Madelaine Petsch’s Top 10 Self-Care Practices

Think of self-care like a Starbucks coffee menu. You can stick with a tall (fancy coffee-speak for a small), where you keep it simple and maybe manage to work a hair mask into your weekly routine. There’s the grande self-care or even venti self-care where you have a multi-step skincare routine, own a jade roller, and up your tub time with some bath salts and soaks. Then there's the trenta self-care. Yes, the 30-ounce brew—or in Madelaine Petsch’s case, matcha—comes with an arsenal of beauty products and skincare tools, but it also goes well beyond a glowy complexion and perfectly polished nails.

“Self-care is honestly the reason that I can get up every morning,” says Madelaine. “It’s the time that I take to truly work on my emotional, mental, and physical health. It’s anything that makes me feel like I am taking a step back from the world and towards myself.” Madelaine takes her self-care order seriously, which makes her the perfect fit to curate our May Glam Bag X. “Self-care is hugely important to me and was the biggest inspiration for this collection,” she says.

“I am truly always on the go for work, so it’s really important for me to carve out this time for myself and share it with you,” says Maelaine. “It’s simply about survival for me. As someone who is riddled with anxiety and being as busy as I am, if I don’t take care of myself, I might crumble.” So how does Madelaine take her self-care? Keep scrolling to find out.

1. Make Caffeination a Morning Routine

While it’s not possible for Madeleine to fit all these self-care practices into her everyday routine, there is one thing that she can’t live without: caffeine. “I have a severe addiction to matcha, and I drink this multiple times a day because it's the only thing that keeps me awake,” she says. While there is definitely a proper way to make this ancient tea, Mads keeps it simple on the daily. “Sifting is my least favorite step, and I honestly usually just skip it, which is sacrilege,” she says. “It’s like when you’re making a recipe, and it tells you to sift the flour, which no one ever does. Maybe it’s a little lumpy, but come on, imperfection is beautiful. And also, this takes a really long time in the morning, and I just need caffeine.”

2. Fit It in Where You Can

We can all relate to feeling crunched on time when you’re getting ready in the morning. Mads’ bare minimum includes a double cleanse and sunscreen, which is why she included SATURDAY SKIN Rise + Shine Gentle Cleanser (MSRP $26) and VACATION INC Classic Lotion SPF 30 (MSRP $20) in her Glam Bag X collab. So when does she find time to add in her array of skincare tool faves? “I typically gua sha or ice roll on my way to work,” she says. Stash your SONÄGE SKINCARE Baby Frioz Mini Icy Globes in Lilac (MSRP $54) in the fridge, then pop them into your purse as you head out the door.

3. Take Care of Your Body

Self-care is often synonymous with external factors, but for Madelaine, what’s on the inside is also equally important. Which is where eating well and exercising her body come in. “I try to fit greens into my meals as much as possible,” she says. As for working out: “It gives me energy and releases important endorphins.”

4. Create a Soothing Environment

Sometimes self-care looks like a multi-step routine, and other times it’s as simple as creating a relaxing space for yourself. In Mads’ care, this includes lighting a yummy candle and silencing your phone. “My phone lives on Do Not Disturb,” she says. “And if a candle is lit, I know it's time for self care.”

5. Meditate

Now that your soothing space is all set, it’s a perfect time to meditate. “I generally try doing this twice a day,” says Madelaine. “I see a huge impact on my anxiety levels when I’m able to do it consistently.” Other than feeling better, Mads has seen another benefit that comes along with lowering her anxiety. “I’ve noticed that my skin breakouts are more linked to stress levels, so the best thing I can do to calm it down is to take care of my mental health.”

6. Jot It Down

Another way Mads practices self-care in the morning is the journal. Don’t let an empty page intimidate you. This isn’t your high school English class. Journaling doesn’t need to come in complete sentences or have a beginning, middle, and end. It can be as simple as jotting down a few thoughts as they come to you (plus, it helps if you’ve got a cute notebook and pen!). “Stream of consciousness really helps get out all of my thoughts from the day before, so I can start with a clean slate,” says Madelaine.

7. Reach for a Good Book

If you haven’t read a novel since a teacher assigned you one, now’s the time to pick up reading again. And the best part about reading as an adult? You get to choose the book. Scroll through Goodreads or #BookTok (the bookworm corner of TikTok) for book recommendations that are sure to slap. “As someone who’s a storyteller, it's really nice to escape into other peoples’ worlds,” says Mads.

8. Make Friends a Priority

“Quality time with friends is huge,” says Madelaine. “It’s really important to me to balance work and personal life.” Not only that, but Mads has also found that surrounding herself with the right people can calm her social anxiety. “You’ll be hard-pressed to find me without someone when I’m out and about. That usually helps calm the nerves.”

9. Get Outside

Between time at the office, time in traffic, or time sleeping in a bed, we’ll be the first to admit we can go a full day without getting outside. A little fresh air and sunshine (of course with proper sun protection) can do wonders for your mood. “I love sitting outside to be ‘near’ the sun,” says Mads. “It helps me see the bigger picture and not to focus on the minutiae.”

10. Focus on Your Senses

Drawing herself back in has been a huge help for Madelaine’s overall mental health and anxiety. “Therapy every week is of course really helpful and changed the game for me,” she says. “And when I feel a panic attack coming on, I focus on the five senses.” This is called the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique, where you take a step back from your anxious thoughts and replace them with thoughts of five things you can see, four things you feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This should help bring you back to the present moment.

Ready to level up your self-care like Mads? We got you! Be the first on the list to reserve your spot before Glam Bag x Madelaine Petsch runs out—quantities are limited. And for all your IPSY Glam Bag X news, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Twitter @IPSY.

Curious what you might have missed in the other sold-out Glam Bag X drops? Check out last August's Glam Bag x Halsey drop, November’s Glam Bag x Huda Kattan collection, and February’s Glam Bag x Addison Rae's collab now.