Last February, we started a brand new series on STYLE Canada: #BeautyFind Friday, otherwise known as your new #BFF. Every other Friday, STYLE editor Anastasia Barbuzzi will present you with a #BeautyFind to help you enjoy a weekend of self-love and care like no other. She’s all over the green beauty scene and on #BeautyFind Fridays, she’ll be giving you the inside scoop on products and brands that are changing the space, and one’s you’ve just gotta try. Full permission to begin daydreaming about your next *Add to Cart* item.
While I continue to set boundaries between my WFH life and my life outside of work, moments that I can take to reset and recharge are welcome. And by that I mean more than welcome. According to the world of health and wellness, time spent in the bath or shower should serve as “me time”, but only recently did my “me time” receive an upgrade thanks to the fabulous duo that makes up part of Indie Lee’s De-Stress collection.
The full Indie Lee De-Stress trio (@indie_lee)
First impressions: Something I’ve always appreciated about the Indie Lee brand is that the founder has stuck to creating skin care with standards – high ones, at that. Using some of the world’s finest ingredients, Indie Lee & Co. continuously work on their formulations with the help of trusted chemists. The result? Effective products that come at reasonable, mid-range prices compared to other leading natural skin care brands. Upon first look at Indie’s De-Stress Body Wash and Meditation Facial Mist, the same sleek, minimal design and textured paper boxes got two thumbs up and after reading about what the products contained, I was excited to finally smell and feel what was inside.
Talkin’ specifics: At its core, the De-Stress collection is made to soothe body, mind and soul, and I always approve of a holistic approach. The first step to unwinding from your long day of work should be sudsing-up with the De-Stress Body Wash, which contains calming calendula, panthenol (provitamin B5), hydrolyzed quinoa for conditioning and protection, as well as a healthy dose of vitamins A and B. An infusion of antioxidant rosemary, cooling eucalyptus, and patchouli and lavender simultaneously clear your sinuses.
After the shower, a spritz (or four) of the Mediation Facial Mist promotes a wholly restorative experience as the aroma of rosewood, bergamot, eucalyptus and patchouli rain down on your skin. For optimal toning and balancing benefits, rosewater and aloe vera combine with lavender, chamomile and sage, while hydration-savers like seaweed, glycerin and hyaluronic acid leave your complexion looking plump and radiant. To top things off, a hit of grapefruit injects an extra boost of antioxidants into the face.
Indie Lee De-Stress Body Wash ($24) and Meditation Facial Mist ($20)
The experience: The first couple of times I used the De-Stress Body Wash, I enjoyed the scent of the cleansing gel but favoured its creamy texture. It almost felt like a lotion going on the skin and proved to be super moisturizing. The scent of lavender and eucalyptus came through the most. Though little bubbles were created by massaging the product into my skin, I came out of the shower feeling fresh and clean.
Once out of the shower, I misted my freshly-cleansed face with a liberal dose of the Mediation Facial Mist (four to six pumps worth – always). The scent of this toning and balancing spray is much stronger than the De-Stress Body Wash. It’s grounding and relaxing, and the light shower of product that dispenses with each pump feels like just enough. Even better, it provides an even mist across the face. The Mediation Facial Mist had a cooling and relaxing effect.
The verdict: I believe the Mediation Facial Mist and the De-Stress Body Wash would make lovely, skin-healthy substitutes for everyone’s usual bath products. There’s no way to downplay their restorative benefits, though there are a few things I wish they did better.
For one, I hope Indie Lee & Co. find a way to make the scent of the De-Stress Body Wash linger for longer. It seemed to be most potent (without being too overpowering) at the beginning of every shower, but a few seconds later, the smell of the beautiful essential oils dissipated, and I really just wanted to be consumed by a spa-like eucalyptus stem. (Indie – I understand this might’ve not been the goal with the De-Stress Body Wash, but that was my personal expectation.)
Secondly, the De-Stress Body Wash comes out of the tube *hot!*, so my initial thought was that it might be more functional in a pump format, though Indie Lee & Co. know better than me.
Lastly, the Mediation Facial Mist leaves a slightly grippy feeling on the skin, which makes me think that it would be great to layer makeup over, though again, Indie Lee & Co. know better. If anything, it left my face rehydrated and glowy, so no complaints there. Overall, this is a duo to try during the pandemic for sure.
Want more #BeautyFind Fridays? Find past reviews here.
