The biggest issue with our daily routines is that they’re pretty susceptible to becoming, well, totally boring. No offense to them, but formalities like moisturizing our face or brushing our teeth tend to lose some of their spark after performing them every single day. Think about it for a second, when was the last time you were genuinely excited to brush your teeth in the morning? (And that time that you got one of those singing toothbrushes in the fifth grade doesn’t count… although that does sound pretty great.)

As you probably know, we’re all about cultivating meaningful rituals. We see tremendous value in those purposeful practices that zen us out and make us feel like ourselves again. How about we show a little TLC to the things we have to do every day? We’re committed to making the mundane, memorable. So keep reading if you’re looking for an added boost of energy, freshness, or relaxation in your everyday routines because we’ve got all that– and then some.

If you’re like us, the opportunity to add an extra energy boost to our morning routine is not one we take lightly– we need that in the AM. So when we were recommended Origins’ GinZing Energy-Boosting Gel Moisturizer in place of our usual product, it was an easy switch to make. The key ingredient is coffee, which works in the same way as our first sip in the morning: energizing and refreshing. Plus, it’s a gel formula, so it’s great for oily skin as it keeps you properly hydrated without adding extra oil to your face. No hormone-disrupting parabens, pore-clogging mineral oil, or icky petroleum either! This product just keeps on winning.

Bad breath, be gone. Before you even brush your teeth, brush your tongue, as it can dramatically reduce the bacteria in your mouth that causes bad breath in the first place. Just a few swipes to loosen the germs, a quick scrape (totally painless, btw), and voila, an instantly cleaner mouth and significantly fresher breath. It’s really that easy! All those worries about morning breath, coffee breath, and all the other grossness that can sneak its way into our morning routines are a thing of the past (until lunchtime, that is).

Alright, this next one is pretty much a two-for-one deal. We bet you haven’t heard of something like this before. Ready?  Two separate tubes of toothpaste instead of one– a morning formula and an evening formula. The first half of ‘The Duo” called “Early Bird,” is meant for your first teeth-brushing and infused with “invigorating wintergreen and revitalizing peppermint” to prepare you for the day. The second half, “Twilight,” adds soothing lavender to the mix to help you unwind and relax when you’re brushing the second time. Twice, the company behind this idea believes that not only should you be mindful about your dental care, but it should be as natural as possible too. The Duo stays away from all the unnecessary (and sometimes harmful) ingredients that are typically found in toothpaste, like alcohol, parabens, and carrageenan, the last one being a thickening agent that has some links to cancer. Instead, they’ve infused their product with botanical oils, antioxidants, and vitamins. Can your regular ol’ toothpaste say that?

Heralded by many wellness experts as a quick and easy way to give your body an all-over cleanse, dry brushing is something we’re loving on the daily. Before you hop in the shower, giving your body a brisk scrub (not too hard, though) with a natural brush can help exfoliate, unclog pores, improve circulation, and a host of other benefits. While dry brushing can technically be done at any time, we love a nice warm shower before bed, so we’ve elected to add this into our nightly routine. Just another thing to look forward to at the end of a long day!

And lastly, the most luxurious upgrade of all, a gigantic scented candle. We probably don’t have to persuade you all that much into the world of scented candles, but just in case you needed a little extra convincing, candles are proven to do a lot of awesome stuff like improve mood, alleviate stress, and provide a more restful sleep– all while smelling fantastic. However, the best part about this candle is actually hidden in its wax. Made from a hand-poured blend of soy wax, once it’s melted down you can dip your fingers in and use it as a delicious hand oil for your cuticles or as a massage oil for the rest of your body. Ahhh.

Consider yourself upgraded.

—

Feature image via Ella Xu