The New Rituals of Skin Care

Jul 11
5 min read

Updated: Jul 20

Everyone's morning is different. Some wake to silence, others to children, others to the city already fully awake. But whatever form it takes, there is something quietly revolutionary about beginning the day with care — for your skin, your body, your mind. This is not a prescription. It is simply what I do, and what I have learned, after years of searching.

The products I use have changed over time — some dramatically, some in small, almost imperceptible ways. What has not changed is the order, the pace, the intention behind each step. I share this not as a formula, but as an invitation: to look at your own morning with fresh eyes, and perhaps discover one thing — just one — that changes how you feel before the day has even begun.

01

A Tongue CleanerChanged My Life

Before water, before coffee, before anything else touches my lips — I reach for my tongue cleaner. It sounds simple. It is. And yet this single act, borrowed from Ayurvedic tradition and now firmly part of my daily life, has been one of the most transformative health habits I have ever adopted. It removes the overnight buildup of toxins the body has been releasing while you sleep. The difference in how you feel — and how you taste your morning — is immediate.

Ayurvedic Copper Tongue Cleaner Antimicrobial copper, perfectly weighted, lasts a lifetime. Cosmic Dealer's ayurvedic approach — this is the one that started it all.

02

The Nourishing Tonic— Clap, Clap, Clap

This is the step most people skip. It is the one I would never give up. After cleansing, while the skin is still slightly damp, I take my tonic — generously — into both palms, press them together, and apply it to my face with a series of gentle, rhythmic pats. Clap, clap, clap. It is not just application — it is absorption. The warmth of your hands drives the product deeper. The skin responds immediately: it plumps, it drinks, it wakes up.

I rotate between three, depending on the season, my skin, my mood. But all three share the same quality: they feel like something is actually happening.

Donata's Pick: Rich Moisturizing Tonic Japanese water-rich formula. Visibly plumping, deeply hydrating. The texture is like silk water.

Also recommended: The Essence Professor Bader's signature TFC8® complex. Preps skin perfectly. One of the most intelligent formulas in luxury skincare.

Hyaluronic Energizing Mist Brume Hyaluronique Énergisante. A deeply hydrating mist that can be layered throughout the day. The bottle alone is a ritual object.

03

Vitamin C— The Non-Negotiable

If I could keep only one active in my routine, it would be Vitamin C. It brightens, it protects, it evens. Applied in the morning before any other serum, it prepares the skin for what comes next — and works quietly throughout the day, defending against pollution and oxidative stress. After years of trying every formulation, I came back to this one.

Donata's Pick: ZO SKIN HEALTH 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating Serum -Self-activating means maximum freshness at the moment of application. Noticeably brighter skin within weeks.

SKINCEUTICALS C E Ferulic -The gold standard in Vitamin C. 15% L-ascorbic acid combined with Vitamin E + Ferulic acid. Antioxidant protection that genuinely works — results are visible within weeks.

MEDIK8- C Tetra Lipid Vitamin C for a gentler brightening result. Beautifully stable formula — ideal for sensitive skin or those new to Vitamin C serums.

04

The Goddess Serum— Because Your Skin Deserves Poetry

After Vitamin C, I apply the Gooddess Serum by The Good Cream. The name sounds indulgent — the formula is serious. It layers effortlessly over the Vitamin C without pilling, and the glow it gives is not the kind that fades by midday. It is the kind that photographs ask where it came from.

05

The Gua Sha— A Morning Conversation With Your Face

This is the step I look forward to most. My gua sha is a white jade C27 — cool, smooth, perfectly shaped to follow the architecture of the face. I follow the Yoga Face method: slow, intentional strokes that reduce morning puffiness, lift the jawline, and coax the lymphatic system gently awake. I will dedicate a full post to the technique — because it deserves one. But for now: apply your serum, take your stone in hand, and simply begin.

06

The Day Cream— I Checked Millions. I Kept Three.

I have, over the years, spent more on face cream than I care to calculate. The journey has been instructive. What I know now: the best creams are not always the most expensive. But the absolute best ones — for my skin — tend to fall into the category of the genuinely remarkable. I rotate between three, depending on what my skin is asking for that morning.

EMBRYOLISSE BY AVÈNE Lait-Crème Concentré. The French makeup artist's secret. Works as moisturiser, primer, mask. Extraordinarily simple, extraordinarily effective.

AUGUSTINUS BADER The Rich Cream. For days when skin needs serious nourishment. The TFC8® technology works on a cellular level. Worth every penny — and then some.

Absolute Favorite: VALMONT Prime Renewing Pack. My absolute favorite. Use it as a 10-minute mask or apply a thin layer as your daily moisturiser. The transformation is visible. Every single time.

07

SPF 50— Always. Without Exception.

I will not begin makeup without SPF. This is not negotiable. The single most effective anti-ageing step any dermatologist will tell you is daily sun protection — and yet it is still the step most people skip. Not me. Not anymore. Augustinus Bader's SPF 50 has been my longtime staple — invisible under makeup, non-greasy, genuinely protective. And recently I discovered a new love: the La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Air SPF 50+ with colour. Ultra-light, antioxidant, and it disappears into the skin completely. Two very different textures, both exceptional. I rotate depending on the day.

08

The Lip Balm— The Final Act Before the World

Before makeup begins, there is one last act of preparation: the lip balm. Hydrated lips hold colour differently — longer, more evenly, more beautifully. The Augustinus Bader lip balm has become a permanent fixture in my morning. It is neither heavy nor sticky. It simply does what a lip treatment should: makes the lips feel entirely themselves, only better.

"The morning ritual is not about perfection. It is about arriving at the day as yourself — cared for, present, ready.

"This routine is mine. It took years to find. It will continue to evolve. What I hope you take from it is not the product list — but the permission to slow down, to choose with care, and to treat the first fifteen minutes of your day as an act of love rather than obligation - by Donata