Welcome to Waking Up Well, a column where we hand-select people we admire and ask them to share how they start the day. We think morning routines are a crucial part of an intentional wellness journey and we’re fascinated by the practices of our favorite figures.

Liz Teich is a New York based personal stylist, content creator, and businesswoman operating under the iconic name of “The New York Stylist.” Not only are we fascinated by her busy lifestyle with two kids in NYC, we also love her mission as a stylist. We write about sustainable fashion over on our sister site — so Liz’s approach of cultivating personal style using what you already have in your closet really speaks to us! We thought she’d be the perfect person to check in with about her morning routine since getting dressed is so central to getting set up for the day. Plus, we found out she has a whole host of simple wellness practices that buoy her.

Most of Liz’s days are a combination of working from home and meeting with clients. Mornings are usually a scramble with two little kids at 4 and 7 years old. She admits that most of her self-care comes in the evening — so morning is all about keeping it simple and small. From her skincare routine to putting together something to wear that makes her feel confident in taking on the day, here are her morning rituals before she heads out onto the city streets. 🗽

6:30 am | Natural wake-up ☀️

I usually wake up naturally, or to the sound of my kids running through the house. My husband and kids are early risers, but I’m not a morning person at all. I wish I could say I meditate. I used to have a daily practice before kids and hope to get back into it again when I only have one school drop off instead of two. But the first thing I do is check my phone because I don’t get another chance to until around 9 a.m.

7 am | Hot water & probiotic 💊

My husband delivers hot water and lemon to me in bed, and it’s my favorite morning ritual — I even travel with lemon now. Then I follow with a glass of room temperature water, along with my Seed probiotic. I love to flood my body with water before coffee, and have seen a difference in my digestion with it — and even my energy and skin!

A glass of lemonade on a white fabric with two lemon halves nearby, illuminated by natural light.
A green jar labeled "Seed" and two green capsules are placed on a wooden table with diagonal light shadows.

7:30 am | Nourishing oats 🥣

I’m such a breakfast person, so I usually make overnight oats the night before. (My recipe is oats, oat milk, frozen berries, walnuts, unsweetened coconut, chia seeds, raisins, and maple syrup.) If it’s a week that I’m doing Sakara meals, I love that I can just grab something from the fridge that’s healthy, organic, vegan, gluten-free, and so yummy, especially because it’s all about my kids in the mornings and not much time for me! I also fix myself a cold brew. Ever since having kids, I only want my coffee iced and find it’s gentler on my stomach anyway. I sometimes opt for matcha but usually save that as an afternoon treat.

A bowl of yogurt topped with granola and almonds, accompanied by a glass of water, a cup of tea, and a bowl of raspberries on a beige table with a patterned napkin.
A glass of iced coffee with milk sits on a coaster on a wooden table.

8 am | Skincare & school drop-off 🏃‍♀️

I scramble to get ready because I’m busy getting my kids off to school, so I usually take about 15-20 minutes to quickly do my skincare (my ultimate self-care), hair and makeup, as well as put on an outfit, which I usually pick out the night before to help with the scramble. If I’m not racing to a client, I’ll put on a loungewear knit set like my favorite cashmere and cotton sets from Kilte Collection or my Rhone DreamGlow sets. 

I wash my face with either Versed cleansing balm or YSE cleanser, follow up with The Outset prep serum, Best Skin Ever sandalwood face oil, and YSE Wide Awake eye cream. I need all the help I can get to look awake with kids. I never leave home without my Supergoop Protec(tint) SPF and mascara by Jones Road. (The last bit is essential since I have blonde barely-there lashes!) If I have time and didn’t do it the night before, I’ll take 5 minutes to do my ZIIP or Solawave facial device to give my face a little lift.

A smartphone displaying a beauty treatment app with images of people using facial tools. A silver device is on the table beside the phone.
A white bottle of "The Outset" Firming Vegan Collagen Prep Serum rests on a satin surface, casting a shadow. Contains 1 fl oz (30 ml).

8:45/9 am | Mini workout & sauna blanket 💦

When I get back from school drop-off, and if I don’t have a client in the morning, I’ll do a quick 15–20 minute Melissa Wood Health workout. If it’s a slow day, I’ll even get into my Higher Dose sauna blanket if I have time to take a shower after ahead of the day!

Imagery from The Outset, ZIIP, Sakara, and Seed