Christina Zilber is the Founder and Creative Director of Jouer Cosmetics, a brand of long-lasting, fresh makeup designed to complement a woman’s individual fashion sense and lifestyle. Jouer's products range from natural colors to intensely pigmented, full-coverage formulas, all offering supreme wearability and unmatched quality. Because of this, Christina's company has developed a cult-following among celebrities and beauty influencers--and has also received recognition with industry awards and press in Allure, ELLE, InStyle, SHAPE, Brides, VOGUE and O, The Oprah Magazine. Not to mention the fact that its Instagram page has almost a million followers. NBD. Beyond the world of beauty, Zilber is a proud mother of two, her most coveted role. She also works with UNICEF, as a part of their Advisory Board, to help create opportunities for women and girls in developing countries. Wondering what this beauty maven does to de-stress? She breaks down her best relaxation tips below. 

Bad habits you’ve cut from your routine?
1. I leave my laptop on the kitchen table at night so when I go up to my room, I’m not staying awake all night working. Shutting my work brain down before bed really helps me settle in for the night.
2. I set time limits on my app use through my phone’s settings, so I don’t fall down the rabbit hole of social media.  
3. I quit hitting Starbucks every morning on my way to work. Not only does this save me money and time but all those extra calories too!

Good habits you’ve added?
1. I try to do a little yoga every day. I do a full yoga class two to three times a week, then in between, I aim for about 10-15 minutes of stretching, sun salutations, and chaturangas.
2. I meditate every night before going to sleep. I’ve got the Unplug Meditation App as well as Insight Timer, both of which have some relaxing and centering meditations.
3. I make myself a tea (Sleepytime Extra) every night before going to sleep and I add in a teaspoon of Natural Vitality magnesium powder, which calms the nerves and helps me sleep. I read before bed while I sip my tea.

How do you keep yourself balanced or take care of yourself throughout the day?
My days fly by so quickly, I honestly feel like I’m barely keeping up. I don’t even break to eat my lunch. I have the most control over my mornings and my evenings. I try to get centered before work by eating breakfast (fresh grapefruit, veggie sausage and a cup of coffee with almond milk) every morning and doing some light stretching or yoga; and, in the evenings, I eat dinner with my kids (LOTS of veggies, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, zucchini noodles with tomato sauce, etc. 1-2x a week I’ll eat chicken), finish my work, watch a little tv, read then meditate and sleep. Routine keeps me balanced.

Are there any activities or hobbies you do to help you de-stress and relax?
Yoga is the one thing I’m committed to that helps me stay sane. I also try to hike on Sundays when the weather is nice, and I walk whenever I can to restaurants, movies, etc. The more I can get outside in the fresh air the better. I’ve got an Infrared sauna blanket that I wrap myself in about once a week for a good sweat and to detoxify and just relax. I love creating mood boards for upcoming collections. I’m old school, ripping pages out of magazines, printing images from Pinterest then gluing all the images onto a poster board to present to the team. Just the act of creating is meditative in itself.

How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
I’ve always been a good sleeper, I average 6 to 7 hours a night; any more and I’m tired all day. For me, falling asleep at the same time every night is the best thing I can do for my peace of mind.  I try to get to bed by midnight and I wake up at 7 am. Unfortunately, when I go out at night, it takes me 2 to 3 hours to unwind. So late nights out take their toll on my schedule.

Do you have a favorite wellness trend?
Meditation is my favorite wellness trend (despite it being around for thousands of years!). Meditation at night helps calm my racing mind and lulls me to sleep. If I’ve traveled, meditation helps me with jet lag, and if I’m nervous about something I’m about to do, I put a meditation app on to settle my nerves. There are so many ways to access great meditations, from apps to YouTube to local classes.

What is your favorite healthy food?
I’m all about eating fresh. I don’t eat a lot of packaged foods and 80% of my food is fruits and veggies. I only eat red meat once or twice a month, eggs and chicken 4–5 times a week and the rest is fruit, veggies, nuts and grains. I’m obsessed with avocados and add them to my salads, omelettes, and dinners as much as possible. They’re good for your heart health, but also amazing for your skin.