MELISSA'S 2021 MORNING ROUTINE
Let’s be real: Starting the day off with a beautiful skin care routine is just priceless. If you know me, you know how seriously I take my mornings... from taking time to ground & center to masking, matcha & my favorite products, it’s all how I set the tone of the day & elevate my mood. So, welcome to my current morning ritual. I hope to inspire your own rituals that help support & nurture you in mind, body, skin & spirit. I’m going to hop right in and walk you through exactly what products I’m currently using and in what order!
After spending a few moments setting my intentions for the day and grounding into the fresh energy of the day, I get straight into self care. First thing’s first - Masking. Since my skin is already clean and dry from the night before, I love to prep my skin with a beautiful mask to start off the day. It's the perfect skin care treat for multi-tasking as well as great for any busy gal. So I’ll rotate between a combo of two different masks at a given time. Currently, the Ayuna Essence is having a real moment in my life. It’s ability to remove dead skin cells is unparalleled. So I’ll spread that on, go prepare my morning matcha (with my beloved, holi(mane) powder for an extra boost of collagen + skin beautifying pearl), spend some time grounding & centering and get my healing frequency music on. The Essence leaves the skin feeling baby soft and gives you a lit from within glow, which we love to start off the day with, am I right?
AYUNA
ESSENCE
On days where my skin feels a little congested, I opt for the Kypris Deep Forest Clay mask instead which I love because, not only is it super clarifying, it feels very activating so I know my skin is being detoxed & purified. It’s very cooling to the skin which feels so nice in the morning and without stripping the skin, leaving it feeling super hydrated and fresh. So I love this mask, especially during more hormonal times of the month when my skin may not be cooperating as normal.
KYPRIS
DEEP FOREST CLAY
After I mask, I move on to the full on skin care ritual. Starting it all off with parts one and two of the Agent Nateur holi(trinity)--the holi(water) combined with the holi(c), followed by the holi(oil). This is seriously a “holi” grail treatment that I don’t think I will ever leave out of my morning routine. The “how to use” is simple, you first tap a few sprinkles of the holi(c) into your palm, then spritz the holi(water) directly in, combine and pat onto the skin. Voila, the tightening, plumping, pore refining, decadent results right there.
So the holi(c) is a super potent formulation that is a blend of just two superstar ingredients that Jena Covello, founder & CEO of Agent Nateur reputedly sources… calcium ketogluconate which is a French-patented form of calcium (a natural complex molecule) and sodium ascorbyl phosphate, a gentle form of Vitamin C. Calcium ketogluconate is the perfect youth-inducing ingredient because it promotes cell regeneration by stimulating elastin synthesis, all while working to reduce the appearance of fine lines, which I can personally attest to. The sodium ascorbyl phosphate aka SAP has been clinically proven to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, prevent & treat acne and tighten the skin. It’s a form of Vitamin C that has been thoroughly tested, revealing it to be a more stable form of the more commonly used 1-ascorbic acid. This leaves my skin SO youthful & plump. The level of research & care that goes into sourcing these unique & incredible ingredients is just one of the reasons I love these products.
The holi(water) is a pearl & rose hyaluronic essence, so somewhat of a toner and a serum in one. Personally, I tend to be more on the drier side so my skin really drinks this up because the Hyaluronic Acid is great at binding moisture to the skin. It contains pure pearl which is super luminous on the skin and has been used in ancient beauty rituals throughout history for it’s beautifying properties. The Bulgarian rose in this product is perfect for soothing dry skin and is super nurturing and is very activating for the heart chakra, a chakra I am currently working with.
Next, I use a serum to quench my skin and give it loads of nourishment. Right now, I am all about antioxidants so I use the Kypris Antioxidant Dew which is such a fan favorite & one of my forever holy grail products. It’s a beautiful serum that’s perfect for anyone with sensitive skin as well since it’s formulated with no essential oils. Antioxidants are such an important addition to any morning routine because they work to fight off damaging free radicals from pollution, artificial blue light, stress and other environmental toxins. They work hard to reduce inflammation from deep inside the skin barrier so they’re essential in protective skin care.
KYPRIS
ANTIOXIDANT DEW
After that I apply the Agent Nateur’s final step in the holi(trinity), the holi(oil), a luxurious facial oil that promotes a flawless, ageless complexion. I press a couple drops into my skin and I feel super hydrated, lush and plump. I love this because it includes helichrysum-- also called “immortale” which is great at regenerating skin cells and boosting collagen production. This oil is another one that contains rose, which I love for soothing redness, dryness and promoting a sense of nourishment. It’s the perfect final step to infuse more nutrients, antioxidants and hydration into the skin. It leaves me feeling supple and glowy!
For the eyes, I am loving the Pai System D. It’s a great eye serum for depuffing in the mornings. It has a cooling applicator and is ultra-lightweight so it works great under makeup. For night, I’ve been reaching for the Ad Astra Eye Cream by Kypris because it’s more rich, but for day time, the System D is the perfect consistency and helps with both inflammation and dark circles.
On days that I’m feeling more dry and notice that my skin is a bit dehydrated, I will go in with just a tiny dollop of the Ayuna Cream III. I just love to use this incredible face cream to seal everything into my skin and make sure everything is tight & plump, plus it works really well prior to applying makeup!
AYUNA
CREAM III
So there you have it, my current morning skin care routine. I am constantly switching it up depending on the weather, what new & exciting products come in and of course, my mood! So follow along on Instagram at @citrinebeautyaz where I share everything from rituals & routines to favorite products, tips and other life updates. I would love to hear what products you’re incorporating into your morning rituals, so let’s chat!
