The Ideal Daily Routine
THE Morning Routine
Most mornings I naturally wake up around 5am. I had some help getting there… but once the routine was put in motion, my body adapted pretty quickly. The Amazon Hatch Alarm Clock dupe is my alarm clock of choice. You can adjust the settings to your desired wake up time, adjust the sounds (I like the birds), and set your volume. The alarm uses a sunrise simulation to ease you out of deep sleep before it sounds, so you wake up ready to go! This was the best purchase to help me achieve the 5am wake-up routine.
After I get out of bed, priority #1 is coffee! I’ll sip it on the couch while doing mental reflection, light journaling, and prioritizing the day. This takes only 20 minutes, but it really helps queue up thoughts and sets the tone for the day ahead. The next 20 minutes are blocked for doing yoga or running. Yoga is known to be very centering and grounding and helps the body release cortisol and inflammation, so it is VERY helpful! The last 20 minutes are spent tidying the kitchen so it’s ready for the day. This entails emptying the dishwasher and reloading it if there were dishes left in the sink overnight. Then I go through and wipe down the countertops. I love the smell of the Bright Day Lysol spray, so that is my go to!!
The heart of the home
You will probably agree with me on this, but there is something magical about having a clean kitchen. It is the heart of most homes and when it is clean (or dirty, for that matter) it really can influence how you feel. So, the first hour of my morning is spent getting myself into a good headspace heading into the new day. Usually, by the time the kitchen is tidied and wiped down, my son is up and getting ready for school. Depending on his plans for breakfast, sometimes he requests I make something for him. I love being able to start his day with a loving gesture and nourishing him with a home cooked breakfast. This act of love further amplifies my happiness and we all know growing teenage boys are happy when they’re eating. I have now shared that feeling with someone who will inevitably share with someone else. It’s a beautiful trickle effect created in the heart of our home from a place of love. The day has just started…
Next on the list…
Shower routine
Now, it is time to get ready for the day. Incorporating self-care and happiness into little pockets, whenever possible, is such an essential for me to keep the good times rolling! Getting ready can feel monotonous when you get into a routine, so having a skin and body care routine that works for your skin is important and you can add happy moments by switching up a wash or lotion smell or cosmetic colors. For me, this means that I shower with a body wash that smells amazing, a face wash that works really well, and a body lotion that smells yummy and provides some kind of benefit for my skin. I personally LOVE the Chanel Gabriel body wash. The price tag on that isn’t always realistic, so I only purchase it when I have points on my Sephora card and use it sparingly when I’m really needing a lift in my morning. Most days I use either Dove cucumber or the Sol de Janeiro original body wash. Both of these are more reasonably priced and smell great in their own ways. After the shower, I use a body lotion or oil (Bum Bum Cream or Aveda’s Stress Relief Oil) that will nourish my skin, because no one likes the feel of dry skin.
skincare routine
I finish off with my skincare. I love Caudalie’s VinoPerfect face wash and toner, so those are ALWAYS my go to’s. My serums rotate depending on what I feel like my skin is needing. I rotate through Drunk Elephant’s B-Hydra, Caudalie’s Reservatrol and Bright Serum, and Glow Recipe’s Niacinimide Serum. Next is eye cream… Sei Bella’s Wrinkle Release is my all time favorite, but I also like Caudalie’s Premier Cru eye cream, Drunk Elephant’s Boun-C and mix them with a cream that has caffeine to reduce baggage for the morning. The last step is a good moisturizer smoothie! I love to mix different things together in my routine to keep things fun and beneficial. I usually pull on Drunk Elephant’s poly peptide cream and mix in the B-Goldi drops, a drop or two of oil and an SPF. The face is now ready for make-up!!
make-up routine
When applying make-up, I like to have a sundry of option for each step. Most of my make-up comes from Sephora and I shop their clean brands as much as possible. There are several brands that offer this, so the options are endless! Depending on the day, I will go full face or quick and minimal. I always use concealer under my eyes and some kind of foundation or tinted moisturizer to begin.
