‘Tis the season for festivities. The party season is here, our calendars are being booked up and the temperature has well and truly dropped. However, as much as I love this time of year, it can be a busy one. The end of the year can be hectic as we scramble to wrap everything up (both literally and figuratively), and if you’re anything like me, your calendar is jam-packed with socialising. As an introvert, I like to carve out time to recharge in between work and festivities, and that’s where my love of beauty and self-care rituals comes into play.
Taking time to treat ourselves is essential for our well-being, and this time of year, you can really go all-out on the indulgence. With the sun virtually disappearing by 4 p.m., now is the ideal time to hunker down in the evenings after work, whether you’re lighting a candle, running a bath or taking 10 for a face mask. That being said, you don’t have to spend a fortune to create solace in your own home.
One of my favourite beauty brands, Beauty Pie, caters to my expensive taste on a budget. If you’re not already familiar with the brand, then allow me to introduce you to the concept. Beauty Pie is a beauty buyers’ club that gives you access to premium products direct from the best suppliers and factories. By purchasing the products directly from the factory, the middlemen retail markups are cut and the savings are passed directly on to you. Essentially, you’re getting premium products at a fraction of their typical prices. If you’re not ready to commit to a membership, however, you can still buy the products at full price to try them out first. If you’re looking to treat yourself during this hectic time, then below are the products I’d recommend to reset and rewind this winter. PS. You can use code BEAUTY50 to get 50% off your first order or for non Beauty Pie members.
Member price is £20. The first port of call in relaxing is setting the scene. Lighting a candle at the end of a busy day is my way of winding down. If you’re working from home, scenting the room can help signal that your day is done, especially if you tend to work in the same room where you relax. This one smells so luxe and is perfect for this time of year. It smells of red fruits, which unfurl into rose, pink peppercorn and artemisia while cinnamon, clove, cashmere, wood and patchouli make it beautifully grounding. It’s also made in Grasse, aka the perfume capital of the world, so you know you’re getting a high-quality candle. It’s the ideal accompaniment to your Netflix binge-watch or having friends over with a glass of wine.
Member price is £16. If you gathered beauty editors together and asked them what their all-time favourite body scrub is, it’s highly likely they’ll mention this one. It’s so indulgent, and with 475 grams of product, this big tub will last you a while. You might be wondering why a body scrub could be so hyped up, but it’s both the zesty scent and the texture that everyone loves. It’s sugar based, which delivers a sufficient exfoliation without being aggressive, and because it’s suspended in apricot and evening primrose oils, it leaves a moisturising, silky sheen on the skin after buffing away dead skin.
Member price is £8. We’re all guilty of neglecting our feet this time of the year. Cramming them into winter boots all season means they’re often forgotten about in our routines. If you’ll be wearing your party heels soon, then get yourself a tube of this foot cream. The mint provides cooling relief to tired soles while shea butter and urea nourish cracked heels. It also helps to remove dead skin thanks to cactus enzymes. The great thing about it is that it doesn’t take hours to sink into your skin. Simply apply each evening and watch as your feet are transformed.
Member price is £12.50 While I’m good at applying retinol to my skin, I’ve neglected my hands. Like our faces, our hands are one of the most exposed areas of our skin, so they take the brunt of environmental and UV damage from the sun. This can mean they’re often subjected to lines and pigmentation more quickly. Wearing an SPF is your go-to for preventing damage, but if you want to treat existing lines and pigmentation, then retinol is your best bet. Having it in a convenient hand cream is a quick way to apply it, and this one is also so nourishing for the cold weather.
Member price is £7. If you can only spare 10 minutes in your busy schedule, then make your treat of choice a face mask. This one is ideal for party-makeup prep or hangovers. It floods the skin with moisture to hydrate, plump dehydrated skin and leave your complexion glowing. Their compact size makes them ideal if you’re travelling or on the go, and you can also buy them in a pack of five, which makes a great stocking filler.
Member price is £62.50 If you’re not immediately slipping into comfy pyjamas at your earliest convenience in the evenings, then you’re missing a trick. There’s nothing I love more than a luxe pair of pyjamas, and I’d quite like to invest in these after reading in the reviews that they’re so good they often sell out. The oversized shape and relaxed silhouette make them both comfy and chic, and the trousers have a drawstring tie for a tailored fit. All that’s left to decide is whether to go for this grey colour with white piping or the white pair with black detailing.
Member price is £15. You might be accustomed to taking a daily vitamin, but if your sleep is poor, your muscles ache or you feel a bit out of sorts, then I’d recommend you try magnesium supplements, which have been formulated with a nutritionist. Magnesium is one of the most underrated minerals considering that it aids in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. Magnesium helps reduce the stress hormone cortisol, aids sleep, helps our bodies convert energy and helps reduce fatigue. The five-star reviews also speak volumes.
Member price is £20. I didn’t think an eye mask could make such a difference to both my sleep and skin, but somehow it’s boosted both. It blocks out light, helps me to drift off more quickly while protecting the delicate skin around my eyes. I’ve even noticed that the lines that were beginning to form around my eyes have softened since wearing one. Beauty Pie’s is made of mulberry silk and comes in this very chic deep-red shade. It’s perfect as a present, but you should also keep one for yourself.
Member price is £26. A scented body cream is the ultimate post-bathing treat, and this one smells divine. Think cocoa and clary sage entwined with mint and lemon, which dry down to sandalwood and vanilla. It almost smells good enough to eat, and it also comes in the form of a fragrance and a candle. It’ll leave your skin velvety soft and hydrated.
Member price is £28. Self-care doesn’t stop at skincare. Fragrance is one of my favourite ways to lift my mood, and this time of year, I’m always drawn to fig fragrances. This one is far from sickly. Think fig wood mingled with radiant gardenia and frangipani. It’s wearable for both daytime and evening. Plus, how expensive-looking is this bottle?
Member price is £69. If you’re looking for a bigger “treat yourself” purchase, then you can’t go wrong with this beautiful makeup set. Curated in collaboration with Pati Dubroff (the makeup artist to Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Olsen and Cindy Crawford, FYI), this set has everything you need for a full makeup look and comes housed in a luxe velvet case with a gold zip. Inside, you get a universally flattering red lipstick, an eye-shadow quad, an eye-shadow brush, a highlighter, a kohl pencil and a mascara.
Member price is £69. If a smoky eye is more your thing, then you’ll like this makeup kit, which has everything you need inside. You get an eye-shadow quad of cool-toned greys and charcoals, a universally flattering brown lip crayon, a highlighter, an eyeliner (plus an eye brush) and a mascara to complete the look.
Member price £175. This is a mega treat, but if you want to try a little bit of everything from Beauty Pie (including its latest products and best sellers), then this is the way to go about it. Not only does it include the beautiful, green, velvet vanity case, but all of the products inside are individually wrapped, so you can open one each day in the lead up to Christmas or even gift a couple if you don’t want to keep all of these treats to yourself.
