Welcome to the Peaceful Girl Era
- Vingt Sept
- 23 hours ago
- 13 min read
For years, we were told to have a Hot Girl Summer. Be outside, be booked, be spontaneous, say yes to everything and make sure someone gets the picture. It was fun, glamorous and, if we’re being honest, exhausting. Now, the mood is changing. The Peaceful Girl Era is less interested in how much we can fit into a weekend and more interested in how good it feels to have nowhere to be. Slow mornings, quiet evenings, dinner at home, putting the phone down and realising that doing nothing can actually be doing something for yourself.
It's an important shift for those living alone or navigating single life, too. There can be an unspoken pressure to fill the silence, constantly make plans or treat being alone as something that needs fixing. But there's enormous freedom in becoming your own company. Self-love isn't just bubble baths and buying yourself flowers. It's learning what makes you feel safe, rested and content, and creating a life that feels good even when nobody else is in the room. Being alone should never feel like waiting for your real life to begin.
Perhaps this is why the shift feels so timely. We've spent years optimising ourselves, filling our calendars and glorifying busy, while our bodies have quietly absorbed the pressure. Fight-or-flight helps us respond to immediate threats, but prolonged stress can leave the body in a heightened state, affecting everything from sleep to mood and overall wellbeing. Stepping into our divine femininity offers another way of being: not rejecting the drive, ambition and discipline associated with the divine masculine, because we need those qualities too, but making space for creativity, intuition, receptivity, sensuality, nurture and rest.
So this is an invitation to step out of survival mode and create a life that feels softer, slower and more yours. Whether you are living alone, happily single, partnered or simply ready to stop treating exhaustion as a personality trait, consider this your guide to finding more pleasure in your own company, your surroundings and the small rituals that make everyday life feel good.
Wilder Flourish Tea & Solstice Tea
There's something almost sacred about a brand that asks us to pay attention to nature again. Wilder Botanics was founded by naturopath and master herbalist Rachel Landon and co-founded with her husband Charlie, bringing together more than 20 years of practice with a shared belief in working with nature rather than against it.
That philosophy extends beyond the plants themselves, with some Wilder botanicals harvested and created around seasonal and celestial moments and the rhythms of the moon, reflecting a belief in working with nature’s cycles rather than rushing to override them. The range even includes formulas created with women’s moon cycles and the nervous system in mind.
That relationship with nature is what makes Wilder feel so right for the Peaceful Girl Era. Flourish brings together young nettle, dandelion and red clover, providing a naturally mineral- and vitamin-rich infusion that Wilder positions around supporting the liver, kidneys, digestion and skin. Solstice, meanwhile, draws on a traditional Welsh recipe of peppermint, yarrow, elderflower, cinnamon and bay, creating a warming, aromatic blend traditionally associated with seasonal wellbeing and immune support.
There's something to take from that philosophy even before the first sip. In a world that encourages us to live by notifications, deadlines and calendars, making tea asks us to return to a slower rhythm. Brew it properly, watch the leaves release into the water and take ten minutes to sit somewhere quiet. It's a small ritual, but one that reminds us that our bodies are part of nature too.
There are few gemstones with a mythology quite like the ruby. Known in ancient Sanskrit as ratnaraj, meaning “king of precious stones”, rubies have been coveted for centuries for their intense red colour, which early cultures associated with blood, life and vitality. Ancient Hindus believed that offering fine rubies to the god Krishna could bring rebirth as an emperor, while medieval Europeans believed the stone could bestow health, wealth, wisdom and success in love.
The legends became even more dramatic in Burma, where warriors believed rubies could make them invincible in battle. Some were said to have inserted the stones into their skin so the ruby became part of the body.
In today's world, that symbolism feels surprisingly relevant. This isn't about wearing a gemstone because it promises to magically change your life, but about choosing one that carries centuries of associations with strength, protection, love and self-worth. The Mozambique ruby at the centre of this sterling silver ring, framed by white zircon, becomes a small daily reminder to put yourself at the centre of your own life.
