Evening Self Care
Hello!
Today I wanted to do something a little bit different - a little more lighthearted than my recent posts have been as I don't want you to think that everything's awful all the time! I wanted to go through my evening self care routine with you as I am a firm believer that looking after yourself physically is fundamental to looking after yourself mentally. And as a side note - hats off to all the beauty bloggers out there as these pictures were a nightmare to take!
As well as winding down and being calm, my self care routine mostly centres around my skin as I actually have very dry skin which needs a hefty amount of upkeep to prevent it from straight up falling off!
With this in mind, I always start off with the face.
I generally start by taking off my makeup with any old brand of makeup wipes to get the majority of it off. Weirdly enough, I do really enjoy the process of cleaning my face as it almost feels like I'm starting again in a way.
I then use the No7 Micellar Cleansing Water on a little cotton pad to take the rest of the makeup off - that way, my skin is less likely to get irritated by any remaining bits of war paint!
Believe it or not, I did try to look somewhat elegant and serene whilst taking these pictures but if I'm 100% honest, it's impossible. So I guess this is kind of a reflection of reality? (I say kind of as being photographed is most definitely not part of the routine!!!)
Once my face has been suitably scrubbed, I then move on to moisturising. I moisturise my face twice a day without fail which is a pain but I'd rather have my skin feel like skin than an odd sort of sandpaper texture... something that happens if I leave it to do its thing! In the morning I use the No7 daily moisturiser and at night, I use it's corresponding night cream. Now, I'm not entirely sure what the difference is (they do have a different consistency) but it seems to be working so far so I trust them!
I then finish off with a little bit of lip balm. Right now I'm using a Nivea one that I got for Christmas but based on my usual preference, I'd recommend the body shop ones.
The next step in the routine is a bath with Oilatum. For those who don't know, Oilatum is a liquid paraffin that is put in water and really helps with dry skin. I'm sure there are dupes but as my skin is very sensitive and I've been using Oilatum since I was a wee dot, I'm not about to change it now!
This can also be gently rubbed into the skin if showers are your preference - or if your uni bath is anything like mine!
I must admit, I do find baths incredibly boring as you're just sitting in one position accompanied by your own thoughts. However, I have found that reading whilst the Oilatum works its magic passes the time quite well.
At the time this post was planned and photographed, I was reading 'Breaking the Silence' by Diane Chamberlain which I have now finished. It was given to me by a friend so I had no idea what to expect, but I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed it so thank you Charlotte! Though I don't know if she reads these so the blog thanks will have have be accompanied by verbal thanks as well!
Without giving too much away, this book centres around a child who has lost her voice due to trauma, an elderly woman with Alzheimer's, and the child's mother who finds herself trying to solve a complicated mystery. I'll leave it at that but I would really recommend it.
Once the bath is drained, if I have time, I do like to paint my nails. I don't do it often, and those who know me well will know that I have a perpetual chipped mess on the ends of my fingers, but the process is relaxing all the same! I'm quite enjoying a metallic bottle green at the moment, created from a combination of black, and a green, pearlescent topper. I'm glad I worked out that the green needed black underneath it actually, as when I first tried it alone, I was gutted to see a grim sort of cow pat colour on my nails.
And honestly, that's about it. It's nothing extravagant but I find it very relaxing and I would definitely recommend to anyone that they take the time to look after themselves.
I also want to thank Joe for taking all the photos, and for making me laugh between shots!
Give this a like down below if you enjoyed it, and I'll see you in my next blog!
Lots of Love,
Sarah xxx
