How This Celebrity Hairstylist and Founder Adapted Her Routine During Quarantine

What's the first thing you do when you get out of bed in the morning? A well-rounded morning routine sets the tone for the day and gets you prepped—both mentally and physically—before you dive into a packed schedule filled with emails, chores, happy hours, workouts, and more. Our series Morning Person profiles those who have mastered the art of the morning routine.

Tune in every week here and on our Instagram to learn exactly how the pros get it all done before the sun comes up, from their go-to breakfasts to their a.m. workouts.

As she is the founder of the clean scalpcare brand Act+Acre and is a highly sought-after editorial and celebrity hairstylist whose clients include Harry Styles (enough said), it’s safe to say that Helen Reavey keeps a busy schedule. Pre-pandemic, a "normal” workday for Reavey would consist of traveling to another city or country to style hair on photo shoots or fashion shows in addition to working to build her own haircare line. 

For better or worse, this year has, undoubtedly, warped any sense of normalcy and left us to shift gears in every aspect of our lives. For Reavey, the last eight months have been a precious time for her to slow down and adopt self-care practices into her routine.

Ahead, see what a typical morning looks like for Reavey and all the wellness rituals she's incorporated during quarantine.

6:45 A.M.

In March, I relocated to Tulum, Mexico, for quarantine with my husband. I'll wake up naturally around this time, which has been a new and welcomed development this year! The first thing I do in the morning is drink lemon water, and shortly after that, I'll make a double espresso.

Before the pandemic, my time was split between doing hair for celebrity clientele, photo shoots, and fashion shows as well as coming into the Act+Acre office to work with the team. I could be starting work at 3 a.m. or just finishing work at this time, so it's so nice to finally have a normal routine.

7:15 A.M.

I really do take care of my hair and scalp. Toward the end of the week, I will apply the Act+Acre Cold Processed Scalp Detox ($42) and massage the product in with a gua sha comb. I'll typically leave this in before my workout so it can work its magic! 

7:30 A.M.

I'll change into my favorite COS activewear set and work out on my balcony with a full-body flow from Melissa Wood Health. Her workouts are amazing, and I find this really sets me up for the day.

8:15 A.M.

I'll take a post-workout shower, and when I do wash my hair, I love using Act+Acre's Cold Processed Hair Cleanse and Conditioner ($50). I love this ritual, and that feeling of clean in my hair is unparalleled. 

8:30 A.M.

After my shower, I will follow up with my simple skincare routine. I tend to keep my products locally made, but I also do have some favorites that I can’t live without. There are so many cute boutiques with natural skincare lines in Tulum, and one of my go-to places to shop now is La Madre Tierra.

Here are some of my favorite morning skincare products.

9 A.M.

Around this time, I'll start writing out my list of priorities for the day. At 9.30 a.m., we have a virtual check-in with the team. At first, not seeing everyone in person took a little getting used to, but thankfully, video chat exists, so we can all still feel connected. 

Up next, The Productive Morning Routine This SPF-Loving Beauty Founder Swears By