After spending the best part of two years indoors, it’s safe to say we all invested in a little more self-care than usual. And a new report from Cult Beauty has revealed exactly what kind of tools we’ve been coveting.

The report published on Oct. 25 shows that phrases including “face tools”, “massage guns”, and “gua sha stones” have all had over 3,000% more searches between January 2020 and September 2021.

The tool that came out on top, however, was the sauna blanket, which had an unbelievable 20,600% y increase in searches. But, what exactly are sauna blankets? And why should you add them to your wellness routine?

Let’s start by talking about saunas themselves and their reported benefits. Sasha Sabapathy, the founder of Glow Bar, gave us the low-down, explaining that “the heat makes your heart rate and circulation spike and the subsequent surge of oxygen to your brain releases mood-boosting hormones similar to a runner’s high.”

She added, “Better sleep patterns are promoted, too. The oxygen surge also encourages the production of collagen which helps strengthen nails and hair, reduce fine lines and make skin glow. The infrared light can also minimise scars and ease dry skin conditions.”

Sabapathy also spoke about the difference between traditional saunas (which use hot stones and water to create heat and humidity) and infrared saunas. The latter, she says, “use full-spectrum infrared wavelengths to penetrate your upper and lower epidermis and raise both your core body temperature and the room’s.”

Plus, infrared saunas can do all this at a much lower temperature than traditional saunas (40C to 70C), meaning you’re able to stay in them for longer.

All the sauna blankets listed below use the infrared technology Sabapathy spoke about, essentially allowing you to create the spa experience from the comfort of your home. These products certainly don’t come cheap but could be worth investing in if the promised benefits sound right for you.