🤫 I've got a confession

Hey lovely,

Here’s your 5 min wellness round-up to make your Monday that little bit sweeter.

In your dose:

• The Very Best of At-Home: Your new favourite meeting - half an hour with you & your online workout app. Here’s the DL on the best at-home workouts to add some extra spice into your workout routine.

• Skin, Soda & Slower Mornings: Editor’s latest round-up incoming.

• The Wellness Web: Lymphatic drainage activewear, a spa weekend giveaway, the new sleep tech launch & much more.

PS, I’m always looking to improve & give the gals (aka, you) exactly what they want, so if you’ve got any topic recommendations or feedback, feel free to reply to this email directly & let me know.

Enjoy 💘 
Jasmine | Editor & Founder

The Best At-Home Apps To Keep You Moving (& Groovin’)

There’s something about getting to that half year point (btw, how did that happen?!) that has me craving some variety & newness with my workout routine. But as my schedule has got even busier since launching Daily Rituals alongside my corporate 9-5 - getting to the gym or a class hasn’t always been practical. So, somewhat by accident, I’ve ended up putting a fair few at-home options to the test, & (as a long time gym-girlie) I’m surprised to say, there’s some strong contenders.

❤️‍🔥 The Best All-Rounder: The Pilates Class

• What is it: An online app & platform best known for their namesake pilates classes that mix both traditional & contemporary flows. Plus, there’s plenty of other options like yoga, tabata & barre too.
  

• Why we rate it: Monday Swim owner Tash Oakley decided to take one of Lead Trainer Jacqui’s zoom classes in lockdown to stay sane. After taking just one online class, she asked Jacqui to co-found The Pilates Class (TPC) with her. Seems crazy? You’ll understand after you take one of Jacqui’s classes. Her teaching style is warm, ultra-positive and a little meditative too. There’s no hiding in Jacqui’s classes, her cues & corrections make you feel like she’s right in the room with you - as soon as you let your core go or tense your shoulders, she seems to know to correct it - it’s almost scary.
  

• Best bits: the teaching method, the different Spotify playlists for each class type & the incredible value.
  

• Price: An annual sub works out at less than £10 per month. Monthly subscriptions are £22.50. You can get 10% off your first month too using the dc: TPCBESTIE
  

🌶️ Hayley Bieber’s Favourite: Forma Pilates

• What is it: A Matt & Reformer at-home Pilates app by celeb trainer Liana Levi.
  

• Why we rate it: Liana’s Reformer classes in the US are by referral only, with a private session costing up to $500 per hour. So when I heard about her online offering for the girlies who can’t get to her studio (& likely weren’t invited anyway), I signed up immediately. Liana’s style is quite different from other apps - instead of taking the class herself, she usually instructs a participant, just like she does in the studio. The Forma workouts are no joke—they burn, tone & leave you feeling like you’ve just had a 121 with Liana, living your best LA life. If you’re new to Pilates, start with The Pilates Class first though to nail down your technique, as she doesn’t give as many technique prompts as Jacqui, so it’s less beginner friendly.
  

• Best bits: Challenging classes that give results at-home, the chance to train with Liana for a fraction of the price & the amount of at-home Reformer classes.
  

• Price: £35.30 per month, but.. I did some digging & found a code that gives you 50% off your first 3 months - thank me later! dc: LOVEFORMA

💃🏻 The One To Get Your Groove On: The Sculpt Society

• What is it: A mix of “dance cardio”, pilates & barre by ex-Tracy Anderson Trainer, Megan Roup.
  

• Why we rate it: The Sculpt Society is perfect if you want to break away from traditional pilates and need a helping hand to stop taking yourself so seriously. It isn’t as intense as some of the other at-home options, but it’s a class that you’ll enjoy doing to clear your head after a crazy day at work or to squeeze in some extra cardio in a high-energy, fun way that you won’t dread. Megan’s classes are celeb-approved too —Victoria’s Secret model Miranda Kerr is a big fan, & I totally get it.
  

• Best bits: Feeling like you’re in a dance class without anyone watching your moves & how quick each class goes. Plus it’s impossible to think about your long to-do list when you’re trying to follow Megan’s moves.
  

• Price: £15 a month.

🏃‍♀️ The One To Get You Running: Nike Run Club

• What is it: Nike’s running coach app.
  

• Why we rate it: I’d heard about Nike Run Club, but hadn’t downloaded it until a friend raved about it to me recently. I’ve said this before, but I’m no runner, yet Coach Bennett (Nike’s Global Head Coach) does a very good job at making me forget all of that during a run, thanks to his Ted-Lasso style pep talks & top tips. The app is free, but honestly, I’d pay for it just to have Coach Bennett cheering me on, distracting me & somehow making a run more (read: slightly) enjoyable.

