Love thy Self

A Love thy Self Valentines ode from slow-living trends of therapeutic laziness and sleep tourism to the rise of restorative rituals and purposeful perfumes. Experiences that promote relaxation, balance, and overall health - prioritizing mental, physical, and emotional self-care travel and lifestyle. Rest assured, we have your well-being wanderlust check list covered and the art of relaxation ready to hit pause ...

Love thy Self

Therapeutic Laziness

Photo by Karen Radkai/Conde Nast via Getty Images

Good news for fans of "bed rotting" (lounging in bed for extended periods of time) self-care is taking the "Sleeping Beauty" route as resting and remaining delightfully unproductive edges into the mainstream.

The 2025 antidote to rising levels of burnout and anxiety - Therapeutic Laziness offers a guilt-free retreat where rest meets beauty. Beds become wellness zones and self-care sanctuaries with 'treat-while-you-laze' products imbued with nourishing ingredients that bridge the gap between skin care and sleep.

SUITCASE STYLE

Love thy Self 2025

BAXTER OF CALIFORNIA Shave Tonic revitalizing Shave Tonic for the best pre and post shave possible. Menthol and essential oils cool razor burn and prevent in-grown hairs while Vitamins E, D, and A hydrate and protect the skin $20.

DIOR HOMME PARFUM 2025 by Dior is a new oriental fragrance for men crafted by Master Perfumer Francis Kurkdjian. This fragrance celebrates the iris flower, balancing power and delicacy with a blend of iris highlighted by ambery woods with base notes of Patchouli and Vetiver. From the Dior Homme fragrance collection, known for its seductive allure $130.

SANS [CEUTICALS] Goji Body + Face Cleansing Oil a highly effective yet nourishing cleanser drawn on ancient Japanese origins. Massaged onto damp skin, the oil turns milky, leaving skin fresh and silky smooth. This unique formulation retains the balance of skin's pH and provides a powerful goji berry antioxidant boost. Formulated for dry and sensitive skin $43.

LE LABO Candle Discovery Set a new selection of scents, presented in Le Labo’s signature kraft box. Ambroxyde 17’s woody fragrance complemented by hints of musk, jasmine & moss, Palo Santo 14 brings notes of cedar, labdanum, patchouli & incense + Santal 26 a gentle and sophisticated blend of smoke and leather - 3 glass votives set $144.

THE GREY Self Tanning Serum with anti-age properties reduces signs of aging and leaves you with the healthiest face tan. Men's moisturizer with an anti-aging self-tanner, creates a gradual face tan and helps reduce lines and wrinkles €59.00

CALIRAY Blurry Blush Pore Minimizing Cream Blush with Niacinamide. A blurring and pore-minimizing cream-to-powder blush for a transfer-free, diffused, buildable pop of color to cheeks. Gluten-free, cruelty-free in recyclable packaging $25.

REN Clean Skincare - Evercalm™ Barrier Support Elixir Skin Barrier Strengthening Face Oil for Dry & Sensitive Skin $59.

VIDA GLOW Sustainably Sourced Marine Collagen is perfect for on the go, each single-serve collagen supplement helps support radiant and smoother skin and is bioavailable, so it won’t lose its beneficial properties $50. per pack

KOSAS Revealer Extra Bright Serum-Powered Color Corrector a full-coverage dark circle corrector, brightening, and visibly depuffing serum in one that's the fastest way to transform tired eyes. Creamy, blend-able and long-wearing $32

MAISON CRIVELLI Hibiscus Mahajad Extrait De Parfum with notes of spearmint, cinnamon, Damask rose, hibiscus, leather, vanilla and ambrette musk this niche perfume offers a beautiful floral combined leathery aroma $315.

SLEEP TOURISM

The art of relaxation - Sleep Tourism is a new trend in the travel movement focused on the biggest and most important pillar of well-being: the ultimate sleep experience. Hotels are reimagining hospitality by elevating spaces to help guests rest by offering personalized features and sleep-enhancing amenities from soundproof rooms and pillow menus to AI smart beds, wind-down rituals and sleep coaching. These thoughtful touches are quickly becoming the new definition of luxury and a living well lifestyle.

