This Lavender-Scented Lotion Is The Best Part Of My Nighttime Routine

"OMG it's like lavender and sugar cookie and a hug all rolled into one."

Here's the thing: I love sleeping, but I'm not a fan of going to sleep.

Becky Barnicoat / BuzzFeed

Years of trouble falling asleep (and intermittent periods of not being able to stay asleep) have turned bedtime into a thing to be feared. The idea of laying there, willing myself to "just relax" and "let the sleep come" while also counting how many hours of sleep I could get if I fell asleep at that very second was highly unappealing, to say the least.

Over the past few months, I've developed an elaborate nighttime relaxation system to ease myself into the right state of mind, but nothing's made me enjoy it quite as much as this Lush Sleepy lotion.

Lush, Terri Pous / BuzzFeed

I bought it after seeing a headline that said, "This $10 Body Lotion Can Apparently Put You Right to Sleep" because nothing makes me say "SIGN ME UP" faster than a non-pill sleep solution. Plus, at $9.95 a jar, I figured it could at least work as a nice-smelling scented lotion if it didn't follow through on its promise.

And even though I'm convinced nothing will truly make me fall right to sleep like a robot that's just been powered off, this stuff comes pretty darn close.

Pixar / Via giphy.com

Since I started using it a month ago, I've applied a liberal glop to my wrists and hands as I get into bed, and, like clockwork, I've gotten drowsy and managed to fall asleep within 20 minutes or so, which is HUGE for me. It's a small container (just 3.1 ounces), but a little goes a long way in terms of both scent and moisturizing. It's thick without being too oily or sticky, and my skin absorbs it right away.

A big reason it's been working for me is that the actual lotion is thick and creamy, and just feels so luxurious to lather myself in every night.

Terri Pous / BuzzFeed

Nothing makes me feel quite like an heiress like covering myself with a lovely-smelling lotion. And you know who probably sleeps really well? Heiresses, that's who. The lotioning ritual alone makes bedtime a part of my night I look forward to now, rather than dread.

Also, the smell is utterly delightful and heavy on the lavender, a scent that, time and time again, is cited as a sleep aid.

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The main scents in it are lavender and tonka perfume, and I've never smelled tonka bean before this, but if this lotion is any indication, I need a lot more of it in my life. I'd never heard of this magical bean before, but the smell is so nice and rich and cocoa-buttery. Anyway, all of this is to say that this lil' tub of lotion makes me very happy, and a happy Terri = one that's more easily convinced to just try sliding under the sheets at a reasonable hour.

And I'm not alone! The lotion is basically a cult product — it has more than 300 reviews on the Lush website, and 99% of people who reviewed it would recommend it to a friend.

Lush

Look at the cons! They basically don't exist! Anyway, here's one of many insanely positive reviews of it:

"Holy lord, how do I explain how amazing this lotion is. THERE ARE NO WORDS BUT I WILL TRY. I bought a friend a gift set with this lotion in it, and my eyes bugged out of my head when I smelled it. OMG it's like lavender and sugar cookie and a hug all rolled into one. I, like the dope I am, only bought one small sized jar for myself, because it's Christmas and you're not supposed to buy stuff for yourself, BUT THIS WAS A HUGE MISTAKE. Because this is seasonal, and when I realized my enormous error and went back, you guessed it, that ish was gone. Why smelling like God just winked at you should be a seasonal activity is beyond me, but I will be guarding my tiny jar like Gollum and hitting refresh on the Lush website obsessively until it's back in stock."

—OpraChck

I'm not entirely sure that the sleepiness the lavender scent causes isn't just a placebo effect, but TBH I'm fine with that.

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After all, lavender and I go way back. My mom used to buy me sachets of it when I was little, and when I get headaches or migraines now, she tells me to sniff some of my lavender essential oil. When I put it on, I feel comforted and safe, like my mom is tucking me in, and that's honestly the best state to enter bedtime in. So whether it's the actual lavender that makes me sleepy, versus the positive associations I have with it, I'm really not sure. Either way, I'm getting more sleep, so I'm not complaining.

Nighttime anxiety is a real thing, and even though it can take a long time to break the negative thought patterns associated with it, incorporating something positive has gone a long way for me.

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Get it from Lush for $9.95.