There’s more necessary after the holidays than some relaxing, stress-free time to yourself. Chances are you’ve spent a ton of time in crowded spaces studying for finals, catching up with those you haven’t seen in a while and feasting on snacks (hello, Christmas cookies!) way more than you usually would.
You deserve some R&R for getting through another year and you also need some time to ponder what the next year will bring. Light the candles and prepare your bath bombs, here’s our routine to winding down well into the new year.
Aromatherapy
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There’s nothing quite like an amazing scent to calm you down. Try burning Bath & Body Works’ Eucalyptus Spearmint candle, made with Eucalyptus Essential Oil and Spearmint Essential Oil to help clear the mind. If you’re into something more seasonal, go for the Fireside Three-Wick Candle, infused with smoked cedar, clove buds and warm rich embers to make you feel as if you’re right by a crackling fire, even if you’re not.
Bath Essentials
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Now that your candle’s burning, start your nighttime routine off with a Northern Lights bath bomb from Lush and let it take you to another place. While the bomb itself doesn’t look like much, trails of yellow and blue will fill the tub once it hits the water. Next you’ll smell hints of jasmine, the bomb’s featured ingredient, which are made to get you in the mood for sleep.
Literature
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Put the screen away for a while, you can double tap those Christmas memes later. When was the last time you read something that wasn’t a textbook? Recent bestsellers have been Born to Run, an autobiography of Bruce Springsteen, The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, which has hit all theaters with the film version, Diary of an Oxygen Thief by an anonymous author and The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King.
Beauty Products
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We all attribute the holidays as an excuse to eat less healthy and drink to be light and merry. By now, our choice of diet is probably showing in our complexion. Start off with an exfoliator, like Dark Angels by Lush. Make up for the harsh winter weather by treating your skin with this black sugar and charcoal cleanser. After your skin is cleansed and scrubbed, layer a coat of SUPERMUD® Clearing Treatment by GLAMGLOW on your face to help treat acne, redness, or scarring. Top it all off with Dream Cream, Lush’s bestselling product. This cream is infused with oat milk, lavender and chamomile to calm any sensitive skin. If you want some extra moisture, go for the self-preserving version. Slather it on before you hit the hay and you’ll wake up to see the results.
Music
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You’re probably a little tired of listening to songs about mistletoe and Santa, right? With the variety of playlists Spotify has created, it’ll be hard to find one you’re not into, whether it’s Jazz For Sleep, Evening Acoustic, Indie Chillout, or Stress Relief. If you don’t trust anyone’s music taste but your own, look for Spotify’s “My Year in Music” feature, which creates a playlist to see which songs you played the most in 2016.
Drinks
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You’re going to need a break from all the coffee you chugged during those late-night cram sessions. Go for herbal, honey-infused, or green tea, all in decaffeinated versions so they won’t mess with your sleep cycle. If you’re not into making your own, try brands like Celestial Seasoning, Yorkshire, or Bigelow.