My definition of self-care has changed quite drastically as I’ve gotten older. When I was in college my skincare routine consisted of a simple face wash and moisturizer and I really couldn’t afford much else. As I’ve gotten older and my budget has increased, I’ve started to incorporate many more steps to build a solid upkeep routine. Below are some of the things I include in my self care routine to look and feel my best, separated into daily, monthly, and yearly.

DAILY

Mornings-

I usually just rinse my face with water in the mornings, since it's clean from the night before and will typically use an ice roller to help de-puff.

After working out and showering, I’ll do my morning skincare routine. You can click here to read my full skincare routine, but I usually use a toner, vitamin C serum, eye cream, moisturizer, and sunscreen. If I plan on filming or have an event, I’ll also use an eye mask or brightening sheet mask in the morning prior to doing skincare.

Evenings-

In the evenings I double cleanse to remove all of my makeup, apply a toner, and then use an LED light mask for 15 minutes before applying any other skincare products. I decided to invest in a clinical grade mask that has worked really amazing on brightening my skin and minimizing my dark spots.

After using my mask I usually use an anti-dark spot serum, eye cream, and a heavy moisturizer or sleeping mask. I also like to apply lotion to my entire body and use a lip scrub/ lip moisturizer before bed.

WEEKLY

Hair Care- I have very fine hair that tends to get oily on my roots ,and extremely dry ends. I’ve started to invest in better hair care products but haven’t quite found the best combination for my hair. My hair needs to be washed every day to look it’s best, however since I know that isn’t the healthiest for it I try to limit it to every other day. I also try to use a clarifying shampoo and hair mask every Sunday and also apply hair oils to my ends to help combat dryness.

Face Masks- I apply face mask or sheet masks about 2-3 times a week. I'm a face mask junkie and have different types (I usually gravitate towards Peter Thomas Roth or Boscia masks), so I'll pick one based on what I feel like my skin needs at the moment, i.e. clarifying, brightening, hydrating, etc.

Exfoliate- I like to use a gentle exfoliating scrub on my face once a week to get rid of any dead skin cells and brighten things up. I also use a sugar and coconut oil body scrub every Sunday in the shower.

Eye Masks- I'll admit, these are a little boujie, but I like to do the little eye patch under eye masks to help hydrate and brighten my under eyes. You can keep them chilled in the fridge to get more of a spa like experience and help with any puffiness. I typically just do them Tues & Thurs as well so my eyes are nice and bright for filming.

Epsom Salt Baths- These are great to do when you’re sore, but I think it can also be beneficial as a routine recovery method once a week.

Pilates- Pilates is a hobby I’ve recently picked up that I absolutely love! It really helps you focus on building a strong core and long lean muscles. I personally go to a reformer studio 1-2 a week, however if that’s out of your budget there are ton of affordable or free options online that will still give you the same great results.

Exercise- If you want to look and function your best, you're going to need to put some effort into a workout routine! There's no right workout that you need to have, just find something you enjoy that keeps you active and fit. For me personally, I prefer to do a weight lifting routine 4-5 days a week and walk 10k steps a day.

Self Tanner- I honestly wish I was better at applying self tanners, but I typically fall short on this one; my goal is to apply self tanner once a week. My upper body tans really nicely and easily holds a tan, however my legs go pale throughout winter due to wearing pants and then struggle to maintain a tan during the summer. So a self tanner is ideal to balance out my body for when I want to wear dresses and skirts during the warmer months.

Retinol- I’ve started to incorporate this into my nighttime skincare routine about 2-3 times a week.

MONTHLY

Massages- I try to get massages 1-2x a month. Not only does it help you relax, but they're also a great recovery method for your body. If you're regularly working out and staying active, massages are beneficial to help break down any knots or scar tissue and help your body stay in its prime.

Facials- I try to get a facial every 4 weeks to help my skin stay looking it’s best.

Manicures & Pedicures- I typically try to get my nails done every 4 weeks (pedicures usually last up to 8 weeks for me) and stick to gel polish to avoid it chipping. I also stick to neutral pale pink tones so I look put together but it’s less noticeable when my nails start to grow out a bit between appointments.

Lashes- I used to get lash extensions twice a month a few years ago until the Army banned it. Now that I’m out of the military I’m tempted to start back up. It’s super convenient to wake up and be ready to go; if you go to the right technician, they can give you the look of wearing falsies without dealing with the mess and struggle of applying them. Be cautious though, as an inexperienced technician can actually damage your real lashes if they don’t apply them correctly.

YEARLY

Teeth Whitening- I actually haven’t had my teeth whitened since college as I’ve seen great results with consistently using Crest whitening toothpaste/mouthwash. However, if you feel like those aren’t doing the trick, I used to see great results using Crest Whitestrips once a year in my early twenties.

Botox- Now that I’m in my 30’s Ive started incorporating “baby botox” about 2-3 times a year to help prevent wrinkles from forming.

xoxo