Your End Of The Summer Guide To Wellness And Beauty

The end of the summer is nearing. While I do like to believe that it is summer until late September (the official start of Autumn), it begins to feel like it ends right around Labor Day weekend. This is mostly due to back to school time, when all of the summer festivities start to die down. There is something about fall time that creates feelings of change inside. It forces us to feel like we should create and cultivate new routines and habits. Again, this is most likely due to the fact that we were all used to going back to school. It required us to start getting back into a set routine and it was a yearly habitual habit that stuck.

When I started developing my wellness practice around the creation of habits, I started to realize something interesting: our routines change throughout the year. While it is important to be consistent with our daily routines and habits to build and maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is also just as important to switch them up according to the seasons. I noticed that during each season, schedules can shift: kids sports and school schedules, work schedules, wake and sleep schedules, exercise schedules, meals, etc. During the winter: the sun rises later and sets earlier causing us to sleep earlier and wake later, it is colder out which causes us to move our bodies indoor as opposed to outdoors, our meals become warmer and our skin becomes drier. During the summer: the sun rises earlier and sets later which forces us to wake early and sleep later, it is warmer out which causes us to want to go out for a walk or run, our meals become filled with fresh and vibrant raw foods and our skin becomes oily from the heat and humidity as well as dry from sun exposure. All of these things cause us to switch up our routines and the way we care for ourselves.

Fall is a transitional month like spring. It is a time of year that helps us transition from summer to winter, warm to cold. It is the time to shed our summer skin, start getting to bed earlier, and create a more structured routine. While fall doesn’t officially start for a while, it is a good idea to start changing up your routine and gearing up for the new season.

Start planning for a new morning routine

This is the time of year when I start taking stock of things that are currently in my routine. I take a look at my wake time, how much time I currently have in the morning, and what I have been using the time to do. I start listing out things that are working and things that are not working. I then start brain storming things that would make my morning routine better (like meditation, lighting a candle, working out, etc.). I also brainstorm ways to make my mornings easier and better (like setting out my workout clothes the night before, planning my workouts ahead of time, making a batch of coffee to last the week, etc.)

Start planning for a new nightly routine

I never used to have a real nightly routine. We would eat dinner, watch a show, I would wash my face and teeth, set the alarm and get to sleep. This fall I am dedicating myself to cultivating a nightly routine. Bobby and I decided that we wanted to switch up our nightly habits to create a better mindset and a better next day. Our plan is to shut off electronics at 9 pm or before, do our nightly beauty routine, read and journal (Bobby is planning on listening to podcasts because he isn’t much of a reader). We are also hoping to start doing evening/post dinner walks as opposed to crashing on the couch and watching TV. Having a nightly routine can help benefit your mornings. It can help relax and set you up for the next day.

Get organized

By this time of year, you most likely have a good idea of what is ahead for the fall season. This is a good time to start planning out your schedule and routine. Getting organized now can help save you for when fall hits. I love planning out meal ideas (I love choosing 5 fall recipes that can be made as a batch in a crockpot which I can rotate weekly), workout schedule, cleaning schedule, meal prep and grocery shop schedule, work schedule etc.

Declutter

I love to start decluttering at the end of a season and at the beginning of a new season. I am trying to be better about releasing clothes from my closet, rotating my closet and keeping things more minimalistic. You don’t realize how much you accumulate things in a few short months until you start decluttering. This is a great way to start off Autumn on a clean slate. Don’t be afraid to get rid of things that don’t bring you joy! Also feel free to get organized and rearrange things in your home. Fall is the season of change, so don’t be afraid to change things up a bit! I purchased these clear stackable bins for organizing and they have changed my pantry forever!

Get exfoliating

Start shedding your summer skin. Summertime takes a massive toll on the skin. By this time of year, you may start feeling drier, and like you need a refresh. This is the perfect time to start exfoliating more often to shed dead skin cells and create a clean and hydrated base. I love using this facial resurfacing moisture mask and this body exfoliator. This is also a great time to start adding in a dry brushing routine. Dry brushing is fabulous for exfoliating pre shower. It helps to increase circulation, diminish the look of cellulite and help to exfoliate dead skin cells.

Keep the bronze going

I still love to keep my beauty routine lighter while transitioning from summer to fall. I also love to keep my skin glowing and bronzed through the transition. For this I use a few things: I love using this sunless tanning lotion on my body to help my skin stay hydrated and bronzed. I also love using these tanning drops in my moisturizer to keep my face looking bronzed and glowing. One of my other favorite products is this highlighter and this bronzer which helps keep the summer glow going. While we are transitioning from summer to fall, you may feel like you want a little more coverage than your light tinted moisturizer. My favorite thing to do is to dot concealer around my t zone, then dot tinted moisturizer wherever I am going to apply it and then using a blender sponge to blend. It helps to create a more flawless finish!

How are you transitioning from summer to fall? I am ready to start switching my nail polish away from bright colors and start sipping on a pumpkin spice latte!