The Heart of Wellness: Self-love
In February, it seems like everyone is talking about love. For some, this is an exciting season of celebrating special relationships, but for others, it can stir up relational pain. Whichever side you relate to (though, let’s be real, most of us have a little bit of both), this makes February a great time to reflect on the most intimate relationship that we’ll ever experience: our relationships with ourselves.
Self-love is an integral part of our wellness; without it, we will spread all of our care to others and neglect our own needs. Loving yourself is sometimes criticized as self-centered, but anyone who truly cares for you will support your need for self-care, inner peace, and fulfillment. (And in fact, self-neglect is a lot more common than we might think due to the normalization of fast-paced, busy lives.) Which raises the question…how do we show self-love?
“Self-love is an integral part of our wellness; without it, we will spread all of our care to others and neglect our own needs.”
A great place to start is to make sure we attend to our physical and mental wellness through daily self-care practices. Although self-love extends to much more than that, taking the time to regularly assess how you are feeling throughout the day and address your physical and mental needs can already make a huge difference!
At Apoterra, we see skincare as an opportunity to turn a daily "chore" into a self-care ritual. And when times of stress do arise, or we are pulled into self-neglect due to busy schedules, skincare can be a place to regroup and care for ourselves.
Here are 10 tips for putting the care back in skincare, self-love edition:
- Take a moment to breathe and stretch before starting your skincare practice, clearing your mind to focus on what you need.
- Approach your skin with an open, non-judgmental mindset so that you can nourish it instead of punishing it. Your skin is always evolving with you so it's common for you to not feel comfortable in it every single day. The daily practice of being kind to your skin will especially help when it's fluctuating!
- Assess the state of your skin before choosing your products for the day, and focus on meeting the needs it is communicating.
- Feel like skipping your skincare routine when stressed? Try simplifying it to something manageable instead to make sure you’re still cared for.
- Incorporate massage, aromatherapy, and other de-stressing practices into your skincare routine to center yourself.
- If a product or practice causes an uncomfortable or painful reaction, stop what you're doing and get professional support if needed (your skin is telling you something).
- Set aside time for longer practices that make you feel wonderful, like masking or massaging in body oils, on a semi-regular basis.
- Incorporate your favorite scents, textures, and ingredients so that you look forward to the sensory experience.
- Stay hydrated to keep your body running smoothly and your skin barrier happy.
- Spend time outside when you can, and take a Vitamin D supplement in parts of the year where the weather limits this.
Your skincare should make you feel GREAT, support your self-esteem, and nourish your skin—no exceptions! If you need a lift lately or just want to feel your best, consider how you can use mindful skincare and holistic wellness practices to shape your day with self-love. We can do this together!
And before we forget, here are our team picks for self-loving skincare this Valentine’s:
An aromatherapeutic grounding body oil: for self-esteem and shine
A fragrant honey-based facial mud: for exfoliating massage
A mineral purifying mask with French green clay: for clear pores and a fresh face
Aromatherapeutic body bars + artisan dish: for a gentle, comforting cleanse
An aromatherapy perfume roll-on: for on-the-go calm
Happy Valentine’s Day from us at Apoterra!