Hi, I’m Jordan! I’m a native Californian currently living in Cambridge, MA and working at Harvard University as an assistant to a professor.
The first step in my beauty routine is hitting the gym. I need that rush of endorphins first thing in the morning to keep my mind and body from fogging over. During the week, I like to keep my workouts short and sweet: just 20 minutes of HIIT on the treadmill and a few quick sets of free weight exercises. On the weekends I love to go to CorePower Yoga for their Sculpt class--it is a serious ass-kicker!
The next step in my ritual is skincare. For me, skincare is as much about what I put in my body as what I put on my skin. I start my mornings with a protein shake loaded with greens to make sure my skin is getting all the vitamins and nutrients it needs, and I try to drink at least three liters of water every day. I don’t usually use cleanser in the morning because I have super dry, sensitive skin. I just rinse with water, then use a rose hydrosol toner and either an oil or a lotion. I also wear sunscreen every single day (even when it’s 15 degrees and snowing), and I swear by COOLA mineral sunscreen.
I’m a white woman (part French and Irish mostly), so I have always had a lot of privilege in being able to find products that match my skin type and tone and to see women with similar features and complexions in beauty magazines. It’s exciting to see that some progress is, if very slowly, starting to be made in representation and inclusivity.
It’s important to me that everything that goes on and in my body is totally natural. I don’t use any products with chemicals and I stalk the EWG Skin Deep site every time I consider a new product. Some brands I love are Acure, RMS, W3ll People, Physician’s Formula, and evanhealy.
For me, health is all about practicing self-care and finding balance. Everyday, I try to stick to the basics that feel good for my body and mind: exercising in whatever way feels right that day, eating when I’m hungry, sleeping when I’m tired. I’m practicing listening to my body, and it’s a hard thing to do. My main priority right now is trying to see rest and relaxation as part of my routine, rather than something to feel guilty about.
Right now, I’m very into my stomach. It’s a part of my body that the fashion/beauty/fitness industry--and even my own mother--has always told me I need to improve, to shrink, to make disappear. But when I look at it I see a healthy, strong center that holds me together and protects everything inside.
My greatest grievance with the beauty industry is the emphasis it puts on beauty being something women do for men. Every time I see an article titled “Beauty Trends Men Love,” or whatever, I get totally nauseous. I wish the industry would stop propagating the myth that women exist for the viewing pleasure of men. If you have a male partner who takes issue with any aspect of your beauty routine, ditch the dude, not the routine.
I’ve picked up a lot of bad messages about health and beauty from the world around me, as I think all women inevitably do. I’m working hard to unlearn all the lessons that led me to self-loathing and self-destructive behaviors. I rarely wear make-up and I try to avoid too many mirrors and selfies. If I want to see myself reflected back, the best way for me to do that is through writing.