Written by Paula Brečak for Self Studies
You take care of everyone and everything. In the office, at home, and even in that girlfriend group chat. But how do you take care of yourself? At Self Studies, you come first. To make sure that doesn’t slip your mind this year, we curated the self care trends we love in 2024 for you to try and keep.
We define self care as acts focused just on you, that bring you pleasure, comfort, and wellbeing. Both instantly and in the long-term. The common theme we welcome this year is rest and coziness. Give your productive mind a break and let yourself do things you enjoy just for the enjoyment’s sake.
At Home Spa
Spa time has been the epitome of relaxation and self care for a long time, but now we love doing it inside the cozy space of our own homes. There is no need for big financial spends or planning days ahead. The only thing you need to plan is having your bathroom all to yourself.
An essential part of a cozy at home spa is the mood and the atmosphere, created by scented candles and fresh aromas. And do we have a perfect candidate - L’air Barbes Candle carrying a bright, crisp scent that will amuse your memories and help you surrender to the moment. Start yourself off with a dry-brushing session to help increase your circulation and strengthen your skin. While brushing, let your bathtub fill with water and add all you need for the most serene bath - soaking salts and bathing coconut milk from Maude. Combine the bath with a face mask and slow-burning sexual pleasure. Take Yuki, a clitoral vibrator by Iroha, underwater and let it do its part in melting your worries away. Yuki is soft, versitile, and gentle - everything you need your self care to be. For an extra pleasure boost, we would not forgo Sitre CBD Pleasure Oil that stimulates blood flow, increases sensitivity, and will get you on your way to a bigger and better orgasm.
Digital Detox
Most of our time is now spent interacting with screens and in front of screens. And while we love all the funny, educational, and inspiring TikToks, we are also oh so glad the trend of taking a break from it all is coming up. A digital detox refers to allocated time spent without checking your social media, the internet, and whatever other form of digitalization you want to take a break from. Social media algorithms work to keep us scrolling and glued to our phones. Do that too much, and it can mess with your self-image, self-esteem, sleep, anxiety, time management, and more. Over-consuming of social media can make you feel like you are missing out on life and not really living it, just watching others do it instead.
A digital detox can take space over a weekend, during one evening of the week, or perhaps every night for 30 mins before you go to bed. You can change the mode on your phone, so it does not let you use certain apps, but calls can still get through. Or you can simply uninstall the social media apps you want to detox from for the duration of your weekend or evening. Make whatever plan works for you and helps you stay on track with your digital detoxing.
Use the time you have to engage in non-tech activities, such as reading, self-care, partnered pleasure or self-pleasure with the lovely Saksura vibrator from Iroha. Perhaps that time can be spent getting to know yourself deeply and more intimately. We suggest getting a hand from The School of Life Know Yourself Prompt Cards.
Gut Health
Some have been saying it for quite some time now, but finally it is getting traction - gut is the source of your health! We should give it due attention and care. We love enjoying life through food and drinks, but we are also becoming more conscious of how and what we consume affects our digestive space. Poor gut health can have its fingers in skin problems, bad sleep patterns and fatigue, hormone imbalances, stomach and other health issues. To support your gut health, you can try eating more mindfully and slowly, consuming more fermented and high-fiber foods, making sure you are hydrated throughout the day, getting enough sleep and lowering your stress levels. And if your gut just decides to work against you on a particular day, you can always reach for Something for Bloated Tums from Biocol Labs, a natural digestive aid full of probiotics and other good stuff.
Quality Sleep
All of the self-care trends we’re loving this year address sleep, among other things. Naturally, quality sleep is another self-care practice we are not missing out on. This year, we are over being overly-productive and losing sleep to work, chores, and stress. Instead, we are investing in good sleeping habits and valuable sleeping products. Cotton sheets and silk pillow cases, bed mists and huggable pillows, we are here for it all! Good sleep will get you where you want to go, it will help with your mood, concentration, health, stress, and libido. Add Something for Dreaming from Biocol Labs, a potent cocktail of melatonin, passionflower and lemongrass, to your sleep routine to get some serious shuteye. If sleep is still elusive, keep Something for the Knackered from Biocol Labs on hand. A combination of magnesium and ginseng will reduce your fatigue and support your vitality throughout the day. But still remember to catch up on some quality sleep and combine it with other self-care practices to ease your stress and improve your wellbeing in personal, professional, and sexual matters.