Old-School Beauty Tips That Will Upgrade Your Morning Routine

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If social media serves as any indicator, modern beauty lovers take their morning routines pretty seriously. This was evidenced by TikTok's morning shed trend, which promised to cut beauty routines in half when it went viral back in 2025. Essentially, users pile on collagen masks, under-eye patches, and even mouth tape before going to bed, aiming to maximize skincare results when they ultimately discard, or shed, all the products in the morning.

While vintage beauty practices prove morning routines have always been of the utmost importance, they also serve as a reminder that daybreak doesn't have to be quite so extreme. In fact, you can still turn to some old-school tips to upgrade your morning routine in pretty simple ways, having proven their staying power over the years. With some stretching all the way back to ancient times, these range from tried-and-true products to simple, health-promoting habits.

Starting your day with a glass of water may seem simple, but it's been recommended as a beauty tip for hundreds of years. Water provides a lot of health benefits in general, promoting digestive health and providing energy, but even historic beauty lovers made a connection between healthy skin and hydration.

"Three quarts of water a day should be drunk to keep one well, which state a good complexion always follows," Lina Cavalieri wrote in "My Secrets of Beauty" back in 1914. "Drink three tumblerfuls on rising, and while you are about your morning toilet." If you're unfamiliar, the word "toilet" was historically used to refer to the grooming process. Linda Dannenberg similarly emphasized the importance of water in "The Paris Way of Beauty" in the '70s, naming it as the most important beauty tool. 

While water won't cure every beauty woe on its own, modern experts recommend staying hydrated as a way to promote overall health, with the practice benefiting the hair, nails, and skin. Drinking water specifically in the morning doesn't have a bigger impact on beauty, but it's a great way to promote the hydration habit. Though suggested water intake varies for each person, Harvard Health generally recommends that women consume about 11.5 cups total per day.

Integrating movement into your morning routine is another old-school tip with modern benefits. Margaret Mixer's "Health and Beauty Hints" explored the benefits of a five-minute exercise regimen in the mornings in 1910, while the 1993 book "Beauty Basics" suggested doing stretches while still in bed. "A good stretch in the morning is a great way to get the blood circulating before you even get out of bed," the throwback publication recommends. "By moving your muscles the blood will circulate faster, making your muscles more elastic."

The practice also lands among Marilyn Monroe's beauty tips you can still use today, as the blond bombshell made sure to start her morning with purposeful movement. "Each morning after I brush my teeth, wash my face and shake off the first deep layer of sleep, I lie down on the floor beside my bed and begin my first exercise," she told Pageant magazine, per Into the Gloss. The "Some Like It Hot" actor shared a few arm exercises with a five-pound weight, explaining that she often does them until she tires out instead of counting reps. 

Obviously, old-school beauty enthusiasts were on to something with this tip, as modern experts still recommend incorporating physical movement into your morning routine. Stretching is a great way to wake up the muscles and stimulate blood flow in the morning, while morning exercise is linked to increased energy and improved mood throughout the day.

Rose water has been heavily used in beauty practices for centuries, experiencing notable popularity in ancient Egypt and Persia. In fact, it's believed that Cleopatra bathed in the aromatic liquid, a practice that would no doubt make for a luxurious morning routine. It was also a common ingredient for women, in general, throughout Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, appearing in at-home recipes suggested for use on the hair, face, and eyes. 

"Though rose water does not possess many virtues as a cosmetic, the ladies use a good deal of it, in consequence of its agreeable smell, and perhaps, also, on account of its name, consecrated to the Loves and the Graces," said the 1832 publication "The Toilette of Health, Beauty, and Fashion".

Today, rose water still serves as a refreshing addition to any morning routine — just a few spritzes from Heritage Store's Rosewater & Glycerin Facial Mist are all you need to make a difference. More research needs to be done when it comes to its exact health benefits, but existing studies suggest that rose extracts carry antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. No matter what, the simple ingredient promises to perfume and refresh, if nothing else.

Cold cream is another age-old beauty product that serves as the perfect upgrade to your morning routine. The cream is an emulsion of water in oil, and the water's immediate evaporation causes the product to feel cool upon application, hence the name. However, the product can be traced back to ancient Greece, when rose water was used as an ingredient, and it is credited to the physician Galen. The formula has naturally evolved since then, but cold cream has continually been used as a moisturizer, makeup remover, and body lotion.

Silver screen star Colleen Moore used cold cream to kick off her daily routine in 1922, while Bette Davis famously smothered the product on her face as Margo Channing in "All About Eve." Brands like Pond's Cold Cream and Noxzema Face Wash popped up in the twentieth century, continuing on into the modern era, making this an old-school beauty tip that will cost you practically nothing to try.

Today, cold cream can be used in the morning to remove any overnight buildup and moisturize for the incoming day. Simply apply a light layer of the product with clean hands and gently massage it into the skin. Then, wipe away the product with a cotton ball or wetted washcloth. Some users follow up with an additional cleanser, but not everyone finds this necessary. In fact, some even use cold cream as a makeup primer.

The morning could be the best time to incorporate a simple bit of nail care into your routine. While you may have a time of the month dedicated to manicures, a number of vintage beauty experts asserted that well-rounded nail care begins at the start of each day. 

In the "Handbook of Beauty," which was published in 1955, author Constance Hart includes a few simple morning steps under the section "Your Hand Beauty Schedule." "Wash and dry hands thoroughly, pushing back cuticle[s] and applying hand lotion or cream," she instructs. A similar sentiment is echoed across other vintage beauty books, with women encouraged to push back their cuticles with an orange stick every morning to prevent hangnails.

Today, experts still emphasize the importance of keeping your nails hydrated, with a morning application of oil such as Cliganic's Organic Jojoba Oil being a great place to start. Since cuticles serve as protective barriers for your nails, it's important to treat them with the utmost care. Some experts assert that manipulating the cuticle at all is unnecessary. However, if you feel that this part of your nail needs some maintenance, make sure to do so after a nice shower or short nail soak, so that the cuticles are softened. Instead of cutting, use something like the aforementioned orange stick to gently push back the cuticle. After oiling, you'll be able to enjoy pristine-looking hands for the remainder of the day.