Self-care may be an overused expression these days (it seems to have become a blanket term for everything from having a glass of wine to therapy), but the principle of taking time for yourself is an important one, and something that I've never felt any guilt about. I read a lot about people struggling to carve out time from their daily routines, or feeling like they are unable to switch off. Happily I don't have this problem: I've always believed that time taken to look after myself is time truly well spent, in whatever format I choose that to take.
September feels like the perfect time of year to really indulge in this. As the nights start to draw in, the pressure to be outside in the open air lessens, and decisions to choose a night on the sofa with Netflix over saying yes to social events become more easily accepted. For me, truly indulging in what I want to do most often looks like a combination of snuggling up on the sofa with my cat, wrapped in a fur throw, with a hot cup of tea and a gripping crime drama box set, and later a hot bath filled with divine-smelling oils. In essence, it's all about comfort, relaxation and cosiness. The falling of leaves and of the temperature gauge that September brings heralds the arrival of the season of cosiness: hot drinks, chunky scarves, knitted socks and open fires. Yet it's before Christmas truly starts to loom on the horizon and we have to start putting others' needs first.
So I thought I would bring together an edit of some of my current favourite things to help me wind down and revel in relaxation, in the hope that you too can use this as inspiration to make September a truly decadent month for unashamedly taking care of yourself.
Diptyque Feu de Bois candle*
Anyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am with scented candles. I've previously written a blog post about all my favourites and how to take care of them here, so I won't repeat myself. Suffice it to say that September always has me reaching for my ultimate autumnal candle: Diptyque Feu de Bois. If you are not lucky enough to have a wood burner in your home (one day...), this is truly the next best thing. It smells of smoky bonfires and the lingering remnants of fireworks in the air. Divine.
Aromatherapy Associates bath oil*
One of my best ever Space NK Boxing Day sales buys (of which there have been many... so many) was a set of 12 mini Aromatherapy Associates bath oils. Each as divinely luxurious and deeply-scented as the last, a mere capful poured into your bath fills your entire home with the unmistakeable scent of the self-care mothership - the spa - while also coating your limbs in a softly-perfumed sheen that lasts all day. That was probably two or even three years ago and I still haven't used them all up, but when I do, I will be repurchasing without a doubt. If you are looking for something more affordable, I also highly recommend Elemental Herbology's Metal Detox bath oil, which, though the name may not conjure up relaxing scenes, is very good value considering how richly perfumed and long-lasting it too is.
L:A Bruket sage, rosemary & lavender salt scrub
If, like me, you loathe the dry scaly limbs that winter can all too often bring, you may also have been on the hunt for a body scrub which sloughs off that dead layer of skin, leaving it silky smooth. Sadly the beauty world is overflowing with lacklustre scrubs which do little more than leave a slight tingle. This L:A Bruket scrub is the real deal, though: it's genuinely rough thanks to a mix of sugar and salt, meaning you will notice an immediate difference in skin texture. What's more, it also contains almond oil to simultaneously smooth and soften, plus it smells absolutely incredible. Oh, and the packaging's pretty great, too.
This Works Deep Sleep pillow spray*
Key to taking care of yourself is getting enough good quality sleep. I don't know about you, but the older I get, the more I am willing to give up almost anything to get a blissful early night, sinking into sumptuously soft clean sheets scented with lavender. Step forward This Works' iconic pillow spray, which you will no doubt be familiar with already, given how often it's hailed as a hero product, and for good reason. There really is nothing like the heady, dreamy aroma of lavender to send you off into a blissfully deep slumber.
Slip silk eye mask*
The final icing on the decadence cake is this silk eye mask. To be honest, I am so used to having white curtains that any light peeking through doesn't disturb me (a great skill to have, and why I always recommend that people ditch the blackout blinds). So for me this eye mask is really just pure indulgence. The softness of the silk on my eyelids and the knowledge that I have truly shut out the world in order to surrender to me-time never fails to help me drift off.
Affiliate links are marked with *.
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