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

My Evening Routine with Vitruvi

Morning and night routines - they’re something special. Every single successful person I've talked to or listened to has rituals that they more or less stick to on a daily basis, morning and night. Needless to say I've done my absolute best to stick to what I'd consider a pretty awesome evening routine. I know that others may look in and think I have it easy with no kids, no strings, no whatever, and maybe I do, but that's all the more reason for me to savour these moments and my "me" time as much as I can. Take a read if you'd like to know what a typical night in my life looks like. 

My early evening begins at a coffee shop with my laptop and all my hot yoga gear in tow. I usually order an herbal tea, change into my fitness gear, put on a motivational podcast and get cracking on my blog while I wait for my class to begin (usually about 1 to 1.5 hours later). This is one of the most productive times of my entire day. I find that I'm inspired, focused, and in the mindset that I'm going to kill it at my oxygen class. I absolutely LOVE this ritual I've created for myself!

After washing up and having some dinner (which is usually meal prepped and ready to go), I take my pup Dash out for his evening walk, which has become such a relaxing activity for me. I make sure I don't look at my phone at all, and take the time to focus solely on Dash and what's happening around us.

Stone Diffuser, c/o Vitruvi

By the time we get back, it's time to wind down. I dive right into my evening skincare routine before making myself some Lavender Chamomile tea (or Hot Cocoa with Reishi) while catching up on some YouTube. Yes, your girl’s an avid YouTube watcher! I then brush my teeth and grab some water for my bedside and for my Vitruvi stone diffuser. It's become a nightly ritual of mine to fill my diffuser with Lavender essential oil right before bed. You already know how I feel about lavender in general, and the fact that it helps me have a deeper sleep just makes it even better.

Vitruvi essential oils are 100% natural with absolutely no added synthetics or chemicals.  Not only are they a Vancouver company that I love and respect, they've thoughtfully designed all of their packaging to be effortless and minimal - so much so that I purposely display my oils all around my home! Every time I turn my diffuser on, it gives me so much joy because it's sooo beautifully made. The warm tone of the night light is so relaxing; it's not too bright or cool-toned, just right for bedtime. 

Once my diffuser's going, I jump into bed, grab my Five Minute Journal, and jot down my thoughts. I take time to reflect on the amazing things that happened throughout the day, and what I could have done to make it that much better. This allows for constant gratitude and self improvement. I write in my journal morning and night, and it hands down helps me be a nicer, better person overall. It's pretty unbelievable what a little bit of gratitude and reflection can do for your entire day. 

Once I'm settled, I read my book/wine club book of the month until it's time for some shut eye. Et voilà, bonne nuit!

What does your evening routine look like? If you’re interested in a morning routine, let me know in the comments below!

xo

Linnea