Self love month

Feb 7, 2017

Alyx T.

This morning I was going through a bunch of YouTube videos and as I'm currently sick I was looking through several self pampering routines.

I came across a recent video that stood out to me, by Shannon Sullivan, about her self care pamper routine. She mentions at the beginning that she wants to think of this February as "self love month", because so many people focus on the love from others during valentine's season and that we need to focus on love for ourselves too. Even though she has a long term partner she includes in her self care/relaxation routine, she does still struggle to do it. She makes a great point of how she has to plan for time for her self care because she's very busy and tends to forget or gets too tired to do it every week or so.

I am not a very busy person, but self care is something I've always struggled with doing more than just basics. I know it will make me feel better and I genuinely enjoy it, but it's hard sometimes to think about doing things for you even when you do have the time. As someone who struggles with depression this is especially apparent and I tend to just push it off until I legitimately have no time left for it. I never really thought about how much we all neglect ourselves sometimes because we are too busy thinking about something or someone else, and leaving self care for last, even though taking care of ourselves should be top priority.

I was thinking we could share how we go the extra steps to take care of ourselves and pamper ourselves a bit, when we take that well deserved "me time". Maybe a few things you want to try or want to start doing more, that you just haven't got into it yet.


Personally I usually tend to only add a couple things, an oil treatment to my scalp and a moisturizing deep conditioner treatment on my ends for about an hour or however long I can, and a clay or charcoal mask about 20 minutes before I jump in the shower. Then, I do my normal routine in the shower and add in a deep moisturizing mask on my face as I put lotion on my body and towel dry my hair. The rest involves just relaxing and trying not to stress.

I'd really like to start getting into dry brushing weekly and scalp massages a couple times a month. Dry brushing gas so many benefits for dry skin like mine but I haven't come across a nice dry brush by chance while shopping, and I always seem forget to directly go look for one until I'm about to hop into the shower. I do scalp massages when I get headaches but I always forget about them any other time, but my scalp always feels more moisturized afterwards, its no longer dry or flaky and I notice an improvement in my hairs strength. They are both simple, a small amount of time but with a big impact on relaxation and benefits to the skin and hair.

I'm excited to hear about what everyone else does, and if anyone has started doing more for themselves lately. :)

Feb 8, 2017

Terri D.

That's so true, these days we hardly make time for ourselves. As of late I refuse to neglect my feet. I have a job that I stand so much to the point where my feet hurt so bad. I have been using srubs, masks and oils. I think often at times we forget how much we use our feet to get around, yet we don't think to care for them the way we should.

Feb 8, 2017

Terri D.

Btw I hope you feel better soon :)

Feb 8, 2017

Taylor G.

I love this idea. Self-love is so important and I think it needs to be a bigger deal!
When I want to pamper my self, first things first I sleep in ;) I work like crazy throughout the week so Saturdays are my sleeping in days! Other than that, I enjoy putting on face masks and treatments, doing hair masks, and this winter I've been taking care of the skin on my body way more than I used to. It's been really dry so I've been using nice lotions, etc.
Hope you feel better soon!

Feb 8, 2017

Shona S.

This is lovely ❤️ when I want to pamper myself, I use face masks and treatments, do a body scrub, a coconut hair mask, and lots of under eye treatments and under eye massages... and I also find it therapeutic to wash my makeup brushes haha. Lately, I've also got into guided meditation! Has really helped - if interested I've been using the app Headspace. I've had so much time on my hands lately as I am recovering from an ankle reconstruction, 3 weeks I didn't even leave the house, and I still have 12 months of recovery ahead of me... I have been feeling bored and restless and just so crappy... so this all really helped. I hope you feel better really soon! 💕

Feb 9, 2017

Alyx T.

Terri - yes feet are so important! I always sleep with a bunch of lotion on my feet with some fuzzy socks so I just scrub them in the shower like normal and they're soft enough for me haha. I luckily am not always on my feet so they don't get so bad and sore anymore.

Taylor - sleeping in is the best! I think everyone should sleep in on days they don't work, it should be mandatory haha. I get the struggle of dry skin! I actually have an intense routine to try to combat it of a thick lotion and 5-10 minutes later I put a bit of oil to lock it all in and provide a bit more moisture. It takes more time but I'm no longer itchy and uncomfortable from dry skin.

Shona - that's great! And yes washing your brushes is such a task but it's have to be done and it feels so nice once it is! I also do guided meditation with a different app called Calm. It's been very helpful for me as I've also been home for a bit and have gone weeks without leaving as well, it's hard to feel nice when you're bored and restless I know that feeling so well. Ankle reconstruction sounds super painful and 12 months seems like not enough time for recovery! Are you going to physical therapy and rehab to help get everything moving again?

And thank you all for hoping I feel better ❤️
It's just a flu, but it's been brutal! I couldn't keep more than an ounce of ginger ale or apple juice down for a while. Started on Friday but it's been better today, the worst of it is definitely over and I'm starting to feel much better :) thank you! I think I'm going to give my skin a nice moisturizing mask tonight, I've been slacking on my skin routine and I feel so dry from being sick. Not enough fluid in me and my skin definitely suffered from it!
So I'll take my own advice and pamper myself tonight I think :)

Feb 9, 2017

Taylor G.

I'm glad you're feeling better! I hope you enjoy pampering yourself tonight:) I'm going to try your idea of locking in moisturizer with oil!

Feb 10, 2017

Shona S.

Alyx - something that may help is making a hot lemon, honey and tumeric drink! the tumeric can be yucky so just add a small amount and lots of honey 😊

Yeah I will see a physio starting with twice a week when I am out of my cast (so in 2 weeks), the. A moon boot, then an ankle brace, of course I'll be given daily exercises to do at home too... but I'm still determined to continue with my uni course this year haha