3 Ways To Spend A Winter’s Night In

When the weather is cold outside, it can be tempting to stay indoors rather than piling on the layers to head out into the frosty night.  Staying in need not be boring though as there are plenty of ways to amuse yourself from watching a movie to playing games or having a pamper, all of which you can do on your own or with friends, family, your partner or even your favourite fluffy sidekick… doggy massage anyone?!

In today’s post, I’ll be sharing 3 ways to spend a winter’s night in with you all.  Let me know how you love to spend a night in when the temperature drops in the comments below!

THE MOVIE NIGHT

Grab some popcorn and snuggle up in your favourite cosy loungewear this winter to watch a film you’ve been meaning to hit play on from your My List on Netflix.  When the nights are long, mild and light, I love to be outside making the most of the fresh air and warmth but when the winter months hit and the temperature drops, I love to make the most of my spare hours with a movie night in.  This is the time of the year when I’ll start and finish all of those series I’ve been recommended on my WhatLauraLoves Instagram throughout the year.  This winter we’ve watched YOU, Luther, Ted Bundy, Bird Box and The Haunting Of Hill House.  Plus, we’ve caught up on the past series of Silent Witness that my man hadn’t watched so now we can get stuck into the latest series, FINALLY!

THE GAMES NIGHT

For those who want to stay in but still get their adrenaline going, a games night can be perfect.  Whether you’re playing Twister, getting competitive with our personal fave Heads Up! which sees you acting out, miming and making sounds to mimic animals, celebrities and other popular culture words, or bringing out an old classic board game like Cluedo, it can be a great way to get together with friends, family or your partner to have a laugh indoors when the weather is FREEZING!

The world of mobile and online gaming entertainment is great for playing games too and can be a great option if you’re on your own at home when its cold outside!  Remember when Candy Crush literally took over so many peoples lives?  Social networks have a lot to answer for when promoting such fun games, even tower defence games, ones that you need to go back on everyday to tend to (remember Farmville and Frontierville- I swear I spent more time on that than I did studying for my undergraduate degree!) and titles inspired by land-based and online casinos.  Many are free to play, governed by easy to understand rules and are so immersive that they quickly win the hearts and minds of those looking for a little escapism.  It is important that you have the best satellite internet for gaming so that you get and stay connected during your gameplay.  Let’s face it; no one likes their internet to be buffering or to disconnect mid game!

My partner and my mam are the gamers closest to me as I don’t have as much time to play as I used to.  The ones I have on my phone were really easy to download for free or a very low cost from the App Store (I’m sure they’ll be available on the Google Play store too!).  My favourites are Heads Up! for playing with friends and my partner, Words 2 which I play either with other gamers online or my partner, Pokémon GO which is brilliant for encouraging me to walk further and further, the National Lottery App which I use for putting the Euromillions and National Lottery on, plus I love to play the instant win games like Monopoly and bingo every now and again.  I don’t give myself a huge budget on there, its all done responsibly as it should be and I really limit myself to the amount of credit that I add.

Being aware of what you’re spending, if anything is the important thing and never ever going beyond your means.  Online casinos are some of the most frequent providers of casual games, as their most popular titles are available on virtual currency (i.e. you can play them for free), you can find a list of new sites here. Unlike land-based casinos who encourage players to bet even the smallest amount, their online counterparts allow them to test the waters for free so you can see if you like it and enjoy playing for the fun of it without having to part with any hard earned cash.  Similarly, if you are in a steady position to add real money, should you even wish to, you can switch from the free games to the real money ones and back again with your own free will.  The stakes differ greatly of course but the rules are the same, with tutorials and an abundance of information available online helping them early on.

Gaming can be fun in any sense but its important that it remains that way so when the weather is cold outside, if you love a game or two then choose whichever method is right for you.

THE PAMPER NIGHT

A pamper night in is one of my favourite ways to relax and recuperate on a cold, winters night, especially after a long week at work.  I’ve written all about the benefits of beauty products and rituals on stress levels and I’m a firm believer that taking a little bit of time out for a pamper every now and again can really be of benefit to your mind, body and soul!

There are so many great beauty brands out there that make products that show real results on your skin but also on how relaxed and chilled out you feel too; Temple Spa are one of them.

