By Our Bedsides, Vol. 8 – M.A. McCuen

By Our Bedsides is The Attic on Eighth’s evening series, sharing the methods and products we use to unwind. At a time where small comforts are more important than ever, Attic writer and teacher M.A. McCuen gives us a glimpse into her nightly routine.

All photos courtesy of M.A. McCuen.

“I’ve always loved small moments and the idea of slow living. There is something nice about adding intentionality to the everyday moments of life.”

I’ve always loved small moments and the idea of slow living. There is something nice about adding intentionality to the everyday moments of life. In this time of distance, I feel this even more. I find that I am leaning into skincare, slow reads, and other soft things as a way to both ground myself and to indulge. It’s through these small acts of routine that I’ve been finding comfort. And of course, the most soothing of all routines is my nightly routine.

Reading in bed has been a staple of my life for as long as I can remember. As a child, I’d escape into chapter books late into the night, diving into the world of childhood heroines like Nancy Drew and Laura Ingalls. Nowadays, I read broadly from classics to YA to contemporary fiction. Nothing slows me down to sleep like a good book. I’m currently reading White Teeth by Zadie Smith. This long multi-generational novel has done a good job of transporting me to London in a time when I cannot travel. My evening reads are frequently accompanied by a cup of tea or glass of wine, which inevitably, though embarrassingly, linger on my nightstand for a few days after. I also keep a jar of bookmarks beside my bed so that I can easily grab one whenever needed.

This last year I’ve gotten more serious about my skincare routine, going from a begrudged chore to a favorite ritual. I wash my face with a ph-balancing cleanser by Alex Steinherr. I randomly grabbed it off the shelf in Primark for £4 over the summer when I forgot my face wash on a trip to London and it weirdly turned out to be my favorite cleanser I’ve ever used. It’s apparently discontinued, so I’m honestly not sure what I’m going to do when I inevitably run out (the ingredients seem similar to this one, but unfortunately it’s not £4). Afterwards, I put a few drops of The Ordinary’s Niacinamide Serum on my palms and rub it all over my face. This product has done wonders at smoothing my complexion and I’m so passionate about it. I dab on a tiny bit of moisturizer over that to lock it in. I also add a bit of Rose Balm Dot Com to my lips for a bit of extra moisture. Once a week or so, I’ll use Lush’s Mask of Magnaminty for a refreshing, deep clean.When I finally head to bed, I slather Lavender Cedarwood lotion on my legs and feet, for both skin softening and aromatherapy purposes. 

Beside me are a few other favorite items, curated neatly (another quarantine hobby). I have a small, framed print of Wexford, Ireland, a city I lived in after undergrad and miss so, so dearly. I have my himalyan salt lamp, which I mostly have for the aesthetic. There is a small jewelry dish with a few pins, including one with a Jane Eyre quote, one from the Tiny Desk studio at NPR, and one from the Royal Ballet. There is a candle from local Nebraska company, Wax Buffalo. Beside my nightstand is my very lovely monstera named Rosamund Vincey (my sister and I have taken to naming our plants after characters from Middlemarch). The last item is a self care essential that I cannot recommend enough- a lavender weighted eye pillow. Resting this cooling mask on my face is by far the dreamiest way to drift off to sleep.

---

M. A. McCuen is a secondary English literature teacher based in Omaha, Nebraska. Originally from Michigan, she has a BA in English and French from University of Notre Dame and a M.Ed from Creighton University. Having previously lived in France and Ireland, she spends her scant free time plotting ways to travel the world on her teachers salary.