THE AESTHETICS OF BEAUTY AND SELF-CARE
When asked what she wore to bed, Marilyn Monroe famously quipped, “Chanel No. 5.” The self-care, beauty, and skincare routines for bed have most definitely gotten more intense over the years. After all, it’s an entire industry! Helena Rubinstein was the first to truly make salon treatments incredibly popular, and the trend has been growing and evolving ever since. I’m always interested in the visual aesthetics of beauty and, more importantly, the steps involved. So, what do you sleep in? Let’s dive deeper into the sometimes whacky but always fun world of beauty aesthetics.
Most women have a favorite nightie or pair of pajamas they like to sleep in (unless you’re like Marilyn and sleep in the nude on pristine white sheets), but today, it’s so à la mode to have a nighttime routine and plenty of accoutrements that go with it! For example, Jackie Kennedy always slept with her hair wrapped in a silk scarf. What do you cover your hair with? A bonnet, snood, or even curlers? Most women do not have the luxury of doing their hair every day and, whether they go to the salon regularly or have an at-home routine, need to keep their hairstyle intact while they sleep so they look fresh in the morning and are ready to start the day anew. Try Nabila K’s one-of-a-kind cashmere and modal-blend scarves for either wrapping your hair, as a throw blanket or pillow slip on the go, or simply as a shawl when you’re chilly. Because they’re free of harmful chemicals, they’re soft enough to swaddle a baby and feel divine against your skin.
Mouth tape has become all the rage because, supposedly, it helps one to sleep more soundly if they breathe solely through their nose. While this is ideal, it is not practical for everyone. Most people snore because there is some sort of blockage in their sinus passages. While Joan Crawford slept in white monogrammed pajamas, she was also known for using facial wraps to keep her skin taut and youthful. She even slept in gloves! This is actually not as uncommon as one might imagine. Many sleep in tight-fitting gloves to improve circulation; this is one of several treatments that may help alleviate mild forms of arthritis. Sleeping in socks and using foot masks are also popular ways to keep your feet soft 24/7 as they perform the duties of an at-home pedicurist. You can slough off dead, rough skin cells while you dream. Wearing a bra to bed is another habit that may sound uncomfortable, but many women swear by it. It prevents gravity from doing its job and keeps your bust ample and supported.
Incorporating stones into your beauty routine is an elegant way to enhance the appearance of your bedside table and can be cleansing in more ways than one. For example, Nabila K offers fine triple-milled Crystal Etch soap (available in rose and coconut scents) created using the power of quartz. Using a stone gua-sha tool (especially when chilled in the freezer or ice water) is highly beneficial for your skin’s appearance. The act of massaging improves circulation and brings blood to the skin’s surface, giving you a healthy glow. This also helps support the lymphatic system and proper drainage. Wearing stones or crystals is not just for fashion (although that’s certainly reason enough to wear them); they support harmony and balance. Depending on the stones you wear, these can be good luck totems to enhance your life in numerous ways. Ever since Gwyneth Paltrow showed up to a red carpet event with visible cupping marks, eastern techniques and holistic medicine have been the words on everyone’s lips. It’s become a sort of wellness status symbol.
Facial masks as simple and old school as Ponds cold cream can be your go-to nighttime routine; you don’t have to invest in the latest infrared gadget for clear skin. There’s no cinematic moment more memorable than Audrey Hepburn answering the door as Holly Golightly with her sleep mask pushed up on her forehead and earplugs with tassels. She was the original girl on the go we really wanted to emulate who needed a solid eight hours. Sleeping with a silk mask is wonderful for your skin and eyes; while they keep everything dark as night, your eyelashes will thank you, too. It’s always a good idea not to sleep on your face—if only to avoid pillow marks—whether you have eyelash extensions or not.
We usually immediately think of a bathing beauty at a spa as wearing cucumber slices on her eyes, a towel twisted into a turban, a white terry cloth robe, and a mud mask. While undereye patches can be effective for dark circles and pore strips remove excess dirt and oil, the best way to look is however one feels best. Face tape (specifically patches for wrinkles or “frownies”) is more popular than ever and is used to erase fine lines and eliminate the need for facial fillers. Don’t dedicate too much of your life to obsessing over self-improvement; instead, dedicate just enough time to feel relaxed and cared for.
For more information on beauty, skincare, and wellness, check out the blog and click the links below for Nabila K products:
https://nabilak.com/product-category/accessories/scarves
https://nabilak.com/product/microdermabrasion-exfoliating-soap-bar-coconut
https://nabilak.com/product/microdermabrasion-exfoliating-soap-bar-rose