Staying In: Creating a Bathroom Sanctuary for Self-Care

Referring back to last week’s blog post Staying In: Simple Ways to Enhance your Home Room by Room, you may have noticed that I left out the bathroom. The reason for this was that I wanted to do a separate post, with a focus on self-care. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed or anxious – all perfectly normal responses to what is happening with the pandemic right now – it’s important to go easy on yourself and take time for self-care. For me, I know this will include keeping active and getting outdoors, staying connected to friends (through text, phone and video calls), reading uplifting books (and taking a break from the news and social media). I also believe that the bathroom can provide a sanctuary within your home to escape and unwind.

Bathroom Design by Michelle Halford- TDC / Photography by Helen Bankers

With NZ now transitioning into lockdown, we are adjusting to being at home, all together, all the time. I know that it will be more important than ever to carve out a little ‘me-time’, even if it’s just ten minutes everyday. Whether your bathroom is spacious or compact, needing a full makeover or just looking a little tired, there are ways of improving the overall vibe so that it becomes a special place to retreat to.

Bathroom Design by Constanze Ladner / Photography by Renée Kemps

Declutter and organise. If you’re a hoarder of beauty products, be ruthless and keep only what you know you’ll use. If storage is limited, organise your products. Woven baskets work really well (Corcovado have a wonderful selection), or use a little toolbox such as this Yamazaki one.

Bring some nature inside. You may not be able to shop for plants right now, but you can always forage outside! I love the look of simple branches like in the image above.

Run a Bath. The bathroom is the one room in the house in which you can find solitude. If you’re feeling strung out or need time to simply breathe and gather your thoughts, book in time for soak in a warm bath. Light a candle and add some bath oils to nourish the skin.

Skin and Hair Care Rituals. I love taking the time to care for my skin and hair, trying a new serum, applying a face mask or conditioning treatment to my hair. I’m looking forward to going make-up free for a while and letting my skin breathe. I try to make face masks a regular ritual but often, when life gets busy, it goes by the wayside. Now is a great time to get back on track. Hand cream is another must right now with so much hand washing. Remember to support local businesses at this time. NZ brands that I love are Sans Ceuticals (I swear by their Activator 7 Body + Hair + Face Oil and Hair Care products) and Ashley & Co (for beautiful Botanical Hand Wash and Intensive Hand Hydration).