Ahh the famous pamper night. One of the most common tropes of the uphill battle against stress and sleep deprivation for 21st century women. But how many of us actually partake in the increasingly elusive pamper night? Turns out, not so many.
A lot of women see a pamper night as an end-of-week treat reserved only for rare Sundays without plans. Some see it as the antidote to an awful day at work. But what if we incorporated a pamper night into our weekly schedule? What if every week we devoted a few hours to the real love of our lives – ourselves?
Taking time out to relax and indulge works wonders for your self-esteem, stress levels, and can set you up to brave the working week drudgery. But it seems that many of us simply don’t have an entire evening to sacrifice to such luxury.
Firstly, let’s abandon the American chick-flick cliché of a pretty blonde in a bright green face mask, on the phone to her gal pals, wearing pink toe-separators while she applies a glittery nail polish. Let’s be realistic and accept that:
1) Nobody enjoys that much multi-tasking on pamper night.
2) Nobody uses toe-separators in 2018.
We need to go back to basics. That extortionate Jo Malone candle you’re afraid to light? Light it. That teeny-tiny La Mer moisturiser sample you won’t touch? Use it. The hair mask you normally save for big nights out? Slather it all over your locks and feel like Rapunzel.
We save all these little luxuries for ‘big nights’ and ‘special occasions’ but fail to realise that these nights will be special regardless. So why not add a little magic to a Tuesday night? Rather than make a huge effort to look amazing in pictures, why not glam up just for you? Regular, small indulgences go a long way in boosting our overall outlook. Don’t live life saving all your perks for events that only come up a handful of nights per year.
Along with the little tipples of sample treatments you’ve accumulated over the years, there’s plenty of little treats you can pick up at very little expense. A great night’s sleep is essential to a happy morning, invest in your rest. Pick up some fluffy PJ’s, a blackout eye mask and a high-quality memory foam pillow. A relaxing pillow spray will cheer you up each night before you fall asleep, and make you smile the moment you wake up. The same goes for reed diffusers and any aromatherapy products. Invest in the smell of your home and it’ll manifest into your mood.
While it can be a real treat to listen to your classic power playlist, don’t. Browse through playlists linked to similar artists and you’ll find yourself stumbling on tracks you haven’t heard for years. Nostalgia is the cheapest self-indulgence there is, and you should seize it.
There are tons of ways that you can add a touch of celebration to the every day. So, remember to invest in yourself regularly. What I’m trying to say is – keep up the #livingmybestlife mentality, even when the cameras aren’t on you.