The One Thing Olivia Culpo Does Every Morning for an Instant Mood Boost

Welcome to My Morning Routine, where Olivia Culpo and other good-life gurus share their personal (frequently surprising, often healthy) morning rituals—to help you make your a.m.’s more awesome.

Olivia Culpo
Fashion and beauty influencer, former Miss USA, and ambassador for the “Buy A Lady A Drink" campaign with Stella Artois and Water.org

My ideal time to wake up is between 8 and 9 a.m.—early enough to squeeze in a workout, but not too early that the sun's not even up yet. The first thing I do every single morning is get up and light a candle—I rotate through different scents, but it's always such a nice way to start the day.

Then I walk over to the window—I can see the Hollywood sign from my bedroom, so I love to see the sun shining across the giant letters. On an ideal morning I'll try to meditate, but getting in a workout has the same kind of Zen effects on my mood, so I don't stress it too much if it doesn't happen.

I'll go grab something with caffeine. I'm not a huge coffee drinker, but I'll sometimes have a cup or just make green tea. I also always have a cold glass of orange juice first thing—the citrus really wakes me up. I'll usually eat half of a Kind bar to tide me over pre-workout, but I don't like to eat too much before I sweat.

The first thing I do every single morning is get up and light a candle—I rotate through different scents, but it's always such a nice way to start the day.

Before I work out, I'll usually just do a quick beauty routine—especially if I'm doing real hair and makeup later in the day. Occasionally I wash my face with my Clarisonic, but I like to keep the natural oils from the night so most often I'll leave as-is. Pre-workout, I just put on a light serum and use some kind of de-puffing product around my eyes, comb out my eyebrows, throw my hair in a ponytail, and head out to the gym. Also, I've been really into the Olly Beauty Vitamins, and have seen such a difference in my hair and skin.

I recently started to go to a personal trainer and that's really been a game-changer for me—I've seen a real difference in my body. That's just a couple of times a week though, so on the other days I'll go to SoulCycle, FlyBarre, or Pilates, or I'll just run on the treadmill or go on a hike.

Post-workout, I'll have a big breakfast—if I'm picking it up, I'll go to Kreation or Erewhon. At home, I love to make quinoa with egg whites, sauteed kale, sweet potato, and a little avocado on the side. It's so good—I could eat it every single day.

On my way home from my workout, I'll often stop by the Flower Market to pick up some fresh flowers. I love hydrangeas and roses, although I usually change with the seasons—they brighten my day no matter what and always give such a lovely smell to my house.

If you're a breakfast lover like Culpo, whip up this gut-friendly meal that will completely change your mornings. Or if you want something lighter, try this three-ingredient detoxifying elixir that Connie Britton has every morning.