Shay Mitchell Is Obsessed with This Micellar Hand Soap and DIY Coconut Oil Beauty Treatments

Despite the state of the world, actress and new mom Shay Mitchell manages to find the light—and that light comes in the form of her adorable daughter, Atlas, who will be celebrating her first birthday this fall. "Focusing my energy on her feels good," says Mitchell. "Everything is so new and exciting to her, and it's inspiring to see things through her eyes."

That doesn't mean she's ignoring the reality of the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, it has motivated her to start teaching her daughter healthy habits at a young age. "Atlas puts everything in her mouth, so we're starting her on a frequent handwashing routine," she says. "We sing the 'Happy Birthday' song as we wash to make sure we cleanse thoroughly."

Even before the pandemic, Mitchell was big on handwashing. "I always wash my hands before I leave the house, after I leave the house, and when I come home," she says. "It's the first thing I do, and I make everybody do it too." And now Mitchell is partnering with hygiene brand Safeguard, which is donating $10 million to organizations such as Save the Children to promote handwashing and distribute free products to children in underserved communities. The brand's Micellar Deep Cleansing Liquid Hand Soap (Buy It, $6, target.com) is a mainstay in her bathroom. (Psst...Here's more about the science of micellar water.)

Mitchell says she gets a chance to focus on herself when her daughter falls asleep. She moved her treadmill into her living room so she can keep an eye on Atlas as she gets a run in. (Also watch her crush a total-body workout with trainer Kira Stokes pre-pandemic.) She also does a lot of her workouts over FaceTime with her best friends or with her grandmother in Vancouver, British Columbia (her hometown), who hasn't been able to exercise at her senior center. "I've learned how to do some great chair workouts using soup cans as weights," she says. (Does it get any cuter than that?!)

To wind down, Mitchell says she loves watching Queer Eye and focusing on her beauty routine. "Taking care of my skin is something I learned from my mom. She always stressed the importance of moisturizing and wearing sunscreen," she explains. Now, she wears sunscreen every single day, rain or shine. (And, yes, you should be wearing sunscreen even if you're staying inside.)

When she has a little extra free time, Mitchell says she loves mixing up DIY beauty treatments. "I'm a big fan of coconut oil," she adds. "I use it as a hair mask, and if I have coffee grounds, I'll mix those in to make a facial exfoliator." (She's onto something—coconut oil is amazing for moisturizing and protecting hair. Try these recipes for DIY hair masks, including a few with coconut oil.)

When she does leave the house, she's never without fragrance. "I always spritz it on right before I head out," she says. "I like to switch up the scent based on my mood to give myself a boost of confidence."