A Morning In New York With Constanze Saemann

If you’ve ever wondered what the morning rituals of a naturopath and beauty founder look like, Constanze Saemann of Basium, a natural fragrance brand, invites FAITHFULL into her New York loft apartment. Sharing her wellness tips and favourite essential oils, Constanze takes us through her morning routine, the secret to a perfect matcha and the one FAITHFULL piece everyone should have.

The first thing I do when I wake up is…

The morning is a sacred time for me, as everything feels so quiet and peaceful. I try to set my alarm for around 6 in the morning to really savour the silence and spend a few moments to myself. I will light a candle, pour myself a glass of warm water with apple cider vinegar and either read a few pages of the next book on my ‘to be read’ pile or journal. Integrating apple cider vinegar into my morning routine has been instrumental in improving my digestion and skin.

My morning beverage order is…

I try to steer away from coffee so my favourite is a hot coconut matcha latte. I either make it myself with my friend’s matcha brand, Umi Tea, or I’ll take myself to Kettl in Greenpoint.

One morning ritual I will never skip is…

I’ll never give up those special few moments in the morning where I take some quiet time to myself to read, journal or meditate – or even just to simply be. To set a little bit of an ambience I might even light the Taiwanese Hinoki Wood Incense from Subtle Bodies for a gentle scent.

I try to maintain this practice even when I’m not at home in New York and am away travelling for work. When I find it more difficult to take these moments for myself, I’ll usually turn to my Calor Perfume Oil, which comes in a little travel size bottle. I love to rub this on my pulse points and on my neck, and it gives off very soft notes of bergamot, eucalyptus, and sandalwood.

My favourite place to rejuvenate is…

There is no better place to rejuvenate and reconnect with yourself than somewhere in the tropics. It’s where I feel most at peace. While living in New York doesn’t always make this possible, I try to bring the essence of the tropics to me by using my Ayurvedic Body Oil. This scent was inspired by my travels to Sri Lanka and it always reminds me of the special energy and natural beauty of that place.

My favourite everyday pieces from FAITHFULL are…

I love the button-up shirts from FAITHFULL in soft, pastel shades, particularly the En Vau Shirt in Blush.