Looking after yourself is something we all need to do. Finding the time can be hard but I have found that little things that can easily be slipped into your daily routine can go towards self care. I am going to break down my go to self care routine that are helpful for everyone.
Yoga and Meditation
Ever since starting with perimenopause symptoms, I have been doing this more. At the moment I am doing chair yoga. I do this as my joints and muscles are quite tender most mornings but I find doing the yoga in the morning helps alleviate the pain. It is also good for bringing you into the moment and taking notice of how you are feeling. The same with meditation. This has proven very helpful when I am anxious. Letting yourself be in that moment, recognising how you are feeling and being fine with that is a good way to deal with stress and anxiety before you start your day. I use an app called The Yoga Collective. They have various different Yoga and meditation classes. You do need to pay a monthly fee (various prices) but they are offering a 15 day free trial at the moment.
Skincare
My Skin is an absolute pain! It gets very dry, red and irritated, so I have to be careful with what I use. Last year, I found a great face wash from The Body Shop called Aloe Calming Foaming Wash.
It has really helped to calm the redness and has given my skin a lovely glow too. It is a gentle foam and doesn't irritate the skin. Unfortunately it has been discontinued but they have a lovely replacement. Aloe soothing cream cleanser. It is also a face wash and does the same job as the foam wash. I highly recommend the Body Shop's Aloe range. Check it out here.
The other step in my skin care ritual is Aveeno daily moisturiser. I swear by it. A little goes a long way. It has a gentle formula and is very gentle on the skin. It is a lifesaver when it comes to my dry skin and it calms the irritation too. It is my go to moisturiser and I will be using it for many years to come,
Haircare
Yes, that is my hair, or was my hair. Due to depression, and my hair being thin and brittle, it became very matted. Two weeks ago, I finally took that step and got my hair cut and that is the massive clump of matted hair that was removed. It was a massive relief and I wish I had done it sooner. I can't thank the hairdresser enough. She was so kind and understanding. Here is my hair now.
It was quite literally a weight off my shoulders. I can now give my hair the treatment it deserves and this is my weekly haircare routine.
Once a week I apply olive oil, yes you read that correctly. It was the hairdresser that recommended it to help my irritated scalp. It lifts the dead skin and is very gentle on the scalp.
When I am washing my hair, twice a week, I use Herbal Essences bio-renew repair shampoo and conditioner. It contains Argan oil and natural ingredients. It is so lovely!! It has a nice fresh scent and it has made a massive difference to my hair. It is much softer and has some life about it again. You can find it in the supermarkets and other high street stores.
A new addition to my haircare ritual is the Pantene Keratin reconstruct mask.
I have used this once and I really like it. I will be using this once a week. It has made a difference to my hair in one use. It feels much smoother and has a nice shine to it. I will keep using it to see if it continues to make a difference. I picked this up in Asda, on sale at £2.50. It normally costs £5 but you only need a small amount each time, so it will last a while.
This post first appeared on Angela - Mother, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Anxiety S, please read the originial post: here
