This post is sponsored by Pantene – all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Can we have an honest conversation about self-care? I know, I know… we hear this buzz-word all the time but when was the last time you REALLY focused on taking care of your own needs and desires without feeling guilty? For me, it’s been a while since I’ve practiced much self-care at all and even longer since I’ve done it without my own self-imposed guilt. Can you relate?
I’m approaching a milestone birthday soon, 35 in case you’re curious, and I’ve thought a lot about where I am in life and what I want the next phase to look like. Here’s what I know I’m ready for more of… a lot of fun and adventure with my loved ones and a lot more self-care (along with a complete lack of guilt or shame for making myself a top priority in my own life).
Oftentimes as women, we act as though we believe that sacrificing for others to the point of exhaustion and burnout is the only end goal and that any focus on ourselves is selfish or wrong. Of course, this is simply not true and it’s critical that we don’t limit ourselves to only the most basic levels of self-care in our lives. We were born to thrive, not just survive, and we deserve the same love and care we give to those around us.
We’re always told when we fly that if oxygen masks are ever needed, it’s important to put on our own masks first so that we’re capable of helping others. It’s the perfect metaphor for life and self-care. It’s wonderful to love and care for our people, but let’s take care of ourselves so that we CAN be what we want to be for everyone else too.
Five Tips for Self-Care for Busy Women:
- Be still – In our fast-paced lives we are sometimes too busy to even stop and think about what we need and want. Finding time to slow down and be still will help us connect with ourselves and our needs.
- Ask for help – This is a hard one at times but we aren’t superhuman and everyone needs a little help! We all have those things on our to-do list that stress us out and bog us down. Can you automate or eliminate tasks so that you don’t have to do them anymore? Can a loved one help share the burden? Can you hire someone to help?
- Try something new – If you’re like me and think you couldn’t possibly make time for a hobby or anything fun, I encourage you to look at your screen time stats on your phone. Once I saw in black and white how much time I actually spend scrolling social media I realized that I do, in fact, have time to take a virtual painting class or learn a few words of a new language. Making time for things that bring us joy is worth it.
- Prioritize relationships – Regardless of whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, making space in your life for friends and family is key. While it can feel like one more thing on the to-do list, you’ll never regret having a laugh with your bestie or a heart to heart with someone you love.
- Primp a bit – When you look good, you feel good. Doing what you can to look your best really does make a huge difference in your mood. I’ve learned that even on days when no one else sees me due to working from home or mom life, I just feel better and more prepared to tackle my day when I’ve put in a little effort with my appearance. Simple habits like implementing a five-minute makeup routine or deep conditioning your hair once a week are reminders that you are beautiful and worthy of taking time for yourself.
A Simple Hair Care Routine for Soft, Shiny Hair
Speaking of looking your best and deep conditioning, I’ve made some simple tweaks to my haircare routine recently that I’m excited to share with you. If you’ve spent years damaging your hair with heat styling or color treatments, you’ll love it as much as I do.
Past Hair Damage
In the past, I have damaged my hair in so many ways. For years, actually decades, I washed my hair daily and both dried and heat styled it. I rarely used heat protectants and always turned hot tools to the highest possible heat setting. Because of this, my hair has always been very dry and frizzy, especially at the ends.
Just for fun, here are a few photos from over the years showing the different ways I styled my hair. There’s been so much damage done, but today it’s looking better than ever!
Over the past few years, I’ve started skipping at least one day between washing my hair, and I try to air dry it when possible before heat styling. I also recently started using products from the Pantene Pro-V Miracle Rescue Collection that add moisture to my dry ends and include heat protectant for when I heat style my hair. I’ve noticed a huge difference and have been thrilled that the changes haven’t required me to spend a lot of time or money to get the results I want.
Whether your hair is damaged from heat styling, coloring, or anything else… I think you’re going to love these new products from Pantene.
Pantene Miracle Rescue Collection
The new Pantene Pro-V Miracle Rescue Collection is excellent for those of us who want to take better care of our damaged hair but don’t want to spend a fortune doing it. The Miracle Rescue Deep Conditioning Treatment and Intense Rescue Shot even repairs signs of damage as well as a $60 professional treatment and can be done quickly and easily as part of your regular hair washing routine.
You can have shiny, soft, frizz free hair from the comfort of your own home. The line stems from a Pantene favorite, the Intense Rescue Shot. The entire line is full of treatments that help repair past damage and prevent future damage so that you can style your hair, use hot tools, and liVe your best life with beautiful, shiny hair.
Miracle Rescue Deep Conditioning Treatment is used like any regular conditioner, but it’s SO much better. It is a deep conditioner for dry hair perfect for those of us who need an extra dose of moisture. You can use it occasionally for extra softness and shine or if you have extra dry hair like me you can use it every time you wash your hair. Because my beauty routine is such a key component of my self-care, I value products that not only work great but are enjoyable to use. I love products that smell luxurious, and this conditioner definitely does. It’s also thick and creamy which feels nice and makes it easy to apply. I leave it on for three minutes and allow myself to just be still and relax while it’s working. You can leave it on for anywhere from 1-3 minutes, but given that my shower is sometimes my only alone time all day… I like to wear it as long as I can!
Miracle Rescue Multitasking 10 in 1 Spray is my personal favorite in the line. As a busy mom and entrepreneur, I LOVE any product that takes care of many different things at once. This spray is a leave hair detangler spray that does way more than just detangle hair. It also repairs damage, moisturizes, strengthens against breakage, protects colors, heat protects, tames frizz, softens, smoothes, and improves shine. I noticed an immediate difference in more softness and shine and less frizz after the first use. I also love that the spray includes a heat protectant so that when I choose to heat style, I’m minimizing any damage to my hair. To use, just spray in damp hair after your shower from mid-length to ends of your hair.
Miracle Rescue Intense Rescue Shot is a heavy-duty product that helps repair extreme damage from coloring or heat styling. I am amazed it’s even possible for Pantene to sell this product for such an incredible price given how effective it is. I have spent many times the price of this product for a treatment at a salon, and I can use this whenever I want in the comfort of my own home. This deep conditioning hair treatment can be used in place of your regular conditioner once per week or more often as needed. You apply the shot to your hair and leave on as long as you’d like – I usually leave it for 10-15 minutes then rinse.
If you’re ready for more self-care (and good hair days) like I am, you’ll love these products. They’re perfect for a busy lifestyle and can be easily incorporated into your regular hair washing routine plus they’re affordable and easy to find at your favorite stores. Learn more and get yours here online or in-store at Walmart.
You and your hair are glowing!