How To Create A Pamper Routine Your Self-Care Saturdays Will Thank You For
Imagine walking out of the doctor's office with a prescription that says, "Pamper yourself one time a week."
I bet you would be just as puzzled if a script was handed to you with directions to love yourself because there are a lot of sources instructing you to do so but few and far in-between telling you exactly how.
Pampering is just as subjective to an individual as self-love, meaning that there really is no one-size-fits-all way to do so, and there is a little work involved to find the best ways for you. For example, a person that usually takes a DIY approach to their hair and makeup may find it pampering to splurge on a salon experience, whereas others find it to be a routine.
The definition of "pampering," however, is "to indulge with every attention, comfort, and kindness; spoil." With that in mind, hold on tight sis, we are about to turn your birthday into a lifestyle!
Step One: Prepare For Your Self-Care Day No Later Than The Night Before
What good is a day out at the spa sipping mimosas and living your best life with a messy house and a sink full of dishes? Now don't get me wrong, the whole adulting thing is a tough reality that none of us signed up for in the first place, but a major key of any successful routine is discipline.
Set an hour or two aside to get your living space fit for a queen so that you can wake up (a little later than usual) to a beautiful and clean abode. With all of the household chores out of the way, not only will you have a great self-care Saturday, but a great weekend.
Step Two: Think Deep Thoughts About Parts Of Yourself That Need A Lot More Attention And Plan Accordingly
Your self-care day is a lot like planning your friend's birthday, except you are putting all of that attention on you, which can feel a bit odd if you aren't used to loving on yourself.
Taking a brief inventory of your true emotions each day can point you in the best direction. Feeling anxious and overwhelmed during the week? It's time to bust out Groupon to find a deal on a massage. Feeling scattered and overwhelmed at the end of your week? Perhaps putting the 'do not disturb' sign on life by data fasting and having a staycation at home filled with wine and ice cream will do the trick.
Honey, whatever floats your boat is what you really need to be aware of because the day is yours. The great thing about journaling a few of your emotions and planning your pampering accordingly is, you learn to care for yourself as if you are your best friend. After seeing a repetition of a negative emotion, you will instinctively know "Hmm girl.. It looks like you need a spa day."
Step Three: Create An Accountability System For Your Pampering
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I grew up watching way too many Disney movies, but even as an adult I often find myself still enamored by the concept of The Enchanted Rose. To make an extremely long story short, the rose would wilt to its demise causing the human prince to remain in a beast's body unless he learned how to love another person. It seems like there are so many levels to life that are off-limits until you start loving yourself, yet in the hustle and bustle of life, we forget how important it is to schedule the time to do so.
The antidote to this is commencing your pampering routine with a bouquet of flowers of your own. It's something about fresh flowers that brings out the bougie in all of us, and metaphorically those beautiful flowers represent you. If you love being dramatic, you could pretend that the death of those flowers means the death of your best life, or you could use the flowers as a reminder: "Water is running low, it's time to give them some TLC and take inventory of my feelings," or, "My flowers are dying, it's time to get some fresh ones"... *ding ding ding* you just pampered yourself.
You only get one you, and you deserve all of the love that you try your best to give everyone else. The thing about self-love and self-care is it's hard as f*ck at first, but you will never regret doing the work.
You won't run into anyone who says, "I regret being active, eating right, going to therapy, and treating myself kindly," so why not turn those activities into a lifestyle? You owe it to yourself to be exactly who you need.
Featured image by Getty Images.
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New Jersey native creating a life that she loves while living in gratitude. She loves using beauty, and fashion to create a balanced lifestyle while prioritizing wellness. A devoted fur mom, and a full-time lover of laughter. She is out for revenge against the darkness by being light, taking her own advice, traveling the world, and letting you know that you are so lit! Connect with her via IG @iamzaniah and please visit Zaniahsworld.com
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Why We'll Probably Never Hear Lupita Nyong'o Share Her Relationship With The World
Lupita Nyong'o is sharing a transparent look into her life after a recent breakup.
In a cover story for NET-A-PORTER, the A Quiet Place: Day One star shed light on the significant heartbreak she experienced following the end of her relationship with ex-boyfriend and TV host, Selema Masekela.
As a public figure, Nyong'o, 39, sought to divulge the news of the breakup in hopes of presenting a more authentic perspective on the pain that follows a separation.
"I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak," she told the publication. "I looked at the environment of my social media and thought I don’t want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses. Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it."
The Black Panther star went on to explain that her choice to be transparent with her fans about her breakup came from the certainty she felt after ending the relationship. “In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it,” she said.
While she didn’t know how the news would land with her fans, she found relief in knowing she wasn’t alone in her experience.
“I knew how it could be interpreted; I knew it would have a life of its own,” she reflects. “But then I started to see the comments and people were being so loving and supportive. The ones that moved me the most were other people sharing their pain and their heartbreak.”
Nyong'o and Masekela went Instagram official in December 2022, publicly announcing their relationship in a couple's video. In October 2023, Nyong'o took to her personal Instagram account to share the news of her breakup in her caption, writing, "At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust.”
She continued the vulnerable note, "I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, 'Whatever, my life is better this way.' But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love."
These days, Nyong'o tells NET-A-PORTER that she is prioritizing profound self-discovery that extends beyond her career. She notes having a deliberate and unhurried approach to understanding herself.
She also alludes to keeping her relationships private moving forward after noting it was "very, very sage" of her not to talk about her private life professionally in the days before her last relationship. "I'm going back to those days by the way," Nyong'o shares of her reinstated boundaries around her personal life.
Earlier this month, Nyong'o made headlines alongside her new boyfriend actor Joshua Jackson. Nyong'o and Jackson went through public splits from their respective SOs in October 2023, with the latter splitting from his long-time partner Jodie Turner-Smith following her divorce filing from the Dawson's Creek alum.
The pair have been spotted together as early as December 2023, but nothing screamed "couple" quite as loudly as their recent getaway to Mexico for Nyong'o's 41st birthday featuring passionate displays of affection.
"Our purpose in life is to love. And so you have to get back in it," she tells the outlet, seemingly alluding to her budding new romance.
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Featured image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images