Sick Day Recovery: How to Look Good When You Feel Awful
1. Take a Decongesting Soak
The next best thing to a dip in a hot tub, this decongesting and soothing soak is made with warming ginger root, sea salt, and French green clay. Pour it into a steaming bath, haul your aching body in, and then lean back and breathe in deeply to let the trio go to work stimulating circulation, ridding your body of excess fluids, clearing up mucus-filled sinuses, and restoring you, inside and out. Pursoma Hot Tub Bath, $34, available at Pursoma.
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2. Soothe Sore Muscles with Arnica Massage Oil
After you hop out of the tub, pat yourself dry and then apply this massage oil from Weleda on damp skin, taking particular care to rub it into areas that feel tense or achy. It features arnica-flower extract to soothe sore muscles and provide a stimulating, warming effect — great if your cold is manifesting itself with a case of the chills. Bonus: Its base of sunflower-seed and olive oils will hydrate and condition skin, while essential oils of lavender and rosemary soothe your mind and your plugged-up nose. Weleda Weleda Arnica Massage Oil, $16.79, available at Target.
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3. Apply a De-Puffing Ice Roller
We've already rhapsodized at length about this genius little device. But, that was mostly about its de-puffing properties. Another benefit is that the rolling, frozen little cylinder is genius at numbing and alleviating muscle aches and head pains. Just roll it repeatedly over the area that's bothering you and experience sweet, sweet (albeit temporary) relief. It's also great for migraine sufferers and anytime you have a headache. And, if your pain happens to be around your eye area, then you also get to reap those depuffing benefits we were going on and on about.Hansderma Skincool Ice Roller Professionals, $56.94, available at Amazon.
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4. Breathe In
If inhaling is proving problematic, place a few drops of this on a tissue, hold it up to your nose, and breathe deeply. The aromatic blend of eucalyptus, tea tree, and peppermint will help reduce congestion and clear clogged sinuses. Aromatherapy Associates Support Breathe Essence, $29, available at NET-A-PORTER.
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5. Apply a Magnesium-Filled Recovery Cream
Used by athletes post-workout, this magnesium-filled cream is for massaging into seriously sore muscles. It works just as effectively on aches and pains caused by cold or flu viruses, so work it into your cramped-up shoulders, back, and legs. Magsoothium Therapeutic Recovery Cream, $29.95, available at Magsoothium.
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6. Hydrate Your Face
Just because you're sick doesn't mean you can't get a facial. This at-home kit from holistic brand Dr. Hauschka starts with a cleansing steam bath that helps loosen dirt and debris in your pores. (Steam also happens to do wonders for your sinuses.) Follow that with the Clay Mask to decongest and then the Revitalizing Mask to calm, hydrate, and give a jumpstart to tired-looking skin. Dr. Hauschka Your Home Spa Facial Kit, $34.95, available at Dr. Hauschka.
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7. Relieve Dry Eyes
Be it sinus pressure, allergies, or too many glasses of pinot noir, nothing is more annoying or irritating than dry, itchy eyes. Banish the pain (and get rid of that redness that’s cropped up from your incessant rubbing) with these lubricating drops — they're widely regarded by top makeup artists as the best on the market. Rohto Ice Redness Relief Cooling Eye Drops, $6.79, available at Drugstore.com.