Our lifestyles are hectic – and they’re showing no sign of slowing down. Add to the stressors of today’s climate and it’s easy to end each day feeling a bit heavy. But it’s important to take some time for yourself to relax.

While they aren’t the absolute solution, the Stylist team often rely on their tried-and-tested beauty routines and some aromatherapy to relieve stress. This National Stress Awareness Day, they reveal the products they reach for to have an evening – or even just a moment – of pure calm. 

“When I’m feeling stressed, I like to lock myself away, turn off my phone and have a bath. I am obsessed with Spacemasks, £16.50 – they’re self-heating eye masks that release tension around your eyes and temples, and really do help you relax. I’m also a big fan of CBD oil (I’m currently using Trip CBD Oil, £39.) I pop a couple of drops under my tongue and it helps me feel less anxious and overwhelmed.

“Then I’ll hit the tub. For a relaxing bath oil, I love Neom Perfect Night’s Sleep Bath Foam, £23 – it’s enriched with coconut oil, so leaves your skin feeling soft, and smells amazing. I also really love to use a scrub in the bath – Nécessaire The Body Exfoliator in Eucalyptus, £30, is my current go-to. Don’t ask me why, but the ritual of massaging a grainy scrub into my skin works wonders for my mind too. Try it!”

“I rely on my nighttime skincare routine to help me relax at the end of a long day. There really is no better feeling than taking my make-up off and having a properly clean face. I always double cleanse – I like using an oil-based remover (I like The Body Shop’s Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil, £12) to melt away foundation, mascara and everything I insist on putting on my face each morning. 

“Then I use something creamy to fully cleanse my skin (I like NYDG Colloidal Oatmeal Cleanser, £42) . If it’s been a really stressful day or week I love Votary’s Super Seed Facial Oil, £70 – it smells amazing, it isn’t too oily or greasy and it’s good for helping me indulge in some facial massage (which, along with Magic FM, helps me unwind even more).”

“I suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding), which leaves me with a tight jaw that often locks up. To ease the muscles in my jaw, I love a good facial massage. I apply a palm-full of Biossance 100% Squalane Oil, £27, to my face to prevent friction and dragging. I then follow along a facial massage tutorial – my current favourite is FaceGym’s 14-day lower face workout video. All it requires is a good face oil and your fingers. Before starting, I like to spritz a pillow/room mist around me to fill my space with a relaxing scent. You can never go wrong with Rituals, particularly its The Ritual of Jing Pillow Mist, £17.50.

“I then swipe a few layers of This Works Deep Sleep Breathe In Rollerball, £18, to my wrists and behind my ears. It contains lavender, camomile and vetiver and I find it really helps to make me feel calm and drift off to sleep (along with a quick Headspace session, if I’m feeling really stressed out).”

“When it comes to de-stressing, it’s all about skincare for me. Cleaner, brighter skin is exactly what I’m after. I use DHC’s Deep Cleansing Oil, £12.50, as an evening cleanser for a really luxurious step to wind down. The best part? Massaging my face and releasing the tension that builds up in the cheek and forehead muscles I didn’t know needed relaxing.

Feeling fresh, clean, and ready for even more soothing, I always reach for a face mask. Summer Friday’s Jetlag Mask, £22.50, is the creamy, medium thickness mask that combines soothing peppermint, cucumber and vitamin C that, if you really can’t be persuaded to wash this off, you can simply wipe away. It’s a nourishing, quick and easy alternative to the overnight masks of the world.

After applying a gentle, hypoallergenic toner, I love to apply a serum. Elemis’ Peptide4 Antioxidant Hydra-Serum, £53, makes use of hydration hero hyaluronic acid, saffron flower and lotus flower milk for a super gentle, milky liquid that instantly brightens my skin.”

Images: courtesy of brands