Hello everyone!
I am back with the next instalment in Serene Spa July, where we are aiming to bring a little peace and relaxation into our lives each day.
I hope you've had a great week so far. It's been chilly here but we are in the middle of winter. If you are in a heat wave I hope you are keeping cool! Shall we get straight into Serene Spa July?
~~
Day 17. Partake in boudoir time
If you have read any of my books, you’ve likely heard me talk about boudoir time. But I have to mention it here too, because regular boudoir time is probably one of the top ways I love to feel relaxed and peaceful, and it makes for a great night’s sleep too.
Boudoir time is not what you might think… in my world it is going to our bedroom a little earlier than my husband (he is still watching tv :) I take my lady basket with some thoughtfully chosen reading material and a herbal tea. Preferably chamomile or a sleepytime tea blend.
I take my time washing my face and applying a mask, moisturising my hands and feet with a rich, creamy lotion, and then prop myself up in bed with a book or one of my Victoria magazines, and read for twenty minutes or so while my mask sets. Then, I wash my mask off and apply my night cream.
And if you play soft background music at the same time, so much the better. I promise you, with this restful and restorative lead up to bedtime, you will sleep so well.
Enjoy your boudoir time tonight!
Boudoir time is not what you might think… in my world it is going to our bedroom a little earlier than my husband (he is still watching tv :) I take my lady basket with some thoughtfully chosen reading material and a herbal tea. Preferably chamomile or a sleepytime tea blend.
I take my time washing my face and applying a mask, moisturising my hands and feet with a rich, creamy lotion, and then prop myself up in bed with a book or one of my Victoria magazines, and read for twenty minutes or so while my mask sets. Then, I wash my mask off and apply my night cream.
And if you play soft background music at the same time, so much the better. I promise you, with this restful and restorative lead up to bedtime, you will sleep so well.
Enjoy your boudoir time tonight!
~~
Day 18. Browse your style files
Do you have a stash of torn-out magazine pages in a file folder? Articles saved on your computer? Saved posts on Instagram or Facebook? If you’re like me, you collect these inspiring tidbits but rarely remember to go back to them.
But when you do? You discover a wealth of inspiration, motivation and encouragement. And the fun thing too, is that you will find a sense of cohesiveness that is very soothing. Simply by the act of collecting what has inspired you over time, you find out what is most important to you; what you value.
Sometimes you will have outgrown certain aspects of your style files, so it’s good to have a prune out as you go too.
In Serene Spa July, consider that the act of perusing your style files is a very necessary part of your daily life. Take five minutes to dip in, and see what inspired action comes of it.
Take this time as your personal retreat, when you slow down and reimagine what is possible. You are that elegant lady gathering inspiration for her new season’s wardrobe, or finding new self-care ideas.
I always find myself relaxing effortlessly when I read through my collection of inspiring words and pictures. There is a sense of nostalgia as I remember what has inspired me in the past.
I don’t tear magazine pages out so much now, that has moved to Pinterest, so my magazine pages are a door to the past, sometimes as far back as the 1990s. When I decluttered my large magazine collection I went through a lot of the issues and kept the pages that spoke to me. It’s so fun to have them all stored together.
However your style files are organised (or disorganised!) I hope you have a pleasurable read, maybe during boudoir time.
Do you have a stash of torn-out magazine pages in a file folder? Articles saved on your computer? Saved posts on Instagram or Facebook? If you’re like me, you collect these inspiring tidbits but rarely remember to go back to them.
But when you do? You discover a wealth of inspiration, motivation and encouragement. And the fun thing too, is that you will find a sense of cohesiveness that is very soothing. Simply by the act of collecting what has inspired you over time, you find out what is most important to you; what you value.
Sometimes you will have outgrown certain aspects of your style files, so it’s good to have a prune out as you go too.
In Serene Spa July, consider that the act of perusing your style files is a very necessary part of your daily life. Take five minutes to dip in, and see what inspired action comes of it.
Take this time as your personal retreat, when you slow down and reimagine what is possible. You are that elegant lady gathering inspiration for her new season’s wardrobe, or finding new self-care ideas.
I always find myself relaxing effortlessly when I read through my collection of inspiring words and pictures. There is a sense of nostalgia as I remember what has inspired me in the past.
I don’t tear magazine pages out so much now, that has moved to Pinterest, so my magazine pages are a door to the past, sometimes as far back as the 1990s. When I decluttered my large magazine collection I went through a lot of the issues and kept the pages that spoke to me. It’s so fun to have them all stored together.
However your style files are organised (or disorganised!) I hope you have a pleasurable read, maybe during boudoir time.
~~
Day 19. Pamper yourself every day
In Serene Spa July the aim is to do little things that bring about the ambience and feeling of being at a high-end spa. You want to feel peaceful and relaxed, but in this series everything is F R E E pretty much :) No costly treatment prices.
At the spa, your face, body and soul is pampered. Well, the soul pampering comes from the physical pampering. It just feels delightfully restorative, but if you’re a thrifty girl like me, sometimes the cost can take away from the pleasure.
That’s why I like to pamper myself daily, at home, after my morning shower. Actually I start in the shower which is stocked with a small array of face and body products. I alternate between a foaming wash and an exfoliating wash on my face. And I always have a lovely soap. Plus I have shower gel to use on my long handled poufy brush to do my back.
