Beyond skin, quite simply, we care.
There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to self-care.
My knowledge of skin has grown rapidly over the years while experimenting with creating formulas of my own. In retrospect, it's the relationship that has the most weight in our lives, as skincare is more than just taking care of your physical appearance. It is a form of self-love that nourishes the body and the mind. The relationship between the brain and the skin is incredibly intertwined. For me, taking care of my skin, leaving the house with no makeup, and, most importantly, learning to love my skin have positively impacted my mental health.
As a mother, I have yet to have time for lengthy routines. When I had the vision for East 29th, I knew it needed to be dimensionally diverse, focusing on being empathy-forward and driven by purpose—celebrating lemon rind extract while simplifying routines. Thus creating a self-love ritual even if you only have a few minutes in the morning or night.
Self-love takes many forms, but a skincare routine is a moment to indulge in beautiful textures and natural scents while giving yourself the space to quiet your mind and focus on taking care of the most important thing: yourself.
Skincare is Self-Care
It’s treating yourself with kindness, compassion, and acceptance by listening to and understanding your needs as they evolve. Self-care can look like recognizing your worth and taking care of yourself in a way that promotes your emotional, mental, and physical well-being and embracing slowing down while not being overly critical or judgmental of yourself for honouring your needs.
Whether spending 10 minutes each morning on your skincare routine, lighting a perfectly scented Mala Candle to calm your mind at night, or putting on your Jeumont Eye Masks while cooking dinner, self-love and self-care are about spending time on and with yourself.
Cultivating a skincare routine is more than just taking care of your skin; it also is a powerful tool for self-love and self-care. Your skincare routine can provide a sense of comfort and calm during your darkest moments. Whether it's the quiet nature of the task or the meditative state that it can inspire, taking the time to care for your skin is a powerful act of self-love.
There have been a lot of ups and downs in creating my current routine, and that's important to make a note of. It's become my safe space, where textures are felt emotionally, mentally, and intellectually instead of physically. Since my products are fragrance-free, my Vitruvi Diffuser sets the tone with nostalgic notes of their organic rosemary essential oil that expresses its herbal and woodsy grounding duality. The Flax Home Waffle Linen Face Towels are essential to my skincare routine to add another level of gentle exfoliation. Texture and tone worthy of celebration.
A skincare routine is a moment to quiet your mind and focus on caring for yourself. Adding meditation to your skincare routine can also deepen its self-care benefits; taking deep breaths and focusing on the present moment can help you feel more grounded and connected to yourself, providing a sense of calm and tranquillity.
An honoured skincare routine is a way to show up for yourself. By caring for your skin, you're telling yourself you're worth the effort. And, as you make this routine a regular part of your life, it becomes an opportunity for self-reflection and mindfulness. Those few moments each day can be a powerful reminder to check in with your emotions and thoughts and prioritize your well-being.
Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a Byrdie Review Board member and founder of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services, said, "A skincare routine, like any other form of self-care, can be soothing and calming...Those few minutes, if spent going through steps in a rhythmic, calm, and purposeful manner, can almost be meditative."
Skin Food for Thought
Flare-ups of a combination of texture and tone were common and quite vivid throughout my teens. My skin had humble beginnings in a household where skincare wasn't a part of the dialogue. I went through puberty and pregnancy simultaneously, which ready-or-not was the moment I needed more than the soap and water I had been using. It would also be the spark that would later ignite my curiosity to create skincare products that spoke the language of my skin.
Conversations between my skin and I have unfolded since identifying and removing the number one skin irritant, added fragrance, which results from volatile compounds reacting (meaning it's released when certain chemicals react with each other). Instead of trying to cover it up, I've learned to hear what it has to say. Understanding that imperfections are just natural communication between skin and self has shifted the lens through which I view skincare.