I am someone who loves rituals. I am very intentional about the “little things” throughout my day, and at no time is that more apparent than bedtime. Especially as I have gotten older, I love the process of winding down. Here are a few of the items/things which I rely on to make that stretch just a bit more special.
1. I have (a lot of!) coarse hair that is very prone to breakage, so a silk pillowcase is a must for me. This two-sided silk/linen blend from from Cultiver offers both function (cool, slick, silk to keep my hair protected) and form (linen finished with a piped edge; pretty enough to display on my bed).
2. I am obsessed with the Vagus Nerve Pillow Mist from OSEA! I personally love the scent (chamomile, juniper, lavender), and the air of calm that it provides. I keep a travel size in my overnight bag, as well.
3. When I am in need of a deep, restorative sleep, I like to take one of the CBN Night Caps from Cured Nutrition. The Dream Gummies are beneficial when I am having trouble shutting my brain down for the evening. The best part of both products, in my opinion, is that there are no odd side effects, or feelings of grogginess the next morning. You can use code CARLYNN for 15% off throughout the site.
4. Negative Underwear produces some of my very favorite lounge, sleep, and underwear. I have been living in the Waffle Knit Pullover and Jogger all winter; the cotton weave is so thick and high-quality. And, while I love sleeping in proper pajamas sets, I do sometimes resort to a comfortable over-sized tee and underwear. I need to add a set of these boy shorts to my collection!
5. I discovered If Only If Nightwear this past summer, and there is no turning back for me now. I adore their timeless nightdresses, which are equally as great for sleeping as they are throwing on when I am too hot to wear a robe (Not a problem at the moment, but certainly in the summertime!).
I purchased a pair of these Cashmere Bed Socks as a gift from me // to me, and they are the ultimate luxury. I love them so much! If like me, you have gone down the Traditional Chinese Medicine rabbit hole [currently trending] on TikTok, then you know how important it is to keep your feet warm while sleeping.
The brand is currently having a [rare] sale, with an extra 10% off automatically added at checkout, through this weekend only. I own and love the India style, which is included.
6. I always have some kind of hand cream or lotion by my bedside, but this Tallow Hand Balm from My Neighbor’s Tallow has become a fast favorite. The balm is extremely nourishing without being greasy. It helps that the branding here is also quite beautiful.
7. I take a magnesium supplement every night, and particularly like the triple magnesium blend (Magnesium L-Threonate, Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate, Magnesium Citrate) formula, from Arrae.
8. I have been reading about the practice of mouth taping in the wellness community for a while now, and coincidentally was sent a pack of VIO2 to try. I have been wearing the tape for almost a week, and am already blown by how well I have been sleeping, and how comfortable the tape itself is (It is the only mouth tape on the market that does not cover your entire mouth.). I am excited to see more of the long-term benefits! I intend to put a more in-depth post together on this, for those of you who are interested.
9. One of the more personal aspects of my bedtime routine is to practice meditation and visualization. I wholeheartedly believe in the power of both. There are a few apps/guides that I turn to for those things, but activations by Mimi Bouchard is the one I come back to the most.
10. Last but not least, no wind down session is complete without a candle burning. Given the deep freeze Upstate New York is in right now, I have been turning to spiced, warm scents, like Prinsesstarta from Flamingo Estate and Chestnut from Carriere Freres.
