5 Pampering Products for a Skin Staycation

A spa night at home is one of my favorite way to relax in anytime of year. We are in the midsummer now, and soon the bustle of back to school and then the merry mayhem of the Holidays will be upon us all. So in these last few days of summer, I thought I'd share some new favorite chill-out luxuries for the face and body.

Earthwise Beauty Selene Facial Steam: ($48 USD for one 2 oz box at Earthwisebeauty.com) Earthwise Beauty is fast-becoming one of my favorite and most trusted skincare lines to date. The whole of their range is comprised of meticulously sourced and formulated wildcrafted and organic ingredients that really offer the user a special connection with the natural world and also deliver lovely, effective, soothing, and calming results for the skin and spirit. Perhaps the product that typifies this hearkening back to nature is the Selene Facial Steam. At first glance, this product looks like a bespoke, raw herbal tea teeming with chrysanthemums, calendula flowers as well as many other herbs. But if you put a bit of this blend into a pot of boiling water and let your face steam over the brew, your skin will feel eons softer and destressed. Acne flare-ups look less irritated. Dryness is glossed over, and the pores feel open and alive. Overall, my skin looked calm and radiant in just one fifteen-minute session. I also find just taking a moment to sit still and consciously enjoy the product, breathing in the smell of the fresh herbs and green tea in the formula did a lot to elevate my mood. And the best part is, the product comes with enough herbs included in the box for up to 15 individual steaming sessions, and once you make the hot water mixture, you can refrigerate it after the treatment and reuse it as a face mist, hair rinse, or to infuse into your bathwater for a total-body experience.

Summer Fridays R+R Mask ($52 USD at SummerFridays.com and at Sephora online and in select stores) Another great recent skincare find of mine from a much-beloved brand is the Summer Friday's R and R mask. My favorite element of this mask, admittedly, is its soft and gentle rose smell that frankly just makes me feel pretty, but it is also a wonderful softening and hydrating mask. Unlike most hydrating and moisturizing masks, this is a gel as opposed to a cream, but this consistency I feel really helps to seal in the moisture but to do so in a very breathable way. This said because of its inclusion of some (mostly lightweight) but highly moisturizing oils such as argan, safflower, and avocado oils to name a few, a little goes a long way and also it does take some time to ensure it is rinsed completely off. But between all the oils, the calming effects of the rose to my skin and senses, and the very mild buffing action performed by the wild rose powder (it is super mild and I would not call this a deep exfoliation in the slightest. For a more exfoliating, and also brightening mask, I also love the Overtime Mask from Summer Fridays that is a blend of pumpkin enzymes and warming spicing, which I plan to review more in-depth at a later date) . my skin is refreshed and smooth and glowy.

Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum ($65-$185 USD at Vintner'sDaughter.com ) Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum, while a luxury, certainly needs no introduction as it's qualities alone are the gold standard of green beauty. This wonderful works to clarify, brighten, retexturize, and calm all in one. This product was featured in a review week last year, but I was recently reminded of its truly special qualities (and its gorgeous spice market-ish mixed with rose scent) recently, so it deserves a spot on this list for sure. Read more about the product and my full, extended thoughts on it in the post here.

Golda Hiba Wood Sphere Soap ($18 USD at Luckyscent.com) Moving into bodycare now (although I have heard of some people using this product on their faces) the Golda Hiba Wood Sphere Soap is my latest discovery in the realm of bath items. Created by artist Tsuu Wada and qi therapist Keiko Matsuo, the brand makes bath and body and lifestyle products all based around the precious Aomori Hiba Wood Tree. This powerful ingredient is known to be both antimicrobial and antibacterial and deodorizing as well as having many therapeutic qualities to the mind. The smell of this is like a very strong spicy cedarwood yet with a hint of orangey citrus that is further played up by the addition of lemongrass essential oil in this soap. This scent makes me feel grounded, centered, and just a wee tad sexy. It is just a powerful piece of fragrance and indulgent bit of bodycare that also gets the job done of getting me fresh and clean while the added olive and coconut oils help my skin not feel the least bit overdry from all the other potent cleansers used in this soap.

Nuxe Reve De Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm ($17 USD at Us.Nuxe.com) Literally translated as "dream of honey" French pharmacy brand Nuxe's classic lip balm is the ultimate coat of luxury for the lips. This thick, waxy lip balm repairs, buffs, and repairs lips and keeps them coated for hours on end. I like to use this product only overnight because it does not layer that well with lipcolors, but it is truly a beautiful thing to put on before bed, and my lips look so much better by morningtime. I personally love the faint, orange blossom and honey smell too, and I find that it also comforts and relaxes me as I prepare for sleep.

Any favored and special product to you, can make any staycation, spa at home night, or just your regular skincare routine a new level of enjoyable experience. These are just simply the products that I am loving at the moment for their look, feel, smell, and results, and I cannot get enough! But may this inspire you to enjoy a little pampering of your very own tonight.