This post is sponsored by Nordstrom and ShopStyle. The product selections are my own, and I only highlight and promote items that I truly love. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Sheaffer Told Me To!
********************
It’s December 12th, and I want to know who is exhausted.
Did you hear that? It was thousands of women saying “ME!”. 🙂
I mean, we all know that the holiday season is magical and wonderful, but it’s also super busy. There seems to be a never-ending TO DO list, and there also seems to be very little time for any relaxation.
Well, I’m hoping my post today will encourage you to take a minute (or 20) for yourself.
Self-care is so important all year long, but I feel like it’s extra important during the busy holiday season. It’s so easy to run yourself ragged doing all the things, and it’s very easy to forget about taking care of yourself. Today I have some SELF-CARE TIPS that are easy to incorporate into your routine and they don’t take a ton of time. Maybe just pick 1 or 2 and commit to spending a little time on yourself each day.
And in addition to treating yourself to some of these self-care products, thinking about gifting them as well. I know that we as women often time have a hard time spending money on ourselves, so self-care items make perfect gifts! Treat some ladies you love! Be a Self-Care Santa for yourself and for the ladies in your life!
These are some of the items I’m going to highlight today!
I promise you, a little time spent on self-care is always time well spent!
***
SELF-CARE TIP #1: GET COMFY
This is an easy one, y’all! When you get home at the end of a busy day, GET COMFY! Almost nothing makes me happier than slipping on some comfy cozies at the end of a long day.
Everything I’ve got on is incredibly comfortable and wearing it all helps me to relax.
pajamas / blardigan / slippers
These pajamas are the famous Nordstrom pajamas that I’ve been wearing for at least 5 years now. It appears that this floral print is no longer available, but several solids and patterns still remain, and the animal print and the heathered grey are still available and are ON SALE. They are so soft, they have a great fit, they launder perfectly, and them make a great gift. For size reference, I’m wearing a small.
pajamas / blardigan / slippers
Speaking of great gifts, a blardigan (part blanket/part cardigan) will always be at the top of my list for great gift recommendations.
This particular blardigan recently went on sale, so there aren’t many colors and sizes left. But I’m telling you, anything from Barefoot Dreams is a home run gift for your mom, your sister, your sister-in-law, your grandma, etc.
And anything from Barefoot Dreams will encourage self-care. The pieces are soooooo comfy and soooo luxurious, you can’t help but let out a little sigh of relief when you a Barefoot Dreams item on.
pajamas / blardigan / slippers
And y’all. Check out my darling slippers.
pajamas / blardigan / slippers
If you don’t own a great pair of slippers that you love putting on at the end of the day, FIX THAT RIGHT NOW.
If you aren’t a fan of leopard, there are solid color choices HERE.
I own several pairs of slippers, and I think that pretty much all slippers are good, but these slippers are exceptional. They hug my feet, they keep them quite warm, AND THEY’RE DARLING. They only come in whole sizes, and I definitely recommend sizing up if you’re a half size.
leopard ugg slippers (other color options HERE)
***
SELF-CARE TIP #2: MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE
The Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream is a product that I’m officially obsessed with and have been for years. I absolutely could not live without it, and it’s a product I use every single day. And every time I use it, it feels a little bit indulgent. I added into my routine years and years ago after reading about it on several blogs and in several “BEST OF” beauty articles. Lots of users compared it to the much more expensive La Mer line, but said they preferred this product! That was it, I was convinced I needed to try it. Officially, it’s a cream that floods skin with moisture for a glowing complexion in a flash. A little goes a long way with this cream, and it’s not greasy, but it is incredibly hydrating. There is a very light rose scent to this cream, and I don’t normally care for rose, but it doesn’t bother me at all.
Hydrating your skin is the most basic of self-care tips, and it’s so important!
***
SELF CARE TIP #3: GIVE YOUR SKIN A MASSAGE
No self-care routine is complete without giving your skin a gentle massage! It not only feels great, but it’s also really great for the health of your skin and will really wake your face up in the morning!
This multitasking tool will help shrink the size of pores, help with lymphatic drainage, boost circulation, and reduce puffiness.
Pro Tip: Want to really ramp up your self-care game? Pop your roller in the fridge before using it. In the morning, it will help you de-puff. Used at night, it will help you lock in your skin care routine.
This particular roller seems to be going in and out of stock, so click HERE for other roller options. And all of these Gua Sha facial sculpting tools are also amazing and would make perfect stocking stuffers.
