The Wind Down
I love my evenings, as soon as I get home I am in wind down mode, I try and make it about switching off, so I set myself up for a restful night’s sleep. Diptyque have a beautiful selection of candles. I like a scented candle, but nothing floral, I prefer a vetiver that freshens the room and lifts my senses. Some nights I will make a fresh batch of Almond or Hemp milk after dinner to have in the fridge for smoothies, it’s become a bit of a ritual I find calming and therapeutic, I’ll play some music and take my time. Then, if the boys are home with me, we might watch a movie together but I try not to make TV a nightly ritual. I like to switch off in the evenings as soon as I can, but it can be tricky with my international businesses based on the opposite side of the world – Australia is just waking up when it’s my evening so often I will have conference calls or need to respond to emails. On average, it would be usually around 9pm, It’s a balancing act.
At 53 I am more aware of my wellness and beauty routine than ever. These days, I understand beauty radiates from the inside out. If you take care of your gut health, nourish your body with clean, natural nutrients you will feel well and look better on the outside, so I try to live by this every day.What I try to do every day is live a balanced lifestyle, eat a healthy amount of nutritious foods, and stay active whenever I can. Starting and ending the day calm works for me, it’s all about balance. My music tastes are so varied and my son, Cy, is always adding tunes to my playlist. Lots of Drake and Khalid have been recently downloaded. I guess Khalid’s Shot Down is my current wind down song. On Sunday nights I plan what needs to be achieved with everyone for the week ahead to run smoothly and efficiently.
The Routine
My everyday beauty regime starts with splashing my face with water, I skip cleansing and go straight to serum, moisturiser, and then sunscreen. One of my favourite products is Dr Sebagh’s Supréme Day Cream and the Serum Repair. I use the cream day and night and will religiously apply it on overnight flights. My skin always feels hydrated and looks fresh. I also love Natura Bisse’s Diamond Extreme, which helps strengthenskin’s defences, and the Diamond Extreme Eye. I start my evening skincare routine in the shower. I wash my face with a foaming cleanser, then when my skin is still damp I moisturise with Dr Sebagh’s Night Creme. I do try to schedule a regular massage Sunday nights if I can. Balance on the weekend is key; I live a balanced lifestyle, eat a healthy amount of nutritious foods, and stay active whenever I can.
My number one beauty secret is taking The Super Elixir. All 45-premium whole food, bio live, ingredients have been added in scientifically calculated ratios and are designed to work together to support all 11 systems of the body (including the endochrine system which is your skin, hair and nails) and helps create an alkaline state. Many of us are too acidic, which causes health and beauty issues. After taking The Super Elixir for the past three years, I feel I have more energy, I feel nourished and I began to notice that my skin wasn’t dry anymore and looked plumper; the skin is a great barometer of how you are inside. WelleCo’s vision is to make it easy for people to make good choices for themselves. Keeping it simple, without the pressure. None of us are perfect, we aim to inform on living well and encourage the idea to simply do the best you can.
I wash my hair every other night using Oribe products, they are beautiful and smell so good. The Shampoo and Conditioner for Beautiful Colour are my favourites. If I want to create texture and volume the Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray are perfect. I am obsessed with his hair treatments too. One styling trick I have is to roll my hair up into two high side buns in the car on the way to a function, let it out and shake my hair down when I arrive. It keeps the wave in nicely.
Bedtime
I spray a little spritz of my own pillow mist around the room which reduces tension and anxiety, and works to help me drift off to sleep easily. I know my body needs to have time to recharge and adequately repair so I try and be in bed by 10.30pm. My aim is 7 hours, full of dreams. Some quiet time to wind down before bed is important and I am strict with no screens (phone/laptop) at least a half an hour before bed. I am an avid reader of autobiographies, so I always have one on my bedside table, some of my favourites lately have been: Prince – Purple Rain – Mick Wall and What I Know for Sure – Oprah Winfrey. For those nights when I just can’t switch off I have a notepad and pen on my nightstand, I finding jotting down ideas stops them swirling around my head and I can more easily fall asleep. At the end of every day I make sure I do a gratitude list, even if it’s only in my head. I also discovered Strala yoga last year, it’s about natural movement and your body being in the right place for you at that time: connecting breath and body. I do a yoga pose which is meant to help induce sleep it involves lying on the bed with my legs up the wall.
Monday Morning
My alarm is set for 5am every day… it allows me to have quiet time to myself before the house awakes. Mornings are my favourite part of the day and I love my morning routine because it sets me up for the day. It’s non-negotiable, I know it makes me feel great, so I stick to it. I wake and set my intentions for the day. I try to be kind to myself and check in, to understand how I am feeling in my body and my mind. I try to take about 30 minutes every morning to meditate because it helps keep me balanced and feel strong and confident. Rather than waking up and immediately racing through everything I need to do that day in my mind, I practice being grateful. I think of 5 things I am grateful for and sometimes write them down. That way I always start my day on a positive note and am thinking about the things in my life that bring me joy or have a positive impact on my life. It changes my outlook for the day and I find I tackle things in a more positive and upbeat way — it has a knock-on effect. Then I get dressed, make breakfast if the boys are at home, and do the school run. I love starting my day with some outdoor activity like hiking, swimming, walking, outdoor yoga. This combined with good nutrition and a good night’s sleep, helps me on all levels. I find if I begin my day well, I am better equipped to handle anything.