We’ve all had those days, weeks, or even months where everything feels a bit “meh”. Whether it’s work, family stress, or just the daily grind, it can be tough to keep on top of things while also taking time to look after yourself.
I’ve talked about the importance of a beauty routine before – a topic often dismissed as frivolous. But for me, it’s neither meaningless nor unimportant. I’ve relied on my routine heavily over the past few months, as it helps me maintain a sense of normality and control when everything around me gets hectic.
I’m a big advocate of appreciating the small wins and for me those wins often come from using lovely beauty products. Here are some of my recent favourites that have helped calm me, soothe my skin and generally make me feel good.
Ground Wellbeing Night Body Balm
This is what I like to call a heavy hitter – the hard stuff for the hard days. Ground Wellbeing Night Body Balm (€59.50 from groundwellbeing.com) is a potent, powerful body balm that helps induce calm and, more importantly, sleep.
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I’ve been using it since the brand launched in 2020, created by leading wellness expert and spa industry veteran Peigín Crowley. It’s available in full-size and travel-size (€25) options and is designed to be used after a bath or shower, slathered all over the skin. If you’re short on time, you can apply it to pulse points such as the wrists, neck and behind the ears. It’s a thick balm that melts as soon as it touches the skin and once absorbed there’s no trace of it – just the soothing scent it leaves behind.
Ealu Body Cleanse
An Irish brand that’s recently crossed my radar, Ealu (which means “escape” in Irish), has a new product that’s self-care in a bottle. Body Cleanse (€28 from ealu-moments.com) is a luxurious, clarifying body wash with a luxe, gel-like texture. It smells exquisite – like coconut, jasmine, and summertime – and applies beautifully to either wet or dry skin before rinsing off. Hydrating and smoothing, it leaves the skin feeling baby-soft, thanks to glycolic acid and panthenol-infused formula. And, as we’ve come to expect from this brand, it’s housed in the chicest, peach-hued packaging.
Ethos Balance CBD Oil
The latest addition to my self-care arsenal came via a recommendation from a friend. Ethos is an Irish brand founded by Amy O’Flaherty and Fergus Kerrigan. Their Balance CBD Oil (€65 from weareethos.com) is described as a “stress-care supplement combining CBD and Ashwagandha, which contributes to optimal relaxation, mental wellbeing, and emotional balance”.
The recommended usage is morning and evening. The bottle comes with a pipette, and you dispense 5ml underneath your tongue, letting it absorb for just under a minute before swallowing. It creates a slight warming sensation at first, which dissipates after a couple of seconds, and when you swallow there’s a minty herbal taste. I started using it several weeks ago and my nerves feel significantly less frayed.
Poco Beauty Bright Eyes Hydrogel Eye Patches
As a long-time fan, I use under-eye gels (or eye patches, as they’re often called) to care for my perennially dehydrated under-eye area and to take a 15-minute break for myself. There are many eye gels I love, but continuing the Irish focus here, I’m recommending Poco Beauty Bright Eyes Hydrogel Eye Patches (€34 for 60 pairs from pocobeauty.com). These are luxurious, beautifully packaged and, most importantly, drenched in hydrating and brightening ingredients, including glycerine, niacinamide and allantoin.
This week I’m loving … Bioderma Sensibio H20 x Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham has designed a chic, limited-edition bottle of the famous micellar water to celebrate its 30th birthday. Beckham says it’s “been a must-have product for me for years”. It costs €18 for 500ml from pharmacies.
