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Whether we are escaping the mundanity of our post-restricted lives or the messiness of our social media feeds, a woman’s night time routine has become a much-needed tool to disconnect and relax. In a new series “How I Wind Down…”, we speak to lot of different women about how they prepare for a restful evening.
Los Angeles-based beauty brand Summer Fridays was founded in 2017 by former beauty bloggers Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Ireland. After testing and trialling every kind of product possible, they were still left with a longing for a brand that boasted easy-to-use formulas and clean ingredients. So, they made their own.
Launching with their cult Jet Lag Mask – a multi-tasking hydrating formula – they have quickly garnered a loyal following with additional products such as the Lip Butter Balm (which hasn’t left my side since I opened it) as well as the R+R Mask and the new Deep Oasis Deep Hydration Serum. For Australian customers, Summer Friday is now available to purchase via Mecca.
To celebrate the launch of the brand in Australia, we managed to get in touch with the queens of self care for a special edition of How I Wind Down.
GRAZIA: Can you describe your nighttime beauty routine?
Marianna: “I love to indulge in my evening routine and really take my time with each of the steps. I start by doing a double cleanse to remove and SPF and makeup. If I have extra time, I’ll sit under my Celluma LED light panel for 30 minutes and it is so relaxing before bed. On alternate nights I either use a chemical exfoliation, like Summer Fridays Soft Reset, or a retinol. I’ll follow with Dream Oasis Hydrating Serum, Jet Lag Mask as my evening moisturiser and lock it all in with Heavenly 16. Our face oil is made of 16 vegan, non-comedogenic oils and I wake up to the softest skin.”
Lauren: “My nighttime beauty routine is one I really look forward to, because it’s the one time of day that’s totally uninterrupted! I always take a warm shower before bed and wash my face with our Super Amino Gel Cleanser. I’ll also exfoliate my body a few nights a week with an exfoliating body scrub (I love the Necessaire one). Once I hop out, I apply the first step of my skincare routine — either our Soft Reset AHA Exfoliating Solution or a retinol (I alternate nights). Then, I’ll apply a generous amount of our Dream Oasis Hydration Serum, which is my holy grail. I’ll follow up with our Jet Lag Mask (quite literally, a life saver for sleepy skin), followed by a few drops of our Heavenly 16 All-in-One Face Oil. I also love to apply our Lip Butter Balm just before bed, as an overnight lip mask.”
How do you wind down after a busy day?
Marianna: “My evening routine is so important to me and I really try my best to stay on a schedule. I aim to eat dinner a few hours before bed, then start winding down by dimming all the lights. After dinner, I’ll have a peppermint tea and before bed I drink magnesium powder. Once I get in bed, I read a fiction book for 15 minutes to try and get myself from looking at my phone too close to bed time.”
Lauren: “A routine is everything to me, and I deeply believe in keeping habits to feel 100 percent. First, it’s all about getting my kids to bed — I have a one-year-old and a five-year-old, and I aim to have them down by 8 or so to also give me enough time for my own wind down routine. I love having a warm cup of magnesium tea (Moon Juice has a great powder I use). Then, I shower, do my skincare routine, and look over anything urgent from work that may have come in during the late afternoon hours when I was on mom-duty. I aim to not be on my phone or computer about an hour before bed, which I am admittedly better at some days than others! I’ll also set out both my workout clothes and my work clothes for of the next day because it saves me time in the morning. Lastly, I love to stretch for 10 minutes just before hopping to bed, which I find helps me sleep deeper.”
How do you decorate your space to assist in falling asleep?
Marianna: “My bedroom is very minimal and I try to keep it clutter free so when I go to sleep and wake up, my surroundings are really peaceful. I only one use one small dim light before bed and I have blackout shades.”
Lauren: “I don’t do anything hyper-specific, outside of cleaning up the room just before bed. I also like to clean up the main parts of the house before going to sleep, because it makes me feel more calm and prepared for the next day. This ties back into being a believer of habits — I think the more habits we can create for ourselves, and healthy boundaries, the better we are at tackling life hurdles while feeling our best.”
What time do you go to sleep?
Marianna: “Ideally 10-10:30PM.”
Lauren: “Typically around 11PM.”
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?
Marianna: “Lauren loves to do this! I wish I could be more prepared for my next day, but I should pick up this habit from her. I usually throw on a bathrobe and slippers when I wake up and do my morning routine before getting ready for the day.”
Lauren: “Yes! I started this habit years ago, when I was a morning news anchor and had to be at work at 1AM every day. I would set out every part of my outfit — down to my socks and jewellery! I found it incredibly helpful and calming, and the habit has always stuck. I will make my workout plans the night before, so I always set out the appropriate clothes for either running or a Pilates circuit. I will also pick out my outfit for work, so I don’t have to think too much about it while I am trying to juggle two kids in the morning! Planning the night before on this is arguably my greatest hack for a calmer morning. My go-to look is usually a pair of denim, a low-heeled ankle boot, a cropped tee or blouse and a jacket over top.”
