Melbourne-based photographer and content creator Tarlie Russell gives us a sneak peek into the day of her life – how she works with an ever-changing schedule, looking after her young son, and the skin care products she’s currently obsessing over.
"How I begin my day is one of the most important aspects of my life. I used to work corporate and that was when I was crazily unhealthy with my habits. It wasn’t until I started working for myself that I started consciously implementing important steps to make the best out of my sleep and my mornings.
I’m an early riser, 5am. I don’t look at my phone at all. I wake, stretch, say a little gratitude out loud and then I am off to the beach. I live in a coastal suburb in Melbourne and now that it’s summer and warm it’s perfect for a morning walk with my pug Mia.
Once home I usually shower and then apply my skin care. This part is essential for me as I work in skin care, from studying it to obsessively reading science-backed articles and testing products over on my Instagram. I start off with a spritz of Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist as a base and then apply the Nutri-Define Supreme Rejuvenating Serum, which is full of skin loving actives, then the Nutri-Define Supreme Eye Contour Balm (amazing for dry under eyes). I then apply the Nutri-Define Supreme Restorative Light Cream, which is the perfect consistency for daytime.
After that it’s usually breakfast with my son Mayson, he loves his smoothies so that’s our usual go to. We love a combination of berries, hemp seeds, spinach and almond milk and sometimes a pinch of protein powder.
From there it depends on my schedule as it changes so often. I’m quite regimented and I work out my day in blocks (one hour for this, one hour for that) and write it down on my to do list (I buy this excellent one from Jasmine Dowling each year and it’s super specific).
I love tackling emails in the morning when I’m wide awake and ready to go full force. What I do makes me incredibly happy. Being a photographer is one of the single most enjoyable careers as you get to delve into the creativity that I believe all of us have but only few uses. From creating content for brands, photographing still life, fashion and art. All of it makes me light up."
If I have products to shoot for a client and need props, I head to my local grocer who has an abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables and the most luscious flowers. Usually it’s here I grab myself a cheeky almond latte, then its home to shoot until 4pm.
When it hits 4pm, I force myself to stop and my family becomes my full priority.
We cook as a family and like to have a little dance whilst we do it! Tonight, I am making pasta for dinner, so we have Spotify’s ‘Italian Cooking Playlist’ going and it’s full of the classics to make you sing and move. Michael and I are big wine fanatics, we love taking winery trips and I love to immerse myself in the flavours of food and a good Pinot Noir.
30 minutes before bed is when I start my night-time skin care routine, which is really simple. A warm shower with Nutri-Define Supreme Cleansing Foam to wash the day away. Post shower it’s Supreme Rejuvenating Serum, Supreme Eye Contour Balm (I use the serum and eye balm twice a day) and then my final step with the Supreme Restorative Rich Cream, all from the Nutri-Define range. Then it’s lights out in the Russell household and we do it all again tomorrow!
"How I begin my day is one of the most important aspects of my life. I used to work corporate and that was when I was crazily unhealthy with my habits. It wasn’t until I started working for myself that I started consciously implementing important steps to make the best out of my sleep and my mornings.
I’m an early riser, 5am. I don’t look at my phone at all. I wake, stretch, say a little gratitude out loud and then I am off to the beach. I live in a coastal suburb in Melbourne and now that it’s summer and warm it’s perfect for a morning walk with my pug Mia.
Once home I usually shower and then apply my skin care. This part is essential for me as I work in skin care, from studying it to obsessively reading science-backed articles and testing products over on my Instagram. I start off with a spritz of Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist as a base and then apply the Nutri-Define Supreme Rejuvenating Serum, which is full of skin loving actives, then the Nutri-Define Supreme Eye Contour Balm (amazing for dry under eyes). I then apply the Nutri-Define Supreme Restorative Light Cream, which is the perfect consistency for daytime.
After that it’s usually breakfast with my son Mayson, he loves his smoothies so that’s our usual go to. We love a combination of berries, hemp seeds, spinach and almond milk and sometimes a pinch of protein powder.
From there it depends on my schedule as it changes so often. I’m quite regimented and I work out my day in blocks (one hour for this, one hour for that) and write it down on my to do list (I buy this excellent one from Jasmine Dowling each year and it’s super specific).
I love tackling emails in the morning when I’m wide awake and ready to go full force. What I do makes me incredibly happy. Being a photographer is one of the single most enjoyable careers as you get to delve into the creativity that I believe all of us have but only few uses. From creating content for brands, photographing still life, fashion and art. All of it makes me light up."
If I have products to shoot for a client and need props, I head to my local grocer who has an abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables and the most luscious flowers. Usually it’s here I grab myself a cheeky almond latte, then its home to shoot until 4pm.
When it hits 4pm, I force myself to stop and my family becomes my full priority.
We cook as a family and like to have a little dance whilst we do it! Tonight, I am making pasta for dinner, so we have Spotify’s ‘Italian Cooking Playlist’ going and it’s full of the classics to make you sing and move. Michael and I are big wine fanatics, we love taking winery trips and I love to immerse myself in the flavours of food and a good Pinot Noir.
30 minutes before bed is when I start my night-time skin care routine, which is really simple. A warm shower with Nutri-Define Supreme Cleansing Foam to wash the day away. Post shower it’s Supreme Rejuvenating Serum, Supreme Eye Contour Balm (I use the serum and eye balm twice a day) and then my final step with the Supreme Restorative Rich Cream, all from the Nutri-Define range. Then it’s lights out in the Russell household and we do it all again tomorrow!
