A Sustainable Life with Lauren Trend, Founder of Self Practice

What inspired you to start Self Practice?

Self Practice began as a very personal inquiry into what it meant to be creatively, emotionally, physically and intellectually “well.” 

With an academic background in design and a longing for intersectional-wellbeing, Self Practice became a channel of inquiry for not only myself, but others to explore the intersection of well-being, art and design alongside me.

I feel increasingly tired of the age-old “tortured-artist” dogma, and wanted to create a space that celebrated creatives taking care of, and making time for themselves, outside of their work.

Since its inception, Self Practice has given a platform to the many ways of being creatively, emotionally, physically, intellectually and politically well. We’ve expanded from our editorial roots – now offering books, tools, workshops and resources for those eager to explore their relationship with and towards their own self-practice.

What’s one of your favourite prompts and why?

I love our ‘How do you feel in your body today?’ prompt. It’s such a simple but powerful somatic prompt that can really bring you out of your cerebral mind and ground you in your physical body. Only when we acknowledge how we feel, can we identify our needs and meet them with intention and compassion.

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

Roll over and kiss my partner, Lucy – followed by some gentle movement and gulping down a big glass of water. 

What’s your daily beauty routine?

I’ve simplified it quite a bit lately and I’m really enjoying having a paired back skincare routine. In the morning I just wash my face with some cold water and moisturise before using a mineral SPF. I make sure to drink lots of water throughout the day and feel my skin looks its best when I’m taking extra care of what I’m putting into my body. I’m not taking too many supplements at the moment, but I do love regularly taking EPA/DHA and powdered greens and collagens, etc. 

How would you describe your day to day style?

I’ve definitely refined my wardrobe over the past few years and have a personal uniform of sorts. I feel most myself in neutral tones and opt for garments with a unique texture, cut or construction. I’m not interested in a piece if it’s not entirely comfortable. I need to feel good wearing something and more often than not means wearing loose, oversized clothing that’s well lived in.

I mostly look to vintage and designer consignment stores, and if I do buy new, I make sure to invest in pieces that I know will last forever. My wardrobe is made up of low fuss, transeasonal pieces, that are easy to care for and throw on, that make you feel chic and put together with minimal effort.

How do you inform yourself throughout the day? What are you listening to, watching, reading? 

I love our local news podcast “7am”. Lucy and I often listen to it before we begin our work days.
At the moment I’m reading through my old Workbook entries. It’s really nice to look back and see how much has changed, and meet myself with respect, compassion and praise when and where it’s due.

During my down time I find I’m always watching random videos on YouTube on how to fix or mend or re-store furniture and things around the house.

Do you have any personal life hacks for getting through the day in the most sustainable way possible?

I have my reusable water bottle with me everywhere I go, as well as a large tote, in case I need to pick anything up during the day. We’re still working from home so almost all of our meals are made and eaten here, with the exception of a few to support local businesses and cafes. I do my best to strike a balance between supporting the needs of my community, the earth, and myself.

How do you wind down at the end of the day? 

Writing in my Workbook, listening to something LoFi and catching up with Lucy over a glass of wine, debriefing each other on the ins and outs of our days.

What’s dinner time look like for you?

Lucy is an incredible cook and more often than not, she’s the one planning, preparing and making dinner. We do our weekly grocery shop at a local farmgate that has the most incredible produce, so she’ll usually whip something up out of whatever we have in the fridge from our weekly haul. We love making homemade pastas, fresh salads and eat very intuitively. 

What’s your night-time beauty ritual? 

I don’t wear make-up often but on the days that I do I like to take it off with an oil cleanser before using an enzyme cleanser to cleanse and gently exfoliate my skin. I then use a toner, followed by a heavier moisturizer and then a healthy slather of eye cream. I’m also really trying to get into the habit of moisturising my whole body when out of the bath or shower. It’s not something I do all the time, but when I make the time to, I feel so much better for it!

What does sustainability mean to you?

Living with the needs of future generations put before my convenience. 

What drives you to live a sustainable life?

Knowing that it’s our responsibility to.

Words and imagery from @laurentrend and @self.practice