How The Beauty Chef Uses Her Mornings to Nourish Herself From the Inside and Out

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 diving 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 Monday morning 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 the founder of wellness brand The Beauty Chef, which creates a range of products promoting "gut health and glowing skin," Carla Oates is no stranger to maintaining a well-balanced and sustainable routine. But her holistic philosophy goes well beyond her healthy breakfast and natural skincare regimen. She prioritizes breaks throughout the workday to fuel her creativity and nourish her soul.

Below, Oates shares her morning routine all the way from Bondi, Australia.

5:30 a.m.

I wake up naturally around 5:30 a.m. It can be an internal struggle not to immediately look at my phone and start checking emails from our global teams. However, I made a commitment to myself this year to use the mornings as a time for self-care.

6 a.m.

I always start the day with Glow Inner Beauty Essential, either stirred into a glass of filtered water or blended into a delicious smoothie with fresh, seasonal ingredients. At the moment, I'm loving the mix of papaya, banana, blueberries, coconut milk, and chia seeds.

While sipping, I'll prepare breakfast for myself and the family. It's always healthy and nutrient-balanced, like poached eggs with spinach, tomatoes, and avocado or some sort of porridge. We just launched a new product, Omega Elixir, which is a vegan drinking oil, rich in essential fatty acids that are naturally flavored with yuzu. So I've been enjoying this drizzled over sourdough toast topped with smashed avocado, organic smoked salmon, herbs, and spices—yum!

6:30 a.m.

Next, it's time for skincare. I don't wear a lot of makeup. However, I've always looked after my skin, both by nurturing my gut with nutritious whole foods and fermented foods, as well as being mindful of the products I use on my face. I ensure the brands I buy have natural, pure, and efficacious ingredients and are not mixed with harmful chemicals that will disrupt your skin's natural microbiome.

My morning regimen currently looks like this:

6:45 a.m.

Now it's time to move my body. Most mornings, you'll find me walking along Bondi Beach or at Centennial Park. It's not only a great way to exercise, but I find it meditative. It's like a natural filing system for my brain. Moving my body provides mental clarity, gives me energy, and helps to set me up for the day. I'll finish with 15 minutes of meditation in my garden near our gorgeous old fig tree.

7:45 a.m.

I'm back home and starting work for the day. I spend most days in video meetings at the moment so have found it best to set aside a dedicated hour in the morning for emails.

10 a.m.

We're all currently adjusting to working from home full-time, which of course has its advantages and disadvantages. Being the CEO of a growing company, it can be easy to fall into the trap of working long hours and not taking breaks. I believe it's super important to tap into the creative side of your brain to shut off from work. Stopping work for 10 minutes to practice playing the guitar and enjoy a cup of herbal tea feeds my soul and energizes me for the day ahead.

Next up: This Sustainability Activist Has a Zero-Waste Morning Routine