Self-care is such an important thing that we should all practise. It may seem like it's all about looking after the body but a good pamper has such a wonderful, calming effect on the mind too. I love a girly pamper or 'glow up' so I've rounded up some of my favourite self-care treats below.
The only way to start a pamper evening is to indulge in a lovely long bath or shower. If I don't wince as I get in, my bath isn't hot enough!
Light some candles and treat yourself to a fragrant shower gel like Japanese Cherry Blossom from The Body Shop. Fill your bathroom with sweet-scented products so that every time you wash, it brings on that lovely pampering feeling. I have the most luxurious-smelling conditioner from HASK - I can't put my finger on what the scent is, I feel like there's some kind of citrus element in there, but it is just to DIE for and it makes me smile every time I condition my hair.
While I'm in the bath, I like to wear my Kiehl's turmeric and cranberry seed face mask and sit and watch a YouTube video. One of the best additions I ever made to my bathroom was a bamboo bath tray! Now I can watch my videos properly with a nice glass of something tasty (water usually, but every now and then I go for a G&T!).
After your bath or shower, dry yourself off (obviously) and put on your prettiest PJs. I recently treated myself to new pairs of satin pyjamas which were affordable but feel so luxe when they're on. I got this navy blue pair from Boux Avenue and this lilac pair from Shein. If you watched my YouTube video recently where I compared the quality of high street brands, you'll know that I was unimpressed with the quality of the Shein dress I bought, but these pyjamas show just how varied Shein's products can be. So if you've wrinkled your nose at a brand in the past, don't be afraid to give them another go!
Here's the link to the YouTube video if you'd like to watch it - https://youtu.be/zxGlBssJBlo
Now it's time for evening skincare. I'll have cleansed my skin prior to the face mask, using another product from Kiehl's: the midnight recovery botanical cleansing oil. This is so good for removing eye makeup, even though it's fragranced with a beautiful lavender scent. It's one of the products that makes me feel most like I'm being pampered. Kiehl's are such a good place to go for products that feel like a real treat! But whichever cleanser you normally buy is fine to use, just make sure you do that before the mask. You can also exfoliate after cleansing and before the face mask if you want to - I love the Top Secrets Natural Action exfoliator from Yves Saint Laurent because it's extremely gentle with no abrasive particles at all.
It's nighttime so it's prime time for giving your skin a real treat, so use as many pampering products as you know work for your skin. I like to tone with my beloved Clinique clarifying lotion then apply my serum from Kiehl's, which I won't link because I'm not entirely sure if I love it yet.
On to moisturising: first, don't forget eye cream. At the moment I'm using one from the Body Shop, but I don't have a particular favourite to share with you - my advice is to experiment, just like I need to do!
Then go in with a moisturiser - and I don't skimp on moisturisers! They are the most important products in my routine because I have very dry skin. If my moisturiser isn't good, nothing else will work. Sadly at the moment, my usual Clinique and Body Shop moisturisers don't seem to be working very well for me - I think perhaps my skin has gotten used to them. Instead I've been using Charlotte Tilbury's famous Magic Cream and, even though it's not specifically formulated for dry skin, it's doing a great job.
(I'm not going to talk about dental care because I presume you'll have remembered to do this at some point, and it rarely feels luxuriously pampering to brush your teeth!)
So finally we're ready for bed and of course, when it's a pamper evening, I always have an early night. I like to go to bed a little earlier than my partner so that I can indulge in some me time and read a good book or watch my favourite YouTubers. You could also meditate at this point or find a new show to watch on Netflix - I've heard good things about Emily in Paris so I think that's what I'll be watching on my next pamper night! This would also be the opportune moment to spray your pillow with a gorgeous pillow spray or use some lovely essential oils for a good night's sleep.
Enjoy your pamper nights everyone!
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