Beauty
11 Relaxation Gifts for a Soothing Holiday Season
From calming incense to super-soft cashmere sets, here are the 11 best relaxation gifts to give this year….
The year 2020 will go down as one marked by enormous trials and tribulations, which is why this time around, the most thoughtful gifts to give are ones that provide something we could all benefit from: rest and relaxation. After all, during the height of the holiday season, who wouldn’t welcome the opportunity to light up some mind-clearing incense or unwind on a gemstone-infused therapy mat, which uses infrared heat and pulsed electromagnetic fields to ease tension both inside and out? (Rest assured: even wellness skeptics will find themselves turning to it once the temperature drops.)
From soothing tinctures to Brazilian bath salts, here are the 11 best relaxation gifts to shop now.
Leave it to the former Calvin Klein women’s creative director Francisco Costa to create one of the most lust-worthy gifts of the season. Housed in a chic silver tin, these bath salts simultaneously soften the skin and ease tension thanks to a unique blend of Brazilian white clay, orange flower water, and a natural aromatic resin.
Crafted in Spain from a single block of alabaster stone, Cire Trudon’s newest candle—a woody citrus scent comprised of citrus, leather, and patchouli notes—is both an olfactory and visual masterpiece.
Now, even the most monotonous of household chores can have a meditative effect, thanks to The Laundress and Aromatherapy Associates’s new collection of elevated home cleaning and laundry solutions, which are formulated with essential oil blends that promote a sense of well-being. (Think: detergent inspired by the Japanese practice of forest bathing and a surface spray that smells like a spa.)
Lull yourself into a peaceful state with Kate McLeod’s chamomile and lavender-infused solid cocoa butter blend, which miraculously melts into limbs for soft-to-the-touch—not to mention soothingly-scented—skin.
Anytime the holiday stress starts to wear on you, simply reach for one of Supernatural’s tasty plant-based gummies, which quiet the nervous system by way of lavender, skullcap leaf, oat straw, and cortisol-lowering ashwagandha.
For those willing to splurge, look no further than Healthyline’s Goop-approved heat therapy mat, which is surely one of the most decadent relaxation gifts on the market. Combining hot stones, far-infrared light, red light, pulsed electromagnetic fields, and negative ions with 13 pounds of natural tourmaline and jade, it can help align our bodies and souls—a holiday season must.
Light up Bodha’s made-in-Japan, violet-colored incense sticks to fill your home with the calming aroma of lavender, clary sage, and rosewood. Breathe in, breathe out.
Based on a guarded Medieval pharmacopeia recipe, this potent botanical tonic—containing extracts of lavender, California poppy, skullcap, lemon balm, elderberry, elderflower, and catnip—quiets the mind without making you drowsy.
No matter if you’re on the road or staying put this holiday season, London-based label Ven Store‘s super-soft cashmere travel set—a blanket, an eye mask, fine-ribbed socks, and a pillow cover-slash-bag to stash it all in—has got you (very cozily) covered.
“Netflix and chill” might be the phrase on our minds these days, but film buffs will tell you that even the monstrous streaming service doesn’t hold a candle to the Criterion Channel’s vast library of cinematic masterpieces, ranging from those of the Australian New Wave to the work of legendary directors Agnès Varda and Claire Denis—all available for just $11 per month. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
It may not be possible to step foot inside Los Angeles’s Flamingo Estate—the fantastical 1940s home of Richard Christiansen—but now we can experience a bit of its magic in our own abodes, thanks to Christiansen’s new lifestyle line, which is made up of the likes of tinctures, hand sanitizers, and biodynamic steams, such as this sustainably-made, soothing blend.
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Carmen Bryan’s Cryptic Post Stirs the Pot in Jay-Z Controversy
The hip-hop industry currently faces substantial controversy as Jay-Z finds himself in the eye of a storm. Allegations of sexual assault stemming from a 2000 afterparty involving the illustrious rap mogul and disgraced music executive Diddy have ignited fierce public debate. While Jay-Z categorically denies the accusations and expresses his intent to contest the lawsuit, the court of public sentiment appears to have already rendered its verdict. Further complicating this turmoil is the involvement of Carmen Bryan, a name from Jay’s contentious history, which has added a chilling layer to the evolving situation.
