This post is sponsored by Clarisonic and Her Campus Media. While I did receive a product for free, this is my own opinion. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Brazen and Brunette!
Hey guys it's me again back from the farm! No seriously lol if you follow me on snapchat I hope you enjoyed my dad taking advantage of the free labor 😂 Anyways last week as I was making my Why You Should Be a Morning Person post I got to thinking about my morning routine and thought I'd share it with y'all so you can see what all you can be getting done if you just set your alarm a little earlier.
Hey guys it's me again back from the farm! No seriously lol if you follow me on snapchat I hope you enjoyed my dad taking advantage of the free labor 😂 Anyways last week as I was making my Why You Should Be a Morning Person post I got to thinking about my morning routine and thought I'd share it with y'all so you can see what all you can be getting done if you just set your alarm a little earlier.
5:30 - Wake up
Not much to say here. But one thing worth repeating is do. not. let. yourself. press. snooze. You're not going to get in any quality sleep in the next 5 minutes and you're just wasting your time. No matter how hard it is, force yourself to at least sit up and bed and turn the lights on and wake up. It's definitely an adjustment at first but once your internal clock gets synced with your alarm clock, you'll start waking up on your own and it'll be more natural for your body.
6:00 - Workout
I workout first thing in the morning. Not only will it for sure wake your brain up before class but it also is better for your metabolism to work out right after you wake up. Obviously I prefer spin class but even just a quick walk around the block will do! The key here is to just get your body moving and it will wake up your brain. Pro tip— sleep in your workout clothes and then all you have to do is roll out of bed, brush your teeth, put on your shoes, and head off! Then you're in such a good mood the rest of the day because you started your day being so healthy and productive and those endorphins make you happy so you're all motivated to conquer the world.
Related: Spin class for beginners
Related: Spin class for beginners
7:15 - Shower
I don't do public showers so I come straight from the gym to shower. The good thing about my thick hair is that as long as it was clean before the gym, it'll absorb most of the sweat so I can get by with a shower cap and a teeny bit of dry shampoo since I prefer to wash my hair in the evenings. This shower is mostly just to get all of the sweat off of my body since I like to sit in the sauna for about 10 minutes after the workout. Most importantly, I wash my face because one downside to working out consistently is that your face is most likely going to break out real bad because it's getting more oil than it was used to back when shopping was your cardio. I've mentioned that I went and got me a Clarisonic because of this, but I think it deserves it's own section so more on that in a second. But I just keep mine in the shower since it's waterproof and then when I see it I'm reminded to wash my face.
7:30 - Breakfast
So y'all know I'm a picky eater by now. Well on my 25th birthday at brunch I was feeling all fancy so I was like sure I'll try eggs on a muffin even though it sounds disgusting because Eggs Benedict sounds fancy. I loved them! So I'm having them like 3 times a week right now (it's like when you hear a song that you like so you listen to it 5,000 times until you're sick of it) but other great breakfast ideas are yogurt with blueberries and granola or toast with peanut butter and banana slices or breakfast burritos.
8:00 - Me time
This is what I think will be the thing that surprises you. Having "me time" sounds soo clihé so let me know if y'all know of a better phrase but it's really what sets you up to have a good day! On Sundays when I'm at the library I'll write out my week in my planner with my classes, work, and meetings that I've got going on. But during this time I think of everything that I need to get done that day and what I need to do to accomplish this. I take all of this and make me a daily to-do list. I read somewhere that if you write down a task you're more likely to do it and so far I feel like that's actually true. This is also where I read my emails because a cluttered inbox drives me crazy (you people with 1,000 unread emails I don't understand you. you're on a totally different level than me).
