Presenting: THE FILE’s Beauty Sleep Awards. In honour of sleep, we took it upon ourselves to tirelessly vet products that claim to aid sleep in any way, shape or form. So tirelessly, in fact, we stayed up late with pen and notepad swatching lotions and burning candles and spritzing pillows all in the name of Sleep Week  (an irony that is not lost on us for a moment). Here at THE FILE, it was all in a hard day’s work and a good night’s sleep. The verdict? It was totally worth it for we’ve found a round-up of products that not only make our skin beam but that also taught us to incorporate nurturing rituals into our PM routines. Stay tuned over the course of the week for the full reviews. And of course, sweet dreams to you all.

As I make my way through my late twenties, I am trying to be the best ~adult~ I can possibly be. The operative word here is “trying”. I’m a social creature. After I’ve left my house around 8AM almost anything goes. Maybe I’ll head to a yoga class after work. Maybe I won’t. I’m more than partial to a last-minute dinner plan or a Saturday night out cutting questionable shapes on the D-Floor. For me at least, it’s those moments spent with new people and old that makes life so rich and full of colour – something I’m not quite willing to give up.

On the other hand, my mornings have long been sacred. It’s where most of my rituals lie. Waking up at the same time is crucial (if you don’t believe me, take it from our Sleep Expert here). I’m big on leaving my phone on Airplane mode from the moment I wake to the moment I’ve stepped through the front door. I always find the time to meditate and before I begin I’ll always light a candle.

That candle can’t just be any old thing one finds in the half-off bin at your local drugstore. I want a candle with a fancy French name, ethically made from vegetable wax. I want a candle that has been custom-blended with high-quality oil. I want a lead-free wick that has been straightened by MF hand before the wax has been set. Is that too much to ask??

Turns out Diptyque Feuille de Lavande ticks every single one of my demanding candle boxes. But it’s also made my morning ritual something I look forward to each day. So much so, I’ve now reverted to burning it at night as I prepare my body to wind down and switch off (welcome back, Airplane mode).

Here’s the drill: light the candle, take deep Diptyque-scented breaths reminiscent of heady summers in the South of France, and read a book until your lids grow heavy.

It’s become so much a part of my daily routine that I’m now almost down to the final burn. That’s almost 60 hours of getting lit, FYI, but also totally cool because once you’re done you’ll find it makes a very attractive makeup holder.

I suppose that’s the thing with rituals: they serve a function, but they also create grounding signposts throughout one’s day, so that once you’ve set them in stone, it’s hard to ever imagine not lighting up.

Styling, Alicia Sciberras