I know I’m lucky: many people are finding that anxieties associated with lockdown are having a negative impact on their sleep, but there are things everyone can do to create the right conditions for a good and restorative night. According to Votary co-founder Arabella Preston, routine is key, as is a pleasurable night-time pre-sleep ritual, so that by the time you tuck yourself under the duvet, you’re relaxed and peaceful enough to drop off. I’m a huge fan of Votary, and as a devotee of the products in Votary’s Sleep Kit, I wondered if that might have something to do with my sound sleep too. I’m not going to jinx it by changing my routine now...
“I find the serenity of a self-care skincare routine sets the scene. Even if I haven’t been wearing make-up I use a VOTARY Cleansing Oil and a hot cloth cleanse at the start of my routine. Making sure you’re using really nourishing yet active skincare means you wake up looking like you’ve had a great night’s sleep.
Intense Night Oil and Intense Eye Oil both contain powerful natural plant oils and a gentle retinoid which is an amazing anti-ageing ingredient. What you put on your skin at bedtime can work with your skin’s natural renewal process to give you the complexion you’ve dreamed of. These products plump up the skin and encourage collagen production so if you’re not sleeping well you might wake up looking like you have!”
TIP 2: MAKE YOUR BEDROOM A HAVEN
“I want my bedroom to be somewhere I really want to spend time and that makes me feel calm and relaxed. A really simple thing to do is to keep it as neat and tidy as possible. I try to keep it very soothing, very minimalist with no distractions or clutter. I light a VOTARY Lavender and Chamomile natural soy wax candle. It contains an aromatherapy sleep blend of chamomile, rose and lavender and I like to light that half an hour before I go to sleep (remembering to blow it out before I go to sleep!) or I sometimes burn it before I get in the bath as well.”
TIP 3 : A LONG HOT BATH
“I love a really lovely long, hot bath or shower, and wrapping up in a Votary bathrobe is a treat . I add our fragrant Antidote Bath and Body Oil, which has the same soporific blend of aromatherapy oils that we have in our Candle and Pillow Spray, to the water. It works in two ways; the fragrance calms and soothes, and the natural pure plant oils hydrate my skin for smooth, glossy comfort.”
TIP 4 : A SPRITZ OF PILLOW SPRAY
“A spritz of VOTARY Pillow Spray onto my pillow before bed helps to cocoon my bed in its calming, soporific fragrance, and is brilliant at helping me drift peacefully to sleep. It reminds me of my garden here in the Kent countryside on a sunny summer’s evening. It really is a gorgeous fragrance and contributes to me feeling calm and happy.”
TIP 5 : AROMATHERAPY
“I’m applying Detach from our VOTARY Feelings set to my pulse points right now. A beautiful woodsy fragrance of cedarwood and sandalwood. It’s really soothing and the rollerball means I can target pulse points. The beautiful, completely natural fragrance will release overnight and it makes sure I get a really good night’s sleep.
And finally…
I know I said 5 but my final tip is to put your phone down, even better, put it in a different room. I try to put mine down at 9pm and I don’t turn it on again until the morning. Easier said than done I know, but it really works!”
