[Ginger]

I don't have a very complicated routine.

I swig some filtered water right away in the morning, then slowly sip my coffee, which I sit with for about 25 minutes, watching the news and slowly waking up.

Next I shower, using some mild soap, but I'm not picky.

I'm much more picky about hair products and alternate Aveda and Goldwell shampoos, then apply Aveda damage remedy conditioner. After towel-drying my hair, I use one of three Aveda leave-in products: daily hair repair; smooth infusion, and light elements smoothing fluid.

Sometimes, to give just the ends of the layers a cohesive curl, I use Aveda light elements detailing mist wax. I never use products with alcohol in them. My hair is thick, but fine, and naturally wavy. It's easy to shape and I keep it cut in layers so it doesn't look too "big," and use products that sort of smooth it down.

Oh, to back up a little, I wash my face every night with Clinique exfoliating scrub and use a good hydrating Estee Lauder moisturizer—I try different ones all the time and apply them with a little palette knife (very dull, of course), so I don't get oil from my fingers in the jar.

And getting back to the morning routine—after it's had a few minutes to dry, I blow dry my hair and watch the clock: I keep it under seven minutes. I clip the hair at the top of my head, do the lower layers, then unclip the top knot and do those top layers. I roll it on the brush, apply the heat then let it cool on the brush for a few seconds; it's the cooling that holds the shape.

For my face in the morning, I use a high SPF sunscreen, then an Estee Lauder moisturizer, then an Estee Lauder liquid foundation and sometimes a Mac shaker-top loose powder. I use Mac eye shadows, and just cheap Revlon mascara; brown-black, water resistant.

I apply it all pretty swiftly; I never needed to use an eyelash curler and I don't use eye liner or anything I can't swipe on fast.

I used to go to Sephora for makeup but I find the women who work the cosmetic counters at Bigalow's, an old drug store in the West Village, much more knowledgeable. I've gotten good lipsticks from them, the latest of which are Clarins Paris, shades of pink and melon, though I usually go for reds.

I also recently picked up a tube of ruby "armour" lip gloss with a sponge applicator at the fancy place where I get my hair cut—my stylist left the old place for the fancy one and I followed her; they let her charge me the old price, so I feel sort of like a scholarship student at an elite private school. They bring me my own little french press coffee urn with a china cup and saucer on a silver tray, or champagne, or ice water in a crystal glass—but I digress, sigh. (I love to be spoiled, and sometimes at night, I sit brushing my hair while I watch TV; it's just so comforting and I hold a lot of tension in my scalp.)

I guess the whole ritual is kind of comforting.