Carmen Bryan, recognized for her decade-long affair with the Brooklyn rapper, recently took to Instagram with a cryptic yet pointed post. Although she refrained from naming anyone directly, Bryan suggested that loyalty often supersedes ethical morality in cases involving influential individuals. “These days, people don’t defend what is right; they defend who they like,” she wrote. Her parting shot, “And that’s why we call you a groupie,” felt like a verbal mic drop, leaving little doubt about who her words targeted.
The intrigue didn’t stop there. Bryan shared a snapshot of Jay-Z’s lyrics from his 2010 track “Monster,” honing in on a particularly unsettling line: “Kill a block, I murder the avenues, I rape and pillage your village, women and children.” Though these lyrics were part of a more extensive metaphorical verse showcasing a “monster” persona, their resurfacing in this context feels calculated and ominous.
Bryan is no stranger to controversy, having previously aired her grievances toward Jay-Z. In her 2006 memoir, It’s No Secret: From Nas to Jay-Z, Seduction to Scandal, she detailed their affair and its tumultuous fallout. Additionally, she revealed in a 2017 interview that she had been pregnant with Jay-Z’s child, only to suffer a miscarriage. The relationship, fraught with personal and public conflict, remains a blemish on Jay-Z’s meticulously crafted, otherwise carefully curated narrative. Carmen Bryan’s multifaceted approach raises pertinent questions: Is she simply sharing her perspective on morality in the industry, or does she possess additional undisclosed knowledge?
While the allegations against Jay-Z are still under legal evaluation, Bryan’s Instagram post has reignited another dimension to the complex and polarizing discussions about power dynamics, accountability, and the ethical responsibilities of those influential individuals in the spotlight. Her courageous decision to use Jay-Z’s lyrics against him paints a stark picture that forces fans and critics alike to reckon with the blurred lines between art and reality.
As the legal proceedings involving Jay-Z progress, the public remains split amid this developing saga. While Jay-Z’s peers have predominantly expressed skepticism toward the allegations, the enduring legacy of this iconic figure hangs in precarious balance, with shadows from the past casting long and potentially damning silhouettes.
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Jay-Z Engrossed in Fresh Allegations as Tony Buzbee Claims More Victims
In a stunning twist to an already high-stakes legal dispute unfolding with the intensity of a Hollywood thriller, Jay-Z, one of music’s most preeminent figures, finds himself at the center of an explosive allegation involving minors. This drama stems from accusations brought forth by attorney Tony Buzbee and has escalated a conflict that began with a lawsuit over alleged extortion. Buzbee, who represents a woman accusing the music mogul of sexually assaulting her at the 2000 MTV VMAs afterparty, claims there are additional alleged victims, involving both male and female minors.
Jay-Z and his attorney, Alex Spiro, aren’t backing down. They have initiated a countersuit against Buzbee, vehemently denying the allegations and characterizing them as “entirely fabricated and malicious.” Spiro’s filing asserts that Buzbee’s accusations are part of a calculated scheme to tarnish the rapper’s reputation and coerce a settlement. “These baseless accusations are nothing more than a weapon in a calculated plot,” Spiro stated, doubling down on their stance that the allegations are devoid of any factual basis.
The case took another dramatic turn when the woman Buzbee represents amended her lawsuit against Diddy to include Jay-Z. The timing of the amendment and the salacious nature of the claims have fueled a media frenzy, leaving the hip-hop icon fighting a battle both in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion.
Late Sunday, Jay-Z fired back with a defiant statement on X (formerly Twitter). “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle,” he wrote. “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”
This case is now racing against the clock, with Jay-Z’s legal representatives seeking an emergency hearing to address the allegations. Their urgency stems from the relentless media coverage, which poses a substantial risk to the Roc Nation founder’s reputation. This matter extends beyond a mere legal confrontation; it encompasses significant implications beyond the courtroom, a fight for his legacy.
The stakes are exceptionally high. Legal counsel Buzbee hints at the potential existence of additional alleged victims, thereby intensifying the spotlight scrutiny placed on both parties involved. With careers, reputations, and justice on the line, this legal showdown is poised to become a critical juncture within the music and entertainment industry. For fans and observers alike, the unfolding circumstances prompt inquiries regarding the veracity of the claims and the tactical weaponization of reputation in the court of public discourse.