Welcome to our new series, The Wake Up, where we tap women we admire to share their morning routine that goes hand-in-hand with #momlife. We want to know the rituals that ground you each day. How you carve out a moment of “me time” in the morning stillness. And the healthy habits that lay the foundation for your day.
LA-based mom of three, Eunice Park, gives us no shortage of inspiration. Her little corner of social media shares lifestyle, beauty and motherhood content alike, but it wasn't until her children were older that she was actually able to prioritize self-care for herself. In a world of glossy Instagram photos and filtered highlight reels, Park's honest and grounded take on what wellbeing looks like is something we need more of.
Read our conversation below.
Perelel: What time does your alarm go off?
Eunice Park: This is wild, but I actually don't have an alarm set unless I or the kids have a unique early morning event to attend to. The kids occasionally model and have had some 4 AM call times. Besides that, I like to naturally wake up sometime before 7 AM daily.
P: What’s the first thing you do when your alarm goes off?
EP: I say good morning to all my kids as they’re always up before me and give them lots of kisses. I go straight to the bathroom and start my morning skincare routine.
P: Are you a morning person?
EP: I absolutely am now! I used to not be prior to becoming a mom, but having three kids with natural early morning tendencies absolutely changed that for me. Every now and then when I wake up before the kids around 5 or 6 AM. I thoroughly enjoy those beautifully serene, quiet mornings where the sun is just about to peek out. I feel all the feels and can’t help smiling, feeling so grateful for life. Talking about this makes me feel like I should wake up before the kids more to soak in all that goodness before the chaos of the day sets in. I’ll keep you posted if I can make it happen more!
P: Do you make time for self-care in the morning?
EP: Yes! But I want to paint a picture to all my fellow moms that not every day is the same as life with kids always comes with daily surprises. When I’m able to carve out the time, I do have quite the luxurious morning self-care routine. Here is my ideal scenario:
Wake up, brush my teeth, and wash my face. (Sometimes, I double cleanse my face.)
I start my skincare routine, which includes using a face oil and giving myself a lymphatic face drainage massage—it's the best to reduce a puffy and tired face. I personally love using gua sha tools or my hands for this face massage.
Then, I stretch or do a quick series of jumping up and down (100 times minimum). I know that sounds so silly but this helps with stimulating and allowing for a healthy lymphatic system.
I then drink fresh celery juice, or if I’m tight on time, shake a bottle of healthy green juice. I've been a fan of Organifi’s green juice for almost a decade now. I also make myself an oatmeal a few times a week. But, I don’t always have time for breakfast. I use overnight oats that I have ready in the fridge, my favorite fresh fruit, and any other toppings like honey or nuts to jazz it up.
Also, I make it a point to smile and laugh every morning, whether it’s with my kids or talking to my hubby.
P: What’s one thing you have to do for yourself, no matter how crazy the day is?
EP: This is recent after hitting 30, but I will always take care of my skin. I had my first child in my mid-20s and the sheer weight of raising my firstborn, and then my second and third back-to-back led to poor self-care habits, which included a complete lack of care for my face, hair, and body.
Now that my kids are older and I'm getting older, I absolutely make sure to carve out time to stick to pretty extensive skincare routines that I just love.
P: Do you have any hacks to save time or make the morning more efficient?
EP: Yes! A girlfriend of mine messages this to me often at night: “Tomorrow Eunice will thank you for getting ready tonight.”
I do a mix of cleaning and making sure water bottles, lunchboxes, backpacks, and snacks are ready to go the night before. I prep overnight oats a few days in advance and prep and cut fruit for most of the week over the weekend. Moral of the story: We’re tired, mamas. But the more we can prepare in advance the more we'll be so incredibly thankful we did.
P: Coffee or tea?
EP: Can I say green juice?! I actually don’t drink coffee but occasionally do enjoy an iced or hot green tea or other tea concoction. But to be honest, I’m a total green juice lover. I have been drinking green juice in the morning for over seven years. I love that i’m filling my body with the best nutrients to really kick start my day.
P: What's your go-to breakfast to power you through the day?
I’m an overnight oats lover. It’s so stinking easy. (Yes, I see you moms.)
Eunice Park's Banana Overnight Oats Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup of almond milk
"You can sub any milk, but unsweetened vanilla almond milk is perfect, in my opinion."
- ½ mashed banana
- Dash of cinnamon
- Dash of maple syrup
Steps
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Top with fresh fruit, nut butters, seeds, etc.
- Stores for up to four days after prepping.
Start your morning off with a healthy habit. Add vitamins targeted to your exact stage of womanhood to your daily lineup. Plus, read more stories from moms we admire now.
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and we recommend that you always consult with your healthcare provider. To the extent that this article features the advice of physicians or medical practitioners, the views expressed are the views of the cited expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Perelel.