Lily Soutter

Inspired to become a nutritionist because of her experience with psoriasis and polycystic ovaries, Lily Soutter has honed her tailored skin and beauty regime over the years so that her symptoms are now virtually unnoticeable. A typical weekend sees Lily making time for some feel-good beauty treats, bingeing on a TV thriller and heading out for a spot of brunch at one of her local Chelsea haunts with friends.

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The Wind Down

It’s so important to take time to wind down fully so you don’t get trapped in that Sunday Blues cycle. I’ll usually start my wind-down about 5pm, which is my time to relax and mentally prepare myself for the week ahead. If my diary looks busy, I might write a to-do list to break it down so it doesn’t feel so overwhelming. Then, when it’s time to chill, I really try and savour that time. I don’t make plans in advance on a Sunday, I think it’s a good idea to preserve some time for yourself so you can mentally relax. But I do quite often arrange a last-minute meet up with my friends. I live in Chelsea so if I do go out it has to be somewhere local that I can walk to. Usually it’s something casual like a brunch or coffee. My favourite spots include Granger & Co, White City House or Farm Girl Café. If I’m at home, I’ll spend more time cooking on a Sunday. Even though I’m a nutritionist, I’ll always opt for something simple over something that is complicated or will take a lot of time during the week. Batch-cooking is a total game-changer and something I’m a big advocate of. It’s so easy to do and saves you a lot of time preparing during the week especially if you know you’re going to be busy. I’ll usually cook extra portions and then freeze them to prep ahead for the week. To wind down I love lighting a scented candle like Jo Loves Pomelo and settling down in my comfy tracksuit in front of Netflix. I always choose an intense series that transports me to another world or a new destination. Anything that is a bit spooky, a thriller or even a horror would be my series of choice, which I know some people find a bit weird.

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The Routine

I have polycystic ovaries and psoriasis, which means I have experienced quite a few troubles with my skin. They are both under control at the moment, which is lucky, and you can’t really see that I suffer from them. My psoriasis was one of the main reasons I was interested in nutrition as I wanted to learn how to manage it, and then I discovered much power food has over your skin and on your overall wellbeing. I’ve had a few appointments with consultant dermatologist Anjali Mahto, who was brilliant and offered me some really helpful skincare advice. During the day I’ll cleanse with REN’s Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser and I’m using Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Cream, which helps moisturise my skin. At night, I always take off my makeup with Darphin’s Azahar Micellar Water and use a foaming cleanser like Caudalie’s Foaming Cleanser to refresh my skin. I have recently started using Drunk Elephant’s A-Passioni, which I was recommended for targeting pigmentation and wrinkles. I used to use face wipes until I learned that they don’t clean your skin properly and can actually smear dirt around your face. The benefit of having my skincare conditions diagnosed is that now I can tailor my routine to make sense of the symptoms. My goal is definitely to hydrate and brighten my skin and the products I use are targeted to that. I love using face masks and switch up between the La Mer The Treatment Sheet Mask, Herbivore’s Brighten Mask and a Tata Harper Mask.

I only have a shower at home, not a bath, so I think this impacts the amount of time I spend in the bathroom on my bodycare routine – which isn’t a lot really! I should probably pay it more attention. Exfoliating I think is so refreshing and there is something cathartic about sloughing off the dead skin and starting afresh. At the moment I’m using Aesop’s Geranium Body Scrub. To really boost my confidence if I’ve got an important event or social occasion for example, nothing beats a good self-tan. I’ll use something gradual like Kora Organics Gradual Self Tan, so it doesn’t look too dark. My hair is quite fine and needs a lot of nourishment to look and feel healthy. I’ve been using Olaplex Shampoo and Conditioners for a while now, they work by repairing damaged bonds in your hair to smooth the cuticle for a silkier and glossier feel.

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Bedtime

I think it’s essential to give yourself sufficient time to wind down and chill out before bed because I know how healing sleep is for your wellbeing. I took a course in stress reduction at the London Mindfulness Clinic recently, which helped me learn how to switch off more easily. I was taught the principles of mindfulness and also how to do a body scan, so if I can’t sleep, I’ll do that for ten-minutes before bed. I’m also careful about what I eat and drink in the afternoons and evenings, so I won’t eat anything too heavy before bed and I avoid caffeine too. I try to get into bed for 10pm and then I’ll read for about twenty minutes. At the moment, I’m reading a Sophie Kinsella book, which I’m really enjoying. On my bedside table you’ll find my Aesop Hand Cream, the Diptyque Baies Candle and Sunday Riley’s Luna Sleeping Night Oil. I also love a This Works Pillow Spray, which I’ll spritz lightly over my bed before sleep.

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Monday Morning

I set my alarm for 7.20am every day, then snooze it for around 10 minutes before getting up. I know I’m lucky to be self-employed and to have built my own career and business, so I wake up on Monday feeling positive about the week ahead, looking forward to whatever I have on. My job is so varied, I might be hosting a corporate day at a large company or trying out some new recipes, doing tastings and studying for my nutrition qualifications. If I’m at home and I don’t have any meetings I’ll usually just put my gym kit on ready for the day. I always try and incorporate some kind of movement into my day every day. It makes me feel so much better and if I don’t exercise I often feel like I have too much energy. Usually I’ll go to the gym or if I don’t have time will go on a walk. For breakfast I’ll have a refreshing juice with ingredients including cucumber, celery, kale, lemon and ginger and a big bowl of oat porridge, which is a good source of slow release energy.

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