I’ve gotten my morning routine down to a science. Since the start of the year, I’ve been diligent about waking up, standing on my vibration plate for 10 minutes (it’s not hype, so worth it), drinking my hot water with lemon, saying affirmations, and having a scoop of Coconut Cult (swear by this, too). But my nighttime routine? Well, it’s currently being, let’s say, massaged.
I’ve been dedicated to my evening ginger turmeric tea and obviously have my nighttime skincare routine down pat. But it wasn’t until I added a bedtime perfume to my wind-down ritual that I actually found myself being able to disconnect. The concept is pretty straightforward: I have a dedicated fragrance—specifically the Cayla Gray Bedtime Perfume—that I spray on my person, my PJs, and my sheets every night before I climb into bed. “I created Slumber to signal the shift from day to night—because bedtime deserves a perfume too,” Kelly Kussman, the Cayla Gray founder exclusively tells me. It might seem silly, but olfactory memory is a very real thing. The small ritual—and the expertly curated blend of notes—tells my brain that it’s time to unwind and clock a good night’s sleep.
To read my honest review and shop my latest obsession, keep reading.
The Formula
When I first smelled Slumber, it instantly brought me to a five-star spa’s massage room where my massage therapist was wafting lavender essential oil in my direction. It’s not as intense or potent as the initial sniff—but almost like three minutes after when the essence still lingers. It’s not just lavender though—there’s grounding notes like cedarwood, amber, and sandalwood, fresh hits of lavender and violet, and a warm aura courtesy of vanilla and musk.
The scent itself is available in a range of mediums, too. While I’m partial to the actual perfume, there’s also an everything spray (for sheets, pajamas, etc), a magnesium butter balm, and a scent stone that you can pop on your nightstand.
(Image credit: Cayla Gray)
The Ritual
Carving out even just a few minutes for this scent ritual has made such an impact on my nighttime routine. If you want to be a fly on the wall in my apartment, I wash my face and do my skincare, start heating up the water for my tea, and while that’s happening, spray The Everything Spray on my pajamas for the night and put The Perfume on my pulse points on my wrist and my neck. I’m dabbling with the magnesium butter balm, and while it definitely works to lull me away, I frankly don’t know if I can ever get behind sleeping with socks. Then I drink my tea and watch an episode of my show of choice (currently, it’s Imperfect Women). And honestly, I’ve been having the soundest sleeps. The mental shift is real, and I’ve been sleeping through the night (not getting up five times to pee) and waking up feeling genuinely rested.
The Takeaway
It’s funny: we talk about date perfumes, spring perfumes, and sexy perfumes because we’re all so attuned to how scent can shift our mindset. It’s honestly comical to me that we didn’t start thinking about bed perfumes earlier. This Cayla Gray Slumber Perfume has convinced me that my fragrance wardrobe was missing a vital component. Bed perfumes are an untapped category—and I have a feeling that this Cayla Gray drop is just the start.
Shop Cayla Gray
Cayla Gray
Slumber the Everything Spray
Cayla Gray
Slumber the Bedtime Perfume
Cayla Gray
Slumber, the Magnesium Balm
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