EQUINOX HOTEL

New York City

The Equinox Hotel in NYC offers The Art + Science of Sleep - a science-backed program designed to give guests a deep and restorative sleep. This 2-night stay brings together powerful regeneration elements optimized for sleep and a lineup of restorative sleep-boosting amenities such as a Spa Wave Table, cryotherapy, hot and cold plunges plus food and beverage choices that naturally increase melatonin production. The bedside button: Dark. Quiet. Cool shuts down the room for optimal sleep environment.

HOTEL FIGUEROA

Downtown LA

The Hotel Figueroa - better known as The Fig™ in Los Angeles offers a Slumber in Style package with limited-edition OSEA Vagus Nerve Travel Set + sleep mask that includes relaxing and therapeutic blend of essential oils for pre-bed soak or shower and Vagus Nerve Pillow Mist for a soothing pre-sleep ritual that lingers until morning inside one of their spacious self-care suites complete with eco-luxury linens, pillow-top beds and blackout curtains for the ultimate REST-cation.

AMAN NEW YORK

Manhattan

Aman New York in the heart of Manhattan, reaches unchartered heights in the city with over 25,000 square feet dedicated to wellbeing. Bringing to life the fullest expression of Aman's health and wellness concept, offering unmatched facilities including two luxurious private Spa Houses plus transformative experiences and cutting-edge wellness and performance science for enhanced wellbeing. For those struggling with sleep, the resort offers a unique program - the Brain Gauge Pro, that tests cognitive performance and monitors brain conditions, followed by personalized solutions to improve sleep quality paired with their luxurious accommodations - plush beds, expensive linens and soundproof rooms.

Hôtel de Crillon

A ROSEWOOD HOTEL

Paris

The Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel in the heart of Paris offers a special Sleeping Beauty set for guests upon arrival packed with everything needed for a great night’s sleep from aromatherapy oils & pillow sprays to herbal teas & bath therapy. Guests can also enjoy personalized massages and meditation sessions as well as a Sleep Naturopathy consultation, where experts share top tips for improving sleep and establishing healthy patterns that will last long after their stay.

REVĪVŌ WELLNESS RESORT

Bali

REVĪVŌ Wellness Resort Bali within the lush Ubud rainforest has a range of wellness offerings inspired by ancient local healing traditions used to enhance guest’s emotional, physical, and mental well-being. The special sleep program Nocturno features nightly routines designed to promote deep relaxation where guests enjoy detoxing teas, mood lights, herbal baths and a restorative ritual with a Tibetan Singing Bowl to clear the mind. This February 2025 REVĪVŌ is opening its state-of-the-art VITALITY Centre situated adjacent to the resort. This innovative facility will complement REVĪVŌ’s existing offerings while further establishing its leadership in holistic wellness, with all the latest advancements in longevity protocols and diagnostics to deliver personalized programs crafted to optimize health and vitality.

THE SIX SENSES

Douro Valley Portugal

The Six Senses Douro Valley in Portugal offers a sleep wellness program that takes relaxation to an entirely new level - a personalized sleep assessment. Experts analyze individual sleep patterns and then customize a plan to incorporate soothing treatments for calming and specially guided mindfulness practices designed to ease stress and promote deep, restorative sleep. Plus, each bedroom in the hotel has been updated for a full wellness overhaul with the help of top Sleep Doctor Michael J. Breus Ph.D.

SCENE & SEEN

Love thy Self

LA BAHIA HOTEL & SPA

Santa Cruz, CA

Opening in late Summer 2025, the La Bahia Hotel & Spa near Main Beach is the first luxury beachfront hotel & spa in Santa Cruz. Steeped in the romantic beauty of Spanish-Mediterranean architecture, guests will savour globally influenced cuisine, cocktails and wellness rituals infused with the region’s agricultural bounty and coast-cultured spirit. Inspired by Santa Cruz’s original saltwater bathhouses, the Moorish spa will offer a steam room, ocean-view sauna, co-ed relaxation area, Zen deck and outdoor treatment rooms - poised above sand and sea. A riviera icon reborn and lovingly restored to recapture its palatial past.

