It took me awhile to figure out how to make my skin soft and happy during the cold, drying winter months. Now that I have a good routine, I feel like I finally have it on lock though! It took a bit of trial and error, but I have a group of winter skincare products that can be classified as nothing other than ‘holy grail.’ Also, side note: does anyone else feel like suchhh a beauty Youtube-r when using that phrase? Something about it makes me feel silly, but also in-the-know at the same time.
Are you a bath taker? I totally am. To me, there is nothing better than stepping into a hot, relaxing bath… I literally do this at least twice a week! I haven’t been able to indulge in many baths since the kitchen renovation started because it also took over the bathroom. Over the weekend, I lost my patience and did a crazy deep clean on the tub so I could finally get back to my favorite indulgence! You better believe that I took the most epic bath of all time that night… But while I was soaking, I thought a bit about how my bath routine was really the best type of self-care. It’s the only time when I leave my phone in another room and when Sean knows not to disturb me. So this week’s Wellness post is all about how I set the scene for the most relaxing bath EVER!
It’s definitely been a while since I last shared a beauty and skincare post with you… I’d like to blame the renovation because it’s taking over my life! It’s not exactly a secret that natural skincare is really important to me, so I wanted to share a few of the products that have been sent my way for a review. In case you’re on the hunt for a new natural body wash, scrub, or lotion, these picks will definitely help you. There are also a few natural beauty products for the face area, as well. You know me… I can never say no to trying out more facial products!
Non-toxic skincare and clean methods of self-care are all the rage right now. More than ever people are interested in finding “cleaner” products (think essential oils and plant-based everything) to introduce into their daily and/or weekly beauty and self-care routines. Now, I don’t know about you, but have you ever looked at the ingredients list for some beauty products? There are so many long, unpronounceable words it seriously makes my head spin. One product in particular that I started making on my own a while ago because of questionable ingredients is bath bombs.
I love a good bath bomb as much as the nest person. So when I started making them myself, I wanted to incorporate as many good-for-me benefits as possible. One must-have item that fell into that category was essential oils. There are so many positive benefits associated with essential oils that it really was a no-brainer. Plus it makes the bombs smell ahhmazing.
So, what are these benefits (other than the great smell) of using essential oils in bath bombs? I’ve got all the answers below.
Is there anything more relaxing than a bath? Maybe just a warm bath infused with a homemade bath bomb (especially with a glass of rosé in hand). In the past, I’ve mostly associated bathing with the winter — when it’s cold and grey out, lazing around in hot water sounds downright heavenly. But after a particularly hectic (in a good way!) summer, I’ve come to realize how wonderful a summer evening bath can be. Instead of focusing on making it a warm and cozy experience, I like to think of it as being refreshing and invigorating. That’s why I decided to flavor my summer-inspired bath bomb with the most refreshing drink that exists: mint lemonade.
You guys… I am so excited about Seattle’s newest store, Follain. It opened last Friday in U Village and I got a somewhat private tour thanks to my poor calendar management skills (apparently the press preview was Thursday and I showed up on Friday… OOPS.). Thankfully, the founder, Tara Foley, was there and walked me through how she started the brand, the mission of Follain, and all of her favorite products. Oh, and she’s just plain lovely! Not only is the store gorgeous, but it also features a thoughtful curation of clean beauty, skincare, and haircare products unlike any store already here. As I replace more and more of my products with natural, clean alternatives, I am sure that Follain will be an incredible resource going forward.
My beauty and skincare routines are decidedly low maintenance (more about that here and here), but in the summer I’ve found that certain products are… necessary. I’m not what you’d call ‘heat tolerant.’ Never have been and never will be. I’m a sweat-er and not ashamed of it! Over the course of the past few years, I’ve discovered a few skincare products that are absolutely essential to me surviving summer’s heat. Later this week I’m headed back to the east coast for my bff’s baby shower and for Sean to meet my entire family — and it’s going to be a balmy 95+ degrees. You better believe I’m packing these essentials. And I know I’m not alone in my intolerance of hot hot heat (not the band, just the temp), so I wanted to share what’s been tested, tried, and true:
