As soon as the weather starts to get a bit colder and it's dark by 5pm it makes it incredibly acceptable to have a pamper night every night, am I right? I like the idea of hibernating throughout the winter period, and keeping warm and cosy when I get home from work. I find a proper good pamper night makes me feel so much better, and it helps me to get a good nights sleep too. There's no elusive rules to how you have to pamper, but a few of the right products and a little bit of structure will help make that day end on a good note.
Don't go thinking pamper nights are just for weekends, NO, NO NO. They'll come in handiest when you've had the Monday from hell, the day that everything seems to go wrong and when you just need a little cheering up. Don't understimate the pamper night, it really is magic, and these are the 10 commandments you need to be following to achieve the ultimate of pamper nights!
1. Lose the phone
Okay, so I really need to start following my own commandements, but seriously put your phone away for the evening - you don't need me to tell you how much of a time waster a phone is, before you know it you've stumbled onto someone's instagram page and you then find yourself on your sisters, boyfriends, aunties, dogs page by the end of the night, and guess what? Nothing has been achieved and you've been on your phone for 3 hours.
If you don't think you can do this, at least put your phone away half an hour before bed so your brain can try to switch off.
2. Candles/ Soft Lighting
If you're on the Hygge hype as much as me, you'll know how much candles play a central part in Hygge. If you're surrounded by candles/soft lighting you're half way to achieving that 'hygge' comforting feeling. Lit or not lit, they look great, so they're a must.
3. Comfy Clothes
Regardless to whether it's a pamper night or not, the first thing I do when I get home is take off my work clothes and put on something a lot more comfortable. HELLO elasticated waistbands and t-shirts that don't fit. It also means that you're in the perfect situ to start eating your way into a food coma...
4. Be Clean
Before you go reaching for your pamper night snacks, lets not be forgetting the basic levels of hygiene. I am not shy about telling people about my mild OCD with hand washing and general fear of germs and catching colds, working in an office 5 days a week has me fearing for my health every week so hand washing duties need to be on top form.
I ALWAYS use anti bacterial gel hand washes as I still cant get my head around traditional bars of soap, how and why can that be hygienic? I cringe every time I see a singular bar of soap in a public toilet, I don't think so. Carex soap is always my go to whether it's pamper night or not, but I feel the new Fun Edition Love Hearts Carex Hand Wash* was made for the ultimate pamper night. There's nothing antiseptic or hospital smelling about this soap, my inner child is oh so excited about the retro vibe of this soap and it smells sooooo good, and it's all about spreading the love, not the germs with this fun edition of the soap. It's like you can taste the sweets fizzing in your mouth when you have a deep inhale of the hand wash. I think I could even bathe in this stuff it's so good. Not forgetting to mention that it's also pink? I'll have 10 bottles please.
5. Face Mask
I'm still meaning to get into a proper cleansing routine, especially after I witnessed what my skin looked like after I had an Elemis skin analysis, but that's a different story all together... Anyway, a face mask will help those skin issues feel like a temporary problem when you slather one on your face. I usually pop mine on before I have a soak in the bath so it can get to work.
I'm currently loving the Pure Clay purity mask which is part of Loreal Paris's range of 3 masks which all work to target different problem areas of skin. I'm also loving the Nuxe Paris Masque Creme Fraiche de Beaute, perfect for pre nights out as your makeup goes on flawlessly afterwards!
6. Have A Soak
No great pamper night is started without a Lush bath. I'm sorry, but it just can't and won't happen - I won't allow it! I usually keep a little basket full of sweet smelling bath bombs and bubble bars waiting to be plucked for a nice little bath. I feel so much better after a Lush soak lasting at least an hour, take a peep at my Halloween Lush Haul if you're not sure what to pick up for your next bath!
It definitely helps having a little supply of bath bombs to hand though for when you're in need of a little relaxation!
7. Moisturise
Seal that lovely post bath skin in with a luxury body moisturiser to keep your skin soft and supple, I can never be bothered to moisturise during the winter as it's so cold when you get out of the shower/bath - but skin gets sooo dry during the winter so it's a must, and your skin will feel so much better for it.
I usually have a 'special' moisturiser for pamper nights to make it extra special, I save my Twilight scented Lush moisturiser for that which is just a dream to be slathered in. Scented with lavender, I'm practically ready for bed once it's soaked into my skin, it makes me feel so relaxed and I'm then ready to slip my jim jams on!
8. Pyjamas
Is it weird that I just LOVE new pyjamas, I have a whole drawer full and I just can't get enough. Considering we do spend almost half of our lives in them I think it's an acceptable item to invest in - we need to be cosy after all.
I am literally obsessed with these cactus pjs from Asos, when I first got them I thought they were a bit 'thin' for winter, but they are made from modal which is an eco-friendly manmade fabric which is actually incredibly warm. I mean the whole style and pattern obviously does it for me, who doesn't want a pair of cactus covered pjs really?
9. Books
It's really sad that the only time I really get to read a book now is when I'm on a holiday, I feel like I never have time to do so during the week, but it's one of those things that you NEED to make time for. Reading is so relaxing, whether it's a mag, chick flick or a self help book, and boy am I loving those at the moment.
I've already worked my way through The Little Book of Hygge, but I'm now working my way back through strategically, trying to make my life as Hygge as poss! James also picked me up this blogging book for my Birthday, boy did good! I'll definitely be avidly reading this one if it means I can think my way into being a full time blogger by next week...
10. Pillow Spray
Once your phone is firmly out of sight, you've read a few pages of your book and you're reading for sleep, help make the process that bit easier by putting a spritz of pillow spray onto your pillows.
I swear by the This Works sleep plus lavender scented pillow spray, it smells soooo good. I don't actually know if I can link it to a better nights sleep, but it does help me relax and unwind than with nothing, so it's definitely worth a little spritz on pamper night!
There's not always time for a pamper night, but it's so important to 'make' time and look after yourself. I've never once not had a pamper night and felt at least 70% better afterwards for doing it. But lets face it, I don't really need any excuse for a pamper night and neither should you!
Is Friday your pamper night? What is your ultimate pamper night? Have you tried the new love hearts carex scented soap?
*Products marked with an asterix (*) have been sent to me for review. However, all opinions in this post are 100% my own
