Now that school’s started up, it’s time to unpack the sweaters and sadly fold up those mesh crop tops you were too nervous to wear but told yourself you would. There’s no better time to forcibly fool yourself into thinking you’re lazing the days away in Honolulu. Luckily, we’ve got you covered!
Here are the basic ingredients you need to have a wonderful, tropical spa adventure that will make you almost forget about how we are gradually heading into autumn’s frosty clutches
What tropical daydream doesn’t involve coconuts? None. Coconut oil is so versatile, and it can be used on literally everything. Use it as a hair mask and let it soak in while you moon over Tom Hanks in “Splash”. Use it as a crazy intense moisturizer after you bathe as well! Bonus? Coconut oil will make you smell like a piña colada gone right.
Lush’s Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub
Let’s be honest, Lush is an amazing beauty company, and their prices reflect that. However, if you can afford to shell out, Ocean Salt is a must have for a portable tropical paradise. There are minerals and sea salt to exfoliate, coconut and avocado oils to make your skin super soft and lime and vodka to purify. It smells like a margarita and salty beaches. What’s not to love?
Long Winter Soap Co’s Pineapple Cilantro Skin Cream
Not a fan of coconut? That’s okay, we understand! Long Winter Farm, a delightful little company in Maine, has some of the best natural beauty products around. Their skin creams are filled with oils and aloe, and they have a ton of amazing and eclectic scents. Sweet pineapple chunks dance with sharp salsa cilantro in this particular skin cream, transporting you far away from the thought of leaves falling.
Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Masque
Mint Juleps are quintessential beachside café drinks, so of course, slather it on your face. The Mint Julep Masque has been around for decades, and it has earned Hall of Fame recognition. You can find it at any grocery store for $3, and it works magic. Spearmint to refresh, kaolin clay to purify and lime to brighten. The unspoken perk is scaring your roommate with your bright green face for twenty minutes.
Revlon’s Wintermint Nail Polish
What is a spa without a little manicure? For “Wintermint”, do not let the name throw you off. Despite its name, this is an exact dupe for Deborah Lippmann’s “Mermaid’s Dream” nail varnish. “Wintermint” is a seafoam green polish with flecks of dark blue glitter and gold undertones, reminiscent of a surf covered in pearly seashells. If you have ever wanted the embodiment of the sea breeze on your nails, this is it. Plus, it smells faintly of crisp mint to go with your mint julep mask!
Bonus!: Lush’s Big Blue Bath Bomb
For those lucky ducks that have a bath at their disposal, a bath bomb is the height of luxury. This one, also from Lush, is an experience. It has a beachy, lemon-lavender scent, but has actual sea salt and Arame seaweed inside. Salt detoxifies in this case, and seaweed baths have always been lauded for softening properties. There is nothing more tropical than floating around in a bath of blue water and sea grass, now is there? Of course, this can be replicated by shredding store-bought seaweed in your bath, which I have done a couple times. Be careful, though: the seaweed should be plain and organic, not chipotle seasoned!