The Best Calming Body Care Ingredients (And The Body Oils That Contain Them)

Treat your body like your face.

The unfolding coronavirus (COVID-19) situation means that we are all dealing with a lot of uncertainty and change to our day to day routine. At Gritty Pretty, we want to help you navigate through this time. We’ll be sharing self care advice and tips on how to look after your body and mental health. If there are any topics you want Gritty Pretty to cover, please send us a DM on Instagram.

At these times of high stress and uncertainty, it’s important to find little things that allow us to reconnect with ourselves and promote a sense of calm. Whether it be listening to a 10 minute meditation, going for a long walk or taking a relaxing bath, everybody has their thing that helps them de-stress and disconnect from the outside world. Our favourite calming ritual? Slathering our skin in a luxurious body oil. Bonus points if they contain ingredients that calm in their own right.

Not only do these body care saviours help to lock in skin moisture and provide ample glow and dewiness, but they also have aromatherapy benefits aplenty. Think of them as the ultimate way to care for the skin, externally and calm the mind, internally.

Here, we’ve got a list of the best calming ingredients for relaxing the mind, body and soul – and the luxurious body oils that contain them.

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Noni

If you’re any kind of fan of Miranda Kerr (who isn’t?) you should be familiar with the benefits of this plant. Originating in Southeast Asia, Noni is a wellness powerhouse. Able to be both ingested and applied topically, Noni contains over 100 vitamins and minerals to both plump skin and increase cell turnover. Talk about an overachiever.

The Kora Organics Noni Glow Body Oil ($80) is our favourite Noni oil, with high amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C providing skin-repairing properties beyond belief. It calms the skin while protecting against environmental damage caused by free radicals. Added bonus? Noni is anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory which means it will keep your skin looking youthful and healthy for years to come.

Hemp Seed

The ultimate ingredient for pulling up at relaxation station, hemp seed oil is a great addition to your (now after reading this article) extensive body care routine. Derived from, you guessed it, hemp seeds (which means that unlike CBD oil, it doesn’t contain THC), this oil is great for massaging into your skin to promote radiance and even-tone. The Rawkanvas Calming Hemp Body Oil ($55) is a standout in the plethora of hemp seed products that have recently hit the market due to it’s ability to deeply soothe the skin whilst preventing moisture escape.

Another benefit? Hemp seed oil has been found to contain high amounts of vitamins and the ideal 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids to not only keep the skin healthy but also protect from inflammation, oxidation and other causes of ageing. According to a study published in the Pharmacognosy Review, hemp seed oil can help to calm skin conditions – including psoriasis and eczema – by strengthening the skin and helping it resist bacterial, viral and fungal infections.

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Chamomile

It’s no secret that chamomile tea has some pretty epic calming benefits (drink before bed to catch some serious z’s) but what about chamomile oil? (Spoiler: It’s just as, if not more relaxing.) A 2017 study found the oil can help to promote sleep and reduce the symptoms of insomnia, particularly for the elderly. Need to know more? Well, another study found that its moisturising molecules meaningfully reduced anxiety symptoms in 58 per cent of participants over eight weeks. 

A cult-favourite, the Clarins Relax Body Treatment Oil ($70) is the perfect chamomile oil to slather on your limbs. Combined with geranium, petit grain and basil, this oil will help to soothe skin and relax muscles. But the most impressive trait? When applied topically, chamomile oil can improve digestive function. According to a 2018 study in the Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice, apply to the stomach area for best results. This is particularly great now, if, like us, you have been visiting the fridge 400 times a day since working from home!

Jasmine

Last, but certainly not least, is jasmine. As well as being easy on the nose, a study published in the Journal of Health Research found that inhaling jasmine oil by way of skin application, directly affected the mood of participants, making them feel more positive, energetic and balanced. Double-whammy!

With COVID-19 hitting beauty businesses hard, we’re also making an effort to support local where we can. And fortunately for us, RECREATION Bondi Beach makes the ultimate jasmine and neroli Glow Oil. Made for both hair and body, the product’s benefits include increasing alertness, relaxing muscle spasms and promoting relaxation and sleep. Could it get any better?

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Have a relaxing body oil you swear by? Don’t keep it to yourself! Share it in the comments below.

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