Vanity Favourites

Oh, hello friends! It’s been a minute... and I’ve gotta say, between school, work, homework and workouts (with a few gatherings sprinkled in), the burnout has been REAL! The reality is, I wake up, workout (if I can’t in the evening), go to work, then head to school, and come home basically just to sleep... then rinse and repeat!! So it’s safe to say I barely have any energy these days. I’m trying to keep up, but I’m not gonna lie... the 14-16 hour days and tedious homework have been eating up a lot of my energy. Nevertheless, there are a few things keeping me sane these days, including fresh blooms and some new additions to my vanity! From decor to skincare, candles and everything in between, these are my current obsessions. Hope you enjoy!

Diptyque Baies Candle | Vitruvi Essential Oils (20% off with vitruvixlinnea) | Glossier Mango Balm Dot Com | Rose Quartz Necklace (10% off!) | Glossier Cloud Paint | Glass Jewelry Box | Glass Cube Box | Twist Midi Hoops (10% off!) | Glass Vase | Elements of Style | Eat Beautiful | Glossier Super Serums | Vitruvi Stone Diffuser (20% off with vitruvixlinnea)

xo

Linnea

My Morning Routine

We’ve all heard it before, but as cliché as sounds, routines really do make a difference - and a morning routine, in particular, can set the tone of your entire day. It’s been a resolution of mine to transform my morning routine into something I look forward to, and I’m getting closer and closer to my goal! There are definitely a few things that have helped make all the difference, so here’s a look into my typical morning.

Wake up with a grateful heart

As soon as I wake up, I say good morning to my little guy, and reach for my Five Minute Journal. Gratitude sets the tone for the day and pushes you to be appreciative of what you have, and search less for what you don’t. 

Make the bed

As soon as I’m up and out of bed, I make the bed right away (without disturbing Dash’s beauty sleep of course… he loooves to sleep in). As little a job it may be, it’s one thing checked off the list, and it’s a great rule to live by in all areas of the home. Once I’m done with an area, I like to clean/tidy it. It’s so much easier to clean right away than to let things pile up. When you come home, it takes the same amount of time to put your coat in the coat closet as it does to put it on the couch. Make the effort to tidy as you go, put things back where they belong, and your to do list will become a lot easier to manage.

Glow time

Next is my wake-up washroom routine. I usually shower in the evenings, so besides the obvious tooth brushing goodness, my mornings call for a quick face wash (or rinse, depending on the treatment I used the night before; overwashing strips the skin!). While my skin is still damp, I use my Vitruvi custom face oil to let it settle into my skin before I apply my makeup, and oh my goodness it is SO good. Vitruvi has created an incredible line of dynamic skincare with base and complex oils that allow you to create custom facial oils suited to your skin.

My favourite mix is Sweet Almond Oil (one of my favourite scents on the planet - smells like Farmor’s baking!), mixed with Blueberry Seed Oil (extra conditioning) and Lavender Essential Oil (to soothe the skin, and because my middle name is basically lavender) or Cedarwood (both anti-inflammatory and a cozy, woody scent). If you’re curious about what mixture will work for you, take their quick skincare quiz to find out! If you’d like to try any of their products, simply enter vitruviXlinnea for 20% your order. You’re welcome :)

Citrus detox

To cleanse my gut and jumpstart my system, I have a hot cup of lemon water on an empty stomach. It’s a habit I’ve been tracking daily, and it’s become such a soothing ritual!

Diffuse and meditate

While I let my facial oil settle into my skin (it seriously makes my skin glow under my makeup, trust!!), I turn my stone diffuser on, and add a bright, citrus scent to wake up my senses. My favourite oil in the morning is Boost, which is a blend of Juniper, Lime, Grapefruit and Bergamot. I then take 5 to 10 minutes to sit with my lemon water and do a short meditation. Taking this time for myself has helped with the anxiety and stress of my *never-ending* to do list, and has helped me appreciate the journey I’m on that much more.

To be honest, I used to think of my life in its current state as being in “limbo mode” - like this “wasn’t it”… and sometimes, I still do! But guess what… this is the main event, so live like it! When I remind myself of that daily, it helps me appreciate my life (and influences how I live it) so much more. If you’re new to meditation, there are a ton of apps that can walk you through it. My favourites are Headspace and Calm. Even just listening to relaxing sounds is a great way to soothe your mind for a few minutes a day.

Get ready for the day

After meditating, I switch my meditation to a motivating podcast, and jump into my makeup routine. My 10 minute work face starts with primer, followed by a light serum foundation, concealer, blush, brows and mascara - that’s it, that’s all!

Make breakfast

If I’m craving coffee, or feel like I absolutely need it (most times I skip it because caffeine doesn’t actually do much for me) then I’ll make myself a Nespresso or an almond milk latte. For breakfast, I almost always have a variation of my Superfood Breakfast Bowl, oatmeal with frozen berries and almond butter, a veggie omelette, or a smoothie. I never ever get tired of these options! I quickly make my breakfast (if it’s not already prepped), and pack it with my lunch to eat at work.

Go for a walk

Before I leave the house, I usually take Dash for a quick walk and some fresh air. With the cold weather these days, I haven’t been doing this as much, because my Dad takes him for the day and loves to walk him for me :D I’m spoiled, I know. Come spring, we’ll be going on runs in the morning before work - I just need it to warm up a little first!

Leave for work

When we’re back from our walk, I grab my bags (backpack if I’m going to school, yoga mat if I’m going to yoga) and my meals for the day before heading off to work.

