Overnight Eye Skin Care

As a Mom, one of the things that has taken a backseat is my beauty and skincare routine. Before I had my son, I didn't realize how much free time I had. I thought it was normal to take a long shower, lollygag in my towel (while mindlessly scrolling Instagram), blow dry my hair, use my wand to create the perfect waves and still have time to apply a full face of makeup and pick out an outfit. These days, I shower right before bed so my hair air dries with its own personality and I run errands or go most places with zero makeup on and a 2-day old pair of shorts - We're talking eyebrows not even done, which is a cardinal sin in my book!

What I'm trying to say is, I'm tired...a lot. And while I've definitely learned to live on less sleep, I still miss having that time to take the best care of myself. Luckily, the world of beauty is basically built on the idea of Mom's losing sleep (and sanity) and comes to our rescue over and over again. My latest superhero is VIIcode, an oxygen eye mask to be worn as an 8-hour overnight treatment while you're sleeping. I love trying all kinds of face masks, so this had me intrigued from the start, but it is different than your typical sheet mask because the VIICode eye pads are actually made of a gel-like substance which has an immediate cooling and refreshing affect when placed on my skin. They are unobtrusive, so I wear them under my glasses and go about my normal pre-bed routine. 

The only thing is, some nights I don't feel in the mood for sleeping in them and if you run into the same issue, you can wear them for 2-4 hours during the day and still achieve the desired effect. One night after I got the baby to sleep, I put the mask on and sat on our deck with my laptop for a little blogging session complete with my favorite Spotify playlist and a glass of wine. It was a warm, humid night so wearing the mask made it feel like I was experiencing a mini facial while getting some work done. I'd say that's multi-tasking at its finest! 

Each box comes with 6 packets and you use the eye masks 2-3 times per week. The VIIcode website says that a full treatment would typically consist of three boxes but even after finishing the one box the team graciously sent me, I felt like the bags under my eyes had started to subside and more than anything, my skin felt SO soft which is most important to me. Sometimes, I just put them on for a few hours while I listen to a podcast or read a book because they feel so nice on my skin and it makes my "me time" even more relaxing which is really all I can ask for these days.

What are your favorite skincare products?

Let me know if you try these out!

This post is in partnership with VIIcode. As always, opinions are entirely my own. 

Thanks for supporting the brands that make Kait Lately possible! 

5 Things I Do for Mom "Me Time"

Last week when my son got his first cold, I was so worried which is overdramatic, I know. But as a first time Mom, I was nervous about it turning into something else, especially with the crazy flu this year and it was hard to watch him struggle to breathe and be so uncomfortable. But then I got sick and my worries turned from, "My poor baby" into "How in the WORLD am I going to take care of the both of us?". Let me tell you, feeling like crap and having to entertain and take care of a 7 month old is my least favorite part of being a Mom so far. It's right up there with the lack of sleep during newborn days and explosion diapers. I would have given anything to watch a Boy Meets World marathon on the couch and not move for 8 hours while my nose just runs like a faucet. Instead, I was on my hands and knees, playing peek-a-boo and singing the Hot Dog song allllll day long. As my sister-in-law always says, Mom's don't get days off so whether you like it or not, and no matter how scratchy your throat is, the show must go on.

HOWEVER.

I fully believe that you can't sufficiently take care of someone else unless you are taking care of yourself. When we first brought Ronan home, I was eating very little because A) My appetite just wasn't there and B) I felt like there was NO time to make myself a meal or even snack on a granola bar. But everyone reminded me, I was the sole source of food for him and in order to feed him, it was imperative that I keep myself nourished. I am still my own person so just because I'm taking care of a little human doesn't mean I should completely neglect my own needs. It's like when you're on a plane and the flight attendant says to secure your mask first should anything happen. So when I was feeling particularly crappy last week and my husband demanded I lay down while he did our food/book/bath routine, I gave in and let him. It's very hard for me to sit back and watch but it's so important to take help when it's offered.

