Tiny Sanity Savers
Oh, hello. How is the world going up in flames treating you?
It’s hard to talk about anything trivial in this time and yet it feels somewhat necessary because if I read any more Twitter or watch any more news, my head might explode. I’ve been attempting to balance staying informed with being blissfully distracted, which means I’ve been sleeping in everyday and barely functioning as a human being. Hey, we’re all doing our best to get by.
In between re-watching New Girl for the 8th time and shaking margaritas, I have been trying to maintain my self care, ever so slightly. I still shower everyday, I have “day” pyjamas and “night” pyjamas, I drink plenty of water, take vitamins, and read in the bath. I haven’t worn makeup since mid-March, but I am still trying to take care of my skin. I make little attempts everyday to provide myself with some level of normalcy.
Since lipstick and perfume have fallen by the wayside, other workhorse products have proven themselves to be the stars of the lockdown show. Allow me to introduce you to the things that are making me feel like less of an anxious hermit banshee.
Indeed Labs Hydraluron+ Volumising Lip Treatment
I have a nervous habit of constantly licking my lips and then biting and chewing the chapped skin. It’s not cute, but it’s a fact of my life. In “normal”, pre-COVID days, my lips were usually slathered with thick lip gloss that provided a buffer and kept me from destroying the skin. I haven’t bothered with any gloss since lockdown (who wants a sticky layer under their mask, anyway?) and so anxiety has led to my lips being a dry, chapped and occasionally bloody mess. It’s painful. My usual lip balms were not working, and skin-healing ointments felt gross. I decided to dip in to my beauty stash and opened up Indeed’s Hydraluron Lip Treatment, and it’s been exactly what I needed. Non-sticky, comforting and protective, it’s healed my lips within a few days. I also love that it doesn’t have any irritating scent or flavour, since overly sweet balms always end up getting licked off and ultimately making my lips drier. If you’re feeling the pain of chapped lips right now, this balm is an affordable, cruelty-free option to smooth things out.
Lush Knock Out Bubble Bar
I go through phases with showers and baths. When this all started, I was strictly a night showerer. I liked to get clean quickly and get to sleep, so I didn’t have to waste valuable snooze time in the morning getting sudsed up. Then the lockdown started, and sitting in the tub became something to do. Get some bubbles going, grab a book (I’m currently reading Kitchen Confidential), burn a candle and sip a cocktail. It’s become an elaborate process of relaxation. Enter this reusable bubble bar from Lush. Most of their bubble bars require you to break a piece off and crumble under running water to create a frothy, heavily (and heavenly) scented bathing experience that quickly disappears down the drain. However, the Knock Out bar—delightfully shaped like a bright red and hot pink boxing glove—can be held under running water and then set aside to dry out between uses, meaning it’s a more cost-effective option with a longer lifespan. It also smells like a spicy dream, thanks to cinnamon leaf and peppermint oils. Soaking in the Knock Out’s foam is ideal for sore muscles (which I don’t currently have because I do nothing all day) but also great for a sore brain.
La Roche Posay Redermic C UV SPF 25
I wear SPF 50 everyday, regardless of the weather. Well, I used to. Once I had to start spending everyday inside, it felt like a waste of perfectly good product for someone who only saw the sun on my daily walks to the mailbox with my dog. That being said, I still wanted some protection. I spend most of my days next to a large curtained window, and I wanted some protection from whatever rays were making their way indoors. This treatment from La Roche Posay feels like the perfect happy medium. SPF 25 to protect me from any sun exposure I might be getting indoors, and antioxidant vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid to help smooth, firm and brighten my skin while I putter around the house. Madecassoside in the formula also helps to soothe, while hyaluronic acid and glycerin keep everything hydrated and plumped.
Uriage Xémose Cleansing Soothing Oil
The weather is getting nicer (thankfully) which means I’ve been drinking my coffee on my back porch and spraying my arms and legs with Sun Bum to keep from burning. However, sunscreen and sweat leave the grossest film on your skin, which is why I love this gentle, fragrance-free cleanser for keeping my skin healthy and soft. The oils help to break down the sticky sunscreen and since it foams, everything is rinsed away cleanly with no residue left behind. The perfect summer body wash!
I’d love to know what little things have been helping you get through. Stay safe, folks.
