Tuesday

Welcome to Tuesday! In today’s newsletter, we’re discussing:

• If it’s better to shower in the morning or at night

• Are you swapping your razor blades often enough?

• What else does Amazon Prime offer?

• How to create a custom body care routine

• A quick hack to boost your mood

Is It Better to Shower at Night or in the Morning?

Do you prefer to jump in the shower first thing when you wake up? Maybe you prefer an evening bath or shower as a way to relax and unwind from the day.

While a daily shower or bath is part of most people’s self-care routine, is it better to do it at the start or the end of the day? Here are some ways the two compare:

Morning Showers

• Can help you get a boost of energy to start the day

• May help you feel your freshest, best self as you start the day

• Can wash off any sweat or dead skin cells from the night before

• You may have to plan for a little extra time in the morning, especially if you wash your hair daily and need time to style it

• If you do movement and get sweaty in the morning, it’s essential to prevent buildup and growth of bacteria and fungus

Nighttime Showers

• You feel fresh and clean when crawling into bed

• Can be a great way to wind down from the day and get into a relaxed state of mind for sleep

• Is ideal if you wore sunscreen, perfumes, or other products that you may not want to have on your skin when you crawl into bed

• May not be ideal if you wash your hair at night and don’t want to go to bed with wet hair or are worried about bedhead

So — which is better than the other? Experts say there’s no right answer. It’s all down to your personal preferences, habits, and schedule!

How Often You Need to Swap Your Razor Blades

Shaving is a common practice for many — and for some, it’s a weekly (and maybe even daily) part of our self-care routines.

When was the last time you swapped your razor blades? If it’s longer than you can remember, it may be time to do so.

But how can you tell when it’s time to replace them? A lot of it depends on your shaving schedule and the type of razor you use.

The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends “you change your blade or throw away disposable razors after 5 to 7 shaves to minimize irritation.”

However, this can vary on a number of factors. For example, if you have coarse hair, this may cause your blades to go dull more quickly. Similarly, if you use a single or double-blade razor as opposed to one with multiple blades, you may have to replace them more often.

What happens if you don’t swap your razor? You can get a buildup of bacteria and dead skin cells in the blade(s). This may put you at increased risk for razor bumps, ingrown hairs, general irritation, cuts, and even infections.

A telltale sign that you need a new disposable head or a new blade is if you have to go over the same patch of skin more than once to get all the hair or get close enough. You may also feel some pulling or get more bumps than normal as you shave.

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Thank you to Brad’s Deals for sponsoring Note To Self. 

Ideas to Inspire a Custom Body Care Routine

Many of us have multi-step routines to care for our faces — but we may not give the same kind of care or attention to the rest of our bodies.

Similar to a facial skincare routine, a body care routine focuses on best practices and products that overall help care for our bodies! This is a great way to practice good hygiene and show ourselves some extra love in our daily or weekly routines.

As shared by Byrdie, some common steps of a body care routine include:

• Cleansing

• Exfoliating

• Moisturizing

• Protecting

• Addressing custom concerns with products or tools

Cleansing can be simple. Take regular showers and use a soap or body wash designed for your specific skin type.

While exfoliating isn’t technically necessary, it can help our skin stay soft and help our other products work more effectively. Dry brushing or gentle scrubs are great options for your body.

Moisturizing, especially post-shower, is crucial to helping our skin stay soft. Consider if you prefer lotions, oils, butters, or another option!

Especially when you’re headed outside, be sure to use sun protection in the form of UPF clothing, hats, and sunscreen.

When considering your custom concerns, think about target areas you’d like to address.

For example, if you have body acne, you may want to use a product with benzoyl peroxide and ensure you’re doing best practices like showering right after you sweat. If particular parts of your skin get dry, you may want to use a special moisturizer, exfoliator, or mask.

If you want to incorporate body massage, you may consider a ceramic tool or a larger gua sha.

Design your body care routine as something you look forward to doing, and it’ll make it much easier to incorporate as a regular practice!

Boost Your Mood

Parting Thoughts

• ✅ Did You Know: 58% of people shower in the morning! While more people prefer to bathe as a way to start the day, a nearly equal amount enjoy taking their showers at night.

• 🙋🏼‍♀️ Snapshot Of The Day: We'd love to see moments from our readers lives that they are proud of! If you recently accomplished an achievement, experienced a joyful moment, or are proud of a picture you have taken, be sure to capture it on camera and send it to us for a chance to be featured next week! 

• 💭 Final Self-Care Thoughts for Today: Whether you get energized from a morning shower or feel relaxed from a pre-bedtime soak, the best time to bathe is when it works best for you! Remember: self-care is personal.

Enjoying Note to Self?

Know of a great self-care tip or article you'd love to share with the community? Want to send us pictures of you completing one of your self-care rituals? Email us at [email protected]!