🌿 The Mind-Skin Connection

How your face care routine might boost mental health and Wellbeing

I don’t know about you, but this week was one of those weeks. Everything that could happen felt like it did, ‘time for me’ was a distant memory, buried in deadlines and unexpected workloads and tasks.

I got to my night care routine, and yes for me it always has to be Tropic, but for a split second it felt too much, just one more thing to find time to do. Yet, I realised as I worked my way through each element, it gave me so much more than a clean face: although it did that too!

In today’s fast-paced world, its common for many of us to find ourselves juggling often competing priorities around every corner. We are expected do more and do it faster, fall in to bed exhausted, then wake up and do it all again. Self-care can be a distant memory, as we are not only at the back of our priority list, we sometimes don’t even make the list!

If you are anything like me, there is no time in a busy schedule to do more. Self-care is great and all but when do you have the time? I have found small steps are best and starting with making the most of the time you do have and the tasks you already do is a good way to begin.

Rather than trying squeeze more time out of the day to work on self-care, which then becomes unrealistic and unsustainable, completing routine tasks with more intension and attention can be an important first step towards balance and reprioritising you!

Something as simple as a regular face care routine is more than just a beauty regimen; it can play an important role in enhancing your emotional and mental wellbeing.

Connecting skincare and mental health may seem initially surprising, yet incorporating skincare into your day can be an achievable form of self-care and mindfulness. When the day feels out of your control a skincare routine can help reclaim your time, space and your thoughts, bring back a sense of calm, balance and control – a win in my book, I mean I can’t be the only control freak out there.

Your face also holds an incredible amount of tension. Don’t believe me, stop right now and just gently massage your cheeks and jaw, how many of you feel it is tight and even a little tender? Not only does including a short facial massage in your routine release tension, increasing blood flow through massage supports a calmer and more focused mind.

But, what might a mindful skincare routine look like? Well it may be different for all of us but below I share what works for me, and while I would encourage you to take a little time over this, I hear you, we are all busy so commit to what works for you.

Mindful skin-care routine:

Before you start your skin-care routine consider taking a moment to just breathe. Whether you are just about to face your day or returning from chaos, bring your conscious mind into your body and into the moment. This supports you in slowing down, just for a moment, and being present, an action in itself that can soothe the nervous system, reducing your stress and bringing clarity to your thinking.

Choose your favourite cleanser. For me, it is always Tropic’s Smoothing Cleanser, and if it is the start of the day or I am not removing make-up, then I may add a dash of Radiance Cleanser for an extra glow. As I apply this, I take a moment to breathe in the beautiful aromas; in fact, I take a moment to breathe in each product as I use it, consciously choosing to allow the scent to further calm my senses. When cleansing, I imagine everything I don’t want—so stresses, anxieties, or if it’s at the end of the day, any challenging moments—just being washed away, leaving behind clean, glowy skin and a clean, glowy mind.

I find the Tropic bamboo cloth perfect for gentle exfoliation, it acts as a physical buffing away of not just dead skin cells but also unwanted thoughts and feelings. It’s like a reset. Perhaps the day did not go as planned but there is another day tomorrow. Perhaps I didn’t sleep well or I am facing a challenging day ahead. Whatever it is, I can reset and choose how I wish to respond.

I like to add a little hydration, so toner and serums are in order. I tend to use Morning Mist and Rainforest Dew in the morning, or simply Juicy Greens which tones and exfoliates at night. Here I can focus on gratitude and on what went well, on the things that replenish my energy and my sprit, allowing these to soak into my system and my mind, as well as my face. We cannot help others; let alone ourselves, if we are running on empty. 

Finally, moisturising and, if you use them, luxury face oil. As it is Winter, I currently use Skin Feast and Super Greens in the morning and Skin Dream and Elixir in the evening. Not only do these feed and nourish my skin but they offer more protection, keeping it resilient and strong. And if it’s morning then Sun Day supports that protection with SPF. This is a time for me to think about my own protections and resetting my boundaries. I might choose to think about the love and friendship I have in my life, the things that I am grateful for, anything that helps me to face the world. This ensures that while I am nourishing my skin, locking in hydration and supporting renewal, I am also locking in all the good things that nourish me, heart, mind and soul.

So, there you have it. Whether you choose to take a few mindful moments or just rush through with a skincare routine that is the equivalent of washing your face. It can become a small step in taking better care of you.

If you are interested in Tropic products, don’t forget to check out my Tropic website, or contact me on Facebook for more information.