Since launching her blog in 2010, Really Ree (IG: @reallyree) has established herself as a household name within the beauty industry and is loved for her endearing tutorials and accessible advice. We chatted to her to discover her ultimate Sunday evening rituals and some of her favourite products and discovered that precious time off at the weekends is spent walking her dog Archie and trialling the biggest upcoming product launches, all fuelled by copious amounts of tea, of course. Keep scrolling to find out the products that Ree swears by to keep her skin nourished and glowing…
The Wind Down
I often used to work the entire weekend, but recently I’ve taken on an office space and am trying to stick more closely to regular Monday to Friday hours so now my Sundays are a lot more relaxed. I have a lovely long shower then get back into comfy clothes. I’m not much of a bath person, as I tend to get fidgety and start thinking about my to-do list. If I do have one then I’ll usually have a shower first to do all my messy product application bits and then slip into a bath afterwards to really relax. I never plan ahead on a Sunday. I try and enjoy the moment, because if I start thinking about the upcoming week too often, I’ll start feeling a bit overwhelmed about what I have to do. Instead I try to keep my Mondays largely free of meetings so that I can sit down first thing and plan out what my week is going to look like. One of my favourite parts of my jobs is experimenting with new products. Testing new launches forms a big part of my Sunday so my own wind down doesn’t start until early evening. I’m candle-mad, I love the flickering light and the calming scents, and they signal that it’s time to chill. I keep them downstairs, one in the conservatory and one in the living room. Malin+Goetz’s Tabacco Candle is one of my favourites and Diptyque’s Figuier too. Also – this is quite out there – but I don’t mind a Christmas candle all year round! I love Space NK’s Shimmering Spice candle, it smells delicious.
The Routine
I start my routine with a clay mask. Chantecaille’s Detox Clay Mask is really rich and doesn’t dry out your skin. I always go for quite a rich cleanser too, like Omorovicza’s Thermal Cleansing Balm. My main aim is to create a dewy base for my makeup and help my skin glow, which is why I love layering my skincare. Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Extra Strength Pads quickly refresh dull skin and then I’ll mist on Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir and add a hydrating serum like Dr Barbara Sturm’s Hyaluronic Serum or something to help brighten like Drunk Elephant’s C-Firma Day Serum. Then I’ll use my ring finger to tap in Caudalie’s Premier Cru Eye Cream. The handy pump allows you to dispense a small amount to hydrate, soothe and brighten. I always opt for an eye cream with a rich and creamy texture. I wear SPF50 daily, at the moment I’m using Caudalie Anti-Wrinkle Face Suncare SPF50. The sun is so ageing so I really try and avoid it – even when I’m on holiday I’ll wear a hat and sit under an umbrella. A new product I’ve discovered is Oskia’s Liquid Lactic Peel Mask, which is pretty powerful, so I limit to using it to once a week. I’m obsessed with facialist Marie Reynolds, she is so knowledgeable about the relationship between your gut and your skin and has given me lots of valuable tips over the years. She recommended that I cut back on gluten and dairy which I have done, and also that I should take the Welleco Super Elixir everyday mixed into a smoothie or juice. Anything that Marie recommends, I am all over!
I’m a big beauty DIY-er. Everything from hair removal to dyeing my hair and fake tanning. I love having the control over my time and flexibility rather than having to book multiple appointments. My main hair concern is dryness, which is usually the reason I have to wash it as my scalp becomes uncomfortable. Otherwise I could probably wash it once a week. I swear by the Christophe Robin Salt Scrub Mask to tackle dryness. You only need a dollop of it to work into a lather and afterwards it really feels like your scalp can breathe. If I have time, I’ll apply an oil to my hair as a pre-shampoo treatment as that really helps to hydrate my scalp and strands. I’ve found the Virtue Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner is brilliant for coarse hair and then I’ll apply a deep conditioning mask like Living Proof’s Restore Mask.
When it comes to my body fake tan and exfoliation are my main priorities. When I need to properly exfoliate my body, I’ll have a bath so I can give my skin a proper scrub. Herbivore’s Coco Rose Scrub is infused with pink clay and hydrating coconut oil, so feels gentle on the skin. I’ve been fake tanning for years and wouldn’t leave home without some on. I always go for one with a colour guide so you can see exactly where you have applied it. My number one tip for maintaining your tan is moisturising, I do it every day. I love Kiehl’s Creme de Corps body lotion or an oil like Aromatherapy Associates Body Oil.
Bedtime
Once I’ve taken my dog Archie out for a walk in the afternoon, I’ll do my final cleanse just before bed. I always keep some nourishing and hydrating skincare like Omorovicza’s Rejuvenating Night Cream or La Mer’s Soft Cream next to my bed. I’m not worried about anything feeling sticky, but it is really important to me to that my skin feels properly moisturised. There is nothing I love more than waking up in the morning with really juicy feeling skin. I’m a night owl, so I get ready for bed early but then I’ll end up staying awake for hours and pottering around or looking on Instagram. Usually I’ll watch something on Netflix before bed. At the moment we’re re-watching Suits and we’ve just powered through about ninety episodes of Jane the Virgin which is brilliant, light-hearted fun. I can’t sleep with anything on my face, but I do love the Slip Silk Pillowcase.
Monday Morning
I usually wake up about 7.30am and then it’s time to have my three cups of tea. I can’t even think about the day ahead or what I’ll have for breakfast without my morning teas! Even when I go away, I always make sure there will be plenty of tea. Then it’s time to shower and I feel ready to face the new week. My job is quite flexible so sometimes I’ll be working from home or sometimes I’ll head out to the office. I usually try and keep Monday morning free from any events or meetings and make time to do my Pilates class, which is a lovely way to start the new week.
