Jeez, when did back-to-school season become Pint-Sized Prom? All the supplies, accessories, new clothes and haircuts to procure. Frantically arranging one’s children in perfect formations for the perfect first-day-of-school photos. It’s stressful, amirite? And mine aren’t even in school yet! I get residual anxiety just seeing those cute pictures with the beautifully penned and filled out chalkboards. Let’s take some time to unwind these first mornings when the kids go back to being educational system captives with these self-care ideas
I understand that not everyone has available mornings, regardless of whether their children are home from school or not. But if you can get any free time alone without the demands of little ones, especially in the morning, you should enjoy some of these self-care rituals.
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Clear Your Schedule
Make more time in the mornings by preparing the night before. Lay out outfits, make lunches, etc. By clearing the decks there’s more space for self-care.
If your kids are older delegate tasks. They can get dressed, eat, and gather lunches. If they forget or fudge any of these processes, natural consequences (like being hungry because they don’t have a lunch or getting detention due to tardiness) can nip those behaviors in the bud.
Crack the Bubbly
Now that your kids are out the door by 8 am, it’s time to get drunk.
No, no, I’m joking. Mostly. It’s been a helluva a summer, right? First cooped up for weeks with all the rain, then melting in all the heat. Did you know there are more riots, statistically, during heat waves? My children staged literal coups in our living room for half of July.
A babysitter, taxi, motel room and a couple bottles of wine will earn you no judgement from me.
Skin Care Ideas
Ok, let’s get serious.
I really do hope your mornings are more relaxed due to the nightly prepping or the task delegation, though. Want to fill some of that free time with skin care and cosmetics?
It’s A Great Morning For 3-Step Skin Care
I love the self-care ritual of washing, toning, and moisturizing my skin. I primarily use the Clinique 3-step system. In the morning, I use a hydrating toner instead of an exfoliating toner. It’s nice to have this time for yourself in the morning. With the kids at school, it can be enjoyed without their shrieking.
Treatments?
An empty house is the perfect space to look outlandish in. Let’s do some strange treatments before moisturizing! Maybe some jade rolling or micro needling? How about some acne spot treatments or facial masks? Get weird with it. You’ll be so glow-y when everyone gets home they’ll think you napped all day (though you should, in fact, nap after all this). Where’s my derm roller?
Aaaaalll The Goop
Now that cleaning, toning, and treatment is done, let’s slather on some skin care. When applying liquid skin care, you want to go from thinnest to thickest. That’s why we’re starting with serums. Vitamin C serums are ideal for mornings.
After serums comes moisturizers. Many beauty counters have gift specials around back-to-school time. You can score some free, fancy skin care with purchase. Rub a pea-sized (any more can’t be absorbed through our skin) amount all over your face while feeling unhurried and childless.
The last step is oil, because it can penetrate all the other stuff on your face and provides a nice sheen. There’s many options: rosehip oil, vitamin E oil, jojoba oil, etc.
Take a Spa Bath
Run yourself a bath the morning the kids go back to school. Use some special bubble bath or a bath bomb.
Take your time: soak, shave, exfoliate, read a book, play a game on your phone. Let the morning stretch out; don’t get out and don’t do any chores.
My Favorite Products for Self-Care
- My favorite at-home microneedling system
- The best exfoliating toner/moisturizing toner
- The serum that fades all my brown spots
- My favorite Vitamin C serum
- The best bath oil
- A fancy candle
- An eye cream that’s like a push-up bra for eyelids
Are you looking forward to the kids going back to school, will you bawl your eyes out, or is it a mixture of both? Let me know in the comments below. Share this article so people know not to call/text you back-to-school week.
Happy decompressing!
Love,
