5 Ways your Skin Care Routine is a Self Care Routine
original post: 02/11/16, edited and reposted: 08/31/17
- Awareness of the mind-body connection is key. Planning your skincare routine forces you to be mindful of how your skin is reacting to your mood/hormones/lifestyle choices. For example your skin could be feeling super dry from the changing weather or dehydration. Or your acne could be acting up when you're extra stressed or you gave into a fried chicken/cake (omg fried chicken cake- can that be a thing please?) craving. Whatever the case, first you need to be aware of what your skin needs so that your skincare routine can be intentional.
- You're making your skin's needs important. You can't just plop a random face wash into your shopping cart and hope for the best, just like you can't use a bandaid for a deep cut type situation. ("It's just a flesh wound!") Just like with any other organ, skin is important and should be maintained according to its specific needs. I personally have dry and sensitive skin that gets especially flakey in the wintertime. Think Voldemort in the last Harry Potter movie HAHA. I specifically get more hydrating and rich moisturizers when it's cold out, and recently I got what's called a "sleeping pack" from a Korean brand Etude House (see below). I've also started regularly using anti-aging products including moisturizer and face masks because I know gravity ain't my friend.
- It's refreshing in more than one way. Whether you wear makeup or not, taking off the dirt and gunk from the day feels so good. It's like a shower for your face! Taking the day off (literally and figuratively) definitely feels therapeutic, and it's healthy for your skin. It prevents breakouts and unclogs your pores. It helps you feel clean before going to bed. You might say it's a skin-win situation..
- Staying consistent with a routine promotes other healthy habits. When you're actively taking care of your skin, whether you have serious skin issues or not, you're promoting healthy habits for yourself! This might even lead you to more healthy habits like drinking more water, eating balanced meals, and taking vitamins.
- Admiring the results feel damn good. Just like with any other goal, like weight-loss or practicing an instrument, it feels so good to see how far you've come. You'll be surprised how big of a difference one tiny change can make over time. When you look in the mirror after over a month of practicing a new and improved skincare routine, I'm sure you'd see a difference and feel proud of yourself for keeping up with it, and maybe you'll feel confident enough to pursue other goals.
Some of my favorite skincare products:
Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Face Cream Moisturizer
This daily moisturizer has a thicker consistency than most daytime moisturizers but it's not greasy. It absorbs quickly into the skin and it's an easy way to incorporate an anti-aging product into your routine if you're in the market for that. The version I got is fragrance-free which I like because it feels more fresh to me and suits my sensitive skin. The only small thing is that I wish it came in a pump so it's more sanitary, but other than that I'm liking it so far. I haven't been using this for too long so I can't say that I see any obvious results yet.
Simple Sensitive Skin Experts Cleansing Facial Wipes
I like this especially for traveling so I don't have to bring a small bottle of makeup remover and cotton pads. I like the Simple brand because it's geared towards sensitive skin (did I mention I have sensitive skin?) and doesn't have fluff like strong scents or those small plastic beads that are deemed as bad now! Lately, I've been using the facial wipes to remove face makeup and then using the wipes in combination with Pond's cold cream to remove stubborn (but long lasting!) eye makeup, specifically eyeliner. I like the cold cream's hydrating feel and I don't feel like I have to tug at my skin to get everything. I also prefer the texture of the wipe over a lint-y cotton pad.
After removing my makeup, I use this cleanser with a konjac sponge. my skin feels extra extra clean after this step, and the texture of the sponge is exfoliating but not too rough. The smell is fresh- no surprise there, kinda like cucumbers.
Etude House Moistfull Collagen Sleeping Pack
I recently got this product on a whim from Amazon. I like the idea of leaving a product on my face that would work while I'm asleep. My face guzzles up all the goodness over a much longer period of time than a normal face mask lasts. I love the light and gel-like consistency and the smell reminds me of the smell of expensive spa/skincare brands at sephora. I wake up and feel the smoothness of my face and sometimes forget to put lotion on because it doesn't seem as necessary!