Stress. It happens to the best of us. Whether it be family, or relationships, or career, or financial — or unfortunately, a plethora of other causes — it rears its ugly head and sits with all its weight on your shoulders. It loves coming with its friends, fear and anxiety, which make for a most unpleasant party. Sometimes just admitting to being stressed allows for its cousin guilt to join in, because overall when you have so much to be grateful for and happy about, it can feel bad to even feel bad.
For me, I’ve learned to recognize stress physically first because mentally I have some sort of block to acknowledging it’s there. (Must be that Leo pride.) So before it’s worries in my head, it’s a tightly gripped fist or tension in my neck and upper back.
I’ve thankfully also learned how to manage it physically, in part through the practice of BioFeedback which I learned from Caroline Bouton at Yaffe Ruden in NYC.
While there are many biofeedback strategies, one I often use is finding my breath and re-centering it. I do this by breathing in for 3 counts and breathing out for 6 counts repeatedly until I feel my body relax. I usually start to feel a change after several sets. The beauty of this technique is that you can do it anytime, anywhere.
Sometimes though, when my proverbial plate is really overfull, I like to light a candle and draw a bath and breathe from the serenity of a dark, warm, comforting place. All the senses can be tapped into for a feeling of lightness and peacefulness here and now (not your mind’s future projection or past memory). And for this reason, I love bath oils and bombs and sugars and salts and more.
When I received the Dr. Hauschka Rose Nurturing Bath Essence to test, I was dealing with some sudden, urgent family stress. Issues of aging and fragility and suffering and life and death were circling in my mind.
I added a single capful of the essence as I ran the bath that night.
I took a deep 3 count inhale and instantly felt a transporting calm. I let out a smooth 6 count exhale and felt my my muscles start to relax.
The silky feeling of the essence mixed with its intoxicating fragrance brought me much-needed tranquility. I felt like I was laying in an endless rose garden. Which couldn’t be more different than an emergency room.
Some tears fell as I continued the breathing but this time crying felt therapeutic and accepting. Because I was already in a different state.
I test many beauty items for work and I love the constant newness and innovation, but this is a product I will definitely repurchase. True to its name, the Rose Nurturing Bath Essence really nurtures.
More, it’s made with rose essential oil, rose petal extract and rose flower water plus jojoba, avocado and almond oil. It “soothes dry and sensitive skin while also supporting its proper moisture balance” and “is gentle enough for babies’ delicate skin.”
It is a treat to the senses that comes in a 3.4 fl oz size for $29.95 and a travel mini (0.34 fl oz) for just $2.50.
And it’s going onto my DIVAfaves now.
XOLC
Note: This post is not sponsored. All thoughts are unbiased and my own. All photos are property of DIVAlicious. Samples were provided for review.
Lauren Cosenza is the creator and editor-in-chief of DIVAlicious, a trusted beauty/fashion expert, an on-camera personality and spokesperson, a leading NYC-based professional makeup artist, a published contributor and writer, a brand consultant, a product junkie and an insatiable style seeker.
Serving up style with a side of attitude, DIVAlicious gives women (and men) the confidence and permission to be fabulous. The site is filled with must-have products, pro tips and tricks, how-to DIY tutorials, makeovers, style inspiration and insider access.