The holidays are over, the festive lights are out and the diet starts tomorrow. What better time to indulge in much-needed self-care and treat yourself to some seriously pampering products courtesy of the Holy Land?
Here are our top picks to beat the winter blues.
Probably Israel’s best-known beauty brand, the Dead Sea powerhouse Ahava (Hebrew for “love”) is always a top choice for all things creamy in Israel. The Dead Sea minerals protect and smooth the skin, the scent is incredible and hands are guaranteed to feel moisturized for hours, making this one of the best hand creams around.
If it’s good enough for Gwyneth Paltrow, it’s good enough for us. Galilee-based Lavido makes natural skincare products that are plant-based, paraben-free and devoid of any animal ingredients or animal testing.
Lavido Alert promises to brighten and moisturize the eye area and to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Alert contains avocado, pomegranate and citrus extracts (talk about all things Israeli) and is vegan, recyclable and gluten-free. No wonder it’s featured on Goop.
This body scrub is one hard worker, ridding your skin of dry and flaky bits in an instant and leaving you feeling soft and moisturized all over. It also smells absolutely divine, turning exfoliation time from somewhat of a chore into a few minutes of quiet bliss.
Nowadays a global chain, Laline started out as a pioneer in the Israeli beauty and bath industry and is still one of the go-to places for Israelis looking for fancy creams and soaps. And while it offers a wide and slightly overwhelming range of products, we’d definitely recommend starting out with this ocean-scented scrub.
A throwback to a time when there were no body scrubs, oils or wellness options at the local supermarket aisle, this little solid soap is what most Israelis grew up on.
Years later, it’s still a great product – fresh-smelling, soap-less soap that gets the job done and leaves you feeling clean, moisturized and very lightly perfumed. It’s our top pick for all those who still believe that home bathrooms can’t actually be spas.
5. Moroccanoil Treatment Light
Despite its name, this celebrity favorite originates in Israel. Containing argan oil and other vitamins, this hair treatment promises frizz-free, shiny and silky locks.
The formula is good to use on all types of hair – curly, fine, dyed and apparently even beard hair. A little goes a long way, so just run a little product through your locks to enjoy a fabulous hair day every day.
6. Sea Of Spa Dead Sea Hand Cream (Avocado Aloe Vera)
Another great Dead Sea option, Sea of Spa’s hand cream delivers all the mineral-rich wonders at a fraction of the price of competitors. The easily absorbed formula leaves hands feeling soft and moisturized for a good few hours, and the slim packaging makes it perfect to carry around in your purse or glove compartment.
Like its competitor Laline, Sabon has turned from an Israeli household brand into a global empire, with stores flourishing all over the world. It too sells wonderful body scrubs, creams and lotions, but we thought to highlight this special little product.
Apply lotion to your hands and pop on these cotton gloves – either for an hour or overnight – to help lock in moisture and overcome seriously dry skin. The gloves come in thick, stretchy and easy-to-wash material and even have a cute cuff design to enjoy as you rejuvenate your wintery hands.
8. Dr. Fischer EMOL Baby Bath Oil
Definitely not only for babies, this bath oil is a miracle worker. A few squirts in the shower or bath help alleviate seriously dry and itchy and even eczema-prone skin and leave your body feeling all soft.
The product is hypoallergenic and paraben- and alcohol-free, so should be fine to use on even the most sensitive of skins. Only one word of advice – the oil can leave the shower feeling a little slippery, so tread with care!
9. LALINE Body Cream (Cherry Blossom)
Another great Laline product, this one is especially recommended for the teenage girl in your life.
The sweet cherry blossom smell, pink hue and cute packaging make this cream a fun and good-quality gift. It’s enriched with aloe vera extract and jojoba oil, promising velvety smooth skin that smells like sakura blossom. Now who wouldn’t want that?
10. Ahava Soothing After-Shave Moisturizer
All products on this list can be used by men (because no one should suffer from dry, flaky skin and under-eye circles), but Ahava’s shaving line deserves a special manly shout-out.
Like all of Ahava’s Dead Sea products, the after-shave cream is rich in moisturizing minerals and promises to calm and soothe post-shave skin, leaving it soft and fresh-smelling. And while a little pricy, a little does goes a long way, making this cream a great choice for all you men out there.
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