The Ultimate Cosy Winter Evening

If you follow me on Instagram then you will probably have noticed that I'm not exactly a party girl, I'm all about the cosy nights in, I like nothing more than a good pamper with a pizza in the oven and my favourite Christmas film on TV (Love Actually, of course). By now I think I've found the perfect formula for a relaxing festive evening, so I've put together a starter pack of the essential steps that you can take to turn a miserable winter night into a cosy Christmas party for one.

Clothes for snuggling

It's impossible to get comfy in jeans, so it's time to kick them off and throw on your warmest, most snuggly loungewear. I'm currently in the market for some new PJ's, and as you may have spotted in my Christmas Wishlist post, I've got my eye on these cat print pyjamas from Cath Kidston. On chilly winter nights I like to also throw on my hooded dressing gown from ASOS, and my pink cashmere socks from The White Company. The socks are definitely a luxury purchase (my boyfriend turned grey when he saw the price) but I haven't had a moment of regret since buying them, they are the ultimate cosy night in accessory. 

A Calm Atmosphere

Now that you're dressed for the occasion it's time to set the scene. If you have a couple of candles lying around then now is the time to light them, I love burning my Diptyque Baies candle when I want to clear my mind, the soothing rose scent automatically calms me down. If you're looking for a more festive vibe then try Yankee Candle's Christmas Memories for an instant hit of Christmas nostalgia. If I'm planning to watch a film then I'll dim the lights and turn on my artificial fire and Christmas tree lights.

Pamper Time

No cosy night in for one should ever involve a full face of makeup, so make sure you remove every trace before you settle down. On chilly winter evenings I like to take a bath with some soothing oils and creams, my current favourite is Laura Mercier's Ambre Vanille Honey Bath range because it smells incredible and leaves my skin feeling super soft. I'll also put on a face mask, right now I'm loving the Parsley Seed mask from Aesop, it really helps to keep my misbehaving skin under control. 

I tend to neglect my body care routine during the week because I'm always in such a hurry, so a cosy night in is the perfect time to get back on track. I'll scrub my body with the Herbivore Botanicals Coco Rose body polish and then apply a thick layer of body lotion and slather on some hand cream too. I've been loving my new Aesop Resurrection Aromatique balm, it's thick enough to sooth the driest of hands and it smells incredible, I highly recommend you to give it a sniff if you ever pass by a Space NK store (you will fall in love). 

Snacks and Entertainment

The final (and most important) step in the ultimate cosy night in guide is to prepare your snacks. As I mentioned in previously, pizza is my go to for a movie night, followed by a big bowl of popcorn and  hot chocolate with cream and mini marshmallows. In the winter I'll usually watch a Christmas Film, with Love Actually or Elf as my top choices, or I'll put on Harry Potter, because nothing puts me in a festive mood better than a trip to Hogwarts. If I'm not in a film mood I'll curl up with a good book or I'll grab my laptop and read some blogposts with Maria Carey's All I Want For Christmas playing quietly in the background. 

I hope you enjoyed reading about my perfect cosy evening! What do you like to do on a chilly winter night? 

Fx

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