• Best bits: Coach Bennett & his positive vibes, the Strava-style run tracking & the “run for when you don’t want to run, run” track

• Price: Free.

So whether you’re looking to mix it up, blend some home workouts with your gym sessions or squeeze some movement into your crazy schedule, give these apps a go for your next at-home workout. Happy sweating (& sculpting!).

☆ Editor’s Current Favourites: Skincare, Soda & a Slow Morning Staple ☆

It’s been a hot minute since I gave you a round up my current favourites, so today I’m talking new additions to my skincare line up, soda swaps & an extra step in my morning routine that’s upped my zen.

Skincare:

I’ve recently taken the plunge into physician-led skincare and tried PCA Skin’s Clearskin Moisturiser. This one’s a game-changer, especially if you’re dabbling with Tretinoin like me and battling the dreaded flakiness (but also still get pretty oily too - lucky us). It’s an acne-safe balancing formula with 4% niacinamide, lemongrass, calming bisabolol, and a smidge of Retinol. Perfect for reducing oil production without sacrificing moisture. Side note: if it had a heftier dose of Retinol, I’d steer clear of it on Tretinoin days to avoid overloading my skin.

Another new favourite is the Dr. Jart+ Cryo Rubber Face Mask with Hyaluronic Acid. I tested this before a friend’s wedding last weekend (which in hindsight, probably not the best idea), and my skin has never looked so calm and glowy. My makeup went on like a dream too. At £12 per mask, it’s a bit of a splurge, but the hyaluronic acid sachet lasts for at least 2-3 uses, making it a worthwhile treat. This one would be great pre-wedding day, FYI 2024 Brides.

Soda: 

Confession time: I have a love affair with crisp Vanilla Diet Coke with some ice on a sunny day. But, I love them so much (sun or not), I’d got into the habit of having one a day. In search of a healthier alternative, I came across WellEasy (a new-ish members-only online grocery) & ordered my fair share of sodas to test. To make the cut, they had to be free of nasties, low in sugar & ideally “good” for me. My new top three favourites are: Hip Pop Prebiotic & Probiotic Soda in Tropical Peach, Fhirst Living Soda in Cherry Vanilla & the Grapefruit & Lime Agua de Madre Kefir Water.

A Slow-er Morning:

I recently started “The Artist’s Way” - a 12-week self-guided course aimed at unlocking creativity. If that sounds a bit woo-woo, it’s because it is. The weekly tasks include anything from writing a letter to yourself to taking yourself on a solo date. Theres a daily task too of writing three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness thoughts (called “the morning pages”) before you start your day. I’m only four days in, but already I’m more consistent with journaling than I’ve ever been. It’s forced me to slow down before I rush into my work each day, and I can already see how it’s helping me create space for new ideas - so watch this space!

THE WELLNESS WEB:

• 🐪 See Ya Front Seam: Lululemon have FINALLY released a front-seam-free leggings in the US. We’re patiently waiting for their UK launch.

• 💎 New Mayfair Members Club Pending: V, a Mayfair-based luxury holistic wellness club is launching this September. From the CGI sneak peaks of the future club, it’s going to be uber-lux & intimate - with only 150 Founding memberships on offer.

• 💍 Samsung vs Oura: The Samsung Galaxy Ring has finally launched on pre-order. It’s more expensive than the competitor Oura Ring, but it’s lighter & doesn’t require a subscription. But what it does require, is a Samsung phone, meh.

• 🧘‍♀️ Fancy a Spa Weekend?: The House of Hormones have teamed up with luxury Essex-based spa, Glass House Retreat, to giveaway a space for you and a friend on their September Hormone Balancing Retreat worth £2000.

• 🍑 Activewear Has Officially Peaked: Luxury activewear brand Elastique are changing the game with their “massage on the go” L’Original leggings. Each £225 pair comes with strategically placed MicroPerle™ beads to stimulate your lymphatic flow, without you having to do anything.

• 🎤 Friday Night Lights: Head to Everyman on the Canal on the 26th July at 7.30pm for a free showing of Mama Mia, & prepare for this kind of energy.

• 🍷 The New Way to Date in London: “Curated, in-person dating events” are on the rise & FYI, it’s an introverts nightmare.

• 👓 Watch this: It turns out we’ve all been doing deodorant wrong according to Dermatologist Dr. Dray.

Enjoyed this?

Make our day & share Daily Rituals into your girls group chat 💖 

Plus, for every friend that joins, you’ll unlock new wellness rewards.