Cheap Self‑Care in the City

Dear Readers, 

I grew up watching women splurge on self care. All over youtube and with celebrities, they spend upwards to a 1000 dollars on selfcare. That could mean spa days, facials, silk fabrics, facial steamers, hair steamers, and so much more. Now my self care routine looks a lot different than what I was used to seeing as a kid and teen. Living in NYC has taught me a lot about self care, it’s survival and so much more than that. So, here are my essentials for a week's worth of selfcare sprinkled throughout to survive the work week. 

1. Thankfully, I am a licensed esthetician so I can give myself at home facials. But I’m going to give you some small skincare tips to elevate your week if you need to pick me up. First, cleanse with any basic cleanser but use a small silicone pad to get a deeper clean. Then, every once in a while I splurge on a Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel pads, but if not I’ll use the travel pack one for a few days to give my skin a little extra help. Ice rollers? Great, but just use some ice cubes wrapped in a napkin. I usually sit with a chemical exfoliator for a few minutes at some point during the week as well, at least once. 

2. I shave with baby oil for a cleaner shave and smooth legs. 

3. I do a mini clean of my room, pick up some dirty laundry and clear out my bed before lighting a candle. Something to set the mood for journaling, music, and smoking. 

4. Sometimes, I rearrange my room a little, maybe switch two pieces of furniture, just to give me some small change. 

5. Cheap pizza and wine nights while I walk around the city with friends or my partner. 

6. Going to Book Club Bar in the East Village, bringing my own book, and either buying a coffee or an espresso martini. Do some reading and maybe browse the shelves. 

7. Making my own flower bouquet at bodegas or cornershops, no more than $20-$30 and you bring it home to liven the space. 

8. Digital detox time, I personally use a timed lockbox I bought on amazon for $30 to lock my phone away and take breaks. I usually use this time to do some creative writing, whether that’s writing out short prompts in my journal or typing on my Freewrite/laptop. 

9. Write love letters to myself, small affirmations. 

10. Maybe I’ll swing by a public library and do some editing. 

11. Hotbox my car. 

12. Pretend to film a youtube video, an interview where I’m famous, or do a fake podcast. 

—-Sofía Villafaña