Intuitive Skincare

6 WAYS TO EMPOWER YOURSELF AND HONOUR YOUR UNIQUE DESIGN

Just like no two people are the same, no two days are either; so why would we repeat the same skin ritual morning and night, day after day. Intuitive skincare is all about honouring the needs of our skin through a slow and thoughtful approach to your unique design, and allowing your inherent wisdom to lead the way. The beauty industry would have us believe that we need a 12 step skin routine and countless products in order to feel radiant and beautiful. However, many of these products are a bandaid over your true potential, and aren’t long-term solutions for real healing. Making space to listen to what your skin truly needs releases you from the one-size-fits-all routine and encourages you to learn skin rituals with intention, what your skin loves, and allows room for the ever-changing rhythms and cycles of life.

1. LISTEN AND LEARN FROM YOUR SKIN

Our internal landscape is reflected back to us externally through our largest organ - our skin. And while we know that skin issues can be very damaging for our self-esteem, it’s constructive to look to your skin for the answers that are already within, as opposed to slapping on a new product as a quick fix.

One week your skin may feel congested, oily and prone to breakouts, and the next dry and dehydrated. In the summertime, pigmentation may be an issue for you, while the winters may dry out your skin barrier leaving you susceptible to reactive skin conditions like eczema. Intuitive skin care allows room to accommodate all the subtle changes in your skin, and lifestyle, while inspiring a deeper connection to self.

2. TAKE CARE OF YOUR WHOLE BODY

Taking care of yourself is recognising all multidimensional aspects of your whole being. Pay close attention to your thoughts and emotions, feeding your soul what it craves, making space for rest; aligning your internal and external worlds. Having a restful sleep, drinking plenty of water and nourishing your body with nutrient and mineral rich foods are three simple, yet very important things you can start doing today to take care of you and your skin.

3. TRACK YOUR HORMONES

Our hormones are chemical messengers, that travel through our bloodstream, regulate the body and control a number of functions including metabolism, reproduction, growth, mood and sexual health. We face different hormones at different stages of the day and throughout our life. As a woman, tracking your hormone cycle and educating yourself on how this translates in your body, and skin, will help you intuitively know how to best nurture yourself or if you could be experiencing an imbalance.

4. CLEAN BEAUTY

Many mainstream, conventional brands use ingredients they’d rather we don’t know about. Their skincare products contain ingredients to make them feel a certain way or to prolong the shelf life. But many of these ingredients don’t provide any benefits to your skin and, worse still, some are well documented to cause harm to our health and planet. It doesn't have to be this way. It’s important to reduce your skin's reliance on synthetics so you can restore your natural hydrating processes, balance pH levels and strengthen your skin barrier function. Switching to natural products is not only kind to you, but prevents synthetic ingredients from washing down our drains and flooding into our oceans and farmlands, upsetting eco-systems and harming innocent wildlife.

5. KNOW THAT YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL WITHOUT THE GIMMICKS

The average woman applies 168 chemicals to her body before she leaves the house each morning. Why? The modern world wants you to believe that what you’re searching for doesn’t exist yet. That you will always need something new and complex to look beautiful, to feel beautiful. But they’re wrong. You have everything you need already inside of you. If we don’t love ourselves, how can we expect anyone else to love us? Before you rush out and purchase the latest beauty trend (band-aid) advertised to you by your favourite influencer, come back to this list and ask yourself if there is a healthier, more long-term solution for real healing.

6. SKINCARE WITH INTENTION

Slow down - you don’t have to rush your skincare routine and whack it on before you leave the house each day. Mindfully apply it to your face as a part of who you are. Take a moment, take a breath, light a candle, look in the mirror and say something nice to yourself - because you deserve it. Glowing skin is more than what we put on it - it’s a light that comes from the inside and one we share with others around us as we float through our day.

IMAGE SERIES BY @sparetimestudio_