JO MALONE

CARE COLLECTION

This month, Jo Malone’s Care Collection arrived at Selfridges inspired by the ingredients and rituals of the Roman baths. Each of the seven bath and body-care products aim to reflect the different stages of a Roman bathing experience - from the warm and cozy Tepidarium to the hot and steamy Caldarium and cool and invigorating Frigidarium. Blends use ingredients and essential oils symbolic to the Romans, informed by modern neurosensorial research, so that each product invokes a positive emotional reaction.

LAGUNA COAST RESORT

Naxos, Greece

A Greek island oasis with a sustainable ethos - where luxury goes hand-in-hand with sustainability. Laguna Coast Resort opens the door to a new way to experience Greece’s natural wonders - a retreat created by the largest regeneration project in the Cyclades, nestled near Naxos’ Laguna coastline amid 480 acres of pristine wetlands and a lagoon, with wild mountains and cedar forests as its backdrop. Step into slow living with the lightest of footprints in Laguna Coast Resort’s suites with serene, expansive spaces, private pools and Jacuzzis centered around a sparkling lake. Take in views of ancient stone hills and the sun setting over the coastline. Opening May 2025 - member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

JAPANESE HEAD SPA

Japanese head spas are the most popular spa trend continuing into 2025. A Japanese head spa massage is a deeply relaxing treatment focused on the scalp, which uses combining techniques such as gentle massaging, acupressure and cleansing to improve blood circulation and relieve tension. The treatment also often includes a shampoo or scalp mask, promoting healthy hair growth and leaving the scalp refreshed and rejuvenated. With an emphasis on scalp health, stress relief, and rejuvenation - this treatment really taps into the increasing demand for self-care rituals that combine both physical and emotional healing, offering a peaceful retreat from the day-to-day stresses of fast-paced living.

PURPOSEFUL PERFUMES

Conde Nast Archive, Vogue, April 1964

Picture-postcard perfume is the new fragrance of 2025 - rather than just being a sensorially decorative extension of getting dressed, scent profiles are being used to access memories and the associated feelings of special moments for mental uplift. More and more brands are understanding the value of neuroscience in perfume that is as useful and therapeutic as it is good smelling. Perfumes are being chosen for an instant mood uplift - access to emotional boosts that only happy memories can prompt. A new generation of customers are collecting fragrances more as souvenirs of a specific emotional time or state of mind in their lives. A common theme with all of these notes and scent types is the pursuit of more unusual or under-the-radar aromas - individuality & self-expression are a key focus this year with a desire to balance nostalgia & sophistication as well as continued demand for eco-conscious sustainability.

WANDERLUST

INSPIRATIONS

picture-postcard perfume

STEAMED RAINBOW

Steamed Rainbow by DS & Durga is an Aromatic unisex fragrance from self-taught perfumer David (D.S.) who created his own aromatic language and Kavi (Durga) a trained architect. They take inspiration from music, art, nature and design told aromatically - scents are fragments of half-remembered myths and imaginary landscapes that invite exploration. Steamed Rainbow is ROYGBIV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet) reflections on soft weightless water steaming upwards forever fresh. To make something that smelled like a rainbow (especially inspired by Terry Riley's A Rainbow in Curved Air) to use materials of every color in the rainbow in a certain proportion with notes of red mandarin, orange, yellow elemi resin, green cedar, blue almond flower, indigo grass and violet vapors for a full rainbow experience.

The Saguaro Palm Springs

Palm Springs, California

photos courtesy Saguaro Palm Springs

Hermès OUD ALEZAN

The Hermessence Oud Alezan was born when Hermès perfumer Christine Nagel encountered an extraordinary oud. "That feeling of being immersed in an incredibly intimate and sensual material revived a disconcerting memory I have of smelling the neck of a chestnut horse." Heady, subtle and majestic, Oud Alezan embodies an accord between an enveloping oud and a striking duo of contrasting roses suitable for both men and women. The House's iconic "lantern" bottle constitutes a unique and timeless signature leather cap with saddle-stitching topped with an engraved Hermès Clou de Selle. The iconic bottles can be replenished in the 200 ml refill - a responsible gesture, integral to an object created to last.

