The month of February is rich in romantic opportunities, focusing on the love between two people. While this is a wonderful thing, how about focusing on the love you have for that other special person in your life? YOU!
The time we spend with ourselves can be the most rewarding and beneficial thing we do. Self-care is an empowering act, one that encourages us to take responsibility for our mind and bodies, get in touch with what we value and celebrate our self-worth. Making a commitment to lend some time and attention to ourselves is a sure fire way for our clear skin efforts to pay off in the long run.
Showing yourself some TLC should come more than once a year, and a day of self- indulging doesn’t have to be reserved strictly for a party of two. Here are just a few simple practices that can be adapted to your daily life, regardless of the season (or your relationship status!) that can help nurture your mind, body and skin from within!
Take a few minutes for meditation. While only recently making its way into the mainstream in the Western world, the benefits of meditation have been known and celebrated since as early as the 6th century BC. While some may see observing a few blissful moments as a passing fad, the medical benefits associated with meditation make it more closely regarded as an act of self-care akin to regular exercise. Scientifically linked to alleviating pain, increasing memory retention, and even improving the quality of sleep we get (sleep is very important when treating acne), meditation is most widely used to reduce stress and anxiety levels, both key components in maintaining our overall health, including the condition of our skin. To experience the benefits, the best results are seen when applied as a daily practice, however, no amount of time is too little to devote to yourself. Even if the only time you have is limited to a few minutes a day, pausing to feed and free the body and mind with a few deep inhales and exhales is a gift far more precious than any box of chocolate!
Strong and healthy wins the race. It probably goes without saying, but when the body is healthy, everything benefits, from our immune systems to our mental condition to our complexions. Working up a good sweat can cleanse pores, and getting that heart rate up will not only increase blood flow, delivering oxygen to your cells, skin cells included, but can also encourage the function of the liver, eliminating harmful toxins from the body, from within or on the surface. The key to staying fit is to do what’s best for your body type and your lifestyle. Here are a few of our recommendations. People tend to better stay on track with an exercise program when they ditch the drama over scales and inches, and participate in activities that leave them feeling healthy. When you feel good about yourself, that radiance shines, from the inside, out.
Choose things that work for your skin 24/7. For anyone with acne-prone skin, the condition of our complexions can be a major source of stress, so if we can incorporate things into our lifestyle that are not only super effective but work 24/7 to help our skin, this makes the treatment process 10 times easier. Even if you don’t have those few extra minutes in the day, it’s a smart move to use a treatment that will constantly work from within to stop acne before it starts. This is why our AcnEase® users love AcnEase® so much – it does the work for you, so you don’t need to figure out how to “work it into your schedule”.
Other things that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine, that assist in that long term solution (not treatment however!) are an acne-friendly anti-inflammatory diet and adequate hydration help acne sufferers. And since it’s Valentine’s Day, exfoliating rough patches with a nice salt scrub, and moisturizing with a rich, skin-friendly moisturizer offers a clean complexion the little bit of extra attention it deserves.
Splurge a little. You work hard. Showing up for all of your daily commitments, as well as showing up for yourself when you need it is reason enough to unwind every once in a while and indulge in something special. Whether that looks like a quick get-away or an afternoon off for an acne-friendly DIY spa day, a new outfit or a new book, treating yourself to a sweet treat that’s within your means can happen, with or without a Valentine. It’s easy to get caught up in the go-go-go hustle of life, but taking a few minutes to reflect on and reward yourself can be what you need to keep going, making 2016 the best year, and the best you, yet.
Of course, self-care does not have to be reserved for a romantic holiday such as Valentine’s Day, and of course, this information isn’t just limited to the sexy singles out there. Honoring yourself with esteem-building practices not only helps you to feel better about yourself, but also encourages you to make better decisions for you, be that in or outside of a romantic union. The most important relationship we all have is the one with ourselves, and treating our minds, bodies, spirit and skin is one act of true love that will stand the test of time.
We want to hear from you! What are some of your favorite solo activities? Have any self-care practices that you cannot live without? Tell us in the comments below!