Sometimes creating a peaceful life starts with creating a peaceful space. The Kimbie Home Sage & Palo Santo Smudge Bundle brings together this sacred botanical pair with a gemstone. We chose Quartz, which can create a simple ritual for refreshing the atmosphere of your home. Traditionally, burning aromatic plants and woods has been part of cleansing and ceremonial practices across cultures, while today the ritual has found a place in meditation and mindful living.
Light the sage or Palo Santo, move slowly through your space and let the ritual mark a transition between the outside world and home. It's less about whether smoke can literally remove “negative energy” and more about giving yourself a physical cue to pause, reset and make your surroundings feel yours intentionally.
There's something deeply comforting about getting into a warm bed on a cold winter night, particularly when you have changed into quality pyjamas first. The DORINA Harper set, with its classic checked cotton shirt, button-front fastening and relaxed drawstring trousers, has a nostalgic quality that makes bedtime feel like a proper reset.
Fresh sheets, low lighting, a cup of tea and soft cotton pyjamas can signal that the day is done and there's nothing left to achieve. It's a small pleasure, but one that can make the transition from busy day to quiet evening feel more deliberate. And there's something rather lovely about creating that feeling entirely for yourself.
Bathing isn't just about hygiene; it's ceremonial. Across ancient cultures, water was used not only to cleanse the body but also to mark moments of purification, preparation, and renewal, while the ritual of anointing the skin with oils has long held spiritual significance.
Lola’s Apothecary feels rooted in that older understanding of beauty as ritual. Founded by Dominic Phillips and Lola Lui (the ‘Queen of Roses’), the brand draws on Dominic’s childhood growing up on a farm and his discovery of the restorative world of spa on a family holiday in Greece. Those influences eventually came together in a collection of natural products, handmade by artisans on the family's Devon estate, bringing together nature, beauty and the slower rituals of wellbeing.
The Bath & Shower Oil Wellness Trio brings that sense of ceremony into the everyday. Warm water, aromatic oils and time alone can become a small act of self-devotion, particularly at the end of a demanding day. Apply the oils to damp skin after bathing or add a little to the bath, allowing the fragrance to linger as you slow down.
We often think of self-care as something we have to schedule, but sometimes it's as basic as remembering to drink enough water. The Chilly’s Series 3 Flip makes hydration feel a little more considered, with its soft Lotus Pink finish, hidden stainless-steel straw and leak-proof design. Made with 90% recycled stainless steel, it also keeps drinks cold for up to 45 hours.
There's always something satisfying about having a bottle you actually want to carry with you, whether it's beside your bed, on your desk or in your bag. It turns an everyday necessity into a small reminder to look after yourself throughout the day, without turning hydration into another task on the checklist.
You may not know that this ancient massage ritual dates back centuries to Ayurveda, the Indian system of medicine that has been practised for more than 5,000 years. Made from a traditional copper-and-tin alloy, Kama Ayurveda’s Kansa Wand brings that heritage into a modern beauty routine, drawing on the Ayurvedic belief in marma points, the vital points where physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing are thought to meet.
Used with a facial oil, the wand’s slow sweeping movements can stimulate circulation, encourage lymphatic drainage, help reduce puffiness and release facial muscle tension. The ritual is also designed to feel calming and restorative, giving you five minutes to focus on touch and breathing rather than another screen.
Your home should be filled with things that genuinely speak to you. Not objects chosen for status or because everyone else seems to be collecting them, but pieces that elevate your surroundings and make you feel good within them. Art can create those small moments of pause, giving you something to look at, live with and discover over time. It doesn't need to be an expensive original, hanging above the fireplace either.
For anyone who has always wanted to own a piece connected to an important artist without the hefty price tag, Derek Boshier’s signed Night and Snow is a particularly special find. One of the early figures of British Pop Art, Boshier worked across painting, drawing, photography, film and installation, with his 2019 Night and Snow exhibition at Gazelli Art House exploring subjects from fashion and religion to rock music and football.
The book becomes something more personal when it's signed by the artist. Our copy came with Boshier’s autograph and a pen-drawn sketch inside, making it feel less like a publication and more like a small piece of his artistic legacy to keep at home. With Boshier having died in 2024, that gesture now feels even more significant.
There’s no reason the bathroom should be the forgotten room of the house. The L’Occitane Verbena Liquid Soap, housed in a glass apothecary-style bottle, brings a little more thought to the sink, making an everyday hand wash feel like something worth noticing.