Salamander Middleburg

Middleburg, Virginia

photos courtesy Salamander Middleburg

L'OR DE LOUIS

Awarded Indie Fragrance of the Year 2024 by The Fragrance Foundation - L'OR DE LOUIS Fire Blossom by ARQUISTE is an opulent formula including 24 karat gold, developed over 12 years of work with perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux. L'OR DE LOUIS evokes the moments when Louis XIV and his Court would visit Versailles' Grand Orangery to delight in the flowering orange trees warmed by bonfires. A bright orange blossom with a warm, woody background, including notes of orange blossom absolute, pomegranate, honey and firewood smoke. History: April 1687, The Orangery, Versailles - Mediterranean trees are housed in the cathedral-like galleries of the Orangery built by the King’s architect to impress courtiers, the tree-lined space became a theatrical setting to entertain the Court. Inside, the gardeners would build bonfires to keep the trees warm so when the Sun King visited, the scent of firewood blended with his beloved orange blossoms & emit a generous golden aura - an olfactive snapshot of Louis XIV's Grand Orangery.

Airelles

Château de Versailles

Le Grand Contrôle

Château de Versailles, France

photos courtesy Airelles

VILLA BORDIGHERA 20

This unisex, citrus fragrance created by Albert Krigler in 1920 was commissioned by Mr. Adami, an Italian playwright and librettist who requested a scent to conjure one of his favorite vacation spots: Bordighera Italy in a villa designed by Charles Garnier, the architect of the Paris Opera. Inspired by the lemon trees that populate the area with notes of lemon combined with Sicilian bergamot, Rose absolute, Grapefruit blossom and Kashmir wood. This parfum transports you to a villa on the coast of Italy, lounging poolside - fresh florals and salty sea air breezes with beaming sunshine, while you enjoy a creamy limoncello gelato.

Royal Hotel Sanremo

Sanremo, Italy

photos courtesy Royal Hotel Sanremo

Tom Ford Soleil Neige

Tom Ford wanted this parfum to smell like sun spilling down on freshly fallen snow. Soleil Neige mimics the serene shimmer of sun on snow and the cool reflection of solar rays that brighten with glacial light. Fresh bergamot, sumptuous pale blooms and the warmth of skin-gripping musk evoke a sojourn to an alpine getaway where winter escapades play out under an iridescent sky. The bottle - sleek in silver and white, plays upon a beautiful winter day of brisk fresh air and sunshine with all of its après-ski chicness.

Hotel Saint Roch

Courchevel 1850, France

photos courtesy Hotel Saint Roch

Thousand Palms

Ltd Reserve № 17

A perfume by Fulton & Roark created for women and men - in the vast expanse of the desert, is an eruption of life, the lifeless browns and grays suddenly give way to the brilliant green of palm trees swaying hypnotically in the wind. Thousand Palms is inspired by the sense of elation that comes from this desert oasis. The fragrance unfolds with crisp botanical notes of Bell Pepper and Petitgrain that seem surreal in their vivid verdancy. A prickle of Jalapeno heat is soon quieted by the plush floral notes of Tuberose that give way to the sturdy scent of Virginia Cedar and incense. Like the oasis for which it is named, Thousand Palms is an experience brimming with invigorating life and verdant abundance.

TIERRA ATACAMA

Atacama Desert, Chile

photos courtesy Tierra Hotels

MAXIMALIST

Maximalist by Deck of Scarlet is a new Chypre fragrance for women and men launched in 2024. This bold and lavish fragrance opens with a fruity burst of crisp pear, green apple, and juicy pineapple. Jasmine and rose petals mingle with rich patchouli to create a lush air while soft suede and cedarwood add dimension and warmth with a hint of whipped vanilla leaves for a lasting impression of over-the-top maximalism.

