Bringing Mindfulness into Skincare Routines

The words “mindful” and “skincare” in the same title in 2020 genuinely feels like click bate. I promise, I’m only slightly trying to drag you onto this post against your will. I do truly believe in the power, albeit overuse, of those words. I believe that all our skincare routines, no matter how simple, can be tweaked just slightly and become truly serene, dare I say, mindful moments in our day. I’ve been experiencing some various forms of anxiety recently, most likely due to the repetitiveness of current daily life with no plan for a change. And my skincare routine is always a medium I jump to when I get into these stressful patterns. Naturally, as per my brain, I’ve noticed my tendency to turn to skincare and have begun to worry what I’ll do when the novelty of it wares off. Or, when I become so used to skincare being a relaxing task that it somehow becomes tainted, or relied on, and loses it’s ability to calm me down. These are obviously anxiety fuelled thoughts, not coming from a clear mind. I’m trying to notice to these thought patterns more often, and when I noticed this one, I knew there had to be a way I could make my skincare routine a purposeful mindfulness practice reasonable for the everyday, but done consciously when I’m feeling calm so it isn’t conditioned to become a crutch for when I have anxiety. I already do it twice a day, so I might as well take advantage of that time to pamper not only my skin but my mind, and I think you can do the same.

Do it in solitude

Call it a millennial attention span deficit, but I don’t love silence. If no one is speaking, than music is playing, and if no music is playing, what a waste! The thing is, I would really love to get more comfortable with silence, just like I’d love to be more comfortable with trying exotic foods or taking cold showers. However (that being a big fat ‘however’), doing my skincare routine in silence, with no music playing and conversations via text or vocal chords put on hold, has been surprisingly peaceful. I’m not as paranoid or disturbed by the lack of background noise as I expected. Maybe I’m drinking too much mindfulness Koolaid, but it genuinely feels like with stillness in the air, I can focus more on the process at hand. The scents of products become a little more pronounced, and my mind feels better equipped to appreciate the time I have to stare at myself in the mirror.

Slow it down (as much as you can manage)

This has always felt like the most unreasonable skincare request. So many of us can pat ourselves on the back for finding any time at all to slap something useful on our faces. But whether it’s an extra 10 mins to my routine or an extra 2, slowing down my movements has helped slow my racing mind. Move at half or at least 3/4 speed as you reach for bottles and tubes, dispense the goo of choice, and slather it on in a way that makes big deep breaths come naturally as you sink into a state of comfort and zen. PLUS, leaving time (even 15-20 seconds) between steps allows your products to penetrate deeper, work closer to their full potential, and prevent pilling.

Use facial massage

So, you’re in your quiet room, you’re taking things at a slower pace, and now it’s time for the real pampering, aka, another up and coming click bait term - facial massage. I went into detail about the benefits of facial massage in my emeroo Skin podcast many moons ago, but here’s the summed up version. If you want to enhance your relaxation experience, aid in lymphatic drainage, de puff the skin, help your products sink in deeper and work more effectively, lift, tone and firm the skin, and rid yourself of sticky or greasy residue, facial massage is the all powerful tool literally at your fingertips. Of course, this can be achieved through additional tools like rollers and gua sha massagers. Personally I use my hands for facial massage in my daily routine, but I’ll reach for my jade roller when I’m particularly hot, puffy, stressed, or have sore face and neck muscles. This is the perfect way to slow down your routine. If reaching for and dispensing product slowly is making you feel comically in slow motion, simply take an extra 30 second with each step to massage and press the products deeply into the skin. Don’t be afraid of being firm with your skin, massage the neck and chest as well, and always treat the eye area more gently. Massage in an upward and outward motion to promote the aforementioned lifting & firming, and enjoy the transfixing effect of a pampering session for as long as you can. I hold all my anxious tension in my face and front of my neck, so this process will always be a source of relief for my body.

Take note

This has been the most recent change to my routine. What I mean by “take note” is to observe and increase your awareness of what it is you’re actually doing during your routine. I’ve been practicing this through appreciating the texture and fragrance (all natural) of my products, and noting what it is they’re doing to my skin. When I’ve recently applied my current evening moisturizer, the Glow Recipe Watermelon Sleeping Mask, I breath the fruity scent in more deeply, and notice how the jelly texture feels between my palms and then on my face and neck. I picture the hydrating effect I’ll see when I wake up in the morning, and imagine the little pac men eating away my dead skin cells from the natural enzymes in the bouncy gel. Another way I’ve been practicing “taking note” is at the very start of my routine. I’m trying to break the habit of jumping into the same system every day because skin is ever changing. There’s no reason to use the exact same products or exact same method every single day. Before I begin I take a moment to really look at my skin, feel the texture, and ask myself what it really needs in that moment. If it’s dull I’ll reach for my Sunday Riley CEO vitamin C serum. For uneven texture I’ll apply a retinol or exfoliating serum over night. If I’m dehydrated I’ll make sure to have a bigger glass of water when I wake up, and I’ll apply two or even three layers of hydrating essence. Listen to your skin, instead of telling it what it needs.

Despite the trendiness of skincare and mindfulness alike, I don’t believe it’s a hoax, nor a band wagon to jump on and promptly abandon a few months later. These are ways I’ve been able to begin a new type of skincare journey. Once the right products are found, there are so many new ways to introduce changes to your routine and use the time to consciously invest in yourself, without having to invest anything but time and thoughtfulness.

Check out my skincare and beauty favourites on the emeroo Beauty shop, featuring all cruelty free products.

Thanks for reading.

Em