***
SELF-CARE TIP #4: GIVE YOURSELF A FACIAL
A great way to up your self-care game is to give yourself a DIY facial! There’s no reason for a pricey trip to the spa, you truly can pamper yourself at home!
These Tula skin reviving treatment pads are LEGIT. If you don’t have a good exfoliation step in your weekly skin care routine, you definitely need to add one, especially if you are over 30. I tell ya, we need all the help with skin cell turnover that we can get! Haha! These treatment pads “provide both chemical and physical exfoliation without any of the downtime”. I MEAN! And a total bonus is that they are individually packaged so they are a breeze to travel with.
After you rinse the product off and your face fully dries, you won’t believe how soft and clean your face feels.
And here’s another option! I talked about this set last month when I highlighted lots of awesome holiday sets, but it deserves another mention. It’s an EXCELLENT deal and makes a beautiful gift.
This Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Set includes the Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads that I already use AND LOVE. And it also includes the Resurfacing Facial Wash that I’m excited to try!
Several influencers I follow (and trust) have been recommending these Resurfacing Pads for years. I was always interested when they would sing their praises, but I had some similar pads from a different product line that I loved that kept me from trying the Elemis pads. Well, when the Elemis pads went on sale back in March, I finally tried them and instantly fell in love. Now I use my other pads several nights a week and still use and love them, but I have started using the Elemis pads each morning. They wake up my face, they get off every little bit of skincare from the night before and any oils that might have accumulated overnight, and they just leave me feeling incredibly refreshed. After using them I moisturize, apply sunscreen, and then apply makeup as normal.
Click HERE for some other awesome beauty gift sets that caught my eye this year. I dedicated an entire post to them!
Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Set
And to make the cleansing portion of your skincare routine extra special, you could use this silicone cleansing mitt. At only $12, it would make a wonderful stocking stuffer (especially because of the super cute packaging).
***
SELF CARE TIP #5: DON’T FORGET YOUR EYES
Don’t forget your eyes, ladies! The delicate skin around our eyes definitely deserves some attention and pampering.
I was first introduced to these babies in April of 2018, and I’ve been using them ever since. When at a conference, one of my friends brought these out for all of us to try. One use, and I was hooked. We all were.
So, how do you use them and what benefits do they have? You use the enclosed spatula to gently lift and separate a patch from the others, and then you apply the patches under your eye to clean and dry skin.
If you apply with the pointy side up, you will target under eye puffiness and wrinkles. If you apply with the pointy side down, you can target your crow’s feet. They feel nice and cool on your skin when you put them on (I’ve heard some even keep them in the fridge), and I leave them on for 10-15 minutes. The caffeine that’s in them helps de-puff the eye area, and the 24K gold will leave your skin appearing firmer, lifted, and brighter! #YESPLEASE
They are expensive, but I really do notice a marked difference after using them. I don’t use them every day, only when I look extra tired or have extra puffy eyes.
Peter Thomas Roth 24K gold eye patches
When talking about eyes, I also really love using the Tula eye brightener in the morning. It glides on very easily and has a wonderful cooling effect on my eyes. I don’t really deal with dark circles (which many say it helps tremendously), but I use it every morning and I do feel like it brightens my eyes and wakes up my face. It gives a really nice sheen and just a healthy little glow. I sweep it on under my eyes, on my brow bone, and even sometimes on my cheekbones.
HOW TO: After you moisturize, apply around the entire eye and on the orbital bone for a brighter appearance. You can even use it as a highlighter on your cheekbones, cupid’s bow, nose or anywhere else you want a glow effect. Due to the unique balm texture of this product, you can reapply throughout the day to energize and brighten the eye area.
***
SELF CARE TIP #6: TAKE A RELAXING SHOWER OR BATH
Are you a bath girl or a shower girl? 9/10 times I take a shower because they’re just so much more convenient, but I have friends that absolutely do not miss their nightly baths. And I can admit that a bath is obviously much more indulgent and relaxing. When I do take a bath on occasion, I make sure I do it up right!
Grab some type of bath product (bath salts, bubble bath, or a bath bomb) and LOCK THE DOOR. You feel me, mamas. You could even dim the lights and light a couple of candles if you’re feeling extra fancy. Just relax in the tub (the hotter the better for me) and you’ll feel like a new woman when you get out!
These mood cleansing bath salts have a wonderful citrus smell and are such a treat. The bag is small, so I only use them on occasion when I want to really indulge.
The L’Occitane bubble bath is my absolute favorite, but I forgot to grab it out of my tub to bring to the shoot.
I know what you’re thinking. $39 FOR BUBBLE BATH? YES. The answer is yes.
