A soft ritual for quiet evenings and the version of you that needs a pause.
Sometimes we don't need to be productive. Just present. There's a special kind of alchemy that happens when you apply a face mask, make a warm drink and crack open a book that holds you, not with urgency, but with understanding.
Let's be real. The world constantly demands your output. But this ritual is all about receiving. The type of skincare that invites you to come back to yourself. And sometimes, the perfect companion for that ritual is a few slow, sacred pages. Below are five books (or types of reads) to keep you company while your mask works its magic — specifically curated for those 10–20 minute stretches of silence that are anything but empty.
THE SHORT STORY YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU NEEDED
Estimated read time: One chapter = one mask session
Recommended Title: “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri
Lahiri’s prose is clean, emotional and deeply human. Each story feels like a quiet window into someone else’s life — enough to move you, never too much to overwhelm you.
Mood: Solitude, reflection, nostalgia.
THE POETRY COLLECTION THAT FEELS LIKE SKIN-TO-SKIN CONTACT
Estimated read time: 3–5 poems per ritual
Recommended Title: “The Carrying” by Ada Limón
Every page is a breath. These poems touch on grief, hope and resilience with the gentleness of a whisper. Perfect for those evenings when you're emotionally raw but ready to soften.
Mood: Heartfelt, lyrical, quietly profound.
THE COZY, CHARACTER-DRIVEN NOVEL THAT WARMS LIKE TEA
Estimated read time: 1–2 chapters
Recommended Title: “Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman
A tender, witty and unexpectedly healing book about loneliness, trauma and connection. It reads like sitting by a window on a rainy day, gentle but not too light.
Mood: Tender, quirky, quietly powerful.
THE BOOK THAT HOLDS YOU IN THE IN-BETWEEN
Estimated read time: Just one page — and that’s enough.
Recommended Title: “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” by Charlie Mackesy
A beautifully illustrated collection of simple, soul-deep thoughts. Think of it as a love letter to the part of you that’s still becoming.
Mood: Affirming, visual, soul-soothing.
THE NON-FICTION READ THAT MAKES YOU FEEL RECONNECTED
Estimated read time: 10-minute excerpt
Recommended Title: “Rest Is Resistance” by Tricia Hersey (The Nap Ministry)
If your mask ritual is about restoration, this book will remind you why rest is not just an act of wellness, but an act of defiance. A grounding read to anchor your evening.
Mood: Revolutionary calm. Wellness with purpose.
*Books heal. So does stillness. So while the words work on your heart, let something else work on your skin. The Quantum Mud Mask is our sensory detox ritual — designed for stressed-out skin, overactive minds and burnout evenings.