8:15 - Pick out clothes
Am I the only one that has to do this like first thing? It's weird I know but usually how I do my hair and makeup depends on my outfit for that day. Pro tip— check the weather first! It drives me crazy that some people don't do this because sometimes it's 50° in the morning but 80° by the time class is out so if you didn't check the weather you're going to be dying in your sweater at lunch.8:30 - Hair and makeup
Ok actually I do makeup then hair but it just sounds better the other way. Two reasons for this... 1) your hair can be out of your way while you do your makeup and it's okay because you're not creasing what you just straightened; 2) curls fall so you want to prolong that by doing your hair last minute. This is why it's important that I already washed my face in the shower so now it's for sure completely makeup and oil free. Side note- you sweat a little in your sleep so even if you don't work out it's still a good idea to wash your face first.
Taking the time to do your hair and makeup may sound like a waste of time but everyone is staring at you when you're called on and when you look good, you feel good, and then your thoughts are more The model rules say this about the plaintiff's argument instead of omg everyone has to have noticed that I look tired/sick when I'm not wearing mascara. Likewise, it's also hard to get the nerve to introduce yourself to a judge who is visiting your school when you have a messy bun that's real heavy on the messy and kinda wouldn't even be considered a bun.
9:00 - Head to school
This usually gives me at least an hour to review my notes before my first class of the day (on mornings that I have to be there by 9 I just speed things up just a bit to get there on time). By the time I'm sitting in my class, I've usually been going for at least 3 hours so I'm fully awake and have my life together. We've all been there where you're trying to eat a pop tart at your desk as quietly and mess-free as possible so for sure no judgment but you gotta admit it does feel nice to be in class and able to fully concentrate without your stomach rumbling. And bonus points that you'll get a wayyyy closer parking spot at 9 than you would at 11.
So that's my morning routine! I find it's really comforting to get into a routine and be able to know that each morning you're going to get a lot done. And once your body goes on auto-pilot, waking up early will start to be something that comes natural to you. Give it a week and you'll be feeling like such a real adult and so proud of yourself being a productive member of society.
Ok now to the Clarisonic review! I already had the Mia Fit but I know that it's one of the pricier option so I jumped at the chance to get to talk about a more I'm-drowning-in-student-loans price option.
Clarisonic Mia 1
So the first thing to do with your Mia 1 is to charge it up. Pro tip— if you get your Mia in the morning (haha I like that alliteration), don't set it up to charge just yet and wait until the evening. I say this because I got mine at like 9 and then plugged it in and set the timer on my phone for 18 hours (how long it takes to charge) and was so excited for the timer to go off so that I could finally try it out. Then 3am rolled around and I woke up with a heart attack to my timer going off. So just put a little thought into when you start that timer and you'll thank me later.
To use it, it's basically a no-brainer and is pretty self explanatory. Remove any makeup that you're wearing and then rinse your face. Wet the brush and then add your face wash. Clarisonic does have their own face wash but you can use face wash that you already have. Then simply just push the button and turn it on. It goes for a minute so what I do is go over my T zone for 20 seconds, my chin and the corners of my nose for 20, then each cheek for 10. Then rinse off your face and the brush. How I rinse the brush is I cup a little water in my hand and then gently swirl the brush against my hand until all of the soap is gone. And that's all folks! It's just a minute out of your day but ooh you're going to love how velvety your skin starts to feel.
Here's what not to do... Don't scrub your face with the Mia. This thing is already working much more efficiently than your fingers alone so it doesn't need you to go hard like you're trying to clean grout or something. Hold the Mia with a loose wrist and just steer it over your skin and it will do the work for you. Another no-no just for safety is to wait until your Mia is dry before you charge it. I know the charger external but it's better to just be safe. In fact, what I do is just put up the charger and let the Mia run down until the battery light comes on and then I'll charge it and repeat so I usually don't even have this problem. This last don't is a big one so listen up. Don't give up and think it's not working if you don't see immediate results or even if you start to break out a little extra. The Mia is getting deep into your pores and unclogging them hardcore. Having all this crud come up faster than it normally would if you were just using your hands can make it feel like your face is breaking out because of the treatment. Trust me when I say give it about two weeks (maybe a little longer if you were having some major issues) because it'll get worse before it gets better.
