Self-Care Sunday positioned weekly ritual of face masks, bubble baths, and “me time” as antidote to burnout. The Instagram trend transformed Audre Lorde’s radical “self-care as political warfare” into apolitical consumerism, selling bath bombs and candles as activism while ignoring systemic causes of exhaustion.
The Aesthetic
Typical #SelfCareSunday post featured:
- Face masks (sheet masks, clay masks)
- Bubble bath with candles
- Wine or tea in aesthetic mug
- Plush robe
- Journal and pen
- Plants and soft lighting
- Inspirational quote overlay
The visual promised: one evening of purchased products = wellness.
The Origins: Audre Lorde’s Radical Self-Care
Lorde, Black lesbian feminist activist, wrote (1988):
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
Context: Marginalized people surviving oppressive systems need rest to continue fighting. Self-care was survival strategy, not spa day.
The Depoliticization
Instagram self-care erased:
- Political context: Fighting oppression → individual stress relief
- Collective action: Community care → solo bath
- Systemic critique: Challenging capitalism → buying products
- Accessibility: Rest as right → privilege
The shift: self-care as consumption not resistance.
The Industry Boom
“Self-care” became marketing keyword:
- Bath & Body Works “self-care essentials”
- Lush bath bombs as self-care
- Sephora skincare as self-care
- Amazon “self-care kits”
- Subscription boxes (FabFitFun) positioned as self-care delivery
2022 self-care market: $450 billion globally.
The Problematic Implications
Individualism: Your burnout is your problem (not exploitative employer, systemic inequality, lack of healthcare)
Consumerism: Buy products to fix systemic issues
Privilege: Assumes time, money, privacy for self-care rituals
Avoidance: Self-care replacing actual mental healthcare, therapy, medication
Gendered: Women told to self-care rather than men doing emotional labor
The “Treat Yourself” Culture
Parks & Recreation’s “Treat Yourself” (2011) became self-care justification:
- Shopping as self-care
- Spending as wellness
- Retail therapy legitimized
The message: you deserve to buy things = self-care.
The Backlash & Evolution
By 2020-2021, critiques emerged:
- Community care over self-care
- Rest as resistance (Tricia Hersey, Nap Ministry)
- Actual healthcare access vs. face masks
- Structural change vs. individual coping
Black feminists reclaimed self-care’s radical roots.
The Realistic Self-Care
Modern understanding emphasizes:
- Boundary setting (saying no)
- Sleep (not productive, still valuable)
- Healthcare access (therapy, medication)
- Community support
- Systemic critique (why are we so burned out?)
Bath optional.
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