How the Founder of the Coolest New Nonalcoholic Apéritif Winds Down

It's no secret that we love a good morning routine. We've come to learn, however, that the rituals we do to wind down before bed are just as important. Whether you take 10 minutes or a few hours, it's precious time that you have set aside at the end of the day to take care of yourself. Our series Weekend Wind-Down highlights the nightly routines of the people we admire.

It's only fitting that Mélanie Masarin, founder and CEO of the coolest new spirits-free apéritif on the block, Ghia, has a wind-down routine that's idyllic and down-to-earth. Made from botanical and other natural extracts, Ghia was inspired by Masarin's summers spent growing up along the Mediterranean.  

We're not going to lie, Masarin's postcard from Capri, Italy, has us feeling wistful, with a tinge of wanderlust, and we're more than ready to adopt her evening rituals to live la dolce vita.

Keep scrolling to see how this founder winds down for the weekend. 

I’m Mélanie, the founder of Ghia, and I’m going to walk you through my nighttime routine. This is a special Italy edition, as I’m home in Europe to be a bit closer to family. I’ve rented a tiny apartment right on the beach in Capri and am enjoying the sunny morning walks and swims. 

My days are shifted here as I work later hours to overlap with the team in the U.S., but my quarantine ritual has remained the same. I’ve been making myself a Ghia cocktail around sundown to segment my day and move from work into play. But now, it’s from play to work and a bit more play late at night these days. 

I'll usually put on music and roam around in the kitchen. We spend an unreasonable amount of time making playlists for Ghia. I'm working on our next one: Sexy Slow Jams. Look up Erykah Badu and Quincy Jones for a little teaser to the next playlist.

I'll usually prep dinner: soak beans and seeds, pickle vegetables, knead a fresh dough of pasta to roll out in the morning, or bake my rye bread so it can be ready for breakfast.

Frederik Bille Brahe kindly shared his recipe with me a few months ago, and it's made my quarantine so much better.

A few times a week, I'll have a socially distant dinner out to support some of my favorite restaurants, something I've really missed the past few months. Tonight, we are eating at Da Gelsomina overlooking their vines. 

I haven't been wearing any makeup since I got here save for mascara when I go out, so I just rinse the salt out of myself under the shower and condition my hair with Klorane Date Tree Conditioner. No shampoo! The sun and many plunges into the sea are enough trauma for my hair.

Klorane's eye makeup remover is my favorite for gently removing eye makeup. Then, I apply a few drops of Crown Affair's Hair Oil all over. It's not greasy or heavy and provides just the right amount of moisture for my natural curls to be manageable.

For my face, I get rid of my daily SPF 50 in the shower and finish with the Bioderma micellar water if needed.

After that, I use Biologique Recherche for everything. I carry the mini P50 with me everywhere I go to exfoliate and finish with the Gel ADN Silkgen. It’s light in texture but provides enough moisture for hot summer nights, and it prevents wrinkles!

Both L.A. and NYC are in full swing at this time, so here’s when I usually get back online to check in with the team, take some calls, and tie up loose ends from the day.

I also have a notebook I carry everywhere for Ghia to-dos and ideas that come up, usually when I’m not in front of the computer.

Right before I go to bed, I write everything I want to get done the next day. It helps take the thoughts and anxieties from my brain and locks them into the notebook for the night. While I’m doing that, I drink lemon in hot water. Here, it's called a Canarino or “little bird.”

Buonanotte!

Up next: The Night-Owl Routine This Clean-Beauty Founder Swears By