Mia 1 v. Mia Fit
The first obvious difference is the look. Take the Mia 1, cut off the handle, and then you have the Mia Fit. The benefit of the Fit is that it's more compact than the 1 so it takes up less room on your shower shelf, but the benefit of the 1 is that it's easier to grab. If you're not sure what would be more comfortable for you to hold, hold your blow drier in one hand and a regular 8oz drinking cup from the bottom in the other and that's about the grip difference.
The Fit also has 2 speeds while the 1 only has 1 so that's easy to remember haha. The 1's only setting is the normal setting on the Fit and this is just a good every-day setting. The Fit's other setting is more like a power boost for after a particularly sweaty workout or if your face is just going haywire and you need a little extra help. I tested out the 1 for this post and I use the Fit's normal setting a lot so I feel like you really won't be missing out too much without this power boost and you most likely will be just fine with only one setting.
Another difference is the chargers. The 1's charger is a small circle that magnetically snaps on to the front. The Fit's charger is like a tea saucer that you just sit it in. Both are pretty easy and just as long as the magnets get close to each other they'll snap into place and stay put. As for battery life, I personally felt like they lasted about the same.
The Fit has these little prompts (different vibration) that will tell you when to move from your T-zone to chin to cheeks. The 1 just turns on and lets you go where ever you want for however long you want. I didn't feel like this is a big difference because it's not really that hard to just count to 20 in your head and then move on to a different part of your face. And if you're the personality type that doesn't like being bossed around then you might actually prefer the 1 so that you don't get interrupted every couple of seconds to move around.
I know price is going to be a big deciding factor for y'all so let's get straight to it. The Mia 1 is about $100 cheaper than the Mia Fit. They both come with the normal speed setting, wireless/magnetic charging, and are travel-ready when you use the brush head cap. What you're getting with the Fit over the 1 is more compact and an extra speed so it's really up to you if that's worth it or not. They also both come with free engraving which I was a fan of because we all know how I live and breathe monograms so that's a plus.
Little tips
Remove your makeup before washing your face. Clarisonic is made to clean your pores so it can't do it's job as well if it first has to strip off your makeup first. Having makeup on when you wash your face will also stain your brush into an ugly brown and then it will always look dirty. Your face doesn't have to be a clean slate before you wash it, but at least use a makeup remover wipe first to make sure your face is really getting clean.
Did you know that the brush head actually comes apart? When I first got mine I was so excited just playing around with it and thought that I accidentally broke the brush until I realized that this smaller size is great for getting right up in the edge of your nose (which is where blackheads always hide on me). About every other time that I use my Clarisonic I will take the brush apart and do a more nooks-and-crannies wash.
Try out different brush heads. I read a lot of reviews from beauty bloggers who swore by one brush and then the next review would say that a different one is the absolute best. Everyone has different skin problems and everyone has different types of skin so see what works best for you. Even then keep mixing it up! For example, when I first started working out I really used the deep pore cleansing brush a lot because I was like woah my face looks like I'm 14 again. I've also used the acne brush for those times I get hormonal breakouts from stress and need a little touch up. Since these two have helped my face get back to normal, right now I mostly use the radiance brush because I personally feel like it makes my face super smooth and my makeup just glides on there and I love it. Clarisonic has really been expanding their lineup and basically have a brush for anything you could need (pedis, facial massaging, makeup applying). Just remember to save the little cap that comes with the brush so you can have a brush cover when you travel.
Don't be afraid to treat yo' self! I completely understand that dropping $130 on beauty product can seem too luxurious after you've just paid an ungodly amount on casebooks. But I do have two good pieces of news for you. 1) use the code HERCAMPUS to save 15% off your purchase and 2) Clarisonic offers a payment plan so for less than a latte a week you can get you a Mia.
Add your brush head replacement into your calendar. Your brush will last you about 3 months and then it's time for it to go. One easy way to remember this is that a new season means you need to replace your brush head (January, April, July, October). Or if you end up like I did and order in the middle of the season, then right when you get your new brush in go ahead and make in your planner to get a new one 3 months out from now. I like to buy mine in bulk so that I save a little bit in the long run.
let's be friends!