My Skincare Line Puts Emotional Wellness First—This Is How I Prioritize Mine

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.

You may have noticed that we talk a lot about self-care on this site. From the essentials that bring us comfort to the ways we take care of our mental health and even the everyday morning rituals we follow, our self-care practices affect every facet of our lives. 

And of course, the five to 10 minutes that we dedicate to our skincare routines and to pampering ourselves play a large role in our overall well-being. Enter Strange Bird, a new skincare line that wants you to put your emotional wellness first and transform your routine into one of self-love, connection, and gratitude. 

According to therapist-turned-founder Tina Chow Rudolf, "True self-care is the practice of creating a life from which you don’t want to escape. It’s as much about being comfortable in your own skin as it is about being comfortable in your own life.”

We know that Rudolf is passionate about creating a space for others to unabashedly embrace self-care into their daily routines, but as it turns out, she is just as intentional about her own wellness rituals. Keep scrolling to see how this entrepreneur starts her days below. 

6 A.M.

My body has been conditioned to wake up at 6 a.m. these days. Since having my babies, who are now 5 and 3 years old, the days of sleeping until 9 a.m. are in the past—like, past-life past. They both have Mella sleep trainers in their room and know that I won’t get them until the light turns green at 7:30 a.m. This means I get 90 minutes to myself before mom duty kicks in.

The first thing I do is grab my phone. I reply to some emails, a few DMs, and usually research something that’s been on my mind—best black jeans, where to stay when we go to SF, and most recently, parenting stuff with my son. He’s been going through his emotional 3s (yes, that’s a thing and way worse than terrible 2s), and we’ve been having a hard time with some behavioral stuff. For that, I typically hop on Parenting+, which has a great community of moms and experts who can help me troubleshoot in real time.

6:30 A.M.

I have a yoga mat laid out in my bedroom and like to do a few deep stretches every morning. After I move my body a little, I'll pray and do a 10-minute meditation with Headspace. After, I'll always pull a tarot card, and I'm currently using The Starchild Tarot deck.

Then I use flower essences to help me deepen some of the inner child work I’m doing and cleanse and protect my energy. I love Alexis Smart and LotusWei flower essences.

I always take a minute or so to manifest a feeling that I want to bring into my life. Lately, it’s all about abundance and peace. I close this entire ritual by saying "Om Mani Padme Hum" three times. It’s an ancient Chinese Buddhist mantra that my father taught me when I was little.

7 A.M.

I have to shower in the morning. I’m an empath, and for me, showering helps me discharge all that accumulated energy from the night and day before and makes me feel like I’m starting fresh. I love using Innersense Harmony Hairbath and the brand's Pure Inspiration Daily Conditioner. I wash my body with a soap bar from Good Soap and my Japanese scrub towel. I'm a tad obsessed with exfoliating.

Time for my skincare! I always use the Strange Bird Inner Clarity Cleanser. It's a three-in-one cleanser, exfoliator, and mask that leaves you with a clear mind, heart, and, of course, skin. 

Once a week, however, I wait until I get out of the shower and immediately put my Inner Clarity Cleanser on as a mask while I moisturize with Jiva Apoha body oil, put on my favorite By Humankind deodorant, and towel-dry my hair. (Masking while multitasking is a mom superpower.)

The mask takes about five minutes, and after I wash it off, my pores are clear and tight, and my skin feels baby soft. I follow my skincare routine up with the Strange Bird Inner Balance Serum and Inner Light Moisturizer.

7:30 A.M.

At this point, my son is calling me, "Mom! My light is green!" And, like clockwork, my daughter opens the bathroom door and says, "My light is green!” Yes, their lights are now green, and I am ready to transition to mom life.

8 A.M.

I get dressed when my kids get dressed, cook them breakfast (usually something simple like soy sauce eggs or smoothies and waffles), and make coffee for me (two scoops of collagen, along with some maple syrup and milk). I also end up eating what they don’t eat. Mom life.

Then it’s off to the races. Depending on the day, it’s either a packed schedule of back-to-back meetings or a full day with the kids. Most days, though, I’m doing a bit of both, figuring it out as the day goes on and trying my best to balance it all with joy, love, and presence.

Up next: How This Morning Radio Host Turned Skincare Founder Starts Her Workdays