Beauty routines can help calm and steady us, when life leaves us frazzled. Carissa Casey reveals her top picks of soul soothing products.

Surgery this summer plunged me straight into menopause, with some of its less than lovely symptoms. For me, the main culprits have been anxiety, its best friend insomnia and hot flushes. The three feed off each other. Anxiety brings on hot flushes and after a day dealing with those two acquaintances, I can kiss goodbye to a decent night’s sleep.

Meditation has helped but I struggle to fit it in sometimes. Instead I’ve started to use my morning and night-time beauty routines as a kind of mindfulness practise, moments when, no matter what else is going on, I slow down, breathe and take care of myself.

I’ve rediscovered the joy of bedtime baths and I find myself steering well clear of any harsh chemicals on my skin in favour of natural, preferably herbal, products. While there’s no scientific evidence that such products will help with menopausal symptoms, to me, they feel kinder to the skin which is exactly what I need after a stressful day. I include some gentle exfoliation and a restorative face mask a few times a week to help with menopause-related aging.

There aren’t too many positives about experiencing such a dramatic change in your own body, but it has forced me to be far more attentive to my stress levels and the need to find a healthy balance in my day to day life. And that is never a bad thing.

1>>NATUROPATHICA SWEET CHERRY BRIGHTENING ENZYME PEEL €60 visit uk.naturopathica.com Taking a blend of herbal, naturopathic and holistic approach to skincare, this peel is gentle yet effective.

2>>MAX BENJAMIN BODY SCRUB €35 visit maxbenjamin.com Made in the Wicklow mountains, this is delicious rubbed into the skin before dipping in to a warm bath.

3>>AVÈNE TOLERANCE EXTREMELY GENTLE CLEANSER €15.00 visit boots.ie Part of a new range for super sensitive skin, this cleans and soothes away the day’s stress.

4>>THIS WORKS SLEEP PLUS PILLOW SPRAY €44 visit eu.thisworks.com Containing lavender, camomile and vetivert essential oils to help restore normal sleep patterns.

5>>MONAT SKINCARE HYDRATION BOOSTER SERUM €78 visit monatglobal.com Packed with hyaluronic acid this helps plump up tired thirsty skin.

6>>PEPPERMINT GROVE LARGE CANDLE €34.95 visit peppermintgrove.ie Using soy wax and lead-free wicks, this Australian brand has a beautiful range of soothing fragrances.

7>> JANE IREDALE ACTIVE LIGHT UNDER EYE CONCEALER €33 visit millies.ie For the morning after a sleepless night, this contains vitamin K to lighten dark areas and white tea and cucumber extracts to soothe and brighten.

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