5 Minutes of Quiet Breathing, Ceremonial-Grade Matcha, and the Most Important Meeting on Laney Crowell's Schedule
LANEY CROWELL |founder and CEO of Saie
Mornings for Laney Crowell are a carefully orchestrated balancing act. During the week, she moves from school drop-offs to a coffee catch-up with her husband before diving into her day running the clean beauty powerhouse Saie. By necessity, she's perfected the art of an intentional—yet efficient—morning routine (once a week, she even commutes from her Sag Harbor home to Saie’s Scandinavian-minimalist NYC headquarters).
Her streamlined routine is the result of years spent reimagining what clean beauty could look like. Before launching Saie in 2019, Crowell ran a blog called The Moment, where she highlighted a glaring gap in the beauty world: clean products that performed beautifully and felt luxurious. That conversation became the blueprint for Saie’s ethos, and today, the products she once dreamed of are the ones she reaches for every morning.
The rest of Crowell’s morning routine is equally intentional, with grounding practices like dry brushing and her ceremonial matcha ritual helping her start the day, ready to step into mom or founder mode. Read on for her full morning routine.
6:00 a.m.
When I wake up, I try not to check my phone right away. The first thing I do is drink a full glass of water with fresh lemon.
Even five quiet minutes of breathing before anyone else is awake helps me lead from a clear, steady place. It’s the moment I check in with myself before I start showing up for everyone else.
6:15 a.m.
Movement is nonnegotiable for me. With all the travel that comes with building Saie, I need a workout first thing in the morning, even if it’s something quick. It helps me feel strong and clear-headed, and it shifts my energy before the day accelerates. I do heavy weight training a few times a week and Pilates once a week. And I love long walks outside when I can—it clears my head and sets the tone for the day.
7:00 a.m.
After my workout, I’ll do a bit of dry brushing. It’s invigorating in the best way and an easy step that makes me feel awake. Then I’ll hop in the shower. I gravitate toward clean, lightly scented body washes—I love something that feels fresh and calming, almost spa-like. For me that's usually Nécessaire’s Santal bodywash, or a beautiful bar soap from the farmer’s market.
I try to keep my skin-care routine simple and focus on hydration because of how much I travel and wear makeup. I switch between my goop Daily Detox Foaming Cleanser and Sofie Pavitt Face Clean Clean Cleanser and follow with the goop Youth-Boost NAD+ Peptide Rich Cream and a thick lip mask.
Some mornings while I get ready I listen to music, like a morning jazz playlist, or I love a business podcast that tells a great story, like Acquired, How I Built This, or Aspire with Emma Grede. But I also like silence since my mind is always working. While taking a shower, or doing my makeup, or driving I’ll think about a problem we’re working through, and it’s wild how often those are the moments I come to the solution.
7:30 a.m.
Matcha has become my steady ritual. I make a ceremonial-grade cup at home and sip it slowly while I’m getting ready. It gives me calm, sustained energy that’s focused but not jittery.
My matcha is my indulgence. I actually make a vanilla simple syrup on Sundays, and then in the morning I take my time whisking it properly and pouring it over ice or frothing the oat milk. It’s maybe only five extra minutes, but it feels intentional and calming.
7:45 a.m.
Breakfast is usually eggs and avocado for my daughters, and I’ll blend a smoothie for myself if we’re moving quickly—coconut water, spinach, pineapple, banana, mint, chia seeds, flax seeds, and celery.
I get dressed in something tailored but relaxed: an oversize jacket, great denim, flats or boots.
8:00 a.m.
My makeup is always quick and fresh–the goal is to just feel like myself. I start by applying our Slip Tint then follow with SuperSuede Bronzer and SuperSuede Baked Powder Blush to give my cheeks a great bronzed and blushed look.
Then, I apply Mascara 101, brush my brows, and swipe Glossybounce onto my lips.
I always finish my routine with our setting spray to lock everything in while still keeping my skin feeling fresh and dewy. I reapply it throughout the day just because the formula feels so good.
8:20 a.m.
Out the door for school drop-off, which is completely nonnegotiable. I always plan my meeting schedule to allow enough time to drop my daughters off and say our goodbyes. As a busy mom, I never rush those moments. No matter how full my calendar is, that time with my daughters comes first. Those small moments like packing backpacks, last hugs, saying “have the best day” are what ground me. It’s truly the most important “meeting” on my schedule.
8:45 a.m.
After drop-off, I’ll grab another matcha and catch up with my husband at our local coffee shop. We grab 10 to 15 minutes to connect and talk about our days.
Before heading to the office, I really rely on my meditation practice to help me feel grounded and ease my anxiety. If I have 20 minutes, great, but five minutes is also effective. It’s more about consistency for me so I’ll meditate on the plane, in a taxi, or at my desk.
