After a long week at work, I decided to treat myself to an evening of self-care. No phone, no social media, and no Pokemon Go. Just a quiet evening alone channeling my inner spa goddess. I kept thinking to myself, why in the world don't I do this more often? I need to schedule self-care nights (or even full days!) as I schedule any other doctor or hair appointment. It's damn important.

How To: Guide to a Slayin' Friday Night In

SET THE MOOD

• First, light some candles - The nice kind. None of that Yankee Candle sh*t. Splurge on a delicious, natural vegetable or soy candle, so you can breath in a lovely aroma, rather than chemically-filled fumes.

• Turn on calming music - While I was in Ecuador last week, we visited a beautiful cafe called 'Cafe Hood' that played the most beautiful jazz music. The owner told me it was just a playlist on spotify called 'Vintage Jazz Blend'. Listen to it here.

• Grind & brew some coffee - I know, I know... it's not great to drink caffeine before bed, but I am such a coffee lover. Coffee relaxes me. Even just the smell sends me off into my happy place. I just purchased a coffee grinder, and I have 1/2 a pound of organic beans that were harvested only 2 weeks ago from the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador (pictured below). Excuse me while I drink this every single day until I run out and have to buy another plane ticket back to Ecuador.

WASH AWAY THE DAY

• Run a steamy lavender bath - Fill up the tub and add a few drops of lavender oil for a calming scent. To be completely honest, I don't really love showers or baths, because I get antsy. I'm teaching myself to relax more, so this is a start. My baths usually last around 7-10 minutes, and that's perfectly okay. The point of my bath was to do some hair care while sitting down #winwin. This brings me to my next point...

• Spend time taming your mane - My absolute favorite hair and cosmetics brand at the moment is 100% Pure (read a full review here). Since I just recently dyed my hair, I've been using the Honey and Virgin Coconut Shampoo & Conditioner, because it's very moisturizing. It's made of aloe juice, flower water, avocado oil, and of course, coconut oil to name a few. After the shampoo/conditioner routine, I use the Sea Algae Hair Mask to really lock in the moisture. It's a bit more than I'm used to paying for hair care, but I plan on holding onto my head of hair for as long as I can. So, if that means paying a bit more for a completely natural product that actually works, then I'm on board. *There's a special promotion currently running where you get a pack of 5 free face masks with all 100% Pure online purchases of $120 or more. Shop it here. De nada.

• Brush, floss, and wash out your mouth - I'm so happy to have discovered the rad brand Oral Essentials. They are made proudly with "none of the junk, just the essentials". Ingredients include dead sea salt, mint, xylitol, French essential oils, aloe vera, coconut oil, and cayenne pepper oil. The toothpaste and mouthwash smell fresh and it doesn't leave a bad taste in your mouth like a lot of natural brands. I never used to enjoy using mouthwash, because it burned and made my eyes water. Oral Essentials is naturally derived, so you don't experience the burning sensation in any of their products, but you still get the minty fresh feeling. Washing out your mouth is the last step to feeling pristine clean before you can carry on with your slayin' eve.

MEDITATE

• Use an Aromatherapy Eye Pillow - How have I gone this long without one of these amazing eye pillows? It is the most magical idea, and this adorable Organic Cotton 'Namaste' Eye Pillow comes from a California-based mother/daughter company called Jane Inc. The pillow is artisan-made in the USA and is filled with a blend of flax seeds and dried lavender. This was the absolute cherry on top right before I sank into ultimate relaxation and fell asleep for the rest of the evening. Zzzzz.

To make sure you get the most out of your spa-night, make sure to leave all worries at the door. Leave it behind and think of all the happy thoughts you can muster... or don't think of anything at all (if possible). Fade it out with natural scents, jazz music, steamy baths, and you will manifest all of the good energy.

Gather up all of the good vibes, and just think of how incredible it feels to be alive and well. We get so caught up in our to-do lists that we forget we need a break. Not a Facebook break or a TV break, but an actual old-fashioned relaxed session of self-care without distractions from the outside world. We all need a reset more often. Let's all try it together at least bi-weekly. Ready, set, go!

*Disclosure: This post was sponsored by 100 Percent Pure, Oral Essentials, & Jane Inc. All thoughts and opinions are completely (and always will be) my own. Thank you for your continued support, and for allowing me to write authentic content that I strongly believe in ! x Jules