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When Real Housewives of Dubai premiered at the beginning of June, Bravo fans discovered a new it-girl and fan-favorite in Lesa Milan Hall. On this week’s episode of The Everygirl Podcast, Josie sits down with Lesa to talk all things Real Housewives, but also to get insight on her inspiring career totally separate from reality TV. Spoiler alert: She has a lot of great tips, advice, and insight one everything from motherhood to fashion to starting a major brand. She is the founder of luxury maternity brand, Mina Roe, which counts stars like Beyoncé and Ciara as fans.
Living in Dubai with her husband and three sons, running a fashion line, and being on reality TV all mean that Lesa has an extremely busy schedule, so you know we had to grill her on the rituals that set her day up for success. Read on for major morning routine inspo, and check out this week’s episode of The Everygirl Podcast for insight and advice from Lesa Milan Hall.
1. Start the day with gratitude
We’ve all heard about the importance of practicing gratitude, so it’s no surprise Lesa’s #1 morning ritual is to feel gratitude immediately after waking. “The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is I thank God for waking me up,” Lesa told us. Gratitude is not only important for putting yourself into a positive headspace and promotes an abundance mindset, but it can reframe your thinking to reflect on all that you do have instead of focusing energy on what you don’t. “When having a bad day, I remember where I’m coming from and where I am today,” Lesa said. “Whenever I’m like, ‘Oh, I don’t have something,’ I always ask myself, ‘Girl, do you remember when you had nothing?’”
2. Take a shot of apple cider vinegar
This Real Housewife swears by taking a shot of apple cider vinegar diluted in water every single morning to start her day. The benefits of apple cider vinegar are widely discussed in the wellness space (everything from improving gut health to managing blood sugar), but for Lesa, it’s all about the skin. Apple cider vinegar may have many beauty benefits, including helping to reduce inflammation in the skin (like breakouts or eczema), thanks to its antibacterial properties. Since she grew up with acne-prone skin, Lesa tells us she is committed to keeping her face clear, and prioritizes a daily shot of apple cider vinegar every morning. As she says, “What goes in shows up on the skin.” Whether a shot of ACV at 8 a.m. is your thing or not, prioritize food and drinks that are hydrating and balancing for the skin first thing in the morning.
3. Have a go-to skincare routine, but limit makeup
Aside from her apple cider vinegar ritual, Lesa’s biggest skincare secret is that she never wears makeup during the week. “I used to struggle with really, really bad acne,” Lesa said. “It took me years to find products that work for me.” Now, she limits makeup as much as possible as a way to preserve her skin health, but also as a sense of pride for overcoming skin-related insecurities from her childhood.
Currently, Lesa’s skincare routine is built around her cleanser, which she considers to be the most important part of taking care of her face. Her favorite is from Shiseido, and she makes a point of washing her face with exclusively cold water in order to keep her pores closed. Since she used to struggle with acne, Lesa rotates between using oil-free moisturizer or the Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Serum after cleansing each morning. She finishes her routine with SPF, and heads out into Dubai makeup-free and full of gratitude.
