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How to Have the Perfect Pamper Night

by with No Comment self care

Self-care is something that I make a point to do every single day, and I am very open about how much of a self-care advocate I am. I love skincare, relaxing, and simply taking some time for me. Taking it a step further and setting an entire night aside to dedicate to pampering yourself will help you feel rejuvenated and relaxed. 

Here are some ideas of what you can do to have the perfect pamper night and enjoy some ‘me time’. 


Draw a relaxing bath

Start by setting up your bathroom for a relaxing bath. Do a deep clean, set out fresh towels, and set your space however you like it. Then draw your bath and add in your favorite combination of essential oils, Epsom salt, flower petals and a bath bomb. A bath is a great way to release tension in your body and help calm the mind as you relax. Plus, there is something about a bath over a shower that screams pamper night.

Apply a facemask 

I love a good facemask. After removing makeup and a gentle cleanse, apply a facemask to target a specific skin concern and indulge in a little extra skin treatment while you take your bath and let it soak in. Natural and gentle products like those from the skin care line of Blue Lagoon feel luxurious and will treat your skin without stripping it. 


Light a candle

A gorgeous smelling candle adds to the ambiance of your pamper night and can help you to relax. With its soft lighting, you can turn off direct lights and further ease into that state of calm.  


Pour yourself some champagne 

A glass of champagne is so often saved for celebration, and a night of pampering is cause for celebration! Treat yourself and pour yourself some champagne, sipping while you continue with your self-care night. 


Indulge in something sweet to eat

Those sweet treats you wait to have so you can savor every bite? Bring those out for this! Indulge in something sweet.

Get lost in a good movie or book

Sometimes it’s a good book, sometimes it’s a great movie. Select a book or movie before you start your pampering night so you don’t have to waste any precious time choosing what to watch! Then sit back, relax, sip on that champagne, enjoy your sweet treat, and get lost in a good movie.  
These are just a few ideas of what you can do for the perfect pamper night. A couple other ideas are to do your nails, do a body treatment, and use a lavender pillow spray to promote good sleep. Your perfect pamper night and “me time” can look like whatever you want it to, focusing on things that make you relax and feel good.

Put Yourself On A TIME OUT

by with No Comment beautyhealthinspirationlifestylemental healthpersonalwellness

This past week I’ve fully immersed myself into my work and a secret passion project of mine that I can’t wait to share with you. Side note: it’s weird when other people say ‘secret project’ and it’s still weird when I say it, but I promise it’s a fun one! And since I don’t see this slowing down for another week or two three, I thought I’d share with you what is keeping me sane throughout the process of sitting alone for hours, in a dimly lit room, with resources and research. Also, this is a plea for snacks.

Here’s the deal, I go go go and admittedly I am a WORKAHOLIC. Okay, fine, I said it. I love my work though, so it’s nice to be in the zone, like really in it. It’s also nice to come up for air from time to time and though I don’t break enough throughout the day, there’s one thing I’m like, really good at. Self care and putting myself on a time out.

I’ve even been really quiet on social media if you’ve noticed … if you haven’t noticed than maybe you’ve been really quiet too. Feels good right?! We can go a lil lot crazy when you work from home, secluded, with little interactions from other humans.

It’s completely normal to fully lose your shit

No matter where we are in life or in our careers, we’re go go go , we grind grind grind, we hustle hustle hustle. How could we not lose our shit right? *I’m feeling a bit preachy right now but as I currently write to you I’m in a top knot, on my couch, in my pj’s, at 4:28pm, having had only a pb&jelly sammich all day, and going going going… hence I’m feeling a bit preachy

So here’s a few things I love to do to put myself on a time out. It’s hard to do sometimes because you get so focused, but do it anyway. Even if it’s just ten minutes, or at the end of your day, hit pause and TIME OUT

 

get it out- write it out, scream it out, whatever you’ve gotta do to let the thoughts out, let em out. As human we like to play things on a loop until we can’t make sense of them as they are so then, oh wow, plot twist, our brain has formulated it’s own new ending to that story/conversation/moment/interaction

dance it out- ugh I love doing this so much. Do you watch my stories? Have you seen me break out into a mid day dance party? This is why! Our thoughts, moods, feelings all turn into energy and that energy can either be stagnant or it can be BIG and we can use it to shift our day.

SHIFT THAT SHIT

treat yo self- time out for real for some self care pampering time!- I’m all about that ‘me time’ pampering time! I love doing skin care masks, ya know, the ones that make you look crazy *insert The Office epi where Dwight is trying to perform CPR on the dummy* I love taking baths, having a few glasses of wine (who ever in life, do you know, STOPS after A glass of wine? no one that’s who), adding in some bubbles, turning on some tunes, and throwing in some relaxing bath bombs.

be still- gross I hate this one but it’s the most EFFECTIVE one! Being still, taking it slowly, doing some yoga, meditating, reading a damn book, going for a quite hike, all the things that settle your mind and calm your spirit. Do it. I promise you’ll get after it so much more focused afterwards.

and if you still lose your shit, that’s cool too. We’re human, it’s normal

What are some things you do to put yourself on a time out? I need to do more of this, more frequently, send your recs. Oh and the snacks too, this is still a public plea for those 😉

 

 

 

STAYCATION – TRAVEL MORE!

by with No Comment adventurefamilyinspirationleisuretravelwellness

When most people think of vacations they conjure up far away islands, flights to new places, and luggage for a week long adventure. I’ll be the first to tell you that vacations are incredible and necessary these days to unplug, reset, and reconnect with the people you love. But it doesn’t always mean that you have to hop on a flight to be able to enjoy a lil R&R, staycations are the new vacation y’all!

A little getaway that’s far enough away from home to feel like a vacation yet close enough to home that you don’t have to fuss over big plans. For us, our staycation took us close to the beach one day and pool side the next. With Joe working away from home, my head stuck in a planner navigating the five weddings we have this summer (our own included), and Corrine busy with school, work, and an internship . . . we were ready to get outta dodge.

I don’t think you should ever feel guilty for wanting to escape your life for a moment. The reality is that we’re all cranking away at work, at life, and working at life! So take some time to get away and refill your well, even if that means you simply drive to another town to try out that new lunch spot, or hike an unfamiliar trail to picnic at the top. Whatever relaxation looks like to you, trust me it looks a lot like paradise! Routine is never fun, switch it up buttercup!

We happily enjoyed our little paradise away from home for the weekend, soaked up the sun poolside and then sticking our toes in the sand beachside. So of course I have to share some of my absolute must have for any daycation getaway-vacation: my sandals, my bikini cover up, my TIU sea salt spray, and of course SPF for my face, lips, and body <3

If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter than you know we also packed some champs, champagne gummies, and a ton of snacks for this staycation of ours! See the running theme here? #champs The delicious and colorful cocktails with cranberry and fig goodness was courtesy one of our favorites, Figenza! We added in some lemon wedges, a splash of bubbly, sparkling water and called it a day(cation) … see what I did there 😉 best.time.ever.

Do you go on staycation adventures? Where would you love to vacation next and when is a staycation far enough from home that you consider it a vacation?