Let’s face it, taking care of your skin can be most frustrating. All we really want is to be happy with our skin and yet, so many are not achieving the results they are looking for.
Skincare has become an overwhelming process filled with disappointment and confusion and what has happened over time is that we have become disconnected with our skin and what it really needs.
Skincare isn’t a one size fits all type of thing either. We all have different skin types, live in different regions and are exposed to different elements, so our skin needs will differ.
At the foundation of all skincare however, is the need to connect with your skin. Understand your skin. Be one with your skin. This is why we want to provide customers with the tools they need to successfully incorporate the concept of mindfulness into their skincare routines.
We want you to RESET (set again, but differently) and RECONNECT (re-establish a bond and sense of closeness) with your skin.
With that, and following up on our previous two articles, we have put together five simple tips that will help you re-establish a unique “self-care bond” with your skin.
1. Self-skin analysis
When you wake up, carefully look at yourself in the mirror. Without being judgmental, pay attention to any changes that you observe in your skin. What do you see?
- Is your skin highly reactive?
- Has sagginess started to show?
- Are your fine lines and wrinkles much more pronounced?
- Do you notice any dullness or flakiness?
- Are you now suffering from an oily T-zone, or overall oily complexion?
- Have you started breaking out?
- Has the sun wreaked havoc on your skin?
Ask yourself any questions that come to your mind. Now, with clean hands, gently touch your skin. How does it feel?
- Smooth
- Rough
- Greasy
- Thin
- Thick
- Firm
- Flabby
Take notes of all the details and analyze if these changes are related to high levels of stress, poor dietary choices, lack of sleep, etc. This will help you pinpoint the causes of your skin woes and make the necessary changes to regain skin health.
2. Label review
The Clean Beauty movement has certainly raised awareness of what we put on our skin. Contrary to what we were originally led to believe, the cosmetic industry is poorly regulated, and a little detective work is necessary in order to ensure that skincare formulas/ingredients are safe for us as well as Mother Earth. We know that it takes time to familiarize yourself with the names of the toxins. The good news is that you can turn to apps and databases that have done this humongous task for you. Here are our favorites:
- EWG Skin Deep: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
- INCI Beauty: https://incibeauty.com/en
- INCI Decoder: https://incidecoder.com/
- Think Dirty App: https://thinkdirtyapp.com
These apps/databases are not perfect, as you can expect, but they do provide extremely useful information that will help you make informed skincare purchases and decisions.
3. Skin nourishment from the inside-out
Prepare your best-loved tea or smoothie and drink it as if you were literally chewing every single sip. While you do this, close your eyes, and visualize how the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients nourish and heal your skin cells.
If you are not into the tea or smoothie habit, we can make some suggestions that result in a happy and glowy skin.
- Teas: Calendula, chamomile, dandelion, green, hibiscus, horsetail, kombucha, licorice, matcha, rooibos, ginger, oolong, spearmint and white.
- Smoothie: Blend 1 cup of the nut milk of your choice with 1 fruit —such as apples, apricots, berries, bananas, cherries, pineapples, mangoes, and peaches—, 1 or 2 handfuls of leafy green vegetables and 2 teaspoons of chia/flax/hemp seeds. You can potentiate the effect of the smoothie with 1 scoop of vegan protein.
4. Focus on the essentials
This is the perfect time to harness the benefits that aromatherapy can provide. Add 15-20 drops of a relaxing essential oil to your diffuser. For single essential oils we recommend the following: bergamot, chamomile, frankincense, lavender, lemongrass, marjoram, melissa, neroli, orange, sandalwood, and ylang-ylang. If you have an essential oil blend, you can use that too.
Sit next to your diffuser and connect with your breathing. Inhale and exhale deeply without forcing it. Do this at your own capacity for at least 5 minutes. Taking the time to be yourself is a crucial practice to deal with stress. Remember that stress can literally ruin your skin by causing and/or exacerbating conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, etc[1]. Not to mention that it has also been linked to skin barrier imbalances, poor wound healing, and premature aging[2].
5. Mindful skincare regimen
Instead of rushing into the makeup removal and moisturization process, save a few minutes at night to pamper your skin.
- Evenly distribute 1 full pump of Sekan´s Lavender Facial Oil on your face, neck and décolleté. Gently massage the skin with a circular motion for approximately 1 minute. Dampen a soft facial cloth with tepid water and wipe the skin clean. The mirror is your best friend, so always observe what you are doing.
- Slowly tap a little Sekan´s Rose Facial Oil with your ring finger around the eye area.
- Using the same distribution pattern as step 1, moisturize the skin with Sekan´s Rose Facial Oil with upward and outward strokes starting at the décolleté and ending at the forehead.
- Finish by rubbing your hands and covering your face with them. Take one deep breath and thank yourself for this little me-time.
We hope that these basic mindful tips soon become part of your everyday life. Even the smallest action that you take will have a significant impact on your skin health and the sustainability of the environment.
References
[1]https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/stress-may-be-getting-to-your-skin-but-its-not-a-one-way-street-2021041422334
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4082169/
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