News feed
Whether we are escaping the mundanity of our restricted lives or the messiness of our social media feeds, a woman’s nighttime routine has become a much-needed tool to disconnect and relax. In a new series “How I Wind Down…”, we speak to a lot of different women about how they prepare for a restful evening.
If you’re yet to get acquainted with Chase Zera, prepared to become obsessed. Hailing from Sydney, the 24-year-old singer is no stranger to the local music scene. In fact, her fresh face, knack for glitzy ensembles and powerful pop tunes are reminiscent to our very own Kylie Minogue. She counts performances on the stages of Lost Paradise and NYE in the Park and is a regular performer among Sydney’s most trendy establishments.
As the city prepares to enter its sixth week in lockdown (a huge blow to the arts industry at that) Zera is injecting a little fun into our daily playlist. This week the up-and-coming artist released her eighth single “SUPERNOVA”, a buzzy track you can’t help but dance to. Following the drop GRAZIA spoke to the singer on how she winds down whether she’s just stepped off the stage or in lockdown.
GRAZIA: Can you describe your night time beauty routine?
“At the end of a hot shower I like to turn the water really cold for one minute. Apparently it’s good for boosting immunity and reducing stress levels but I also just think it’s a really refreshing way to wash the day off.
I cleanse my face with the Dermaviduals Total Cleansing Cream Cleanser, which is great for my sensitive skin because it’s non-drying and doesn’t strip away natural oils. Then I pop on some Summer Fridays CC Me Serum with Vitamin C & Niacinimide (my favourite serum in the world – so fresh and plumping) and I finish with the QV Intensive Moisturiser with Ceramides, which is really hydrating and great for sensitive and blemished skin. 2-3 nights a week I’ll also exfoliate with the Paula’s Choice BHA Liquid Exfoliant, which makes my skin unbelievably smooth.”
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, $38. SHOP NOW
How do you wind down after a busy day?
“I typically find it pretty difficult to switch off, I feel like I’m constantly building on my to-do list in my head and coming up with new ideas for my project – winding down something I’ve had to train myself into a little so I don’t burnout or forget to live in the present.
At the end of the day I like to wash off any stress with a shower, do my skin care routine, sometimes treat myself to a face mask, get into my satin PJ’s and slippers and pour myself a (big) glass of red wine. I also put my phone down at night while I’m cooking dinner, watching TV or reading a book because it can get a little draining needing to be online almost all day for work.”
How do you decorate your space to assist in falling asleep?
“Not so much a decoration, but I’ll always keep my 1L bottle of water right next to my bed and my phone on charge on the other side of the room where I can’t reach it to avoid scrolling through social media.
The best thing I’ve done for my space is put up a couple of LED light strips around the room so I can turn my main harsh lights off and say, ‘Hey Google, turn lights blue’ for example, and it creates such a relaxing atmosphere. It makes my room look like the inside of a blue-light Infrared sauna.
I also spray Bosisto’s Lavender spray on my pillow every night right before I go to bed, I’m so obsessed with it. Something about lavender really calms me down. I also spray it in green rooms before I go on stage to calm my nerves.
If I’m struggling to get to sleep I have a go-to Peaceful Meditation playlist on Spotify that I play softly in the background while I try to fall asleep.”
What time do you go to sleep?
“I’m definitely a morning person, so I’m usually in bed before 10pm. I like to wake up around 6am each day for the gym and I struggle getting through a cardio session if I’m not well rested. Occasionally I’ll get an exciting burst of creativity right before bed or as I’m falling asleep and end up staying awake until 3am writing lyrics and recording song ideas into my voice memos app. I try to avoid it as often as I can, but as an artist, when creative bursts come along you have to let them happen.”
Do you plan the next day’s look the night before or in the morning? If so, what’s your go-to look for an easy morning the next day?
“I have drawers and drawers full of large t-shirts and I love feeling comfortable around the house, so my go to easy morning outfit is just a big t-shirt and tracksuit pants.
I get really excited planning my outfits in advance if I have a press day and interviews or if I’m planning a costume for a show. I also lay out my active wear the night before a gym class to make it as easy as possible for me to get up and go and give me very little excuse to cancel and stay in bed. Other than that, I wake up each day and see what mood I’m in and choose my outfit on the fly.”
Aje Echo Trackpant, $255. SHOP NOW
