awellnessworkinprogress.com

A hacking cough kept me awake last night. I allowed myself an extra few minutes in bed…and then became part of the daily scramble for the bathroom. It reminded me why I usually get up earlier than the rest of the household.

This disruption to my morning routine led me to forget all about my skincare. Ironically, I was boasting about this just the other day. I said that, no matter what, I always do my skincare in the morning. It’s one of those ingrained habits, a set-in-stone part of my morning routine, a self-care non-negotiable, if you will. Just a few extra minutes in bed affected my entire routine. Now, here I am with slightly less dewy skin than normal.

But it got me thinking about self-care non-negotiables. You know, those things you do, no matter what, as part of your self-care routine. These activities nourish and restore you. They help you manage your energy levels and maintain your overall wellbeing.

You may not have much of a self-care routine going on. However, I bet if you think hard, you’ll find there’s something you do that contributes positively to your wellbeing. This could be minimizing contact with certain people. It might also be watching a favourite show at the same time on the same evening each week.

In case you can’t think of any, why not have a read through mine and see if any of these resonate:

Quite Time
I have written about this before. Starting my day in a way that minimizes noise has been so beneficial for my mental wellbeing. I am self-diagnosed neurodivergent. I like loud music under certain circumstances. However, I can get overstimulated pretty easily and I find too much background noise distracting.

I think of myself as a morning person. I enjoy being up early so I can make the most of my day. However, I do take a little while to come round and prefer to do so in a quiet environment. It’s as though I need to process the night before before I can start the new day afresh.

Quiet Time, for me, involves my “love seat” and a pot of green tea. I will check my phone but do so with intention rather than mindlessly scrolling. I also enjoy just looking out the window. It’s not the most glamorous view – it looks onto a main road. Still, there is often wildlife in the garden and I take comfort from the familiar faces that walk past my window at the same time each morning. There is a man who walks his dog and she often parks her bum right outside our house and for a moment or two refuses to move. I always find their little back and forth quite entertaining.

Skincare, morning & night
I could probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve done the skincare unthinkable and gone to bed still wearing a full face of makeup. This has certainly hasn’t happened during “adulthood”. Even in a state of exhaustion, illness or intoxication, I still manage to remove my “face” before bed.

I have found products that do the job quickly. They work effectively at those times when I just want to get to bed. In case you’re looking for some skincare inspo, I start my routine with a “double cleanse”. Perhaps a cleansing oil followed by something a little “frothier”. I use a makeup remover that can shift stubborn eye makeup. I’ve tried a few products but nothing matches Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover despite the hefty price tag. If you’re on a budget, you can’t go wrong with Garnier soothing 2 in 1 Eye Makeup Remover.

I normally cleanse, tone and moisturise, using with an eye cream and a hydrating serum and moisturiser. Sometimes I’ll throw in a facial oil for good measure!

If I’m feeling tired, I might skip a couple of stages. I opt for products that get straight to the point. One example is the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask and another is the Overnight Eye Serum.

Since my twenties, a solid skincare routine has been just something I do. There is something comforting about the ritual of removing makeup at the end of a working day. Investing in products that make you feel good is a great incentive for maintaining a good skincare habit.

The first skincare brand I remember having any real allegiance to was Clarins. I first tried it when I was pregnant with my first child. I also discovered Origins which is still a firm favourite many years later.

I have tried many different skincare brands from budget friendly Neutrogena, to more luxe varieties. My current favourite is Kiehl’s. Its products are pleasing on a sensory level. They look pretty, smell good, have a pleasing texture and provide a lovely finish. This makes them easy to incorporate into a routine because they are so pleasant to use.
Lower budget varieties may be less damaging to my bank balance. But less indulgent often means less fun. If I feel like I’m massaging something luxurious into my skin, I’m more likely to enjoy the process. Crucially, I do it on a consistent basis.

However, it turns out, it’s not just about the pretty packaging. I have tried many eye creams over the years and recognise that most are “all fur coat and no knickers”. Results can be hit or miss and often it’s just clever marketing, pretty packaging, an uplifting aroma or a pleasant texture that keeps us coming back for more.

