Sundays are all about routine, rest and relaxation for blogger, model, founder of The Confidence Corner and self-love advocate, Callie Thorpe. Read on to discover what constitutes a dream Sunday night and why she prioritises a strict bedtime routine…
The Wind Down
Sunday is the day I choose to relax. I don’t answer emails or think about work, instead I like to take to potter around my home, cook and prep for the week. The evening time is when I really start to wind down, especially in the winter when it gets dark earlier. My beauty routine usually starts in the afternoon or the evening. I like to take a relaxing bath filled with Epsom salts and oils and read in the bath. I prefer to do this later in the day as when I get out I often feel ready for bed. Another thing I love to do is a leave on face mask. One of my new favourites is May Lindstrom The Problem Solver Warming Correcting Masque. I apply it and then leave it for 45 mins whilst I catch up on a saved TV programme before either jumping in the bath or in the shower to wash it off. If I am honest until probably about two years ago, I didn’t really take care of my skin. My version of cleansing was face wipes and any moisturiser that was on offer and as I aged that lack of care really began to show. Now I am playing catchup and learning everything I can. I do this by trying different types of products to see what works best for me. Putting in the effort into caring for my skin has already proven to be rewarding and consistency has changed the look and feel of my skin massively. Over the last few months I have been experimenting with acids, oils, moisturisers for various brands such as Drunk Elephant, Omorovicza, Tata Harper, and Kiehl’s. There is a candle in almost every room in my house – I love them! On Sundays there is always one lit in my front room. My favourite is the Commodity Oolong, the musky deep scent just makes me feel so relaxed and chilled. My music taste is completely varied, but I do favour dulcet tones and chilled house music especially on Sundays for when I am pottering about the house. I have a Spotify Playlist called ‘Slow Sundays’ which I pop on before I open all the doors and windows to let in fresh air. If I am feeling particularly organised I will food prep all day. Make up homemade hummus, a soup or some kind, and if I have everything in I will bake some granola. I’m not as organised when it comes to my wardrobe I tend to choose outfits in the morning rather than plan! Sunday night I always feel tired and ready for my bed, sometimes if I am feeling extra indulgent I will get into bed really early with a good book and go to bed nice and early.
The Routine
Recently I have become obsessed with Drunk Elephant products. My favourite products are the Juju Bar for exfoliating, the C-Firma Day Serum and the T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum. May Lindstrom products have also completely changed my skin and The Problem Solver is one of my favourite things to use. Organic rosehip oil has also been instrumental in improving pigmentation and scarring on my skin. I suffer with pigmentation from many years of harsh sun exposure, something I deeply regret now I know better. Mostly my skin is normal to dry in the winter. If I want a quick mask rather than one I have to apply I will just throw on a sheet mask; my favourite being the 111SKIN range. I think I definitely take more care of my skin when I have more time, so Sunday is usually the best time for that. However I make more of a conscious effort these days to make skincare a priority everyday because it’s that day to day consistency that keeps my skin glowing and fresh not just the once a week pamper on a Sunday. I use a jade roller on my skin to give myself a lymphatic massage and get the blood flowing to my face. I have also tried the Nuface Trinity toning device which is actually amazing! It is something you need to use on a regular basis to see results and that is one thing I need to improve on!
I like a Sunday night bath and always a morning shower. Baths make me sleepy and relaxed, and showers make me feel refreshed and awake. I love bath oils and salts for soaking [in the bath], and shower gels and scrubs for a shower. I like to use a hair mask once a week too, even if only for 10 minutes. I love to slather myself in Caudalie Divine Oil when I get out of the shower, it makes my skin feel incredible and has such a light and gentle scent. I also add a little to the ends of my hair for that added care. I would say that I spend more time on Saturdays and Sundays than in the week on things like masks, oils and lighting candles simply because my weekdays are packed. Sunday lie-ins are the dream but I am not someone that can stay in bed all day. I will still lounge but I move over to the sofa so I can potter about whilst I relax. My hair used to be really long (to the bottom of my back) so I could only wash it on a Sunday because any other day would take too long. Now that I have cut my hair I still keep to that; I wash my hair only once or twice a week. If I have a shoot or wash my hair midweek (after swimming or gym) I love the IGK No More Blow Hair Spray which literally halves the time It takes for my very thick hair to try. Sunday is when I use a mask and let it air dry it to add volume. Styling wise I am pretty basic, I have pretty straight hair so mostly I will just run a straightener over to get rid of any kinks. If I want to feel more done I will lightly wave my hair with a tong.
Bedtime
Sundays I try and get into bed earlier but through the week it’s usually 11pm. Once I get into bed I put on a sleep meditation from the Headspace app and it is specially timed for 15 minutes and it helps me drift off. I love love love the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, lavender is so soothing and I am convinced it helps me sleep better. I like to use a night time glycolic acid or a face oil on my skin. I have recently become obsessed with gut health and now I take a probiotic supplement at least once a day. I also take vitamin D in the winter. Before bed I either have a peppermint tea or a Pukka Womankind herbal tea made of cranberry and vanilla. I used to have a normal tea but I find no caffeine before bed is important for me to get a good night’s sleep – if I am good I’ll go to bed at 10pm, if I am bad it’s more like 11pm! I need at least 7 hours to function. I actually suffer with a sleep disorder called Slow Wave Arousal (Adult Night Terrors) I was officially diagnosed 5 years ago and since then I have been able to manage it much better with a sleep routine that includes no technology before bed, sleep sprays, no caffeine and keeping anxiety and stress managed.
Monday Morning
My alarm set is for 6:45am but I often snooze until 7am. It totally depends week to week. I am not a morning person that is for sure so I never feel 100% happy to be up! I’m a snoozer all the way. The first three things I do when I wake up is a cup of herbal tea, Headspace meditation and shower.
