In partnership with The Body Shop
As the nights draw in, a second lockdown may be upon us, coupled with all the uncertainties we face with Covid -19, mood shifting beauty is now even more of a necessity.
I love to harness the power of potent aromatherapy essential oils, skin and soul soothing skincare, create zones of calm with candles and throw on a red lip when I need to boost and shift my mood in a positive way. Here are some of my favourite products to help me pump it up or chill out.
Aromatherapy candles
Candles are a great way to shift the energy of the space you are either working or relaxing in. Skin health specialist and founder of De Mamiel, Annee de Mamiel, says, “Aromatherapy is a powerful tool to enable us to transform how we are feeling – it can be as simple as inhaling a bowl of citrus fruits to a specific essential oil. Once inhaled, constituents of the aroma molecules travel through the nose and some of the aromatic molecules are carried through the lining of the nasal cavity via tiny olfactory nerves very quickly, to the part of the brain called the limbic system, commonly known as the ‘emotional brain’. There is a common misconception that essential oils ‘just smell nice’ when in reality, upon inhalation they are able to balance hormone levels, alleviate emotional tension and provide all round support to healthy limbic system function”.
Candles really do help to heal and when I want to work and feel upbeat and focused I reach for my new favourite candle range St. Eval and their Apple and Elderflower Scented Tin Candle, £10.80, which is fresh and fruity and smells like picnics in an orchard while sipping on elderflower cordial, which always puts a smile on my face.
After I finish work, to help me unwind at the end of the day, I reach for Crabtree & Evelyn’s Sundown Candle, £55.50, which has warming notes of ginger flower, spicy nutmeg and cedarwood, which makes me feel snuggly and ready to zen out.
Many of us are also finding it hard to sleep or stay asleep, as the headlines in the news and busyness of our lives makes resting challenging. When I’m tired and wired I light up Espa’s Soothing Candle, £35, which is a hand poured natural soy wax with de-stressing myrrh and comforting sandalwood, rose geranium and frankincense.
Calming Skincare
With stress and wearing masks come acne flare ups, which can create a toxic cycle of feeling down. To help take action with not only your skin but your spirit reach for some healing and calming skincare.
Cleansing is one of the best things you can do for your skin, especially when you have a flare up. The Ren Clean Skincare Clearcalm Clarifying Clay Cleanser, £24, uses rich deep cleansing kaolin clay and willow bark extract to help slough away blemish causing dirt build up.
When my skin seriously freaks out I love using KYPRIS Cerulean Soothing Hydration Recovery Mask, £242. Brace yourself, it’s not cheap but it’s powerful as Chase Polan, CEO and founder of KYPRIS explains, “ The tulsi, turmeric, and sandalwood, have been used in a variety of traditional pharmacopeias and ayurvedic practices for thousands of years to care for an array of concerns. Their aromatherapy help to shift our mood, to centre our heart, or to soothe our senses. You’re essentially creating your own little cloud of peace and loveliness.”
When your skin feels good, you feel good and that’s a fact. The Body Shop’s CBD Replenishing Moisture Cream, £20, is great for dehydrated stressed out skin. This powerful vegan cream is laced with calming CBD and hemp seed oil with squalane and patchouli, which has a soft comforting velvety feel.
Breathing right
Box breathing, when you breathe in for 3, hold for 3 and exhale for 3 counts is powerful and helps to calm and centre your body and mind. Check out @maudehirst and her EnergyRise members Club for the Mind, for more meditation tips to help shift your mood.
To create some zen at home, I love to spritz the air, apply a balm to my pulse points or massage my skin with a facial oil when doing my box breathing exercises. It seems I’m not alone as Sarah Hancock, founder of Skin & Tonic confirms, “We’ve been overwhelmed by the demand for our Calm Balm, £12.50, (packed full of relaxing lavender and Roman Chamomile essential oils) since the pandemic hit. We’ve sold 35,000 units since March and the start of the lockdown in the UK. I created the Calm Balm to help myself through some intense moments of stress. I like to massage it into my wrists, neck, temples and then onto my hands and cup over my nose and take a few deep breaths to calm me down when everything gets too much”.
