Ready to get out of the house (finally!) but don’t want to sacrifice self-care? Three super-sciency things to accelerate your self-care routine in 2021
By Jessica Collins for Heat Healer
If 2020 was the year of embracing the benefits of being at home more (hello multi-masking while taking work calls?) then 2021 is about getting ready to step out into the world and live our best lives once more. This doesn’t have to mean the end of the positive self-care rituals we’ve nurtured these past twelve months, but we’re going to need them to work a bit harder and faster so we can get out the door (but still look and feel top of our game). Here are three science-backed activities which can speed up your results, whilst helping you slow right down...
#1 SWEAT IT OUT
The detoxifying benefits of heat therapy (think saunas) have been known for thousands of years. Recent studies agree it can boost cardiovascular health, improve mood, and potentially disrupt inflammation in the body. Yet not all of us have space to install one in our home! Enter individual infrared sauna blankets, like this luxe version from Heat Healer, which deliver the same benefits and can be rolled out absolutely anywhere there’s a power source.
Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez and Kourtney Kardashian are all huge fans of infrared saunas so we know this trend is here to stay.
I love to light a fancy candle, pop on a podcast and just lie down and relax.
Unlike traditional saunas, which can be a bit suffocating after about 20 minutes, you can bliss out in one of these for up to an hour before you’ll probably need to take a break (and a shower!)
If the idea of all that sweat kinda freaks you out try jumping into a layer of comfy cotton clothing, like these soft and sexy leggings from Kim K’s SKIMS brand. These will help keep your sauna blanket hygienic, are easy to wash and - most importantly - will help raise your core body temperature faster - which is the whole point of heat therapy after all.
#2 LIGHT IT UP
LED light therapy masks promise a quick beauty boost minus the trip to the salon. Masks like this, from DMH Aesthetics utilise infrared technology once again, emitting light in specific wavelengths, including Blue, Red and Amber light therapies, selected based on your individual skin concerns. Simply layer on your favourite serum or two and use light therapy to increase product absorption, stimulate collagen production and aid cell turnover, amongst other benefits.
#3 RUB IT IN
Our skin is our largest organ, so it makes sense that what we put all over our bodies is pretty important. By applying certain vitamins and minerals, such as Geothermal Minerals Magnesium Oil, from head to toe we can increase their absorption. Magnesium alone is responsible for more than 600 chemical reactions within our bodies, including moving electrolytes in and out of our cells, and is a key mineral that helps muscles relax. I highly recommend applying oils like this to damp skin after a post-infrared sauna shower for silky soft skin and a feeling of zen that will last the whole day.