Receiving constant social media notifications and spending all day every day working from homemight leave you feeling overwhelmed at any given point. Getting ready for bed doesn't have to be one of those times. Understanding yourself and keeping in tune with your emotions is essential to maintaining a healthy life, and skincare meditation— AKA being intentional with your skincare routine — is a new facet of self-care.
Our friends at Strange Bird, cruelty-free and plant-based skincare, teamed up with meditation pro Elena Brower to transform your skincare routine into something that will help you focus on your dreams, soothe your skin, or scrub away what you don't want in your life. "We are all busy and rush through so many moments in our lives that have the potential to be quite transformational. I believe that our skincare routine is one of those moments," says Strange Bird founder Tina Rudolf, a licensed mental health therapist and life coach. "I mean when else do we get to really look at ourselves. Is there another moment in your day that is as quiet, as self-focused as when you are in the bathroom?"
Check out Strange Bird's free 6-minute Skincare Meditation for breathing exercises and thought-provoking prompts from Brower so that you can experience both skin wellness and emotional wellbeing day or night. Oh did we mention Strange Bird also donates 1 percent of their sales to supporting women's mental health? Here's a little preview of the ritual.
You can use Strange Bird's Mini Ritual Kit ($64), which includes the Inner Clarity Cleanser (step 1), Inner Balance Serum (step 2), and Inner Light Moisturizer (step 3), all infused with crystal and flower essences to reharmonize your energy.
1. Cleanse and Release. As you begin to wash your face, take a deep breath in, letting the scent of the cleanser soothe and calm you. You can envision yourself washing away what you no longer need. Brower suggests saying or writing down, "I Release ______," such as I Release Worry, I Release Anger, I Release Negativity, etc.
2. Nourish and Ground. Next, using the serum to reduce inflammation and promote cell regeneration, ask yourself, "What do I know about myself to be true right now?" Let the answer come up intuitively, says Brower. "I Am ________."
3. Hydrate and Connect. Seal the practice with inner light, says Brower. Using the Inner Light Moisturizer, made with rose quartz and olive essence, take a deep breath while envisioning a bright light filling you up. "Love in," says Brower. "Exhale deep gratitude and love into the world," she adds. "Love in, Love out. Breath in. Breath out."
Not a bad way to start the day or hit the hay, right? Try it yourself! Check out Strange Bird's free Skincare Meditation next time you have a 6 minutes in front of the mirror!:)
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