Morning glory: whether you're a never-miss-a-sunrise early bird or a snooze-button-loving slow starter, establishing an a.m. beauty routine helps you look and feel your best all day

Natural Health, Feb, 2005 by Megan O'Connell

Cleaning your face every night removes makeup and washes away the day's built-up grime to prevent breakouts and a dull complexion. But repeating the process in the morning--either in or out of the shower--is just as important. "We tend to sweat during the night and this, as well as overnight oil production, can lead to clogged pores if skin isn't cleansed regularly," says Wilma Bergfeld, M.D., a Cleveland dermatologist.

Use a gentle cleanser, such as B. Kamins Chemist Vegetable Skin Cleanser ($32; bkamins.com), a maple-based formula that promotes suppleness, or Archipelago Botanicals Morning Mint Facial Cleanser ($25; beautyexclusive.com), which has stimulating spearmint, along with soothing aloe vera gel to help avoid irritating or overdrying your skin.

Consider turning your wash routine into a morning massage. Gently rubbing the skin as you cleanse increases circulation, giving skin a healthy glow. A gentle exfoliating cleanser, which sloughs off dulling dead skin cells, can also give skin an extra boost of radiance, while enlivening scents like mint, menthol, and tea tree add eye-opening power. Try Origins Never a Dull Moment Skin Brightening face Cleanser ($16.50, origins.com), with crushed papaya and fruit extracts to brighten the complexion; Kiss My Face So Refined Jojoba & Mint Scrub ($12; kissmyface.com), with gentle exfoliating jojoba beads and the uplifting scents of camphor and mint; or Benefit Fantasy Mint Wash ($23; benefitcosmetics.com), with an invigorating herbal aroma and creamy lather.

Follow up by using a light moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15. We suggest Aveda Tourmaline Charged Protecting Lotion SPF 15 ($38;aveda.com), prepared with pure plant extracts plus the mineral tourmaline, or Neutrogena Healthy Defense SPF 30 Daily Moisturizer ($12; at drugstores), which is loaded with vitamins E and [B.sub.5] to help prevent premature aging.

8:30 a.m. | eat at home

Finding time for a well-balanced breakfast before you head into work may be one of the morning's most difficult tasks, but it's essential. "Eating breakfast at your computer or while you're taking business calls makes it more difficult to digest your food; the body should have to digest only one thing at a time," says Blossom, who also recommends boycotting the morning news during breakfast to avoid unnecessary stress. If you must, catch the traffic report and the weather, then turn the TV or radio off.

A well-balanced breakfast lets you stay alert during the day--and it helps keep you feeling and looking healthy. "The skin, just like the heart and brain, is a vital organ that needs a well-balanced meal first thing to allow for healthy cell turnover and the rebuilding of collagen and elastin," says Rapaport. The monounsaturated oil in peanut butter on wheat toast or the antioxidants and omega fatty acids in a homemade fruit shake help make hair and skin radiant.