Whether you’re a beauty aficionado who takes the time to multi-mask a few nights per week or a busy bee who barely has time to breathe, everyone needs to take time out for self-care rituals. Taking care of yourself enables you to stay mentally, physically, and emotionally well balanced so you can face whatever life throws at you each day.
Self-care can mean different things for different people and include lifestyle factors such as nutrition, exercise, sleep, meditation, and even learning something new. Actively practicing self-care rituals on a consistent basis has both short and long-term benefits. In the short-term, putting your health first helps to reduce your stress level, and increases your self-worth. Long-term benefits include healthier relationships and improved quality of life.
Here, we came up with three beauty self-care ideas that will help you reset your mind, body, and skin so you can show up to the world as your best self. Happy pampering!
1. Take a bath
When was the last time you took a bath? Picture lighting candles, closing the door, and spending some time in the tub with a good book. Doesn’t that sound nice? The indulgence has a slew of benefits including better sleep and soothing irritated skin. As a matter of fact, warm baths can improve your physical and mental health – talk about a good self-care idea! Research shows that taking a 30-minute bath at hot tub temperature can help lift spirits and regulate your mood. If you work out a lot or suffer from muscle soreness, add Epsom salts into the tub. Soaking in them regularly will help to relax your muscles.
2. Give yourself a facial
Estheticians recommend getting facials monthly to keep your skin in optimal health, but that can be costly! Instead, try giving yourself a facial at home and frequent the spa as often as your budget allows. Facials help unclog your pores and can even help to visibly even out your tone and texture. Beneath the surface, they help to circulate the blood flow under your skin, which helps to decrease puffiness and can help eliminate toxins by draining your lymphatic system. Here are three steps to doing a facial at home for self-care.
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Exfoliate with a face scrub
The first step to doing a facial at home is to exfoliate. To slough off dead skin cells, use a physical exfoliator like Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exoliator. It’s gentle, yet gritty and good for all skin types. First, dampen your face then rub the exfoliating beads around your forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin in circular motions. Then, rinse and pat dry. Avoid exfoliating over any minor cuts or burns so you don’t interfere with the healing process.
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Bust out your favorite face mask
Next, apply a treatment-oriented face mask all over your face, neck, and décolletage. When it comes to choosing the best face mask for you, think about your skin type and needs. If you have oil or acneic skin, try a Proactiv face mask. They’re made with clay to help detox and purify congested skin. You can also try multi-masking, a popular beauty trend in which you use several masks on different areas of your face at the same time to target different needs. For example, a clay mask on your oily T-zone and a hydrating mask on your cheeks.
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Apply treatment products
While your skin is still damp, apply a serum that suits your skin’s needs. Since your pores are clean it’ll be able to penetrate your skin deeply to reap the full benefits. Top it off with your favorite moisturizer and if it’s daytime add sunscreen as well. SPF should always be your finishing touch. Look for a facial sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher that protects against UVA and UVB rays. Instead of rushing through these steps, take time to thoughtfully apply your product so it feels more like a self-care ritual rather than a chore.
3. Treat your feet
For our third beauty self-care idea, we say treat your feet and give yourself a pedicure! Now that the weather is getting nicer it’s time to embrace open-toed shoes and sandals again so make sure your feet are in top shape. To do an at-home pedicure all you need is a file, buff, moisturizer, and your favorite polish. Take the time to mindfully shape your nails before giving yourself a reflexology foot massage. You can download a pressure point map of your foot and follow along to gently press into the areas noted. Taking an extra 10 to 20 minutes to add reflexology to your pedicure can help restore the energy flow throughout your entire body.
Conclusion
These are just a sampling of beauty self-care ideas, but since self-care means so many different things, feel free to explore other means as well. Taking time for yourself to prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional health is the number one thing you can do to maintain your overall health, reduce stress, and improve your quality of life.
And don’t wait to start your self-care journey. For many, we put taking care of others before taking care of ourselves and often feel guilty to put aside time for self-care rituals. Truth is, unless your health is taken care of, you can’t possibly show up fully to take care of others. Brainstorm ways you can take time out for self-care every day, even if it’s just for 30 minutes.
