A ten-minute evening routine for the end of a long day
Most of the day belongs to other people. The last hour can be yours, and it doesn't need to be elaborate. Here is a routine that takes about ten minutes and fits into the evening you already have.
How do you wind down after a long day?
Give the evening a clear edge. The day doesn't end by itself; it ends when something tells you it has. A few small, repeated steps do that better than willpower, because after a while the steps start the evening for you.
A ten-minute evening routine
- Change the light. Turn off the overhead lights and turn on a lamp. It is the simplest signal that the day is done.
- Put tomorrow on paper. Write down the three things you need to remember for tomorrow, then close the notebook. They'll be there in the morning.
- Take a warm shower, not a hot one. Keep it short. Very hot water feels good but leaves skin tight and dry, especially in winter.
- Moisturize while your skin is still damp. Shoulders, arms and legs. Warm the cream between your palms first and take your time with it. Ninety seconds is plenty.
- Phone away. Face down, out of reach, ideally in another room.
- Something slow. A few pages of a book, a cup of something warm, the sheets turned down. Whatever you'd like the end of the day to be.
How long should an evening routine take?
Long enough to feel deliberate, short enough to do on a tired Tuesday. Ten minutes is a good place to start. A routine you keep for five minutes beats one you skip for an hour.
When should you put body lotion on at night?
Straight after your shower, while your skin is still slightly damp. Pat dry rather than rubbing, then smooth your body cream on. A light cream is easier at night because you can slip into pyjamas straight after.
We make our Evening Body Cream for exactly this moment: a silky lavender gel-cream, made to leave no film on your sheets. For feet, the Leg & Foot Balm works best earlier in the evening, the moment your shoes come off.
What if the routine doesn't stick?
Attach it to something you already do. Lamp on when you finish the dishes. Cream on when you step out of the shower. Phone on the charger in the kitchen. If evenings feel hard to switch off from most nights, or rest is a real struggle, talk to your doctor. A routine is a nice way to end the day, not a fix for everything.
More on dry winter skin and what helps is in the Journal, and the studies behind our ingredients are on our Research page.
Soirly is a cosmetic. We speak only to how our products look and feel on your skin.