Ask a few friends what their skincare routine looks like and you may walk away feeling as though you need to develop a new “regime” yourself to keep up. If you surf the web even for a few moments, odds are you will find countless beauty bloggers and skincare specialists talking about the “best” skincare routines – some of those “facts” are enough to fill you with terror about how dry, dull and flaky your skin will look without a regimented routine. The said routines will most likely involve both a morning and evening saga with countless steps, a cupboard load of beauty products and more time than you can free up in an entire week!
Whilst it is great to get inspiration and ideas from others, surely the key to any skincare routine should be anchored to how that time makes you feel. You may see cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing as a very important part of your daily routine but if you don’t enjoy the process it will be another must do activity that needs to be ticked off your “to do” list for the day.
Here are some pointers for creating a skincare ritual that really works for you – yes, just you!
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Take some time to think about the body products you currently use.
Are you happy with all of those products? Is it time to replace any of those products or swap them out for new products that are more natural or better suited to your skin type? As a side note, your skincare routine does not need to be expensive – just concentrate on choosing skin and body care products that work for your skin type within your budget.
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Treat this time as a personal ritual.
Treat this time as a chance to reclaim some “you” time. Create a pause in your day to enjoy this self care and nurturing. It doesn’t matter if your bathroom does not resemble a chic day spa. You can create a skincare ritual anywhere with positive space and time for relaxation and introspection.
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Create some ambiance.
Consider lighting a candle, turning on some of your favourite music or simply savour the few quiet moments to yourself as you start and end your day with whatever skincare routine works best for you.
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Let go of any negative self talk.
Reclaim this time to take a few deep breaths in and out. Acknowledge the time you are taking to nurture and care for your body. Check any negative self talk at the bathroom door.
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Relish the solitude.
Your skincare ritual carves out some valuable time for solitude; some time to steady the mind and calm your attention. This is the opportunity to stop doing for others and instead do something for yourself.
The great news is that your skincare ritual will be killing two birds with one stone – you are looking after your skin and creating some space for yourself each day as well. That means you can notch this time up to an “efficiency” win in your day as well!! Now that’s a To Do list item worth ticking.