On Wednesdays, we wear pink. On weekends, we take baths.
And since baths are typically longer and more luxurious than showers, we switch up our bathtime beauty routine to make the most of them.
Why not make it a mini-spa sesh on Saturday and Sunday??
Here are some of our *NEW* bathtime beauty BFFs.
1. The Soap and Paper Factory Green Tea Luxe Bubble Bath.
I personally love a bubble bath. Even if the bubbles serve no purpose beyond being playful and pretty. This Soap and Paper Factory luxe bubble bath also softens skin and comes in 8 fragrances so you can relax while you indulge. The Green Tea is said to be uplifting and balancing. Perfect for the weekend.
The bottle itself is also a stunner and worthy of prime bathtub real estate. Treat yo’self.
2. Mario Badescu Botanical Exfoliating Scrub.
This *new* product from my beloved Mario Badescu uses Ecuadorian Ivory Palm seeds and botanicals like Ginger, Ginkgo, Green Tea, Aloe and Coconut to help reveal your naturally luminous complexion. It gently removes surface dry, dull, dead skin cells so that your skin looks even and radiant. You apply it in circular motions over your face and rinse with warm water 2-3 times a week. I do a little lymphatic massage while I’m at it, making the most of that bath time (well timed for when your hair is getting a little leave-in treatment or reparative mask).
3. Dead Sea Aromatic Salt Scrub.
You can’t have a fresh, glowing face and a dry, lackluster bod. The salt in this Dead Sea body scrub sloughs off dead skin, as minerals and essential oils soften the newly revealed gorgeous skin below. The sought-after dead sea minerals are also said to alleviate eczema and psoriasis. This body treatment is best used once a week and I apply it when I do a quick shower rinse-off as my bath water is draining. (Otherwise, the salt in the bath water will stick to your skin and you’ll feel those granules all day.)
4. Josie Maran Argan Exfoliating Cleansing Powder.
This powder cleanser is gentle enough to use every day but I don’t use it on the same days as when I use the Mario scrub. I always alternate products and leave some room in between when there are exfoliating agents.
With this powder, you pour a quarter-size amount into your wet hands (since you’re bathing, they’ll be wet already) and then rub your hands together to create a gritty paste. You apply it in circular massaging motions over your face, which feels ahhhh-mazing, and then rinse off. Clean, even, brighter, softer, younger-looking skin will be revealed. Star ingredients include argan shells, tea tree, ginkgo biloba and green tea. (Are you sensing a bathtime ingredient pattern here??)
The paraben-free, sulfates-free and phthalates-free cleanser not only buffs away impurities on the skin but can also be used as a face mask, lip scrub or blemish/blackhead treatment. Love a multi-tasker!
5. Sjal Bio Regeneratif Serum.
Not for the budget babe, 1 fl oz of this powerhouse product will run you $260. A pretty penny, indeed. I received two small samples for testing which I use sparingly on my face, eyes and throat right after cleansing on moist, open skin so the actives can penetrate. This “6-in-1 energistic serum focuses on cellular regeneration, lifting and wrinkles [depth reduction] with the latest targeted peptide complexes, combined with malachite extract and själ’s signature gemstone and mineral blend for protection, radiance, energy and even skin tone.” How does it work? “The frequency of the malachite extract and själ’s proprietary gemstone blend containing amethyst, ruby, sapphire, diamond and tourmaline, vibrationaly resonates at a cellular level, allowing for optimized cellular energy and metabolism, whilst at the same time helping to protect the skin from radiation and electromagnetic frequencies.”
Is it a lot of hocus pocus at a high price point?? At the very least it hydrates and soothes and does both well. It also improves micro circulation and clarity while rebalancing cellular energy. I can’t really speak to the energy part but the circulation and clarity are both checks for me. From there, it claims to stimulate collagen, cell division, tissue regeneration and skin elasticity, inhibit muscle contractions that create fine lines and wrinkles, and protect skin from oxidative stresses and electro magnetic frequencies. For all that, only time (and more product!) would tell. But I can say that Kristin Wiig, Jessica Biel, Helena Christensen, Jessica Alba, Sienna Miller and Olivia Wilde are reported fans of the brand and that Tilda Swinton, the face of NARS, was quoted stating this of the serum: “Last summer, while shooting in a hot, dry place, I used this, and it made all the difference.”
Post-Bath BONUS!
Bella Il Fiore Perfectly Plush Spa Wrap.
When I’ve had some time for self-pampering and am not running out of the house to get to a set or a meeting, I continue as a lady of (weekend) leisure. And while I know I sometimes look naked in beauty shots or videos (because you tell me!), it’s just because I’m enjoying that makeup moment in a “perfectly plush” yet also highly practical spa wrap. I slip it on and off without disturbing the beauty look or leaving any makeup marks. This one from Bella Il Fiore comes in a variety of colors and styles and is super comfy with a soft elastic top band and snug velcro closure. HASHTAGLOVESIT.
I know it’s summer and you may be jetting off to the beach or the barbecue or the concert or the country club, or whatever it is that you do, but remember to take back the weekend, even if just for 30 minutes. I strongly believe there is no better investment than self-investment.
xoLC
NOTE: This post is not sponsored. All thoughts are unbiased and my own. Samples were provided for review and/or my use as a professional makeup artist. All photos are property of DIVAlicious.
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 — with a former life at Cosmopolitan and Shape magazines.
Serving up style with a side of attitude, her site 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. Topics range from beauty, fashion, culture, career, fitness, wellbeing, men’s and unisex offerings.