I've always loved taking the time out of my day to pamper myself and really relax, but towards the end of 2015 it became an absolute chore and I fell out of love with treating myself to a face mask, or slathering my hair in coconut oil to give it some much needed hydration. Fast-forward four months and I've got a routine I'm proud of, and I'm back to realising how important it is to have one.
1. Your skin will thank you for it
The first and most obvious thing is my skin in particular improved. It's by no means perfect (nor am I ready to go bare faced to work), but my makeup applies easier and I wear less because of that, which in turn makes it clearer, and so on. I've gone from using a makeup wipe just before bed to take off what remained on my face after a long day in the office, to making a point of taking it off with a cleanser, using a toner, a serum or oil, an eye cream and a moisturiser, all before I sit down & enjoy my evening at home.
2. It gives you the chance to learn
I love to learn new things, and if I'm not learning then I'm pretty bored. I'd been feeling quite uninspired when I decided to immerse myself in reigniting my beauty routine, and I was delighted at just how much I could get into it (who knew oil on oily skin could work wonders?!). I've spent hours trawling Caroline Hiron's blog, reading reviews of products from bloggers all over the world, and discovered just how much I love Kiehls products in particular.
3. Do as little or as much as you like
One of my favourite things is realising having a beauty routine doesn't need to be a chore. Some days taking my makeup off using my favourite products, or putting some coconut oil on my hair before I go to bed is all I feel like doing, but other days I'm just in the mood to pamper. Sunday evenings are usually my favourite time to indulge, and even these vary; some weeks I'll have a bath in the afternoon (what a luxury), apply a face mask, leave coconut oil on my hair for hours, give myself a manicure and pedicure, the lot. Other weeks, just a manicure is all I do. I guess my point here is that even the smallest things can make such a change to how you feel.
4. You switch off
I've got a lot of love for taking time out. I spend most of my day online from the minute I wake up (nothing quite like the bright blue backlight of the iPhone to wake you up in the morning!) so I always think a break from this is never a bad thing. For those few hours when I'm taking a long bath, doing my nails, putting a hair mask on, I generally leave my phone well alone. Besides not wanting to drop my phone in the bath or sink, it's also because it's just nice to switch off.
5. It makes you feel good
The final point and probably most important, is that it actually makes you feel good. I'll never think to myself 'Oh I wish I hadn't taken my makeup off last night' or 'That bath did me no good whatsoever'. I really think it's important for your wellbeing to always make time for yourself, realise you do need to have 'me' time, and do something you really enjoy.
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