It’s shocking. But it’s lovely and luxurious and fabulous. The scent will truly transport you and the bubbles are better than any other bubbles I’ve ever experienced. If your mom or sister is a bath person, TREAT HER TO THIS. Years ago I received a bottle at a conference, and I continue to purchase it, even though it’s expensive. And like I said, I’m not typically a bath person, but when I do take one, I always use this. I love everything about the experience, including my baby soft skin afterwards. I wanted to read what others had to say about it in the online reviews, and I now want to be friends with the reviewer Kate88Kate. Here’s what she had to say: So make sure your mortgage is manageable and you’ve got a good financial strategy because once you go down the L’Occitane road it’s a one -way trip. KATE! Let’s be besties! Click HERE for all L’Occitane products if you want to check out all they have to offer.
If you opt for a shower, you can still indulge with this L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil. OH SHOOT! I just realized that the shower oil by itself is sold out, but you can grab this set that contains the shower oil for an awesome deal! This shower oil will leave your skin sooooooooo hydrated and sooooooooooo soft. I will say, be careful because your shower floor will be a little slippery after using this oil.
L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil Set
***
SELF-CARE TIP #7: TREAT YOUR FEET
Are you on your feet all day? I know as busy moms and women, we often are! Our feet deserve a little pampering too!
Fuzzy socks are an inexpensive and fun way to pamper the pups. And on occasion, I like to slather my feet in a really good lotion before slipping the socks on. It might sound a little weird, but the socks obviously help to keep the cream on your feet.
A really cute little gift set would be these butter socks, this foot file, and a really good foot cream!
***
SELF CARE TIP #8: TREAT YOURSELF
Do something just for you. These lash and brow serums are expensive, but they are something I like to do for myself. I swipe them on every single night. It only takes a second, and I 100% notice a difference in my lash length and the sparse spots in my brows.
They brought back the Anniversary Sale sets for the holidays (you get 2 brow serums or 2 eyelash serums), and you are basically getting 2 for 1. If you buy one of these sets, keep one serum for yourself and then gift one!
neulash brow serum / neulash eyelash serum
\
***
SELF CARE TIP #9: GET A GREAT NIGHT’S SLEEP
I think we all know that we can do all sorts of self-care routines, but if we don’t get enough sleep, none of it matters! NONE OF IT.
I rarely end up getting a full 8 hours, but I really like to get 7. I know it’s so important to prioritize sleep.
My satin pillowcase is one of my very favorite things I own. My friend Erika gave this to everybody at a Favorite Things party a couple of years ago, and I now have no idea how I used to sleep on a regular pillowcase. A silk or satin pillowcase helps to protect your hair from frizz and is also gentle on your skin, and I of course love those things about it. But I love it the most because it’s cold when I lay on it and just feels so dang good.
SHOOT! I just saw that my exact pillowcase is sold out, but you can click HERE for lots of other options.
And to make my head hitting the pillow an even better experience, I’ve recently started spraying my pillowcase with this deep sleep pillow spray. There really is something intoxicating about the scent, and I’ve started using it every single night. I really do think it relaxes me and might even help me drift off to sleep a bit easier. Now, I don’t typically have any trouble falling asleep at night, but this does make the experience even more enjoyable. It feels like such a nice little treat.
***
SOME MORE SELF-CARE IDEAS
- Our hair needs extra love too! This Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask has excellent reviews. It’s a multi-benefit and reparative hair mask that moisturizes, smoothes, and adds body and shine to hair. Click HERE for all of the Olaplex products.
- Continuing to talk about hair, this Morrocanoil Treatment nourishes hair, tames fly-aways, and boosts shine! GIVE ME ALL THE SHINE! Click HERE for all Moroccanoil products.
- Click HERE for all sorts of tools and devices, all PERFECT for self-care. Some are expensive, but they would be such a wonderful self-care treat. This GloPRO set is on SUPER SALE right now, and I just ordered this weighted blanket for my eyes and can hardly wait for it to arrive!
***
So what do you think, ladies? Do you think you can commit to taking just a little bit of time for yourself to indulge in some self-care? YOU’RE WORTH IT!
A huge THANK YOU to Nordstrom and ShopStyle for sponsoring this post. And don’t forget to take advantage of all the GIFT WITH PURCHASE opportunities happening right now! The gifts are good, y’all. You can grab a Christmas present for a loved one, and then you can treat yourself to the gift with purchase!
Shay Shull says
You told me about the lavender bubble bath YEARS ago, and it’s the only one I’ve used since then. It’s everything a bubble bath should be.