Our hands are constantly on display and among the parts of the body we use most, so why shouldn’t they receive a little self-care too? Rather than hiding soap away in plastic, the glass becomes part of the bathroom itself, adding a sense of permanence and turning something purely functional into part of the décor. The bottle is also refillable, so it can remain on the basin while the soap is replenished rather than replaced.
Then there's the scent. Verbena has a wonderfully fresh, green character, brightened by zesty citrus and eucalyptus. It's the kind of aroma that catches you as you wash your hands, awakening the senses and momentarily transporting you somewhere warmer and sunlit. That is what makes these tiny rituals so valuable. Washing your hands happens dozens of times a day, but when the fragrance, texture and surroundings are considered, even those few seconds can become a cue to slow down, breathe and return to yourself.
We're so accustomed to waiting for someone else to give us something beautiful that buying a gift for ourselves can feel surprisingly radical. This REIS Strawberry Necklace is a playful excuse to change that. The strawberry has long carried associations with love and desire, with mythological traditions linking the fruit to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, and her Roman counterpart Venus. One story tells of Aphrodite’s tears falling where her beloved Adonis died, giving rise to red fruit and flowers as symbols of their love. The strawberry has since become an enduring symbol of affection, making this a fitting little emblem of self-love.
There's something genuinely positive about making yourself the recipient of your own affection. Self-love is not about putting yourself above everyone else or indulging every whim. It's about treating yourself with the same kindness, patience and consideration that you would offer someone you care about. Research into self-compassion has linked it with greater emotional wellbeing and healthier ways of responding to difficult moments.
So wear the little strawberry because you love it. Buy it because nobody needs to have chosen it for you. And let it become a tiny reminder, sitting against your collarbone, that you're allowed to celebrate yourself without waiting for permission, an anniversary or a romantic partner.
WUKA Stretch™ Period Pants Seamless Stretch Midi Brief & Seamless Thong
For centuries we've been waiting for something that can make that time of the month as comfortable as possible. Supermodel Lauren Wasser’s experience with toxic shock syndrome after using tampons brought the conversation around menstrual products into sharp focus, while growing questions around what we put against our bodies every month have encouraged many women to reconsider their options.
WUKA offers a comfy and discreet alternative, so we need not feel restricted or constantly reminded that it's that time of the month. Whether you're at home, on the beach or at work, the Stretch™ Midi Brief and Seamless Thong move with the body, offering protection without compromising how you feel in your underwear.
Leighton Denny
People notice other people’s nails immediately. We might not consciously register them every time, but hands are constantly on display, whether we are holding a glass, typing at our desks, reaching for our phones or shaking someone’s hand. What we do with our nails can therefore say a lot about us. Short and bare can feel understated and practical, a classic red confident and timeless, while intricate nail art can become an extension of a more expressive personality. Even perfectly polished, natural-looking nails can suggest that the small details matter.
That's what makes a Sunday manicure worth the few minutes it takes. Leighton Denny brings the salon experience home without the appointment, the journey or the hours spent sitting in a chair. Double Up 2 in 1 Base and Top Coat cuts out a step, Crystal Finish Quick Dry Top Coat gives colour a glossy finish while helping it dry quickly, Miracle Mist Fast Dry Spray speeds up the final wait, and Rock Solid Nail Strengthening Treatment & Base Coat gives weaker nails some extra attention.
Put on a face mask, make a coffee and paint your nails while the Sunday afternoon disappears. The result is a salon-style polish without the salon-level effort, and there's something rather refreshing about starting the week with hands that look as though you have made an effort, even when you barely have.
We've become very good at giving our faces a skincare routine, while the rest of the body is often left with whatever happens to be in the shower. UNI makes the case for changing that with The Body Routine Kit, bringing together a body wash, 24-Hour Body Serum, Golden Microalgae Body Oil and Body Gua Sha. It's bodycare with the same attention we give our faces, but without a complicated routine.
The Gua Sha turns the final step into a little body massage. Research has found that gua sha can temporarily increase local microcirculation, while small clinical studies suggest it may help with muscle pain and tension, although the wider evidence is still limited. Used with the body oil, slow sweeping movements make the routine feel wonderfully tactile, giving a Sunday shower a little more intention.
