SPEND MY MORNING WITH KATE.

It’s a new day. That’s what Kate Foster, co-founder of The Outset, tells herself every morning. What’s The Outset, you ask? The sensitive skin savior you need, ofc. “My partner, Scarlett Johansson, and I started The Outset because our sensitive skin types couldn’t tolerate many of the performance skincare products on the market,” Kate explains. “We felt there was a way to deliver real results with clean and gentle formulas that didn’t irritate. The world of skincare was starting to feel more and more complicated, so we wanted The Outset to feel like a fresh start, a reset where it was possible to do more with less. We thought there was a place for high performance skincare for low maintenance people.” They thought right because we can’t get enough. That’s why we asked Kate for a little insight into her mornings.

Walk us through your morning routine!
6:45 A.M. My eyes typically pop open around 6:45 A.M. At that point, my dog (a 4-year-old Husky mix) realizes that I’m awake and she hops into bed for a snuggle. I don’t usually set an alarm, unless I have to catch an early flight or something, as my 9-year-old son is a very reliable wake-up call. At 7 A.M. on the dot, I hear the sounds of him running down the stairs to my room. The door flies open and now he and the dog have both enthusiastically jumped in bed with us. It’s a great way to start the day.

7 A.M. I hate to admit it, but I reach for my phone the first thing and I have my phone in hand when my dog and kid wake us up for breakfast. I tackle my first shift of work from 7 A.M. to 8:15 A.M., answering emails or Slacks, double checking the calendar, and making sure I’m prepared for the day while I get the kids ready for school. My daughter is 13, so she is more self-sufficient than my little guy, but she needs some nudging to get moving in the morning. I have two beauty shifts or routines. The first shift is the skincare I put on before I take my son to school: three pumps of our Firming Vegan Collagen Prep Serum followed by three pumps of our Hydrasheer 100% Mineral SPF.

8:15 A.M. I hop into some exercise gear and then walk my son to school.

8:30 A.M. I’ll usually work out after I drop him off, either a walk with the dog in the park, a quick Peloton session, or a studio training session with my coach Morit Summers at Form Fitness in Brooklyn.

 

9:30 A.M. After that, I will shower and get ready for work. That’s when I do my full routine but I maintain that I’m a beauty minimalist. My morning skincare is The Outset 3-Step and our SPF. The makeup look is a handful of products. Right now, it’s the RMS concealer and eyeliner, Tower 28 tinted sunscreen and cream blush, and Anastasia Beverly Hills brow pencil. I like the mascara and a bright lip from Neen, but if I’m not doing a bold lip, I will do the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lip liner and a glossy treatment we’ve been working on.

In terms of clothing, I think my style is sort of classic preppy with a modern twist. Give me jeans and a blazer, a button down with a belt or a cashmere sweater, a good loafer or flat and I’m a happy camper. Also slim suits, French stripes, and maxi dresses. I think my closet is sort of capsule-ish and pretty versatile. It can all be paired together pretty easily. It’s super important for me to be able to shower, change, do my “glam” and be ready for work in 25 minutes or less.

10 A.M. By the time I get to the office around 10, I’ve usually already checked two to three things off my to-do list and I’ve already been communicating with the team via Slack. I usually have breakfast when I get to the office. I only drink decaf coffee because I’m sensitive to caffeine but I truly love the taste… and to be honest, I get a little buzz from the tiniest bit of caffeine it contains. I’m seasonal with an iced decaf americano in the summer and hot in the winter. I will do a Sakara meal plan about once a month so I’m either having a breakfast from them, a protein bar (I like Aloha bars), or something egg-based.

Is there anything else that you do in the mornings that helps you get ready for your day?
The Outset means the beginning and we loved the optimistic point of view that every day is a chance for a clean start. I’m just very grateful to have a new morning and try to carry that optimism to fuel the day ahead.