Julia Haart always wears her heart on her (fashionable) sleeve. On the Netflix reality series My Unorthodox Life, Haart and her family navigate life after leaving their ultra-religious community. And more recently, they contend with her very public divorce, plus the everyday highs and lows of living and working in New York City. However, despite any uncomfortable experiences that are streamed and replayed in millions of households, on-and-off camera: Haart is doing a lot of good (read: doing it all). She’s traveling, working with a beauty brand, and helping Ukraine citizens along the way.
A New Venture
Haart recently joined forces with AMEŌN, an innovative, science-backed skincare brand, as a partner and brand ambassador. The brand is known for its 3-step cyroritual in five core AMEŌN products. We sat down with Haart at her TriBeCa penthouse to chat about her upcoming charitable adventures, the origins of her beauty partnership, and how she’s spending quality time with her adult children these days. (Read on for her advice on where to travel with grown kids.)
Hilary: You’ve been helping on the ground in Ukraine.
Julia: I’m very humbled, helping Ukraine. I went in January and I — and a group of people — drove a bunch of ambulances to the front lines. We went to where all the bombs were going off. We delivered insulin and medicine and all sorts of things to the front lines.
To me, they’re the freedom fighters of our time. So, like I’m completely obsessed. It’s not about just giving money. Money is nice, obviously. They need solidarity. They need to know that people care.
Hilary: How did your AMEŌN partnership come about?
Julia: I’m in New York and I am going to an event in Ukraine. There’s this guy in the elevator. And I don’t know anyone at the event. I was invited because of what I was doing [in the country]. And so I had no idea who he was and I just started making conversation. I could tell we were going to the same place.
I asked what his connection to Ukraine was and he said he’s Ukrainian and this is very important to him. We just got to talking, and then he found out who I was and he reached out to me and he said, “I’ve seen what you’re doing. I would love to partner with you on some projects I’m doing for Ukraine.
As I got to know him, all he did was talk about his wife. I finally got to meet her and it was love at first sight. She’s incredibly honest and real. She went through cancer and she did not let it destroy her. Instead, she founded a company, AMEŌN, based on her experience. And I just thought that was incredible.
Hilary: Where are you traveling this summer?
Julia: The dates kind of move around because the situation fluctuates. But the current date [to return to Ukraine] is the second week of July. I’m going to Rwanda with The Body Agency. I’m going village to village and dropping off maxi pads and tampons, and menstrual cups because these women have none. When they menstruate, they can’t go to school. They lose their jobs. They fall behind. In addition to the menstrual stuff, I’m giving everyone a vibrator.
Additionally, I’m going to India. I’ve been many times. I love India. I have very close friends there, and I’m meeting with this guru, who teaches you to accept everything in your life as a positive and to grow with it. Lastly, I’m going to London, because King Charles and Camilla invited me to a ball. I am involved in a charity of theirs, Elephant Family. And I’m obsessed with elephants.
Hilary: Do you have any bucket list trips that you haven’t taken yet?
Julia: Honestly, my goal is not to die until I see every single country on the planet. I want to meet people from every nationality. I want to taste every food known to mankind. It’s my dream to see the world. I’m at 57 countries. I want to see all of them.
Hilary: Which unseen place is next?
Julia: Well, first of all, I want to see Hawaii. How ridiculous is it that I have never been to Hawaii? It’s just so far. I never have time.
Hilary: Where is your favorite place to visit?
Julia: For play: It’s a mix between Marbella, Spain, and Porto Heli, Greece. I like Porto Heli because it looks like that’s where the Gods would live. It’s unbelievable. Pristine. It’s quiet. It’s lush. Everything they grow right there and you’re 15 minutes away from everywhere. You could take a helicopter to Athens and it takes 15 minutes. But, it’s the most magnificently beautiful place on Earth. And then, Marbella is just sunshine and warmth and happy people, and it’s just so nice, you know, no drama. I love Spain. The food is incredible. My favorite wine in the world is actually a Spanish wine: Vega Sicilia Unico.
Hilary: Where do you like to travel with your kids? Where do you recommend?
Julia: We love the Rosewood Hotels, so the Rosewood Mayakoba and Rosewood in Cabo: Las Ventanas al Paraíso. We’re all obsessed with Greece. We love going to Greece together. We just love traveling together. It’s really more about hotels that know how to take care of families, more than locations: The Rosewoods, the Amans, and the Four Seasons.
Hilary: What do you bring in your carry-on?
Julia: Headphones, two iPads — just in case I have to look at one and work on the other. Always the Apple pen, so I can draw. I travel with nosh all the time and I like to eat healthy. So I bring my 40-calorie bread and my beat chips and then something sweet like banana chips. Socks. I always get cold on planes. And my jewelry bag.
