Us females (and probably a lot of males too) all love a good pamper. Come Sunday night my body needs a little TLC, so here’s my idea of the perfect night full of relaxation and pampering goodness…
Preen
I honestly think that a pamper evening is the perfect excuse to preen and primp yourself, who doesn’t love a bit of TLC eh? Everyone has different ways to make themselves feel good, but mine include having a bath, re-shaping my eyebrows and doing a home mani/pedi with a feel-good nail colour. A nice pop of bright colour on your fingers or toes can instantly perk up your mood; I’m likely to reach for something zingy like Rimmel Salon Pro by Kate Nail Polish in Hip Hop as I know a feisty hot colour will always brighten up my day.
Aroma
Typical relaxing scents include Lavender and Camomile but if I’m honest neither of these do a lot for me (does that make me weird?) A current personal favourite of mine is Glade – Bali Sandalwood and Jasmine which has a really subtle but warming fragrance. Other faves of mine include Vanilla, Cinnamon and Cotton fragrances… I tend to avoid anything too citrusy or fruity as these are generally more invigorating scents, which are great for an early Monday morning but not so ideal for your lazy Sunday spa sesh. It's also important to pick out a lovely luxurious bubble bath in a relaxing scent. I always have baths in the evening (mainly as this is the only time I'd find the time to) so I tend to go for Radox Sleep Easy Herbal Bath as it's subtle aroma really does help me to drift off into a peaceful sleep.
Mask
I’m an avid user of clay based face masks as I find these really help to draw out oil and impurities from my skin – perfect for when I’ve not been taking good care of myself or been a little too lax with my skin care regime! My number one, can’t-live-without-it, holy grail mask has got to be Origins Out Of Trouble. This mask contains Camphor so it has a really medicinally menthol smell, which I love because I really feel it working! The Camphor adds a little tingle so you can feel it getting to grips with any particularly nasty breakouts which have sprouted! If you’re not so keen on the £22 price tag then the Natural Collection Rosemary and Witch Hazel Face Mask is a little more purse-friendly at just £1 per sachet!
Plan
This may just be the OCD control-freak in me, but I find planning and list-making very therapeutic! I’m the kinda girl that needs to know what’s going on and when it’s going down – I’m not very good with surprises or spontaneity! You’ll quite often find me writing myself a “To Do” list or filling my diary with every possible event going, even down to bank visits and the weekly food shop: you name it, it’ll be in there! I’m quite often on the go so I use this time, while laying back in a bath full of bubbles, to plan ahead for the coming week. I like to think about what free time I have away from work, and decide what I can get done in that time (or more importantly, what needs to be done in that time). Planning ahead means that the rest of my week is automatically less stressful, which brings me out in a general feeling of well-being and ease. All together now, aahhhhhhh.
Exfoliate
Regardless of your skin type it’s really important to make sure that you’re regularly exfoliating both your face and body, as this helps to improve circulation (which in turn makes your skin look plump and more healthy) and gets rid of any pesky dead skin cells which are sitting on the skins surface. When it comes to facial exfoliation there’s a lot of debate going on about whether we should use manual or chemical exfoliants, but I strongly believe that it’s down to personal preference more than anything. Chemical exfoliants do tend to be more expensive, but as they’re more gentle they can be used every day. One of my favourites that doesn’t break the bank is the Botanics All Bright Cleansing Toner which you can pick up for a bargainous £3.99 (or sometimes even cheaper if you time it right with Boots sales and promos!) If you’re more into manual exfoliation then I highly recommend the St Ives Timeless Skin Daily Microdermabrasion Face Scrub as it has really fine particles which don’t strip or dry the skin out. It’s great for clearing breakouts and helps to make skin look fresher and brighter – perfect to slough off those dead skin cells! When it comes to giving the body a good ol’ scrub up, I like to use The Calcot Manor Gentle Salt Scrub, mmmmm.
Re-hydrate
The most important way to keep your body in tip top shape is to make sure you feed it with all the nutrients it needs, including water! If you’re feeling a little sluggish and suffer from headaches then it’s likely that you’re dehydrated, and what better time to fix that than during a pamper sesh at home? If I’ve been a bit naughty with my water intake then I give my body a quick boost using a bit of Twinings Lemon Green Tea, Tesco Peppermint Tea or Vita Coca Natural Coconut Water with Pineapple. Did you know that peppermint tea is also great for your digestive system? So not only is it relaxing and full of goodness, it helps to soothe stomach aches, reduce bloating and help to digest heavy meals – an all-round win really.
What do you guys do on your pamper evenings? Any top products that you treat yourself to on those special, rare moments of peace?
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