What features in Lisa Goldfaden’s Sunday night routine? Scented candles, a good podcast and plenty of great skincare, of course.
The Wind Down
Winding down can be a bit of a challenge while running your business. I try to stop reading emails by 8pm and focus on relaxing so that by 10/10.30 pm I can get into bed. I like to do a treatment of some sort on Sunday evening to prepare for the upcoming week. Sometimes it’s a double facial mask type of night and sometimes it’s a bath and dry brushing. I always do a hair mask. The goal is to look more refreshed and have hydrated hair – especially during the winter. I have candles all over my home and I light them every night, my favourite is Diptyque Santal. I like to listen to books and podcasts while I’m doing my treatments – sometimes it’s Spotify’s Coffee-Break Italian podcast as I’m learning to speak the language. If I am travelling during that week I will pack and make sure my calendar is in order too. When it comes to beauty I would say I’m a multi-tasker who likes to get everything done and organised, so that I can lounge afterwards.
The Routine
I like to mask on Sundays. I usually do two treatments, either two masks or a peel and a mask; I love Goldfaden MD Fresh A Peel or the Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Peel (especially when I travel-because they are so convenient), and then the Oskia Renaissance Mask. I have normal to dry skin as well as being quite sensitive so I have to pay attention to ingredients. I am also careful during the winter, I love to exfoliate but this slows down when the temperature drops. I will often exfoliate and use a brightening or pore-clarifying mask and then a night treatment with retinol. I can only tolerate this once a week though. Because of my job, I do get gifted a lot of products but am very careful what I actually use on my face; the tops of my hands have perfect skin though! In general I’m looking for hydration, radiance and even skin tone. Other products I’ll add into the mix are the Goldfaden MD Doctor’s Scrub Advanced, Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes and Patchology Eye Patches.
My Sunday body regime starts with a bath with Epsom salt and an oil – I love Susanne Kaufmann Bath Oil For The Senses – then I dry brush with a body brush and follow that with a body oil, I love REN’s Moroccan Rose Otto Body Oil. I’m very active and run frequently, so will massage my legs and use a roller if my muscles are very sore or tight.
I always rinse and condition my hair on Sunday night, but shampooing will depend on what day I’m on in the rotation. I usually shampoo 2-3 times a week, so depending on if I’ve had a great blow out or sweated a lot during my workout, that will dictate my shampoo schedule. I love to use a rich shampoo and conditioner and then I wrap a special moisture-wicking towel around my hair and then let it air dry. For styling I use Oribe products, but on a Sunday I try to not do anything post-bath to my hair. I do not dry or style it if possible.
Bedtime
I try to be in bed by 10.30pm but I may watch Netflix or read. I’m usually ready for a nice long slumber. Because I travel so much, being home in my own bed on a Sunday is a real treat and I try and enjoy every minute of it. I sleep on silk pillowcases and I wear a silk eye mask that blocks the light out and doesn’t absorb oil from my skin. I also wear earplugs and sleep with a white noise machine, so that outdoor noises don’t wake me. I’ve always been a light sleeper and living in New York City is not exactly conducive to this, which is why I need all the extras!
Right before I turn the lights out I use the Dr. Lipp Treatment, Goldfaden MD Plant Profusion Neck Cream and lotion on my feet (I mix with AESOP Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm). I take melatonin specifically when I’m in another time zone and I always drink a special concocted Chinese herb tea from my acupuncturist. It’s lights out no later than 11pm, I need around six to seven hours of sleep.
Monday Morning
My alarm is set between 6.30 and 7am depending on the season. I like to try to get up with the sun whenever possible. I feel rested and ready to conquer. I jump out of bed, then I stretch, brush my teeth and have a cup of coffee.