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What if you had $1,000 to spend on your health?
Welcome to Wellness Diaries. In this series, we send readers $1,000 to splurge on any product, service, or experience—as long as it’s something that can enhance health.
This time, we’ve got Lauren Less (@lesswithlaur), a Chicago-based food blogger and recipe creator. She uses her passion for food and helping others to create a space where people can access allergy-friendly recipes, chronic illness support, and health and wellness tips.

Meet Lauren
Lauren’s mission is to prove that you can live an incredibly full life with food allergies and chronic illnesses! She works full-time in real estate, part-time as a therapist, and has also completed yoga teacher training. She’s passionate about the intersection between physical health, mental health, and nutrition. Reading a great book in an Epsom salt bath, red light therapy, and Pilates are her current self-care faves.
Check her out on Instagram or TikTok or grab some delicious recipes from her food blog.
Lauren’s also a Ness Card Legend. That means she’s someone who uses the Ness Card (and we just think she’s especially cool). Here’s what she’s loving about the card:
“I LOVE that the Ness Card encourages people to live a healthy lifestyle. Health and wellness is my #1 priority right now, so the Ness Card is perfect for me because I receive 5x points for every healthy purchase. I am also a huge Sweetgreen fan, so I love that I am able to get $15 back in statement credits for every $75 I spend. Plus, I am obsessed with the card design. Once you have it in your hands, you’ll understand!”
Lauren Less’s Diary
$555 Knives

Wusthof Gourmet White 16-Piece Knife Block Set
“As a food blogger and recipe creator, I’m in the kitchen basically 24/7. I have been using my random collection of knives for the last few years and I’m lucky I haven’t cut my fingers off yet. This gourmet knife set is GORGEOUS and way nicer than anything I would ever purchase for myself. I am so excited to use them—they will definitely help me cook more delicious and nourishing meals!”
$95 Clean Facial

“I’m not usually one to splurge on a facial, so this was a really fun treat! I had been wanting to check out Lena Rose for a while. It is Chicago’s first and only green beauty spa. Lena Rose uses clean and non-toxic beauty products with earth-derived ingredients and they were great for my sensitive skin! The Classic Lena is a simple yet effective facial with lots of lymphatic drainage, which I loved. I am definitely going to be a return customer (especially now that my Ness card will get me 5x points!).”
$145 Ancient Bath Experience

AIRE Ancient Baths Chicago (90 minutes)
“I have always wanted to visit the AIRE baths—a thermal bath spa inspired by ancient Greek and Roman traditions—so this was the perfect opportunity. It was an incredibly unique experience. AIRE allows you to journey at your own pace through the baths at various temperatures, creating total relaxation for the mind and body. My favorite part was floating in the flotarium (salt bath)!”
$48 Alo Tank

“I have had my eyes on the Alo Aspire tank for a while! The fit is perfect (I got a small) and I am so excited to wear it to my next Pilates class.”
$138 Leggings

Alo Airlift High-Waist Suit Up Legging
“Again, Alo is one of my absolute favorite activewear brands. These leggings are perfect for Pilates, hiking, biking, and dog walking!”
Total: $981.00 (4,905 Ness Card Points)
Stay tuned for details on our next Wellness Diaries by subscribing to Nessie Sightings! (That’s our newsletter.)
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