Ava Lee is an unabashed skincare and makeup hoarder. Over years, the beauty vlogger’s has amassed an impressive collection of vials and facial elixirs that she shares in-depth with her Instagram and YouTube fans. The NYC-native has cultivated a cult-following for her refreshing mix of luxury and green beauty favorites—and the fact that she’s gotten her beauty regimen down to a science.
But, how does Lee get such flawless skin? With the usual sleep mask, sunscreen, and…metal spoons? Below, she shares her surprisingly simple morning routine, the best time of day to shower, and more.
What’s the first thing you do every morning?
“Take my Slip silk sleep mask off and check my phone (guilty!)”
Do you have a morning workout routine?
“I try to go to the gym two-to-three times a week; [my workout] is a mix of pilates, stretching, and some weights. I stopped doing cardio a year ago, actually.”
Shower at-night, morning, or both?
“Always at night! I hate going to bed not washing off all the dirt I accumulated throughout the day.”
Daily alarm time? How many times do you hit snooze?
“If I’m working out, 6:15 a m. If I’m not, 7:15 a.m. I hardly ever hit snooze, but I’ve been finding it harder to wake up in the winter.”
If you’re running late, what’s the one thing you have to do?
“Grab my phone and run out the door. But I never leave the house without having SPF on my face.”
Favorite breakfast?
“A butter croissant, ideally, but I’ve been making breakfast bowls recently with overnight oats, acai or maqui powder, fruits, granola, and collagen powder.”
Weirdest morning beauty habit?
“I often wake up with puffy eyes, so I use metal spoons that I have in the freezer.”
Tell us your morning hair-care routine.
“Usually nothing, since I wash my hair at night. I’ll brush my hair and on days when I want to put more effort, I go in with my Amika Polished Perfection Straightening Brush. You brush your hair but it also straightens it at the same time. Love an effective 2-in-1 product!”
How much time do you spend on your skincare routine?
“5-10 minutes in the morning and 15-30 minutes at night; it depends if I’m masking.”
How long do you usually take to get ready for the day?
“I really try to keep it minimal in the morning. I don’t have time for a full glam look. Skincare and makeup combined, I can usually get ready in 20 minutes, 30 minutes max if I really want to try and look good for a meeting.”
What’s the one product you could never leave the house without putting on?
“SPF!! And sunglasses in the summer.”
The first word/thing that popped into your head this morning?
“It’s too cold to go to the gym. Stay in bed for 30 more minutes.”
