My Morning Routine

Give Yourself Some Grace (and a Quick Eye Mask)

Written by: Megan O’Neill

Contents

My Morning Routine Give Yourself Some Grace (and a Quick Eye Mask)Dria Murphy | founder of beauty, wellness, and lifestyle platform By Dria Dria’s Favorites Red Light and Microcurrent for Smoother Skin Firming Eye Masks Decadent Magnesium Body Butter Related Reading

Published on: May 30, 2023

Dria Murphy | founder of beauty, wellness, and lifestyle platform By Dria

Want to know the best red-light device for firmer-looking skin? How about a serum-soaked eye mask that gives you the look of nine hours of sleep in the time it takes to make your avocado toast? Hunting for a velvety bedtime body cream to nudge tight muscles toward relaxation mode? What’s it like—really like—to freeze your eggs? You could ask Dria Murphy as she sips a frothy matcha latte alfresco at St. Jardim in the West Village on any given day, her bare skin glistening in the early-morning sun that slants between the townhouses across the street. Or you could pore over her beauty, wellness, and lifestyle platform, By Dria.

Dria’s Favorites

Red Light and Microcurrent for Smoother Skin

SolaWave
SolaWave Wand
goop, $149

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Firming Eye Masks

goop Beauty
Lift +
Depuff Eye Masks
goop, $125/$112 with subscription

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Decadent Magnesium Body Butter

Neom Organics
Great Day Magnesium Body Butter
goop, $41

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The 35-year-old New Yorker is famous for her candor on topics from mental health (she’s dealt with anxiety and depression) to sexual wellness. And her recommendations—whether a gorgeous clean beauty potion, a vibrator, or a chic bodysuit that makes working out much more enticing—are thoughtful and spot-on.

“Beauty is whatever makes you feel good. I started By Dria to share the health and wellness tips and tools that make me feel good,” says Murphy. “It could be an IV drip, a healthy meal service, a supplement, a beautiful poem you read for peace of mind, or a clean mascara.”

Last year, she shared her egg-freezing experience. “I wanted to show every detail—there’s still this cultural norm of women not necessarily presenting the full truth of an experience,” says Murphy, who carefully documented the intense bloating, multitude of needles (for nightly hormone doses), and every-other-day ultrasound appointments (before which she read Amanda Gorman poems to stay in a firm headspace) she experienced. “My advice if you’re going through this is to give yourself a little grace. I wish I’d given my body more credit for going through what it did, versus being frustrated with not being able to bounce back as quickly as I wanted.”

Mornings have become Murphy’s designated time to give herself some grace—with support from her Cavapoo puppy, Matchee, and eye masks that work instant wide-awake magic.

7:45 a.m.

I hit snooze at least once and cuddle with Matchee. I try not to instantly look at my phone (working on it).

8 a.m.

I brush my teeth and turn on my matcha machine. (I have a Cuzen, which grinds and whisks organic matcha leaves with the press of a button. No mess; life forever changed.) I was a true coffee addict for most of my 20s before I learned I had a sensitivty to it, and switching to matcha not only increased my energy levels but also helped with my anxiety. My recipe is half hot water and half almond milk, with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

8:05 a.m.

I double cleanse at night, so I like a light cleanser in the morning. When my skin needs gentle exfoliation, I like the Regenerating Cleanser from Tata Harper; I love the way the plant-based microbeads feel against my skin. Otherwise I use the hydrating cleanser from Linne.

I dry my face and layer on the serum from Symbiome; it has just six ingredients, including stem cells and peptides. I let it sink in for a minute, then smooth and lift my skin with my Jillian Dempsey gold bar for about five minutes. The vibrations mimic massage, relaxing my facial muscles, helping with my jaw tension, and leaving my skin looking toned and lifted. I do it every morning—it makes the biggest difference.

Tata Harper
Regenerating Cleanser
goop, $88

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Jillian Dempsey
Gold Sculpting Bar
goop, $195

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8:10 a.m.

I smooth on the depuffing eye masks from goop for 10 minutes—you see a noticeable brightening effect. (I do them at night, too, before going out.) I love how easy it is to just pluck the individual masks from the jar, as opposed to their being individually packaged.

While the masks are doing their thing, I sip my matcha and journal. Some mornings it’s just a short gratitude list; others it’s a full word dump—I write whatever comes out.

goop Beauty
Lift + Depuff Eye Masks
goop, $125/$112 with subscription

SHOP NOW

8:20 a.m.

I peel off the eye masks and pat any extra serum over my under-eyes and face. If I need an extra boost, I massage on Dr. Sturm Glow Drops mixed with the moisturizing, dark-circle-targeting eye cream from Caudalie.

Dr. Barbara Sturm
Glow Drops
goop, $150

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Caudalie
Premier Cru Dark Circle Correcting Eye Cream
goop, $85

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I love how light and hydrating Dr. Sturm’s face cream is for this time of year—I pat it into my skin and finish with Saie’s Sunvisor SPF cream, which blends right in and deposits a little glow.

Dr. Barbara Sturm
Face Cream Women
goop, $225

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Saie
Sunvisor
goop, $38

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8:30 a.m.

I take Matchee out for a walk. I love the West Village in the morning, and strolling around with her is such a peaceful ritual before my day of running around the city for meetings begins.

8:50 a.m.

Back at my apartment, here’s my little five-minute makeup routine before heading out: Saie mascara, a little blush from Westman Atelier, a touch of concealer if I need it, and goop lip balm, which goes on so smoothly; I carry it with me most days.