On a similar note of doing things for myself, I have been trying my hardest to find little bits of "me time" here and there every week. It's certainly more challenging to do the things I used to do on a regular basis...stop at the gym after work, hit a 7:00 hot yoga class or even run basic errands. But with a little extra planning and help from the Family, it can be done. But it's not always about outings like those...Honestly, it's the little things during the week. A recent survey claimed that new mothers have on average just 17 minutes of “me time” a day. A whoooole 17 minutes!

Here's how I utilize those:

1. Reading before bed: 

I used to do this on a regular basis but then stopped when I was pregnant and right after I had the baby because I was so tired and was basically going to bed IMMEDIATELY after he did because I knew I'd be waking up again shortly. But lately, I have been trying to get at least a half hour to an hour in of reading before I sleep. It's a great way to unwind and my reading list is miles long at this point so I've got a lot of catching up to do. I recently finished Small Great Things which I definitely recommend - It's very timely for our current state of society and Jodi Picoult is a great storyteller, no matter the subject. Read this review if you're interested. What are you currently reading?

2. Getting up early to do _____: 

My husband gets up at 5:00am for work every day. He doesn't start until 8:00 so I never understood why he needed this much time and didn't want to get more sleep but he always tells me he loves having quiet time in the morning where can just relax by the fireplace and eat his breakfast in peace. I was telling him the other day that I feel like I NEVER have any time to myself so he suggested I try this method. I was skeptical but Ronan has been waking up at 5 to eat before going back to sleep for a bit so this week, I just stayed awake instead of trying to fall back asleep and I'll be honest, I got SO much done before going to work. I listened an episode of my favorite podcast, actually MADE a healthy egg breakfast (instead of throwing a frozen waffle in my purse), showered, DID MY HAIR, put the dishes away, omg, I could go on and on. It felt REALLY GOOD. Next time, maybe I'll opt for a workout in my basement - I have my sights set on BBG! 


3. "Self-care Sunday" (or Thursday if I want!): 

Sundays should be relaxing. Revitalizing. Inspiring. Like the veggies in your cauliflower rice, they are necessary to starting a fresh week with a bang so I like to slow it down a bit, even more so in the Winter (is it STILL Winter?), and take a few extra minutes on my self-care routine. This includes things like a long shower or hot bath (infused with Lavender - more on that next), meal prep, baking grab & go muffins for the week and the BEST part, face masks! I can't exactly pinpoint the moment I turned 90 years old but I get so excited to try new face masks, especially the peel off kind because I find some odd enjoyment in this. Lately, I have been alternating between these four:

4. Lavender everything: 

Fun fact: I was induced at midnight to start labor and my Mom arrived at the hospital PROMPTLY at 6:00am that morning. My husband and I were barely awake when she walked in wielding this lavender scent and spraying it on every inch of the room before she even said hello to us, no exaggeration. She just started spritzing everywhere as if she was trying to ward off any negative vibes that could be lurking and I will never forget that image...we seriously imitate it all the time 😂 I know she did that because she had a ton of nervous energy and it was just one of many things she did to try and help me stay calm that day. I can't say it did much to help in the moment but now, whenever I smell that particular scent, it makes me smile. I use lavender for everything - I spray it on my pillow at night, diffuse it in our bedroom, put a few drops in the shower and let it run before I get in and wash my hands with our lavender scented soap. 

5. Hot Yoga:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: This is my ultimate zone-out full of zen and bliss. It's always been my happy place but I feel like I need it even more now or at least in a different way. Mom's - Even if you were never interested in trying yoga before, you need it now more than ever. Erica said it best, you guys. This pretty much sums it up:

"I don’t know about you, but after a few busy days without enough sleep and my third day without a shower, I need a reminder of how good it feels to be in my body, eat healthy prana-filled foods, and well, function like a normal human (the way I functioned before I became a mom). After a well-rounded yoga practice, I am more inclined to eat healthy foods and take better care of myself for the rest of the day. It’s like I need to practice having control over my body and mind for a few minutes to remember that the way I feel is my choice—that I’m not just a victim of circumstances beyond my control and I have the power to change the things that aren’t working in my life. Yoga motivates me into action when nothing else will."

Whether you're a Mom or not, how do you unwind? 

What is your favorite way to spend 17 minutes of "me time?" 😉

Happy Friday!