeps me going!
VITAMINS and SUPPLEMENTS: Cowboy Colostrum. I swear, swear, swear by it! It’s for hair, skin, nails, and muscle recovery, and it has changed my life!
SNACK: I mix full-fat Greek yogurt with chia seeds, hemp hearts, Cowboy Colostrum, and a little bit of honey because I’m a sweet addict, and it’s a dream.
COCKTAIL/MOCKTAIL: I don’t really drink a lot anymore because I can really go there! I’m a dancer at heart, and I can throw it back, so I’ve had to reel it in. When I do drink, I love a Belvedere on the rocks with half a lemon squeezed in.
WORST VICE: When I was single it was Frenchmen. Now it’s just gummy bears.
WORKOUT: Torch’d every day, baby! I am also a big believer in getting my 12,000 to 15,000 steps per day.
TRACKER: I have an Oura Ring. I like things to look good, so I got the limited-edition Gucci ring. I like it better than an Apple Watch, which feels so corporate.
JET-LAG HACK: I force myself to get on the rhythm of the place I’m in.
MOOD LIFTER: I am a voracious reader. Because my life is so much about social media, I try not to look at devices when I’m not working. I like to read classics—things that have no relation to my business. And I listen to a lot of Bach.
LIFE MOTTO: Don’t tolerate assholes. Also, focus on the goal.
SKIN SAVIOR: Edyta [Jarosz], at Shafer Clinic, is my angel! I go once a month, and she gives me the works. I heard about her through Madonna, and we just hit it off. She is a life-changer.
BEAUTY TREATMENT YOU’LL NEVER, EVER DO AGAIN: Filler! It’s easy to lose perspective and think you need more. I’ve been filler-free for two years now and am liking where I’m at.
DESERT-ISLAND PRODUCTS: I cleanse with Environ Low Foam Cleansing Gel. Then I use Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel, which is the best exfoliation. I live by Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum mixed with her Glow Drops. Then I use Heritage Store Rosewater & Glycerin spray that I keep in my fridge. It’s about 10 bucks, and I spray it all over my body.
FIRST BEAUTY PRODUCT: My gram had a lotion called Monoï Tiki Tahiti that smelled like flowers native to Hawaii and Tahiti. I remember lathering it on so I could smell like her all day.
HAIR-CARE ESSENTIALS: I love all Oribe products. I just discovered Re:Unite Silky:Smooth Hydrating Complex, and that leaves my hair really silky.
MAKEUP MUSTS: BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer gives a sun-kissed glow. Laura Mercier Real Flawless Weightless Perfecting Waterproof Foundation is impeccable and smooth, and her translucent powder is the best on the market. Bar none.
SCENT: My daily is Santa Maria Novella Angeli di Firenze. It smells all clean and perfect. If I’m going out, I use Krigler Lieber Gustav 14. It is so divine! I discovered it at Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat. I apply it sparingly because it’s goddamn expensive! Whenever I wear it, people are like “What is this?”
IF YOU COULD CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I wouldn’t change anything. The tide is turning, and we need to love ourselves and our idiosyncrasies a little bit more. When I was growing up, I was teased because I wore tights and boots to ballet class. My real name is Isaac Calpito, but Boots became my alter ego. Rather than let them win, I turned something that was meant to mock me into something empowering.
PAST STYLE REGRETS: I am half Filipino, and we love a loud trend! Looking back, I don’t regret it, because that’s the fun thing about fashion. It’s important to just go there and be frivolous and have a laugh.
PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’d GIVE TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF: Don’t date him!
BEST THING ABOUT AGING: Not putting value in what other people think of you.
BALANCING ACT: I live between Milan and New York City. There is an effortlessness in the way Italians style themselves and an ease to the way they live that is really beautiful. I love the fire and electricity of New York City and the sweetness and ease of Italian life. It’s a good balance.
WHEN ARE YOU HAPPIEST? When my husband and I are home with our poodles, listening to Billie Holiday.
Holly Parmelee, formerly an associate publisher at Little, Brown and Company, is an editor and writer at Serendipity magazine
