Day 3 is here, and today’s gift guide is all about my natural self-care favorites. I have to be honest, I was SO excited to make this one, because I’ve come across some incredible hair, skin, and other body care products this year that I’ve fallen in love with. However, it also turned out to be difficult, because Day 8 will be geared towards all-things wellness, and I found it a bit challenging to draw the line in the sand between self care & wellness (& I don’t want it to feel repetitive!)

That being said, today’s list falls mostly into skin, hair, and body care, and we’ll leave the other wellness-related self-care items for Day 8!

Here we go!

as always, anything that can be found on Amazon is linked here!

SKIN & BODY CARE:
01 / skincare with vitamin c + hyluronic acid

I’ve never had a skincare routine until this year, but with skin that’s changed drastically with postpartum hormones, this Serum Set combo has changed the game for me. Dime’s Black Friday sale is happening now through November 5, and they’re offering 30% off site-wide with code HAYDENLOALBO.BF

If you’re reading this after November 5, or need to wait to purchase, you can always get 20% off site-wide with code HAYDENLOALBO 🙂

02 / exfoliation – dry brush & body plane
exfoliation & dry brushing have been all the rage over the past few years, but did you know it’s actually an ancient practice? this self care ritual improves circulation from head to toe, exfoliating the top layer of skin for brighter & firmer skin all over. this one from Esker was picked by Vogue, Elle, Byrdie & more as the best on the market, so you know it’s gotta be good. then, take it up a notch by combining it with their Body Plane to gently scrape off dead skin & impurities. guys, I have this and it’s literally like a pore strip for your body. the regimen for success: Dry Brush, shower with your fav body wash, body oil (I have & use this one, also from Esker), then Body Plane

pro tip, take a look at their gift sets! there are tons of money-saving options in there (in lots of budget ranges). plus, save 20% on orders of $50+ with code HAYDENLOALBO

03 / ice roller for face & eyes

consider this like the classier & more reasonable version of the Huberman husband stick-your-face-in-an-ice-bath-upon-waking. ice rollers are known to reduce inflammation, and puffiness, and provide relief from headaches/migraines.

this one looks extra great for headaches & comes with a travel case!

04 / everyday body oil

there’s just something about a body oil over body lotion that I’ve been into lately. they’re lighter-weight and don’t dry sticky, which is a huge win in my book. I’ve been using this one from Dime for the past few months & really enjoying it. I even use it on Shay (that’s how clean the ingredients are on Dime’s products!). It smells very similar to the OSEA Malibu body oil, which I also have and love, but this one is less expensive with my discount codes (HAYDENLOALBO.BF for 30% off if you’re buying before 11/05/23, HAYDENLOALBO for 20% off if you’re buying after)

MAKEUP & HAIR

05 / easy, natural makeup from merit

to say Merit makeup has been a game-changer for me is an understatement. I always feel more put together with just a bit of makeup on, but never was able to make that happen until now. I couldn’t find low-tox options I liked, and everything I’d been using took me agesss to actually put on my face! merit is SO simple, their products are of incredible quality, and they wear so naturally. my best suggestion is to go for one of their kits to save some $$. I have at least one of almost everything on their site, you truly can’t go wrong with any of their products. & every first order comes with their beautiful corduroy makeup bag, which is perfect for gifting!

I’ve had some questions in the past about color matching for their foundation stick – they have a color match tool on their website that allows you to put in the details of the foundation you’re already wearing to match you with their colors. It’s quick & accurate!

06 / heatless curler

I’ve had friends rave about this nifty little device over and over, and I’m truly amazed every time I see the results. I haven’t tried it yet because I have SUCH thick hair that has a hard time staying curled even with heat. But, I neverrr take the time to actually do my hair, so if it works, this thing would make a worldddd of a difference! there’s also an extra thick version if you prefer looser curls.

07 / hair oil

A good hair oil is like a best friend: everyone needs one. that was cheesy, but I already wrote it so we’re sticking to it & moving on lol. My hair best friend (if we’re sticking with the cheese) has been this hair oil from Dae for years! Recently I ran out of my Dae oil & was in desperate need, so I snagged this one from Ouai at Target and I’ve also liked it a lot! The Ouai oil is almost $10 cheaper than the Dae oil too 🙂

Both of these oils are available on Amazon & at Sephora, who will probably have Black Friday sales, so keep your eyes peeled for those!

OTHERS:

08 / summer fridays lip butter balm

this one has been on my wishlist for a while now! the reviews speak for themselves & anything Vanilla will forever have a place in my heart. this set of 3 would also make a great gift!

09 / lighted makeup mirror

poor bathroom lighting is the worst, and a mirror-like this can make such a difference! the light is adjustable and it comes in several colorways for any decor style.

10 / vagus nerve body oil + bath oil

OSEA recently came out with an entire collection centered around the healing power of the vagus nerve, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. While this could definitely fall into the wellness category, and I might repeat it just for good measure, I couldn’t make this list without including it. reducing overstimulation is the most crucial step to self-care, in my opinion- nothing will stick if we’re living in a constant state of fight or flight. LOVE the heart & everything behind this collection!

11 / muslin washcloths

say goodbye to mascara stains on your bath towels!! we love these muslin ones– I actually had the same ones as burp rags when Shay was a baby & now I use them on my face! pro tip: these would be so great to add in with other skincare or makeup products as part of a larger gift!

& that’s all for today! I’ll be back tomorrow with our first list for kiddos, focusing on ages 0-1!

xx,

Hayds