What do you do when you want to relax? I put on a face mask, light some candles and shut down all of my social media. It has become a fulfilling ritual for me and I feel better afterwards every time. Everyone has a different way of relaxing, and I’ll show you mine today.
With the arrival of the winter months when the weather is gloomy and cold, inspiration and creativity sometimes disappear. Then I like to do something for myself, take an hour for myself, an hour without pressure and stress. I light one or two candles and enjoy the scent. There is something soothing about watching a candle burn.
Since I often stay indoors where the air is mostly dry, I like to use a facial sauna that opens up my pores and cleanses my airways. My device is from Lidl and is called the SilverCrest face/inhaler sauna. A drop of essential oil can be added to it, I use tea tree oil, which has antibacterial properties and helps to treat skin conditions and respiratory problems.
Face steaming opens the pores and usually after that I put on some face mask. I most often use the Oriflame Swedish Spa Pure Breeze clay mask or Biomed Organics Aqua Detox face mask. The Oriflame mask is more purifying while the Biomed Organics mask is more moisturizing. Depending on my skin’s needs, I use a mask that would be most beneficial at the moment.
I rarely use hair masks in the summer, but in the winter I like to use them because I want to give my hair as much hydration as possible. If my scalp is dry and dandruff is bothering me, I put in some coconut oil and let it sit for as long as possible. Later I just shampoo my hair well and wash it off. This helps me remove dandruff, along with other tricks I’ve written about before.
I keep having poor circulation so I started doing dry brushing. It improves circulation, removes dead skin cells, and over time tightens the skin and reduces cellulite. Use gentle and straight upward movements. Do not brush in the opposite direction, as this can cause damage to lymph nodes and veins. Dry brushing is best done before taking a shower and then removing the remains of dead cells and released toxins from the body.
After washing my hair and showering, I wash my face with cold water to close the pores that I have just deep cleaned. Then do my simple skincare routine and I style my hair. I also do my nails, I file them a bit and apply some nail polish. I also pluck my eyebrows and remove unwanted hair from my face. Not necessarily in this order. 🙂
At the end, I moisturize my whole body with Bettina Barty Vanilla Body Butter or Nivea Rose & Argan Oil Lotion. I make sure to put some cream on my feet, and I currently have Barfuss foot cream with Shea butter and Jojoba oil. I jump into thick socks and fluffy pajamas and enjoy the scent of candles. You might think that I’m all dressed up for going somewhere, but for the most part I’m not feeling like going anywhere in the evening ha-ha.
This whole ritual, as I like to call it, takes about an hour. An hour that allows me to distract from my daily routine and work. I am in a better mood and it keeps me going for the next few days.
Some people like to go for a walk, some people like to go to a beauty salon for a treatment. Someone has their own little ritual at home to nourish the body and soul. It is important to take a moment for yourself, put your thoughts together, and relax.
It doesn’t matter what you do, it can also be baking cookies or cleaning the house. Whatever suits you at some point, do it and you will feel better.
What does your spa routine look like? 🙂
Ana
