Hannah Bronfman’s Nighttime Routine Involves Chilling Out to a Good Netflix Thriller
Do what feels good.
Published Aug 26, 2019 7:24 PM
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We spend a third of our lives asleep—that means our bedroom is the most lived-in space in our homes. It’s the room where we start and end our days, and that’s why the rituals that happen there are extra important. In The Wind Down, we’ll be exploring the different nighttime routines of people we admire and taking their advice to make the moments just before bed when we feel our best.
Hannah Bronfman is all about doing what feels good for you—after all, that’s precisely the message of her new book, aptly named, Do What Feels Good: Recipes, Remedies, and Routines to Treat Your Body Right. The entrepreneur and author (who’s also one of the fashion world’s favorite DJs) has a refreshing attitude toward wellness that’s centered in making whatever adjustments you need to have the best effect on your mental and physical health. On her Instagram feed, you’ll certainly see her tackling challenging workouts, but she also takes time to sheet mask and whip up some dark chocolate treats.
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With a full schedule that has her on the road for DJ gigs, beauty campaigns, and travel, Bronfman makes plenty of time to chill out. Crucial to her health routine is her nighttime routine, which—when she has the time—includes a nice, luxurious bath. Follow her steps to winding down below.
First, find that zen: The first thing that I do to wind myself down is take a supplement called Zen. It probably takes an hour to make me sleepy, so I take it around 9:30 p.m. Depending on how I feel, I might make myself a hot tonic or some sleepytime tea—maybe just some chamomile tea—but some sort of hot liquid.
Wash away the day: I wash my face before getting in the bath or showering. I love my cleanser from Linné, and if I was wearing a lot of makeup, I would have even put on an oil cleanser from True Botanicals.
Draw a bath: Then I’ll draw myself a bath—this is on an ideal night. I wish I was taking a bath every night, but I’m not. I have a recipe in my book for bath soaks. It involves brewing two bags of chamomile tea using one to two cups of water and then adding that concentrate to the bath. I would add Epsom salt, five drops of lavender essential oil, and then valerian essential oil. Then, I would soak in the bath for about 30 minutes. Really starts to help my nervous system wind down.
Set the mood: When I’m in the bath, I definitely like to light a candle, whether that’s a little candle from Diptyque or like my Boy Smells candle. Depending on if my husband is home, I’m not sure if I’ll get to have music on in the bath—I might just be listening to the residual sounds of the TV. But usually, during that time I am either on my phone catching up on a few last-minute emails or going through social. Or I’m not on my phone at all and I have a book—it just depends what I am in the mood for.
Massage those muscles: After that, my pores are pretty open, so I might do an invigorating routine. I have this tool that I use to rub on my thighs. It’s like a massager, but it’s like porcelain, kind of like how everyone loves gua sha facial tools. I rub that around my heart—always toward my heart.
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize: Then, I will put on a really nice lotion. I’m in between two body lotions right now. After I shower, I use a shower oil, but after a bath, I’ll use a moisturizer. I love the body moisturizer from Dr. Barbara Sturm, and I love the one that has AHA acids in it from Ren.
Time to exfoliate: Because my pores are open on my face, I’ll put on a little lactic acid peel. But it’s not like a real peel—it’s an all-natural brand and it’s got 8% lactic acid. It’s really, really nice. It’s from this brand called Lotus Moon and it’s a wild blueberry exfoliant.
Tackle that skincare routine: I spray a little bit of Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator and then I add a serum of sorts, which depends if my skin is dry or what. I have a CBD cellular renewal serum that I love. Then, I’ll put on Josh Rosebrook’s Vital Balm Cream. It’s kind of like an oil but also a serum. If my skin is super, super dry, then I might be adding an overnight mask, like one from True Botanicals, to just seal in the moisture.
Pajama party: Once my skincare is done, I put on a cute pair of pajamas. I love pajamas. I love the brand Eberjey. So cute, so soft, and so comfy.
Suss out the snack situation: I really try not to snack before bed. If I am going to have a snack, I’m having it at 10:30 p.m., right before I get into bed, and it’s a square of dark chocolate. I think it’s really important to let your body detox and digest while you sleep.
Netflix and chill out: Around 10:30 p.m. or so, I am hopefully getting into bed, not looking at my phone anymore, and watching an episode of something on Netflix. We love thriller and suspense. We loved Ozark, we loved The Bodyguard, and we binged Narcos. They’re a little dark—we like kind of dangerous ones. We’re freaking out because we started watching The Sinner season 2 in Mexico when we were there over the holidays, and it’s not available in the U.S.! We’re literally four episodes in and we’re craving it. So I am fully taking suggestions.
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Pillow talk: I actually randomly prefer sleeping without a pillow—I know it sounds crazy, but we do have a ton of pillows on our bed. I just personally don’t sleep with one.
The best bed: We’re all about an all-white bed, but we love a good decorative pillow. We love our sheets from Casper and we love our sheets from Riley Home.
Up in the air: I love a humidifier, especially during the winter. Honestly, I don’t need to take anything aromatherapy wise because once I take the Zen, I am pretty zonked out.
Bedside table tableau: I have a little thing that I like to put my necklaces in, and and then I just have my vitamins and always have a big glass of water. Taking my vitamins before I go to bed—especially a probiotic—is a must. And that’s really it! Hopefully, it’s lights out by 11:30 pm.
More wellness:
What Actually Happens to Your Body When You Get Enough Sleep
Crazy Sleep Tricks From Reddit That Actually Work
Best Way to Start Your Morning, According to Your Zodiac Sign