Waking up to the sound of an alarm every morning isn’t exactly my cup of tea. I, determined to sleep for at least five more minutes, desperately hit the snooze button and bury myself underneath the covers. However, when the repetitive ringing of the alarm goes off in my ear a second time, I know that it’s once again time to face reality and greet the day.
Whenever people ask me if I’m a morning person, the response usually varies. If you’re talking Christmas, Disney or a birthday I would usually answer wholeheartedly: yes, 100%. College classes on the other hand…yeah not the most exciting realization as you wake up Monday morning after a nice, relaxing weekend.
However, I’ve found since high school that getting up in the mornings aren’t (terribly) bad when you create a fun little routine to wake up to every morning!
Firstly, I like to listen to some music every morning to get me motivated and energized. Listening to songs that generate an upbeat feel helps with getting in the right mindset for school, whether it be the beginning of the week or the day of an exam!
I’m a huge fan of Saint Motel, their songs are so dream-like and lively! Perfect for early mornings.
If I have enough time in the mornings I always like to treat myself to some hot chocolate! Not only is it delicious, I’ve never been much of a coffee girl myself, but it also has health benefits, such as: promoting cognitive functions which better retains knowledge / information that you’ve acquired – perfect for those early classes when you just can’t seem to stay awake. Studies also show that chocolate is one of the leading reducers of stress, so really the moral of this is that chocolate is amazing…and who’s going to argue science.
After said hot coco and spotify binge, I basically can’t get anything done before brushing my teeth!
And yes I might have bought this toothpaste because a) it was on sale & b) the packaging is just too adorable for words!
Makeup is something I don’t like to spend more than ten minutes on in the morning, (My mind is only preoccupied with McClurg Omelets in the morning… just ask my roommate) but makeup is also a fun way to help motivate us to get sh** done. It’s fun, it’s cute, and for some of us it drains our bank account.
That all being said I usually just stick to a few holy grail products and that’s that.
I’ve never had problematic skin, but like everyone I still deal with pimples and redness, so I think it’s important to hydrate and moisturize the skin daily.
Every Night I wipe my entire face using Target’s up&up brand wipes. I highly recommend these – they leave no irritation on the skin and work like a charm! Recently, after washing my face i’ve been going in with a cotton pad and wiping it again with witch hazel (you can purchase a large container of this at Target for only $3.00!) it really removes the extra dirt left behind on your skin and leaves a healthy glow!
In the mornings I like to moisturize my entire skin with lotion – not only is it calming, but it smells amazing! I also like to use the St. Ives face scrub to wake up my face!
Then I use my Chanel ‘Lotion Douceur’ toner to help even out the skin tone!
Before applying my makeup, I switch between applying my Clarins ‘Beauty flash Balm’ or Chanel ‘Hydra Beauty flash’ daily moisturizers. Both have a fresh incense and soothing application.
Now, onto makeup!
I like to start off using the Charlotte Tilbury brightening concealer. One side dispenses the brightening balm and then, after blending it onto the skin, gently apply the concealer. This is great for a long day of classes when you want your eyes to look fresh, awake and rejuvenated the whole day… it’s basically the equivalent of smiling through the pain.
This Chanel blush/ highlighter duo is great to add a bit of color to your cheeks, this especially comes in handy when you feel as sick as a dog or those cold Sewanee days coming up!
Then I like to brighten my eyes by applying this chanel eyeshadow duo. The pigments of these colors are incredible! Granted, they look very ‘80s and a little much for everyday, but the colors are so iridescent and apply so softly it appears so naturally!
I naturally have pretty dark and thick brows, but I always like to add a bit more definition and comb them through so they don’t appear as angry caterpillars roaming along my face!
I like to use the pixi brow pencil in dark brunette and comb them through with a spoolie. Then I just curl my lashes using this e.l.f. wand, which helps give them volume!
Adding a touch of highlighter along the cheekbones and along the bridge of the nose add brightness to the face…and who doesn’t love sparkles, amiright?
This pot from Topshop is great and inexpensive! Adding even a little goes a long way!
Finally I like to add a glow to my face with the Pixi glow mist, It’s very refreshing and keeps your makeup looking fresh all day!
I find it helpful to think the night before about the outfit I’m going to wear the next day, in my experience it does help in reducing stress in the mornings…especially if you’re on a time crunch.
Sometimes (aka by some miracle) I have good hair days, but on the days I don’t (9/10) I love to use Batiste dry shampoo. It turns your hair days from wanting to wear a hat 24/7 into ‘I woke up like this’ paraded as your mantra.
I can never leave my dorm without my everyday jewelry. These Tiffany pearls have been basically my only earrings since high school & this is a necklace I had custom made in Chelsea, New York!
Before leaving my room I always look back in my planner to make sure I’m on top of what needs to be done for that day (or if I’m ever in need of some inspirational wisdom to get me through the day)
A spritz of perfume always leaves me feeling ready to take on the day! This is my favorite perfume from a collection by Anthropologie!
Lastly, before you happily buzz off to McClurg or your first class of the day make sure not to forget your backpack and a bottle of water (hydration is key…especially when the Sewanee plague is in full bloom).
“On a day when you’re tired, it’s important to just say good morning to everyone so they’re kind of aware that it’s gonna be a good day.”