Every once in a while it’s good to have some downtime, to take a step out of our bustling lives and unwind. Stress does more to our bodies than we realize and it’s important to treat yourself with a good pamper evening from time to time… sometimes occurring more frequently than others. Sit back, put some cucumber on your eyes and get ready to plan a well deserved spa night.
Attire
First things first, take off all that makeup (and remember to use a cleanser!) and pick out some comfy pajamas and a nice bathrobe. If you're feeling a little more boujee you can opt for a silk robe. You don’t want to spend your relaxing night in anything uncomfortable!
Technology?
As much as we’d love to say we can go without our phones… do we really? Take this night as a detox for social media and the attachment we have with our devices. If you can, switch it off and allow yourself to enjoy a relaxed night without the constant buzzing occurring every time you try to unwind. I’m sure that the memes you’ve been sent can wait until morning.
Fresh out of the oven
Before you fully unwind, try doing some baking! I’m not saying create a tiered intricate cake or anything but a simple but delicious recipe such as quick brownies or classic chocolate chip cookies; even if you trial a simple mug cake. You may think of cooking as a chore or a hassle but it’s strangely calming and can really boost your spirits. Even if you do not find it relaxing, you will have delicious food!
Run a bath
Nothing says relaxing more than a nice warm bath that smells amazing. Find some bath bombs, soaks, bubble bars or oils to have in your bathtub. Personally, I prefer Lush because of their aromatic bath products.
Light some scented candles and have your comfiest pajamas on standby. Whether you're one to just sit back and close your eyes, sometimes it's not always easy to get our brains to hit pause.
Grab a magazine or a book and let your mind focus on that while your body is relaxing. A nice touch to make it seem like your very own home spa is to grab a speaker and play some calming background spa music.
Lather on up
After a bath it’s always nice to use different products; specifically, the essentials- scrubs and body lotions- must be popped open. It’s not a proper pamper night without the bathroom smelling like all sorts of fragrance products. Try a lip scrub! My favorite one currently is Lush's festive toffee apple scrub (try applying a lip balm after a scrub I use a Burt's Bees balm..my favorite combination!)
Skincare
Pour yourself a chilled glass of iced tea or a fancy water and get ready to treat your skin. I never have a complete pamper night without a face mask (I’ve recently been loving the Freemans range of clay masks especially the pink salt and cucumber one which exfoliates the face). Another go to mask is the Kiehls avocado mask which lasts forever.
Now is the perfect time to complete all your skincare steps and even try new products. Tone, moisturize and rejuvenate.
Reflecting
You're all refreshed and have had some time to unwind and rejuvenate your skin but another important step is to do something soothing for you. Take a few deep breaths and reflect a little, journal if you have one.
Meditating is something I never really took an interest into but began to do earlier this year and I recommend you try it at least once. What better time than now? You're already in a relaxed state and it’s a part of inner self-care.
Manicures
If you're a frequent DIY manicurist like me you won’t be amused; however, to some this will be a nice way to treat yourself. Grab all of your equipment and some tissues (for inevitable mistakes) and make your very own nail salon. Scissors, nail files, buffers, polish, are are needed.
I highly recommend adding a topcoat if you want your freshly painted nails to have longer durability. A good one to use is the Essie “No chips ahead” for a shiny finish. Don’t fret, if you're more into the matte finish they also do a matte top coat. My go-to rule for painting my nails is two coats of color (sometimes the colors can be a little sheer) and a topcoat.
Where's the popcorn?
Now, I did advocate for a device-free night, but Netflix will always be the exception. I love unwinding to a movie, or a few at the end of my night. Whether you're in your room watching it on your laptop, or in the living room making your own cinema, snacks are essential!
Rummage through the pantry and find your favorite movie snacks- popcorn and chocolate never disappoint. Although it is not the healthiest choice, keep in mind that this night is all about you and indulgence is encouraged.
The endless options of movies and the minutes spent scrolling, it’s good to narrow down some options. Opt for a feel good movie, something light and funny such as a comedy or your classic and cheesy rom-com. The amount of times you’ll catch me re-watching Legally Blonde and Clueless… is too many! Remember, though, to get a full night's sleep.
A relaxation night is good to implement into your life and you should do it as often as you can! Our lives can be stressful and busy but it’s vital that we remember to look out for ourselves and take care of our bodies, skin and mind. I use the term “self-care Sunday” and if my Sunday evening isn’t busy I’ll happily throw myself one of these special nights. There's nothing better than feeling refreshed and ready to tackle on the incoming week feeling recharged.