Something is calming about bringing a piece of the natural world into the home. Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth’s crust, formed through geological processes over immense periods of time, yet humans have been fascinated by its unusual clarity and crystalline structure for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence shows rock crystal was valued in Neolithic Britain, while ancient cultures across the world gave quartz spiritual and symbolic significance.
The Kimbie Home White Quartz Geode makes that history feel wonderfully tangible. Its natural form brings texture, light and a sense of permanence to a room, whether placed on a bedside table, bookshelf or coffee table. White quartz has also acquired modern associations with clarity, balance and calm and can genuinely give the home a connection to geology, the natural world, and create a beautiful home object to pause and look at.
In a home filled with screens, noise and things designed to be replaced, a piece of ancient geology offers the opposite.
To My Ships The Incessant Anxiety Geranium Anti-Perspirant and Of The Gods' Polygonum Marjoram Spray On Deodorant
What if deodorant felt more like luxury fragrance? That's the thinking behind To My Ships, where everyday bodycare is created in the manner of fine perfumery. The Incessant Anxiety Geranium Anti-Perspirant has a refined, herbaceous scent, while Of The Gods’ Polygonum and Stand Up Bravely Marjoram bring green citrus and earthy notes to something that would usually be relegated to the bathroom cabinet. The Geranium formula even sits within the brand’s fragrance collection, sharing its scent profile with the corresponding Eau de Toilette.
Scent has a curious ability to change how we feel about ourselves. Research has found that pleasant fragrance can increase perceptions of confidence, attractiveness and femininity, suggesting that smelling good can influence self-perception as much as how others perceive us. A morning roll-on or spritz therefore becomes more than deodorant. It's the finishing touch before stepping out.
Thames & Hudson Girl Power selections
Surrounding yourself with stories of women who refused to stay within the lines drawn for them can be quietly powerful. Their work brings creativity, courage and possibility into the home, turning a coffee-table book into something that can influence how you see the world as well as how you see your surroundings. Thames & Hudson’s selection of books on women photographers and artists offers exactly that, from A World History of Women Photographers, which brings together the work of 300 women from around the world, to Cut Out, Fiona Rogers’ feminist history of photo collage, which explores how women have used photography, craft and collage to question identity and dominant narratives.
Then there is Nan Goldin’s Sisters, Saints & Sibyls, a deeply personal meditation on her sister Barbara, trauma and resistance, weaving family photographs and archival material into the story. These are books to dip into, display and return to, but also reminders that women have always been creating, documenting and challenging the world around them, even when history failed to give them the recognition they deserved.
Why it works: Your surroundings influence what you think about. Keeping books like these within reach fills the home with female voices, ideas and creative ambition, offering a little inspiration every time you pick one up.
Lush Twilight Collection
We've become accustomed to reaching for a supplement when sleep will not come, but sometimes the body needs less intervention and more attention. The Lush Twilight collection creates a ritual around winding down, bringing together the Twilight Bath Bomb, Sleepy Body Lotion, Sleepy Body Spray and Twilight candle, all built around the familiar lavender, tonka and benzoin fragrance. Rather than taking something and hoping for sleep, the idea is to give the body warmth, fragrance, touch and time to recognise that the day is over.
Run the bath, moisturise slowly, spritz the skin and light the candle before putting the phone away. It's a way of showing the body some love rather than asking it to switch off on command. The NHS recommends relaxing for at least an hour before bed, with a warm bath among the suggested ways to wind down, making this kind of evening ritual a particularly easy place to start.
We spend so much of our lives being told to push harder, move faster and become more. But there's another way to live, one that makes room for stillness, pleasure, self-expression and the simple act of taking care of yourself. The things in this guide are small, but that is their power. They are reminders that looking after yourself doesn't have to be earned, scheduled or justified. You can choose the beautiful thing because it makes you smile, take the bath because you want to, put your phone away because you have had enough and spend an evening doing absolutely nothing without feeling guilty about it. Life doesn't need to be lived at full speed to be a good one. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is slow down, come back to yourself and decide that you are worth the time.
Words by Jheanelle Feanny
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