I also love to spritz Tisserand’s Happy Vibes Moodfix Mist, £10.20, around my body, which uses 100 % natural pure essential oils blend of lemon tea tree, bergamot and nutmeg to help uplift and bring cheer.
De Mamiel’s Shine, £37, rollerball also helps you to radiate happiness throughout the day as milk thistle and jojoba help to energise the body.
CBD healing
We now know that CBD has powerful healing properties, especially when it comes to anxiety, acne and a possible treatment for epilepsy. Derived from hemp, it’s not psychoactive, so rest assured you won’t have the munchies from using this healing ingredient. I love to roll on Balance Me’s Beauty Sleep CBD Concentrate, £35, on my wrists before bedtime as the CBD, lavender and cedar wood help soothe both a tired mind and body.
You can also soothe and help to brighten dull and tired skin, as well as your mood with The Body Shop’s CBD Restoring Facial Oil, £25. Shake a few drops into the palm of your hand and massage into your skin morning and night. The calming patchouli extract, CBD and hemp seed oils help to melt tensions away.
ILA’s CBD Concentrate Balm, £46, is a rich balm with a potent combination of CBD and Copaiba oil (which helps to alleviate inflammation and numb the pain caused by trauma). Use the balm sparingly to help heal minor burns, red, sore skin and help boost circulation for an at home spa experience.
Bathing rituals
I never bathe to get clean (I always have a shower before hand) but rather to help unwind and calm my frazzled nerves. I love Odacite’s Mood Cleansing Ayurvedic Bath Soak, £22, Albane Laloy from Odacite explains, “When we’re feeling emotionally stressed or depleted, taking a warm bath can do wonders to lift our mind, body and spirits. In addition, soaking in salts assists the body’s natural detoxification and can help restore tired muscles. The Himalayan Crystal salts in Odacité’s Mood Cleansing Bath Soak work to detoxify both your body and energy field with over 84 essential minerals, while the uplifting and invigorating aromatherapy benefits of Grapefruit and Lemongrass help melt away the worries of the day. Put simply, it’s a bath soak that can transform your mood from stress to peace.”
While soaking in the bath I love to use face masks for a beauty multi task. The Body Shop’s CBD Soothing Oil- Balm Cleansing Mask, £17 is an innovative balm- to-oil-to-milk texture enriched with hydrating olive oil, purifying white clay and a blend of CBD and hemp seed oil,to help condition the skin while shiftingaway all dirt and grime. Leave it to work for 3-5 minutes as you relax and wash off for deeply cleansed skin.
I always end my baths by smothering my body in nourishing and fragrant oils like Neal’s Yard Remedies Soothing Massage Oil, £14, Skin softening jojoba, almond, avocado oil leaves skin very nourished while balancing geranium, palmarosa and cypress and relaxing lavender and bergamot help you relax and unwind.
War paint lipstick
Never underestimate the transformative power of a bright red lipstick. When it comes to helping shift your mood into a more Sasha Fierce/ Beyonce state of mind, throwing on a red lip is like putting on a pair of heels… you walk a little taller and feel that bit more confident. Celeb make up artist Lisa Eldridge who has worked with Eva Green, Kiera Knightley and Dua Lipa agrees; “I love that makeup can be used in so many different ways to play such different roles in a woman’s life. From playful and creative, which allows you to express yourself experimenting with different styles and colours to confidence building. There’s an element of war paint and tribalism – makeup can make you feel powerful and ready to face any situation”.
So get out there and grab your armour with Lisa’s new True Velvet Lipstick in Velvet Ribbon, £26, a universal red with a hint of blue and a stunning plush velvet fabric appearance. Its available for pre order on 3rd October.
Enjoy!
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The post My Beauty Prism: Mood Shifting Beauty by Ateh Jewel appeared first on Marie Claire.