Self-care is essential, even more so If you aren’t feeling so great and only want to crawl up in bed and feel sorry for yourself – Like I used to do a lot! But over the years I realized that getting out of bed, dressing up, doing my hair and makeup makes me feel better! I’m not saying that I do this every day, but I try to, especially those days that I wake up feeling like crap. I want to share my self-care routine, and products I currently use or have used in the past and I will give you my honest opinion about them.
The importance of self-care
I used to work a lot, but when I wasn’t able to work anymore I sat at home all day in my pajamas, and things went from bad to worse and then rock bottom. It made me feel like absolute crap and my self-esteem vanished, until one day I told myself ‘ok Kim, enough feeling sorry for yourself – put some clothes on, some make-up and brush your hair.’ Suddenly I felt a lot better, I was still depressed, anxious and highly traumatized, but at least I didn’t feel ‘so ugly’ and ‘disgusting’ anymore.
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Self-care routine morning
First thing I do when I wake up is drinking a big glass of water and brushing my teeth, this might sound obvious, but for someone suffering from depression, it’s really not. Brushing your teeth can feel like a huge job you just don’t want to do. After that, I wash my face with a Clinique face wash and I apply some Paula’s choice and Clinique super defense spf20. Then I put on my clothes, I mostly order from Asos or River Island. I’m from the Netherlands and we are supposed to be tall, but I’m only 5.4, So I’m thankful for all the petite brands. After dressing I add some make-up. Most days I only wear mascara and Estee Lauder daywear, but if I’m leaving the house I wear my favorite Huda Beauty products. I wear Alien from Thierry Mugler every day since I was a teenager, it’s a very comfortable scent for me.
Clinique liquid facial soap & Paula’s choice skin perfecting
I’ve used the Clinique liquid facial soap for many years – It’s a very mild face wash that makes your face feel super clean, and the best thing; It contains a pump, so you get no bacteria inside your face wash. I started using Paula’s choice skin perfecting 2% BHA liquid about 2 years ago. I’m 27, but I’m still very prone to acne and this product contains salicylic acid, which helps clean your pores and reduce bacteria growth on your face. Paula’s Choice exfoliant is the only product that saves my face from blackheads and other related problems.
Estee Lauder Daywear
This is the best and easiest to use product in my bathroom. It’s tinted day cream with SPF, so basically it’s a day cream, sunscreen, and foundation in one! It comes in a handy tube, you only need a little bit to cover your face. The product has no color until you smear it out. The product claims it can be used by all skin colors, but in my experience, it is best suited for yellow tones.
Clinique
By now you probably realize that I love Clinique products. I have a very sensitive skin and can barely use any products, but Clinique always works wonders for me. The Clinique superdefense moisturizer is a wonderful cream that keeps your skin moisturized and protected against damage from the sun and environment. I sometimes use the Clinique dramatically different moisturizer lotion or the Clinique moisturizer surge when I don’t need sunscreen. These lotions are not as thick as the superdefense, but still, work miracles for your skin.
The Clinique high impact mascara is one of my favorite mascara’s, it makes your lashes look longer and thicker, without making it look like spider legs. The brush has a nice length and it’s easy to apply.
Alien Thierry Mugler
I remember being a 16 year-old-girl looking for her first perfume. I literally spend hours smelling all the different perfumes, but once I smelled Alien, I was sold. The smell is so magical and mysterious and it fits me so well! I wore it every day since. The good thing is that you can just buy 1 flacon and after that, you can refill it. This bottle is literally 11 years old and I refilled it many times. It contains jasmine, woods & amber, making it a powerful feminine scent.
Huda Beauty
Huda is the definition of a bossbabe, this woman is pure awesome, and I love wearing her make-up. She creates beautiful makeup with vibrant feminine colors. My favorites are her dessert dusk palette and her beautiful lipgloss sets.
Isn’t she a beauty?! This palette is the only eyeshadow palette in my possession, cause it contains everything I need, and the best thing, the eyeshadow lasts forever! With this palette, you can create chic, casual and many other looks. I’m sure you are curious how Huda Beauty products look on me, well here you go.
Self-care routine night
Before I go to bed I brush my teeth, floss and then clean my skin with Clinique facewash after that I use Paula’s choice again and I apply some Estee Lauder night repair serum. I like to use some lavender sleeping spray on my pillow or use lavender body oil before I go to bed, it really helps me sleep faster and better.
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair
It’s a little pricey, but it lasts a very long time cause you only need a little drop. The serum feels very soft and has a very mild fragrance. I’ve used it for many years and I don’t think that I will ever switch to a different one.
Extra self-care routine
Sometimes you need a little extra self-care, so I take a bath about 2-3 times a week with lavender oil or something similar. While I’m in the bathtub I take advantage of the moment and give myself a nice little mask for some extra self-care! I also use a self-care list that I can always access whenever I’m in need of some me time.
Masks
I like to try different masks, but so far I like mud masks or sheets the most. Your skin feels so soft and clean after and somehow that gives me a big confidence boost!
Hair routine
I’m naturally dark blonde, but I like to add some light blonde/greyish colors to my hair. So every 2 months I go to the hairdresser and she adds some highlights to my hair. I wash my hair three times a week with Kevin Murphy blonde angel shampoo and conditioner. I’ve tried many hair products, but this is the only thing that keeps my hair blonde, and not yellow. I swear, I can’t tell you how much I hate yellow tones. The first thing I do when I go to my hairdresser is telling her that she has to add as many blue and purple tones as possible and I rather turn blue than yellow, true story.
Most days I don’t put anything in my hair. I’m blessed with a lot of hair and I like it to be as natural as possible, but if I go to a party I go for a blowout and add some hairspray, and that’s it!
This is my self-care routine, I will add another post with details about my fitness and food routine later. Trust me, it’s complicated. I have a love-hate relationship with food and fitness, but I tell you more about that later! For now, thanks for reading and let me know if you have questions!
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