Self-care tops the charts when it comes to accessible and preventative forms of treatment for mental health. Need a refresher on self-care? Self-care is any deliberate act (big or small) done to promote every-day wellness and manage your mental, physical, or spiritual health (& everything in-between). See some quotes and definitions below about the importance of intentionally taking care of yourself:
"To experience peace does not mean that your life is always blissful. It means that you are capable of tapping into a blissful state of mind amidst the normal chaos of a hectic life." – Jill Bolte Taylor
"Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort." – Deborah Day
"Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others." – Christopher Germer
Why Self-Care for Beauty?
Great question, glad you asked. Beauty falls under all categories of well-being; mental, physical, & spiritual.
Mental Health
Self-care for beauty can benefit your mental health in many ways, just like it helps mine when I practice self-care regularly! Feeling good can come from what you see when you look in the mirror, and how you feel about your appearance in general. Whether or not this may seem vain, the annoying truth is beauty affects how we feel about ourselves and how others feel about us.
When I'm stressed out from work, school, my personal life, or Morty (my rambunctious puppy), my skin tends to feel the cortisol rise just as much as the rest of my organs. I can break out from stress, or have negative reactions such as skin-picking, acne scars, low self-esteem, and a plethora of other small but interfering beauty problems.
Physical Health
Beauty may seem more fitting under the category of physical health, although as mentioned previously, it still affects mental health as well! Your physical health requires SO much more than just aesthetic attention, however feeling pleased with your own physical appearance (whether it be body, skin, hair, etc.) can encourage you to actively perform self-care for your physical health as well as your mental and spiritual health!
I am so involved in mental health all the time that sometimes I forget about self-care for my physical health and wellness. If I'm feeling good mentally and emotionally, I can notice it in my appearance, but I can also notice when my physical health is thriving alongside with it.
Spiritual Health
Even if you aren't spiritual, religious, or following a divine moral code, your spirit needs rejuvenation and care just like any other form of health. Have you ever heard of inner beauty? Inner beauty is MORE important than outer beauty! That's right, how you shine from the inside out will affect your beauty more than any other aesthetic-enhancer.
If you are spiritual/religious, you can use your divine path as a form of self-care by intentionally promoting spiritual health and inner beauty. Your spiritual wellness can play a huge role in your every-day life if taken care of correctly!
Self-Care Essentials for Beauty and Wellness
Now that you can see the benefits of self-care for your mental, physical, and spiritual beauty, check out some of my favorite daily self-care essentials for beauty and wellness!
I love adding this powder to water throughout the day; it encourages me to drink more water because not only do I get to add flavor, but also natural supplements. We don't get enough collagen naturally in our diets in this day and age due to massive amounts of food processing that strips vital nutrients from our food. This collagen water (with probiotics!) contains 15 grams of collagen, plus other ingredients that firm and hydrate your skin as well as strengthen hair and nails. The recommendation for serving size is 2 scoops in a glass of water, but I find it's harder to mix all that powder in, so I either add half a scoop to 4 individual cups throughout my day or 1 scoop to 2 individual cups of water!
Here's what I've noticed after using Beauty Collagen water for a couple of weeks:
My skin is softer to the touch
My acne scars are disappearing and my skin tone is evening out
My hair is growing fast [probably even time for a hair cut soon!]
The skin around my eyes and neck feels tighter
Fine lines are actually fading already
Ingredients:
Find Vital Protein Collagen online, here!
These are a few very amateur video clips from my Instagram, speaking about how much Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation has helped my skin. The antioxidants have helped heal my scars and the lightweight foundation has surprisingly amazing coverage which is important to me in a foundation!
How Tarte Rainforest of the Sea has helped me:
Because of the great coverage and healthy base/ingredients, I'm able to go out more often now that my skin and face looks better! Going out when you're feeling down (especially with depression or other mental illnesses) can be hard to do when you are embarrassed by your skin or you don't think you look good.
The reason I stayed with my old, heavy foundation for so long was the coverage, and I was always worried a lighter, healthier option would show embarrassing marks while I waited for my skin to notice the difference. With Tarte's foundation, I can improve my skin and not have to worry about sacrificing good coverage.
Tarte has made a 'shade' quiz available on their site, finding the perfect shade for your unique complexion! Check it out here.
3. Aromatherapy ●Genuine● Feel Beautiful Candle
The video above doesn't do the amount I use this candle justice! It's not only lit all the time in my room, I often use it more than once a day because the smell is so beautiful and it gives me a self-esteem/mood boost! I love burning it while I do my makeup as a small self-care practice.
Aromatherapy benefits of Feel Beautiful:
Freesia- Freesia helps with mental clarity and strength! This will embolden your self-esteem and confidence levels, just like they have mine!
Peony- Used around the word for generations for its many benefits, Peony (Paeonia extracted from the Peony root) has been used for skin treatment and healing, as well as aromatic healing for nerves and related disorders, such as severe anxiety, convulsions, and hallucinations.
Geranium- Geranium essential oil helps alleviate anxiety and depression, as well as side effects of menopause! It was also used by the Egyptians to keep their skin beautiful by balancing hormones, improving blood circulation, and reducing inflammation.
Chamomile- Chamomile tea is a popular use for Chamomile essential oil, due to it's calming effects on nerves and anxiety. It also is amazing for more extreme anxious states, such as panic attacks or phobias. Also great for eczema- Chamomile is antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory!
Find it online, here!
I've been using rose water on my face for about a year and a half, and the difference it makes is awesome, especially for those struggling with skin hydration! I spray it on my face at night before I go to bed, in the morning before and after I apply my makeup (it's an amazing finishing spray), and on my hair after a shower.
If you haven't started using rose water, I highly recommend it as an essential part of your self-care routine!
Find it online, here!
For acne-prone skin (like mine) this mud mask is everything! I use it about twice a week, either in the morning or at night after washing my face, and within a couple of hours, I can notice the shrinkage of pores and redness in spots and marks. This mask is a savior when you're nervous or embarrassed by your acne and going out is so much easier when your skin is glowing- it gives me the confidence I need to feel and look my best!
Find it online, here!
Hopefully, if you're looking to improve your self-care and beauty routine you found something that caught your eye. If not, grab some inspiration from this article and find other beauty products perfect for self-care. If you use any of these products for your own self-care, how do you like them? Leave a comment below! This article includes affiliate links, for more information see our disclaimer!
