When we think of mindfulness, we often think about yoga and meditation. However, mindfulness can go beyond practicing yoga poses and reciting mantras. It can be incorporated into your skincare routine! If you are struggling with acne, recurring inflammatory skin conditions or even delayed wound healing, practicing mindfulness in your skincare routine may be the key to help you improve your symptoms. 

Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and surrounding environment in the here and now. It is about being fully present without any element of judgement. The practice of mindfulness in skincare not only helps with stress management, but more importantly, it allows you to learn to appreciate your unique self and your very own kind of beauty. 

Most of us go through our skincare routine on autopilot mode as a habit and setting an intention just to cleanse your skin may seem almost impossible. This is particularly even more challenging when we are always rushing for time. The good news is that by making small daily changes, you can eventually incorporate intentional skincare in your daily routine. Here are five tips on how to introduce and practice mindfulness in your daily skincare routine for healthy, radiant skin.

Practice intentional cleansing

Begin your skincare routine by taking a few deep breaths.This simple practice will quiet the mind and help you relax your facial muscles. As you proceed to apply your cleansing product, massage it onto your skin gently and slowly. Observe how the circular motion changes the texture of the product on your skin. As you become more aware and mindful of your cleansing routine, you can take your practice one step further by visualizing the water washing away the dirt, impurities and stress from your day.

Beginner tip: Pause for a few seconds when you are cleansing your face and focus on how the texture feels against your skin. Pay attention to the sensation of touch and smell. Is the product creamy, cooling or tingling? Does the product foam up or soak into your skin? What does the product smell like, citrus or floral?

Setting intention with your skincare regimen

The act of setting an intention in your skincare ritual is an important reminder of  your skincare goals. Start off by asking yourself how does your skin feel today? Are you experiencing redness and inflammation in some areas? Are you experiencing dryness and flaky skin from the constant exposure to harsh weather related to seasonal changes? Once the intention is set, you will be able to choose products that are aligned with your skincare goals and be less bombarded by the constant advertisements that your mind is fed on your daily exposure to social media. By leveraging the power of intention, your skin can be supported from inside-out.

Beginner tip: Choose one or two ingredient(s) that you would like to incorporate into your skincare routine to achieve your skincare goal. While you are considering the steps of your skincare routine, apply products that include two chosen ingredients as key ingredients in their formulation. 

Slow down your skincare routine

This is by far the most challenging, but most gratifying practice of mindfulness in skincare. We are often told that time is of the essence and we are constantly rushing through everything in our lives “just to make time”. Slowing down your skincare routine is a way for you to prioritize your health and well-being in your daily life, no matter how busy the world gets around you. It is also a way to slow down the racing mind and reduce stimulation to the brain.

Beginner tip: Start by waiting an extra 5 seconds in between your skincare steps to allow products to sink and absorb into your skin before proceeding to the next step. After applying a product on your skin, take a deep breath and count to 3 before exhaling and proceeding to the next step. Slowly increase the duration of the count to 5 and with that, you are practicing mindfulness in your skincare routine.

Observe the changes to your skin

Now that you have slowed down your skincare routine, it is time to observe the skin. Take the time to observe the texture of your skin and what the skincare products that you are currently using is doing to your skin. Your skin is constantly changing everyday and having a skincare routine does not mean that you are constantly using the same products with the same method every single day. Taking a moment to observe the changes from your skin can help you evaluate what your skin truly needs and if any changes should be made to your current skincare routine to meet the needs of your skin.

Beginner tip: At the beginning of your skincare routine, take a good look at your skin and get a sense of what your skin feels like. Is it dehydrated? Is it dull? Is it uneven? Listen to what your skin is telling you and not what you are telling your skin.

Deep breathing

Breathing is the essence of life. Breath is the direct connection between our physical body and our awareness within our mind. Just by performing deep breathing and bringing awareness to your breaths, you are removing the anxious tension to your facial muscles and neck, which can be beneficial to your overall health.

Beginner tip: End your skincare routine with a couple of deep breaths by inhaling through your nose and out through your mouth. 

Are you ready to include mindfulness practice into your daily skincare routine? Let us know in the comments below on how you are including mindfulness in your beauty routine.