You can tailor your own pamper night to suit you but I’d always suggest starting with a thorough double cleanse and then a tone to reset the pH levels of your skin.  Then go in with an exfoliation and a mask to suit your skincare concerns; mine are usually either congestion or hydration.  I’ve been trying out the Purification mask from Temple Spa to clear out my skin and loving the results that the rich marine and land mud has on my skin.  It is quite heavy duty so best to use when your complexion is looking dull, lacklustre and clogged.

Described as a vacuum cleaner for the pores, the Temple Spa Purification Mask works to draw out impurities from deep within the skin while still feeling rich and luxurious when applied as well as cooling which I find so relaxing when I first put it on.  It has a really dense texture that still manages to feel quite whipped like a mousse so it doesn’t dry out the skin like a lot of purifying masks can.  It is ideal for use on oily and congested skin like mine as it rids the pores of excess sebum, dirt and other impurities which in turn, makes it a highly effective anti blemish treatment and since it is still rich in texture and doesn’t dry out the skin, it doesn’t leave it feeling stripped or sending the pores into overdrive to produce even more oil!

I don’t tend to get too many spots and breakouts because I keep on top of deeply cleansing my skin with treatments like this but I do get little pimples and blackheads so this mask really helps to keep those at bay by drawing out the impurities before they develop into a full on spot!  As well as purifying the skin, it has an exfoliating effect too by removing the dead skin cells from the surface of the skin.  This means that my complexion is left looking brighter, clearer and refreshed.

I tend to leave it on for a good 20 minutes… especially if I’m getting lost in reading a good book while I have it on and then I’ll remove it over the sink with a hot flannel.  It’s a great mask to use as a treat in the bath too but sometimes when I’m having a pamper night in, I’ll have my friends over too so we’ll sit and chat in our PJs with our masks on!

After using a mask, I’ll always follow up with the rest of my skincare routine.  At the moment, I’m using the Clarins Double Serum religiously morning and night so I’ll apply that first and then I’ll apply and eye cream and face moisturiser.  The Temple Spa Windows Of The Soul eye cream is great for when you’re wanting a product to calm and soothe the eye area while targeting fine lines, loss of hydration and dark circles.  It’s lightweight formula sits somewhere between a cream and a gel and applies beautifully, absorbing effortlessly into the skin.  Using a product that’s specifically formulated for the eye area is important as the skin is thinner here.  An eye cream has smaller molecules than a regular moisturiser so it can penetrate the skin without being too heavy and dragging down the delicate skin around that eyes.

I apply this eye cream using my ring fingers together with light patting motions to press the product into my skin from the inner corner of my eyes outwards along the orbital bone and up onto my brow bone this helps with drainage for puffiness around the eyes.  The cooling effect that this product has also helps with this and really helps to give the eye area a wide awake, fresh appearence.

Finish off with your chosen moisturiser as the final step in an evening pamper routine.  I have many that I could recommend to you but the one that I’ve been trying out for this post is the Temple Spa Moisture Matte lightweight moisturiser that’s perfect for all of you oily skin gals like me.  It feels very soft and almost slippy when applying it to the skin.  As it glides across the surface of the skin, it has a smoothing effect and absorbs excess oil, leaving the skin looking matte and, if you’re using it during the day, creating an ideal base for makeup as it leaves the skin free from shiny patches.  Naturally, this isn’t something that I’m concerned about when it comes to my evening skincare but its definitely a plus point for daytime wear.

It is by no means as moisturising as the Temple Spa Repose resting cream that I have written about before but if you’re wearing it during the day, it is perfect for keeping oil levels at bay while still hydrating the skin and if you’re using it at night with a serum, you’ll still feel adequately hydrated and moisturised, you just might not have the really rich nourishment that you may feel from a thicker cream that’s designed for night time; although that’s more texture preference than anything else.

Whether you’re gaming, watching or pampering, a winter night in needn’t be boring.  Whack the heating on, pop on your snuggliest loungewear and enjoy your evening ladies!  Let me know how you love to spend a cold evening inside in the comments box below!

*The Temple Spa products and Simply Be loungewear featured in this post are PR samples sent for honest consideration.