HOTEL ESTHERÉA

Amsterdam, Netherlands

photos courtesy Hotel Estheréa

ROAMING RITUALS

Moon Temazcal Ceremony

Yäan Healing Sanctuary

Tulum, Mexico

Temazcales were used in the ancient practice of pre- Hispanic Mesoamerica by the Mayans and Aztec people. The traditional Mexican sweat lodge was considered to be a therapeutic instrument performed to cleanse and aid in spiritual transformation and physical healing. At Yäan Healing Sanctuary, Temazcales are lead in a traditional way by indigenous Mayan healers - ceremonies last 2.5 hours and are held in the evenings on certain moon calendar dates of the month. Before entering, ceremonies will start with a Copal cleansing ritual, a sacred herb brew is made to splash on volcanic rocks which are heated in the fire and are brought in throughout the 4 doors. Each door represents a cardinal point and spiritual purpose accompanied by songs and chants. Temazcal therapy aids detoxification, helps the nervous system, skin cell renewal and is a deep cleansing experience for the mind & spirit - feeling as a rebirthing of the soul.

photos courtesy Yäan Healing Sanctuary

Cacao Ceremony

The Bribri Indigenous Village

Talamanca Mountains of Costa Rica

The cultural and spiritual significance of cacao is historically rooted in the indigenous civilizations of the Americas. Various indigenous cultures, especially in Central and South America, have recognized the unique qualities of cacao beyond its use as a delicious treat. The Bribri people, part of Costa Rica's indigenous tribes, live in harmony with nature, maintaining a strong connection to their traditions - their uniqueness lies in their rich cultural heritage and profound knowledge of plant-based healing. The Bribri Cacao Ceremony is a unique blend of ancient healing practices, mystical magic realism, and modern science - making it stand out from a typical Cacao Ceremony. Led by Luis the revered Healer Shaman, this ceremony goes beyond chocolate-making, delving into the profound healing power of cacao and by integrating quantum physics principles with shamanic rituals for a holistic experience. Participants connect with bioenergy, undergo unique cleansing rituals like the Cacao Paste Facial and experience a transformative journey that transcends time and space. Afterward, there's a special ancient ritual called "Medicinal Plant Sweat Lodge" at the Usure Healing House - a profound connection with healing forces.

Ritual of the Hammam

Hürrem Sultan Hammam

Istanbul, Turkey

The Hürrem Sultan Hammam in Istanbul was designed and built by Mimar Sinan, the chief architect of the Ottoman Empire. It was built in the 16th century (1556-1557 AD) at the request of Hürrem Sultan (Roxelana), the wife of Suleiman the Magnificent. It was built between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia on the site of the old Zeuxippus (100-200 AD) baths. The area is also particularly important as the site of the Temple of Zeus at one time. Restoration began in 2008 with 1300 square meters of Marmara Marble used, it is the only bath with a double dome on a single axis. The navel stone temperature is 42 degrees and the halvet temperature is 48 degrees. The vapor rate in the halvets is 100%. Special gold-plated bath bowls were made for guest use as well as specially produced 100% pure olive oil soaps. The hammam tradition, which has been an important representative of cleanliness, healing, entertainment and social sharing for a thousand years, has been reinterpreted with a perspective suitable for today in Hürrem Sultan Hammam. This historical bath, which served the sultans, offers its visitors the purifying power of water in a unique atmosphere from a past to the present Turkish bath experience.

photos courtesy Hürrem Sultan Hammam

Hawaiian Lomi Lomi

Ho'omana Spa

Maui, Valley Isle

Ho'omana Spa Lomi Lomi massages are transformational Hawaiian spa rituals that are steeped in ancestral teachings, offering an authentic and empowering spa experience with island-inspired soothing beauty treatments to enrich your healing experience. Lomi Lomi is an ancient Hawaiian healing art, incorporating rhythmic movements and long forearm strokes that soothe from light to deep to realign the body, improve circulation and induce overall well-being. The spa embraces a long lineage of teachers specializing in traditional Hawaiian Lomi Lomi healing with the energy of Ancient Hawaiian wisdom.