I’ve teamed up with a group of beauty and lifestyle bloggers to create the ‘self-care series’, where each week we share a new blog post on a different self-care related topic. This week we are talking beauty products and self-care. 

 

Self-care is vitally important, and yet far too many of us fail to take it seriously enough. When it comes to taking care of your wellbeing, your physical health and how you treat your body are key factors impacting the state of your mental health. That’s why it’s so important to take care of yourself and make self-care a priority. 

 

Of course, with the current state of the UK – and the wider world – now more than ever it’s crucial that you take self-care seriously. Being at home, living in lockdown can seriously take its toll on your mental health, which is why putting self-care first is so important right now. 

 

It’s far too easy to simply stagnate at home; watching Netflix endlessly, eating far too much junk food, and failing to look after yourself. Times are tough. It’s normal to feel a little anxious and strange – after all, everything is completely out of your control right now. However, you don’t want to make the mistake of not taking care of yourself, which is where self-care comes in. 

 

Instead of losing all control and letting your routines go out of the window, take back control and take advantage of this time to replenish your mental health with a stellar approach to beauty and self-care. 

 

Below is a guide to seven of my go-to self-care essentials that are perfect for enhancing your wellbeing during lockdown. 

 

 

Snow Fairy Body Spray | Lush 

 

I was gifted this spray at Christmas as part of the Lush Snow Fairy Gift Set, and instantly fell in love with the sweet, bubblegum-hued smell. When it comes to self-care, I always feel happier when my home and clothes smell incredible, which is what I tend to use this spray for. While I do occasionally wear it as a perfume, it has quite a potent smell, so I prefer to spritz my bedding, clothing, and sofa with it to give my home that famous sweet Snow Fairy smell. 

 

I always find that when it comes to de-stressing, certain scents – such as Snow Fairy – help to calm and soothe my mind, which is why this is one of my go-to self-care essentials. While this body spray is only available at Christmas, Lush offers a wide range of other scents throughout the year. If you’re not a fan of the Lush body sprays – or they’re too expensive – you can find plenty of alternatives online, perfect for spritzing yourself, your home, and your clothing with to help calm and soothe your soul. 

 

Vanilla Bean Lip Balm | Burt’s Bees

 

I am one of *those* people who always has dry lips. I cannot go anywhere without a lip balm to hand. My go-to lip balm brand is currently Burt’s Bees – I love how the products are beeswax based and don’t use harsh chemicals like so many other lip balm brands. 

 

Lip balm is a self-care essential for me, because if I let my lips become dry and sore, I know I will end up feeling ‘gross and grimey’, and like I’ve lost control. It sounds silly but it really is the little things that can help you to feel like, despite the current situation, you’re still in control. By taking your skincare seriously, you can give yourself back the power, and help yourself to feel that little bit better. 

 

Unicorn Peel-Off Mask | Yes To

 

My skin is super temperamental, so when it comes to what I will use on it, I am always extremely cautious. I tend to stick to products that are primarily natural-based, to ensure that I’m not exposing my skin to harsh and potentially damaging chemicals, which is why I am such a big fan of the Yes To range of products. I should add here that the Unicorn Peel-Off Mask was gifted last year as part of a collaboration with Yes To for National Unicorn Day. 

 

I always find that when I’m feeling stressed, taking a little time out to apply a face mask and relax with a cup of tea tends to calm my mind and help to make me feel more relaxed. I sit, I sip, and I ‘chill’ while my face mask works its magic and gives my skin the boost it needs. 

 

 

Aromatherapy Body Balm | Mirins 

 

Until Mirin sent me a PR package a year or so ago, I had never really dabbled in the use of aromatherapy. It wasn’t something that I had ever really considered trying, however the package I was sent contained an Aromatherapy Body Balm in lavender and bergamot that I instantly fell in love with. As soon as I open the lid, the soothing scent of the balm helps to calm me – it’s incredible and I would totally recommend it. 

 

Whenever I get that tight feeling across my chest caused by my anxiety – or when I am struggling to drift off – I find myself reaching for my go-to aromatherapy balm. I rub a small amount of the lavender-hued balm on the inside of each wrist, on each of my temples, and on the arches of my feet, and I instantly begin to feel calmer. If you’re struggling to relax or finding it hard to sleep properly, I would completely recommend trying aromatherapy balms. 

 

Intense Hand Balm | L’Occitane 

 

Sadly my skin is prone to eczema – and has always been somewhat sensitive – however in light of the current need for constant handwashing, my skin has hit a new low. I’ve found my hands breaking out in painful red blisters, while the skin around them has cracked. I’ve never experienced eczema to this extreme before, and it’s really not pleasant. Luckily, I’ve got a giant tube of L’Occitane’s Ultra Rich Intense Hand Balm, which has been a total godsend for my sore, broken skin. I opted for a balm rather than a traditional cream as balms tend to achieve deeper skin penetration and therefore, offer improved hydration. 

 

In times like these, hand balm is a self-care essential; even if you don’t have eczema your hands are most likely feeling a little dry from all the handwashing that you’ve been doing. I opt to use L’Occitane hand creams as my go-to as the shea butter based products are fragrance-free and super rich, making them perfect for sensitive and allergy-prone skin. (While I do have a collection of the L’Occitane scented hand creams, my hands are currently too sore to use them.) 

 

The Petit Cleanser | L’Occitane 

 

Certain soaps can be extremely harsh and drying to your skin, especially when you’re washing your hands a lot, like we all are right now. That’s why I always try to carry my own mini travel soap with me wherever I go, so I know what I’m washing my hands with. The Petit Cleanser from L’Occitane, which is enriched with shea butter, is my current go-to for hand soap, whether I’m at home or (pre-lockdown) out and about. 

 

If you’re going to be washing your hands a lot, it’s a good idea to invest in a soap that isn’t going to dry out your skin. As well as this little liquid soap from L’Occitane, I also love their solid soap bars – the Milk Shea Butter Extra Gentle soap is one of my go-tos. 

 

 

Snow Fairy Bath Bomb | Lush 

 

I don’t know about you, but when I’m feeling overwhelmed, anxious or stressed, a steaming hot bath always helps me to calm down and relax. Since we went into lockdown, I’ve found myself getting wound up and struggling to calm down – when I feel like this, a nice relaxing bath always seems to do the trick and help to calm me down. 

 

When it comes to running that perfect bath, my go-to bath bomb is usually a Lush bath bomb. They smell amazing, they’re all natural, and they look incredible as they fizz away. I currently have a stash of Snow Fairy goodies, including a couple of Snow Fairy bath bombs, that I was gifted at Christmas. While you can’t currently buy Snow Fairy bath bombs, Lush are selling a wide range of other bath bombs – Intergalactic is another favourite of mine! 

 

There you have it, a simple guide to my seven self-care essentials helping me to survive lockdown. 

 

Looking for a little more self-care inspo? Check out the lovely Rowena’s post from My Balancing Act about her self-care go-tos! 

 

*Some of the products featured in this post have been gifted by brands and PR agencies.*