Once I settle in, I’m ready to tackle my morning with motivation, intention and energy. I hope you’re able to incorporate some of these tips into your morning! What are your morning routines like, and what time do you wake up? Leave them in the comments below!

xo

Linnea

This post was in collaboration with Vitruvi. All opinions are my own.

Self Care Favourites

Although I’ve been sick for a few days, nothing beats a day of pampering and self care to make you feel like yourself again. And because I have so many favourites, I wanted to share my best picks with all of you! For the best essential oils, sprays, diffusers (in amazing new colours, might I add), Vitruvi is the way to go. They’ve also recently launched dynamic skincare… which I’ll be sharing more on next week. Oh, the excitement! If you’d like to try any Vitruvi products, simply enter the code vitruviXlinnea for 20% off your order.  No excuses - it’s time to start putting yourself first.

Bath Caddy | Sleep Mist | Coco Rose Body Polish | Lavender Essential Oil | Eucalyptus Essential Oil | Calm Bath Salts | Bath Pillow | Body Butter | Pink Clay Exfoliating Mask | Byredo Bal D’Afrique Body Lotion | Brand & Iron Sandalwood & Lavender Candle | Silk Pillowcase | Cleansing Bath Milk | Towel Hair Wrap Set | Summer Fridays R+R Mask | Vitruvi Stone Diffuser | Rose Quartz Gua Sha Set

Happy pampering!

xo

Linnea

Winter Skincare Routine

In the dry winter air, it’s imperative that your skincare routine changes to adjust to the weather. I still use a lot of the same products that I did in the summer, but I’ve introduced a few new ones as well! Follow along for a full breakdown of my winter skincare routine; your skin will thank you later! 

 In the morning…

Instead of doing a full cleanse of my face, I usually just rinse my face with water (to prevent over-washing), or swipe my face with Avene Cleansing Lotion (bought in Paris). On days that my skin is acting up, I use a cotton pad soaked with my tried and true Glossier Solution to clear my pores. When I ran out of my first bottle of this, I immediately noticed a difference, so it’s safe to say I swear by this stuff!

If you think of your skin as a sponge, it’s not going to absorb anything if it’s dry. You gotta make sure it’s moist and plump before layering on your products! To do this, I either spray Dr. G Hydra Intensive Mist or moisten my skin with The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics to start with a hydrated base. I follow up with The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid + B5 serum, and every now and then, I activate the circulation of my skin with a cold jade roller. This drains your skin of unwanted fluid and gives the skin a perfect glow.

If my under eyes need extra hydration, I love the Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment and SkinCeuticals Eye Balm. To moisturize my face, I use my Glow Recipe Watermelon Moisturizer for a lighter base, but if my skin is really dry, I use my favourite Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask under my makeup. To protect my skin from the sun in the winter, I use the Huxley Stay Sun Safe SPF 50, and it works great! It’s not too thick, and doesn’t smell horrible, either.

To prime my face before makeup, I either use the Benefit Porefessional or The Ordinary Silicone Primer. Both work wonders!

To summarize…

1. Cleanse/refine

2. Tone with chemical exfoliant

3. Moisten skin with mist or essence before serums

4. Apply serum(s)

5. Eye cream

6. Moisturize face

7. SPF

8. Makeup primer (if needed)

At night…

In the evening, I use the Face Shop Rice Water Oil Cleanser to do my initial makeup removal, then, I fully cleanse with the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser - hands down one of my favourite cleansers! To do this, I more often than not use my Luna Mini Facial Cleanser to exfoliate and make sure I circulate the blood in my system and get all my makeup off. On days when I need extra exfoliation, I’ve been loving the Summer Fridays Overtime Mask. And it doesn’t hurt that it smells like beautiful pumpkins, either! Lastly, I swipe a cotton pad with Garnier Micellar Water to make sure it’s all off.

Next, I hydrate my skin with my fave Dr. G Hydra Intensive Mist followed by The Ordinary Buffet serum, then the best/most affordable multi-vitamin-for-your-skin oil, The Ordinary “B” Oil. On nights I want a more intense retinoid, I enjoy using my Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil! To seal all the moisture in, I use my favourite Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask (if you still haven’t bought this, I’m already on my 3rd tube because I use it twice a day… just saying). If I’m feeling super fancy, I’ll use the Laneige Lavender Sleeping Mask on top! And you better believe my lips are saved with the Laneige Sleeping Lip Mask or Glossier Balm Dot Com.

To summarize…

1. Oil cleanse to remove makeup

2. Gel/water based cleanser

3. Exfoliate if necessary

4. Micellar water or toner to remove ALL residue

5. Moisten skin with mist or essence before serums

6. Apply serum(s)/treatments

7. Facial oils/sheet masks

8. Eye cream

9. Moisturizer/sleeping masks or both

10. Lip masks… followed by an extra spritz of mist if you’re feeling luxurious :)

For the body…

To avoid dry skin, you can’t forget about your body! I try to dry brush my skin (as painful as it is) at least 4 times a week. To wash my skin, I’m obsessed with the Glossier Body Hero Shower Oil. To exfoliate, I loooove the Herbivore Coco Rose Body Polish, but the Trader Joe’s Lavender Body Scrub is basically a dupe! Post-shower, I follow up with either the Huxley Moroccan Gardener Body Oil or Glossier Body Hero Lotion. Both divine!

What are your tried and true winter staples?! I’m always looking for new faves, so leave them in the comments below!

xo

Linnea