For some people, self care is going to the gym four nights a week. For others it may be doing a nightly skin-care routine, or treating yourself to an iced vanilla latte from your favorite coffee shop on Friday mornings. I believe there are two criteria for something being considered an act of self care:
- Is it good for your physical health, mental health, emotional well-being and/-or happiness?
- Is it a routine?
If you answered yes to both of these, congratulations! You are practicing self care!
My favorite form of self care is painting my nails with plain old nail polish. Every Sunday night, I pick my color for that week, choose a movie to watch, and set up shop in my bedroom. I look forward to doing this every week. As a full time college student and part time employee, it’s my promised “me time” during the week.
When it comes to polish, I’m an Essie girl. I like their formula and by the end of the week, I only have a couple of chips. As of right now, my favorite Essie polish is Berry Naughty. The crimson shade is essential for October through December, catering to all the end of year holidays.
Typically, I allow myself about an hour and half to paint my nails. My secret to having nails that last throughout the week is giving them an hour to dry and the gel couture top coat by Essie to ensure protection and an ultra glossy finish.
I recently invested in my first Pleasing polish from the FANTASIA X Pleasing pop up at Disney Springs. I got the shade, One Legged Flamingo from the Fancy Friends collection. At first I was really nervous that the quality of the product would be poor and I would have spent $18 on a bad polish. However, I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t chip until Saturday morning! The color is stunning, perfect for summer, specifically a July beach weekend trip.
I will definitely be purchasing more Pleasing products in the future, not just because I love Harry Styles but also because I love the product.
Today, it seems like most people go out and get their nails done whether it’s acrylic, gel, almond shaped, or with extravagant designs. It feels like no one ever paints their nails at home anymore with a regular Essie or OPI polish. When I’m at home painting my nails it feels like I’m the star of an ‘80s movie waiting for my bestie to call with the dirt on who’s dating who.
Painting my nails at home saves money and allows me to slow down and focus on something as simple as my hands. During the week, I’m overwhelmed with deadlines and assignments. Sunday nights, I get to solely focus on my two hands in front of me instead of the never ending abyss of assignments.
Self care is an important part of taking care of yourself. I would debate it’s just as important as drinking water and taking your vitamins. It’s okay if you’re only doing this weekly or bimonthly or honestly even at random. As long as it’s a promise to yourself that you will take a break and invest in yourself. I challenge you, the reader, to incorporate one new form of self care into your routine.