The NOW is known as a popular Los Angeles wellness destination where guests can relax and experience the healing benefits of massage. Currently, The NOW is in the process of opening in 54 locations all over the country, but even if you can’t visit in person, you can still enjoy relaxation and calm from the wellness brand. 

 Spa Profile: The NOW Massage

Today the brand launched Nourish by The NOW Calm Balm ($42), a new multi-tasking body rub. This skin-soothing, coconut oil-based salve contains carrot seed and apricot oil for reviving dry skin, cooling peppermint for refreshing tired muscles, and camu-camu berry and ashwagandha to add restorative benefits. This product is a great choice for winding down at the end of the day or to use as a therapeutic treatment for sore shoulders, backs, and legs. And let’s face it, most of us could use a few moments of calm during these challenging and anxiety-ridden times.

Spa Diary: The NOW Massage in Studio City, California

 To help you bring calm to your day, The NOW shares 5 great tips for some peaceful relaxation and self-care:

 5 Tips For Creating Instant Calm

• Start the day with a calming ritual. Brew a cup of soothing tea and take five minutes to dry brush before you shower. Dry brushing can make a big difference in how your skin looks and feels. The NOW Copper Dry Brush ($42) generates neutralizing negative ions that are said to leave you peaceful, refreshed, and recharged. 

• Take breaks throughout the day to recharge and stretch. It’s important to rest your eyes every 20 minutes! Eyes need to focus at different distances from time to time and staring at screens for hours on end can be emotionally and physically draining.

We also recommend applying a mask like our Refresh Eye Mask ($44) while you work. The cooling sensation is a nice mid-day reset and the mask offers moisturizing benefits, too. Don’t forget to stretch! Check out The NOW’s IGTV for quick NOW You KNOW videos with great tips from the brand’s massage therapists on posture and desk stretches to help you get through the day as well.

• Breathwork is a great tool for a quick calming effect. Deep focused breathing can help keep your mind and body in the present. Deep breaths actually work to stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the key to relaxation. Silver Lake massage therapist Taylor Hall recommends breathing through your nose in counts of four (inhaling for four counts, holding for four, and then exhaling for four) to keep your mind still and your body relaxed. Repeat the pattern for up to 10 minutes taking breaks to notice how your body is responding. You can also use this technique when you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. 

• The NOW calls their Nourish by The NOW Calm Balm a “massage in a bottle.” Antioxidant-fueled capsicum and refreshing peppermint are great for everything from muscle tension to migraines. Wind down anytime by simply applying the melt-into-your skin salve on tight shoulders, tired legs or your lower back. Keep it by your bedside for the perfect nightly ritual. 

• Book a massage! There is scientific research that suggests planning an experience can help boost your mood, even more than impulse buys or purchasing items to feel better. Just knowing you are taking care of yourself and have set that time for relaxation in your future can help you feel instantly calmer and give you something to look forward to.

For more information, visit thenowmassage.com and follow on Instagram: @thenowmassage

[Images courtesy of The NOW]

Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning digital content writer/editor. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar. Follow her on Instagram: @zillizy