This product does seem to minimize the appearance of dark circles better than other products I have tried and is now a solid part of my regimen.

I am also an eye patch convert, having discovered Pixi’s extensive range of eye patches. It’s easy to pop on a pair of hydrating, brightening, or nourishing eye patches while brushing my teeth in the morning. I can also do it after cleansing in the evening, whilst sipping on a warm, milky drink as part of my nightly wind-down.

Another skincare staple is SPF! At 5″ tall, I have always looked younger than my age. It is one of the overlooked benefits of being short. In my mid-forties, however, I notice the tell-tale signs of middle-age. Those pesky fine lines eventually come to us all.

It took the brutal honesty and directness of a much younger colleague to shake me out of my complacency. I expected her jaw to drop open in shock when I admitted my age. Instead, you can imagine my horror when she told me she would have guessed I was mid-forties (I was 43 at the time). She advised me to use an SPF daily, even in Winter. At the time, I thought of SPF only for preventing sun damage. I reserved it for summer holidays in Spain. I assumed the sun in Scotland couldn’t possibly be strong enough to damage my skin in any detectable way. I had no idea that applying SPF might improve the appearance of my skin. I was so horrified to learn from my colleague that I looked my age, I was quick to follow her advice and I now wear SPF every day. I have tried a few and would recommend these two products:

Biore UV Aqua Rich Water Essence Sunscreen SPF 30 50ml

Natural Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF30 (50ml)

A Daily walk

There are some mornings when Quiet Time leaves me feeling a little too relaxed. I am not exactly inspired to head outdoors for exercise. However, they do say “you never regret a workout”.

Even a brisk walk round the block is enough to boost my mood, motivation and energy levels. As a perimenopausal woman, I frequently carry physical tension. A morning walk, or any kind of exercise, can be a great way to literally shake off that tension. Sometimes it is the only way.

I know the importance of getting outside for some exercise if I’ve been sat at a desk for most of the day. A walk is a brilliant, low-impact way to help process the events of the day. It helps draw a line under it. It’s the perfect way to transition from work to Anything Else on your list of priorities. I find this even more important during the Autumn/Winter months. The amount of natural light is greatly reduced. It’s as though my body craves the outdoors.

Reading before bed

Like removing my makeup, reading is a big part of my evening routine. I do it every night without fail. Even after a night out drinking, I will attempt to read a few pages even if I’m slightly worse for wear. It sends a signal to my brain that it’s time for bed. This is preferable for preparing for peaceful slumber. It is better than nodding off in front of Netflix. It is also better than drowning in blue light as you scroll through TikTok.

Spotting negative self-talk or thinking patterns before they spiral

Another delightful symptom of perimenopause is negative thoughts or overthinking. Thankfully, they are not there all the time but they can be challenging to manage.

I can go down a rather dark, existential path. I question my life’s purpose and my very existence. This can go hand in hand with low energy levels and motivation. It often involves lots of procrastinating.

With practice, one can become attuned to spotting these feelings and catch them before they spiral out of control. As with most things, awareness is the key. This is the first step towards developing a positive mindset. If you find yourself stuck in a cycle of negative thinking, acknowledge this. It can happen to the best of us. Recognise that you are inside your own head. This is the first step to getting out of your head and back to actual living. Connecting with others, changing your environment and doing something different are all great ways to handle a negative thought spiral. I have found the word “STOP” particularly helpful when dealing with negative thought spirals or catastrophic thinking. Changing up your interactions helps. Modifying your routine and your environment acts like hitting the reset button.

Final Thoughts

Self-care needn’t be elaborate or complicated. Spend half an hour without noise or distraction first thing in the morning. Follow a simple yet effective skincare routine in the evening. These are two simple additions that can enhance your mental wellbeing. Or not. Self-care is subjective. What works for me, may be abhorrent to you!

If you haven’t nailed down what works for you, take some time to experiment. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find that thing right away. It can take some trial and error to find what works for you. Once you do, it can brighten up even the most challenging days.