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Not gonna lie — the term “self-care” used to make me cringe a bit. To me, it has the flavor of “Treat yo self!” which also, as much as I love Parks & Rec, makes me cringe. They make it seem like you shouldn’t always be caring about yourself and it frames “treating yourself” as a big to-do instead of.. .just being able to occasionally buy things that bring you joy.
That being said, I struggle with both. My self-care routine generally consists of remembering to take off my makeup before bed, snuggling up with my cats on a pile of fuzzy blankets and taking a 10-minute shower after work. But now that the holiday season is rolling around and I’ll be working full-time and I’m going on a trip to Copenhagen, I need to remember to take care of myself.
So, before December begins I’m mapping out a busy, holiday season self-care routine. I’m keeping it realistic, but letting myself get a little bit idealistic. Here are some tips for self-care during the busy holiday season, even if you struggle to care for yourself.
Make a calendar and scheduling in some practical self-care time.
If you must bake five dozen batches of holiday cookies, pencil in a soothing bubble bath for after. If you plan to visit five stores to go holiday shopping, plan to wrap presents on a different day to give yourself some time to breathe.
And, seriously? Pencil in pajamas and holiday movies! Nothing is better than wearing fuzzy pajamas and watching Elf under the glow of Christmas lights.
Establish a doable skincare routine.
Hover over the image above to see more information about these Aveeno products and to purchase them at CVS!
Personally, my skin becomes way more high maintenance in the wintertime. Most of all, my skin gets pretty dry. I’ve been using the Aveeno Positively Radiant and Maxglow products that I picked up from CVS, there are always amazing deals and all of the Aveeno products are in one convenient section. I always use my ExtraBucks and earn more from buying beauty products, so it’s typically my go-to place to buy skincare products.
The line has soy-enriched products that have a bit of kiwi (they smell really nice, but also subtle) and it focuses on making your skin as radiant as possible, which is exactly what I need in the winter. So, I mix the Aveeno Maxglow Infusion Drops to give my skin an extra moisturized glow. I typically do this in the morning and at night and my skin feels dewier already after just five days of using it.
I wear makeup every day, so the Aveeno Positively Radiant Micellar Gel Cleanser has also been amazing. It helps me to gently remove my makeup while still locking some much-needed moisture into my skin.
I hate taking time to apply face masks and rinse them off at night because by the time I get home I am exhausted. So the Aveeno Maxglow No Mess Sleep Mask has been a true savior. You can literally soften and hydrate your skin while you sleep! A true dream come true. It’s really easy to apply, which is a big bonus. There’s no need to get mask all over my hands since the bottle has a built-in paddle applicator.
Plus, it actually pays off. After using these my skin feels softer and dewier, proving that a lil bit of self-care can actually boost my confidence and save me time in the long-run.
All in all, map out a routine you’ll actually do. I find that narrowing down my routine to a few products in the morning and a few at night has helped me stick to it a bit better.
Relax by tackling tasks you enjoy.
I don’t know how to relax! For me, relaxing includes tackling tasks on my to-do list that bring me joy. I love re-organizing my makeup collection or, most recently, planning my trip to Copenhagen.
Even if you don’t have an upcoming trip, mapping out lists of places you want to visit and excursions you want to embark on can be a productive and fun way to care for yourself. To make this a bit more multi-purpose, I usually apply the Aveeno Maxglow No Mess Sleep Mask and let it soak in while I plan out my trip before bed.
Take time to cook yourself hearty, warm meals.
Although this does require a bit of work, cooking can be quite relaxing. A warm kitchen is perfect on a cold, winter day. Plus, then you have tasty leftovers to bring for lunch.
Two of my favorite winter meals to cook in bulk are beef stew and chili.
Pair a somewhat unpleasant task with a pleasant one.
If you must write addresses on envelopes for 50+ holiday cards, listen to your favorite podcast while you do it. If preparing for the holidays includes cleaning your house, put on your favorite music while you do it. Self-care doesn’t need to be a huge chunk of time that you set aside just to care about yourself.
