Pillow Talk: Millennial dating expert Lindsey Metselaar’s night-time routine

The host of 'We Met At Acme' dishes on all things sleep...

In 2017, when Lindsey Metselaar’s boyfriend suddenly broke up with her, she called one of her male friends to speak candidly about the perils of dating in New York. She recorded the conversation, and a brainwave went off in the form of the now wildly successful podcast, We Met At Acme. Each week, Lindsey discusses dating, relationships, sex, and love (as well as weightier topics like sobriety and therapy ) alongside a slew of notable guests, including dating experts and social media stars. But what makes the podcast so moreish is the candour, sincerity and no-holds-barred attitude of the host herself; never one to shy away from an unpopular opinion, Lindsey is your go-to if you want some frank advice about your love interest, or your three am booty call.

Here, Lindsey speaks to HUNGER about her night-time routine and how she winds down before bed.

Sum up what you do in five words? 

Host a millennial dating podcast.

What’s your favourite piece of relationship advice right now?

If you’re confused, they’re not interested.

We love We Met At Acme, and you’ve been going for such a long time now! How do you ensure all the topics and guests on the pod stay fresh and relevant?

It’s so important for me to be tuned in to what my listeners are going through and actually want to hear about. I’m constantly DMing them on Instagram and making sure we cover the topics they ask about. Tiktok helps too!

On a scale of 1 – 10, how much do you love your sleep?

8.

What time would you ideally like to go to bed, as opposed to what time you really end up in bed?

Ideally, 11. Realistically, 1 – 2 am.

What’s your usual reason for going to bed late?

Work… scrolling through Instagram? I blame my husband. He’s always gone to bed really late and ever since our first sleepover my bedtime has suffered.

What side of the bed do you sleep on?

The one closest to the bathroom… I pee a lot.

What kind of sleeping position do you normally find yourself in?

I have always slept on my stomach with my head turned to one side.

What is your bed setup?

We switch between bamboo and soft percale.

Light sleeper or heavy sleeper?

Very light sleeper – it’s the WORST!

Morning bird or night owl?

It totally depends but recently morning bird!

How do you unwind before bed? Can you walk me through your routine…

Watch Love Island until my eyes burn — then I wash my face with this cleanser that my godsend facialist sells. Her name is Lidia and she started Maris Dusan in NYC. After I wash my face and brush my teeth, I usually put some pimple cream on and get in bed with my favourite sex/murder book of the moment.

Do you read before bed? If so, what can’t you get enough of at the moment?

I swear you read my mind! I just finished The Golden Couple and I’m reading Woman On Fire next!

What products/items are on your bedside table?

Magnesium citrate, Sakara probiotics, my glasses, a ring holder, and a book!

What’s the weirdest thing next to your bed?

Candy! You never know when you’ll need a piece.

Do you sleep with your phone next to you?

Yes and anyone who says they don’t is a liar!

What can’t you go to sleep without doing?

Squeezing my husband’s hand 4 times.

Do you always take off your makeup before sleeping?

Always!

Favourite way to remove your makeup?

I know it’s not great for the environment (and I’m working on that!) but I will use a Kirkland micellar makeup removing wipe before I use my cleanser. It just really gets all the nooks and crannies.

How does your nighttime routine change when, say, you’ve been out late on Friday night?

Sometimes I’ll skip the cleanser and just use the wipe — but don’t tell Lidia!

Can you walk me through your nighttime skincare routine?

I wish I had something more interesting but it’s exactly what I said above! Makeup wipe, cleanser, pimple cream! I only use moisturizer during the winter time but during the summer my skin gets very oily and doesn’t react well to more moisture.

Favourite products to use before bed?

In the winter, I love to use La Mer moisturizing cream when I sleep.

What do you do if you can’t sleep?

Masturbate! Cannot recommend that enough lol.

WriterNessa Humayun
ImagesCourtesy of Lindsey Metselaar