How Gritty Pretty Founder Eleanor Pendleton Gets Ready for Her Beauty Sleep

Welcome to Bedtime Stories, an interview series where we ask inspiring individuals to share their nighttime routine and sleep secrets – from the beauty products they can’t live without to the tricks they swear by when they’re too tired to function (no coffee needed). For this instalment, Eleanor Pendleton, founder of beauty website and digital magazine Gritty Pretty, details her morning and night routine.

A good skincare routine is a fantastic way to kickstart and end your day. Not only are these routines great for your skin, but they allow you time to yourself and to either unwind or mentally prepare for the day ahead. For award-winning beauty and health editor Eleanor Pendleton these moments in the day are a must. 

As the founder of beauty website and digital magazine Gritty Pretty Eleanor knows a thing or two about the importance of a good morning and nighttime skin routine to keep you looking fresh. This is particularly important for those who you lead a busy life like she does as a businessperson and mother. 

Below, Eleanor walks us through the morning and night routine that help support her day-to-day life as an editor and mother and shares the beauty products she swears by.

Eleanor Pendleton's Morning and Night Routine

Can you walk us through your bedtime routine?

As a mum to a two-year-old toddler, the evenings are busy! My evening routine actually commences around 4pm when my husband or I make dinner (we alternate with cooking and cleaning duties in our house). I pick up my son from day care at 5pm and we have dinner as a family around 6pm. By 6:30pm, he’s having a bath and I’m preparing his pyjamas to wear to sleep.

Afterwards, we’ll read a book or two and my son goes to sleep at 7pm, which means by 7:30pm, I’m exhausted. I’ve been known at this point to collapse on my bed and just lay there not moving for an hour. It’s also at this time that I will find the energy to put myself into the shower with a lavender body wash or a bath with magnesium salts and allow myself to decompress from the day. I cleanse my skin and once out of the shower or bath, I follow with a nourishing skin care routine consisting of a hydrating serum, eye cream and a face oil or overnight treatment mask.

I then like to enjoy some quiet time with my husband on the couch with a yummy sleep tea with coconut milk (The Beauty Chef Sleep Inner Beauty Support) before getting into bed around 9-9:30pm. Before going to sleep, I like to apply Laneige Gummy Bear Lip Sleeping Mask to keep my lips moisturised overnight. 

What sleep or beauty products do you swear by that you won’t go a night without?

I love oils – they’re so nourishing and deeply hydrating while my skin regenerates at night. I love La Prairie Skin Caviar Nighttime Oil, Go-To Skincare Face Hero and KORA Organics Noni Glow Face Oil. One or two nights a week, I’ll also use a retinol treatment - like Ella Bache Retinol Night Treatment Serum or Alpha-H Beauty Sleep Power Peel.

Recreate Eleanor's look with our Mineral Long Sleeve Shirt and Mineral pants.

What about your morning routine — are there any products you swear by?

I’m up most mornings at 6:00am (my son is my alarm clock!). I like to refresh my skin with Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water before applying an essence (SK-II Facial Treatment Essence) followed by a hydrating hyaluronic serum (like Beauté Pacifique Serum Symphonique Hyaluronic Serum or Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum). I will then apply a nourishing eye cream (La Mer The Eye Concentrate) before Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream before the all-important step: SPF. I love UltraViolette Queen Screen or Dream Screen (for a tinted version) as well as Naked Sundays SPF 50+ Hydrating Glow Mist as a top up during the day.

What is your solution for those nights you simply can’t nod off to sleep?

I’d like to say ‘stay off Instagram!’ but then I wouldn’t be practicing my own advice because I’m absolutely guilty of too much screen time. If my mind simply has too much going on and I’m finding it hard to unwind, I’ll write down what is keeping me awake (even on the notes section of my phone) so that I can compartmentalise it and be able to address it in the morning. I will also practice full belly breaths so help soothe my adrenal system and after 10 or so of those, I find I can usually nod off to sleep.

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What time does your alarm go off in the morning? Can you walk us through your morning routine?

I have a toddler so he is my alarm clock between 6-6:30am every morning. We wake up and I make a coffee and breakfast for my son. I get him dressed and ready for day care. I work from home two days and in my office two days, so on office days, I start early (6am) and finish early (3pm).

What do you normally eat for breakfast to kickstart your day?

Coffee first, always. After an hour or two, I then like to have eggs or avocado on toast.

For more from Eleanor, follow her Instagram @eleanorpendleton and @gritty_pretty 

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