Tracee Ellis Ross never misses when it comes to fashion and beauty. While her style and love of red lipstick have always captivated me, her love of solo traveling has been even more inspiring.
Taking a trip alone can do many things for a person. It gives you time to gather your thoughts in peace, reflect, and recenter, which is essential when you live in a bustling city like New York. But what stood out to me most about Ross’ excursions was the full sphere of her refocusing. It’s not just about resting your mental state. It’s also a chance to become reacquainted with your natural beauty, and a solitary trip to Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize did just that for me.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but upon arriving, I knew it was the perfect place to pause and reset. Discretely hidden amongst lush plant life, including pine and rainforests, Blancaneaux is the epitome of tranquility. It’s not hard to see why filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola fell in love with the location and made it his private family retreat. Or why it’s become a favorite among the three Copola destinations that the family owns. The main pool is surrounded by tropical vegetation with thatched cabanas in the distance, and everyone, from guests to staff, seems to appreciate the beauty that comes with serene seclusion.
This trip was about recentering, and from the moment I walked down the stone path to my dwellings, I knew I was off to a good start. The Enchanted Cottage is one of the property’s most undisturbed lodges. It sits high in the Maya Mountains on a small, rounded cliff offering a beautiful panoramic view of the forest’s tree tops. The view inside was just as calming, with understated luxury accents, such as the stone-walled bedroom, spacious sun room, cute breakfast nook, and emerald-tiled bathroom with a beautiful Japanese tub.
It was stunning, but after unpacking and settling in, it hit me: I was alone in the rainforest. And not just for the night, but for a few days. So, I did what any beauty enthusiast would and decided to take a hot bath. I’d packed my toiletry bag with a combination of new items and staple products and was eager to put together a new routine. However, as I ran the water in the gorgeous soaking tub, I decided a more carefree approach was needed. Instead of my regimented body care routine, I reached for a scrub with sugar crystals and fragrant plant oils. The combination was as sensorial as it was moisturizing, making it an easy addition to my daily shower routine.
I awoke to the sun rising slowly above the trees. I sat quietly in the sunroom listening to the forest around me come alive — a welcome change from the loud cars and buses at home and a good way to start the day. My morning routine usually includes seven quick steps, but I decided less is more and went with four key products, topped off with a lightweight collagen-infused sunscreen. After completing my skincare routine, I looked in the mirror to fix my hair into some sort of bun for a day of exploring.
I’d washed it before traveling but had opted not to silk press it as I normally would. My curls are tight and prone to frizz. However, in the spirit of channeling my inner Ross, I decided to forgo the blow-dryer and bun to let my hair be free. Since it was already dry, I lightly misted it with a leave-in conditioner, then added a layer of weightless oil on top before heading out. Fortunately, the dry season in Belize had just begun, so the weather wasn’t too humid, allowing my hair to do its thing without getting too large.
Returning to New York, I was renewed with a sense of stillness. During my stay, I had the opportunity to visit their sprawling organic garden, which provides vegetables, fruits, and herbs for each of the property’s four restaurants. Walking through the garden, sampling fresh produce straight off the vine, I immediately felt a sense of calm. Things slowed down, and I began to remember the importance of pausing.
The feelings evoked in that garden stayed with me through the duration of my trip and remained when I arrived home. My job requires me to test lots of products, and it can be easy to forget to live in the moment. At Blancaneaux, I took the time to enjoy my skincare and body care routines instead of rushing through them. Since my solo trip, I’ve readjusted the time allotted for each routine and am more mindful about the process.
My body and skin care routines have seen the most change. I’ve been adamant about doing a mindful routine everything I shower as I did in Belize. Instead of quickly moving through each step, I set aside a good amount of time to thoroughly do each routine. My nightly shower regimen has turned into an everything shower, complete with subtle sea salt scents, scrubs, and body washes infused with nourishing and replenishing ingredients.
My skincare routine has also shifted a bit to allow more time for small tools and devices. Exploring my routines through this new mindful lens has only reaffirmed the importance of resetting and refreshing with a conscious approach.
While each routine feels slightly different, my point of view has changed the most. The legendary makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin once said that “the beginning of all beauty is knowing and liking oneself.” It’s easy to like the way you look post-facial or hair appointment, but understanding your natural beauty is a powerful tool. Tracee Ellis Ross is a beauty icon, but her self-awareness and ability to reflect, be it on vacation or a weekend at home, is inspiring on so many levels. This recent trip to Belize was a much-needed reminder of how self-care flourishes when you make time to hit pause.