Sharing my working-from-home morning routine.
Do you have a morning routine? I do, but it’s definitely changed since I started working from home in March. (Pandemic fun!) Buckle up and let’s dive in!
Make the bed.
Making the bed just makes me feel more ready to start the day. I’m all about tidying up a room before I leave it (“resetting the space,” if you will), so making my bed right away in on-brand. It’s also a little accomplishment to kick the day off and it’s one less thing you have to do later. Highly recommend!
A maxed-out a.m. skincare routine.
First: I start by wiping my face down with an exfoliating wipe and then spritzing with that rosewater and glycerin toner I’ve been using for years and years. It provides some gentle hydration and definitely wakes the skin up.
Second: serums! First is the much-loved C E peptides. (I have been using this serum for over a year and it’s so legit!) It’s one of the most expensive items in my beauty routine, but worth it. It contains a super-stable form of highly-concentrated vitamin C, a proven anti-ager and brightener. Vitamin E provides topical protection from free radicals. It’s medical-grade goodness!
Next serum: the Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum, which is a new-to-the-regimen product. I just finished up my first bottle and am now on my second. Peach & Lily is a Korean beauty online store that also developed its own line. “Glass skin” refers to the K-beauty practice of achieving luminous, hydrated, glass-like skin (minimal pores, major glow). This serum is packed with good-for-skin ingredients: peach extract to protect the skin barrier, hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate, niacinamide to soothe and brighten, and a peptide complex to boost collagen production. I love this stuff! It is lightweight, non-sticky, and absorbs quickly.
Third: a little neck cream (which I also bring down onto my chest). This cream from StriVectin is a winner. It smooths wrinkles and crepey skin (I don’t have this just yet, but prevention is the name of the game) and brightens (perfect for the decolletage area). A little bit goes a long way with this stuff, so even though it’s pricey, it lasts a long time.
Fourth: moisturizer to seal in those serums and provide SPF protection. This Garnier moisturizer is a really solid drugstore find– plus it doesn’t have that classic sunscreen smell. It provides a decent level of hydration and has vitamin C for brightening + free radical protection.
Fifth: an undereye brightener to perk up those peepers. I’m not wearing much makeup while working from home, but I pat this peachy-colored cream under my eyes and it just wakes things up. It soothes, blurs, and has a little illuminating effect. It’s not a concealer, but it does soften those dark circles a bit. Plus another dose of vitamin C! (Are you sensing a key ingredient here?) Perfect for wearing under a pair of blue light glasses on a Zoom call.
Sixth: a soothing face oil. This one from Pixi does triple duty: antioxidant protection with turmeric, brightening with– you guessed it– vitamin-C, and hydration with carrot oil. I get a lovely glow from this oil.
Last step: a hydrating lip balm with just a hint of color. Keeping my lips moisturized is so key! Winter = dry air, which can be the road to chapped lips. No thank you. Lately, I’ve been using this one from Dior, but I also love the Pixi colored lip balm with shea butter.
Skincare tips:
- Wash your hands before touching your face (especially if you’re going to be dipping into jars of product). Always touch your face with clean hands.
- Give your serums a little time to soak in before applying the next step. I’ll brush my teeth or apply body lotion, deodorant, etc., to allow for absorption.
- Speaking of serums, always bring them down to your neck and chest (and the backs of your hands if you have extra). You want that anti-aging effect on those areas, too!
- You need SPF protection even in the fall and winter and even if you aren’t going outside. SPF is the number one way to prevent fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots!
