Soothing beauty

Treat yourself and your skin to a rest with a calming hit of chamomile, lavender or jasmine.

Stressful elements of life have been getting the better of me lately so, to counteract it, I’ve been trying to slip in small moments of self-care wherever I can. There’s not always time (or money) for lavish spa treatments when we most need them, so for me it’s coming down to things like scented candles, early bedtimes and beauty products with the built-in soothing properties of lavender, jasmine and chamomile. Here are some of the very best.

JASMINE

Nothing says effortless selfcare like a sheet mask, and Origins’ deeply hydrating Flower Fusion offering ($12 at Mecca) comes infused with jasmine and fortified with flower wax. It’s not launching until next month, but I’ve already had a sniff of Antipodes’ light-as-air Blessing serum ($55), fragranced with dreamy white jasmine. Packed with antioxidant Vinanza grape and vitamin C-rich kiwi seed oil, applying this delicate oil is also an opportunity for a quick face massage. If your hair needs a treat, too, comb a generous dollop of Leonor Greyl Masque Fleurs De Jasmin nourishing mask ($88 at Ines) into damp hair, tie in a top knot and make yourself a jasmine tea while your locks lap up the award-winning, jasmine oil-rich formula.

For the ultimate hit from the heavenly wee white flower, Darphin’s Jasmine Aromatic Care elixir ($157 at Mecca) is basically a golden bottle of wellbeing, with the added bonus of giving skin a more youthful feel.

LAVENDER

Local fans of this most traditional of calming scents will likely already be familiar with Plantae’s Pacific Blue Lavender cream cleanser ($40), a cult classic from the beloved Kiwi company, made with Pacific Blue lavender sourced from a Nelson farm. This creamy cleanser works best on dry skin, and highlights the little purple flowers’ anti-allergenic, antiinflammatory, antiseptic and antibacterial properties.

For the same reasons, lavender also makes a perfect toner, and Elemis’ gently purifying Balancing Lavender toner ($62 at Mecca) will leave your mind and face feeling fresh and clear.

For a soothing shower experience, L’Oreal Paris Botanicals Fresh Care Lavender shampoo ($18) is infused with a concoction of lavender, soya and coconut oils, designed to specifically target dull, delicate or coloured hair and sensitive scalps.

One of my favourite ways to get a fast hit of beneficial fragrance is with a facial spritz, so I was excited to see MAC has recently added a lavender option to its makeup bag must-have Prep + Prime Fix+ hydrating mist ($42), offering all the original takeaways in the way of beneficial vitamins and minerals, plus a splash of relaxing lavender. Use to sheer out foundation, intensify colour, set makeup or just to moisturise and soothe tired skin.

CHAMOMILE

We’re most familiar with the soothing properties of chamomile in hot drinks, beauty brands in the know are also using the daisy-like flower in skincare. Lush’s Angels on Bare Skin ($20 per 100g) is a deliciously tactile fresh cleanser starring chamomile blue oil, a striking blue oil considered to be equal to lavender for sedative as well as healing qualities. There’s also finely ground almonds and dried lavender flowers in this one, for a blissed-out start to your beauty routine.

Despite the name, Mario Badescu Chamomile cleansing lotion ($26 at Mecca) is actually more of a toner, but offers an affordable way to get squeaky clean, soothed and smoothed skin, with a good hit of old pal chamomile. Tip a little onto a cotton pad and sweep onto skin using upward motions.

Part of a whole collection of chamomile-focused products, The Body Shop Camomile Silky cleansing oil ($35) combines a blend of skinsoftening, calming oils and Community Fair Trade essential chamomile oil. And for when your face is feeling as stressed as you are, Natio Chamomile & Aloe Soothing face cream ($23) also features mega moistureproviders shea butter and moringa oil, making it a lush dream for sensitive and irritated skin.