Then, when I’m dried off, I like to smother myself literally from top to toe in a deliciously scented rich body lotion. I change the brands and fragrances every time I buy a new one. It feels fresh and new to try different products.
Then I finish off with a body spray and some perfume. You won’t find any fragrance-free products in my bathroom!
However you prefer your products, use them daily and really pamper yourself. I promise you it doesn’t take ‘that’ much longer than going without. And your skin will be soft and supple for life if you make moisturising a habit.
I hope I’ve convinced you to spend a little time on your legs and arms and everywhere else (bum cheeks, shoulders, decolletage, stomach). Do it every day for a week and you will feel transformed. Have fun!
At the spa, your face, body and soul is pampered. Well, the soul pampering comes from the physical pampering. It just feels delightfully restorative, but if you’re a thrifty girl like me, sometimes the cost can take away from the pleasure.
That’s why I like to pamper myself daily, at home, after my morning shower. Actually I start in the shower which is stocked with a small array of face and body products. I alternate between a foaming wash and an exfoliating wash on my face. And I always have a lovely soap. Plus I have shower gel to use on my long handled poufy brush to do my back.
Then, when I’m dried off, I like to smother myself literally from top to toe in a deliciously scented rich body lotion. I change the brands and fragrances every time I buy a new one. It feels fresh and new to try different products.
Then I finish off with a body spray and some perfume. You won’t find any fragrance-free products in my bathroom!
However you prefer your products, use them daily and really pamper yourself. I promise you it doesn’t take ‘that’ much longer than going without. And your skin will be soft and supple for life if you make moisturising a habit.
I hope I’ve convinced you to spend a little time on your legs and arms and everywhere else (bum cheeks, shoulders, decolletage, stomach). Do it every day for a week and you will feel transformed. Have fun!
~~
Day 20. Love herbal tea
Nothing says spa day like a herbal tea – hot or chilled. I ‘love’ herbal tea, but sometimes forget that, and it seems boring to me. Then, when I make myself a cup, I remember again how good it is!
I love fruit infusions, mint tea, chamomile, even green tea (but only with lemon or ginger). There are so many fabulous teas these days, and some are très fancy too (which means très expensive :).
And, you can even go one step further and make your own with fresh herbs. That really is being extra. Imagine fresh mint or other herbs steeped in boiling water.
And, in the summer, making it chilled is wonderful. I keep my ‘green tea with lemon’ flavoured teabag in cold water for 15 minutes and it is delicious in my drink bottle. With mint tea I leave the bag in and it’s so refreshing. Especially if you make it the night before and store in the fridge, or add ice cubes if you forgot to do that.
Coffee or black tea with milk always seems more appealing when I forget about how much I like herbal tea, but it really is an excellent addition to my drinks regime. Zero calories, delicious taste, and probably even health benefits too. And, apart from green tea, there is no caffeine so you will be adding to, not detracting from, your hydration as well.
Obviously I’ve gotten into a bit of a herbal tea rut (the worst kind!) so please, let me know your most favourite herbal tea so I can get out of the house and try something new :)
Nothing says spa day like a herbal tea – hot or chilled. I ‘love’ herbal tea, but sometimes forget that, and it seems boring to me. Then, when I make myself a cup, I remember again how good it is!
I love fruit infusions, mint tea, chamomile, even green tea (but only with lemon or ginger). There are so many fabulous teas these days, and some are très fancy too (which means très expensive :).
And, you can even go one step further and make your own with fresh herbs. That really is being extra. Imagine fresh mint or other herbs steeped in boiling water.
And, in the summer, making it chilled is wonderful. I keep my ‘green tea with lemon’ flavoured teabag in cold water for 15 minutes and it is delicious in my drink bottle. With mint tea I leave the bag in and it’s so refreshing. Especially if you make it the night before and store in the fridge, or add ice cubes if you forgot to do that.
Coffee or black tea with milk always seems more appealing when I forget about how much I like herbal tea, but it really is an excellent addition to my drinks regime. Zero calories, delicious taste, and probably even health benefits too. And, apart from green tea, there is no caffeine so you will be adding to, not detracting from, your hydration as well.
Obviously I’ve gotten into a bit of a herbal tea rut (the worst kind!) so please, let me know your most favourite herbal tea so I can get out of the house and try something new :)
~~
I do hope you have enjoyed this week's instalment of Serene Spa July, and make sure to join me next week for the final post of rejuvenation that can be found when you take care of the little things.
xx Fiona
PS. It's also the last few days for my big super special on my book ‘Thirty More Chic Days: Creating an inspired mindset for a magical life’ at only $2.99 for the Kindle copy (70% off!) and the paperback is discounted too. You can find both versions here at my Amazon affiliate link.
And the eBook is also on special, downloadable in my eStore for an Amazon alternative :)
And the eBook is also on special, downloadable in my eStore for an Amazon alternative :)
This series has been so fun to read (& implement)! Thank you so much for creating these ideas & sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou are a kindred spirit!
~ Malinda Bañuelos
(Colorado)
It's not an herbal tea, but Bigelow Toasted Coconut Almond Bark Black Tea is lovely and very unlike black tea. It's very different but not overwhelming.
ReplyDelete