Do you prioritize skincare? I didn’t. Not until recently. Sure I wanted my skin to look good, but I often would go to sleep with make-up on, only worry about blemishes, and not pay too much attention to the ingredients in the products I used daily on my skin. That all changed over the past few years. As part of my wellness journey I realized it was not only important to focus on what I was putting in my body, but I also needed to overhaul what I was putting on my body. A couple of years ago I met my friend Marianne Moore, who is an independent consultant for a skincare company called Beautycounter. Marianne has guided me on my skincare journey, and now I have a great routine and make skincare a daily priority. It’s a form of self-care for me, even if it’s only a few minutes a day. I sat down with Marianne to pick her brain on all things skincare. Read on for highlights from our interview.
Why is skincare an important part of your overall wellness routine?
Skincare is important because having a simple routine can help set a positive mindset from the beginning of the day. Taking care of your skin - all of your skin, not just your face - helps shed layers of dead skin cells and then regenerate new skin cells which serve as a protective barrier to your body. Taking time for yourself to complete a simple skincare routine is an easy way to feel good about yourself and do something just for you in the morning and before you go to bed.
What are the physical and mental benefits of consistent skincare?
First, mentally it gives you the ability to stop for a moment, take charge of your time, and invest in yourself. Less than two minutes focused on your skin can go a long way over the day. On the physical level, your skin serves as a barrier to protect against environmental stressors and toxins. Therefore having healthy and strong skin supports a more protective barrier.
Can skincare be self-care?
Absolutely! Skincare is definitely a form of self-care. Even if your day is super hectic with work, kids, and other responsibilities. You can take a few minutes to wash your face, use some moisturizer, or even pamper yourself with a mask. This can be both relaxing and meditative. For me, I will use washing my face as a way to unwind or even reset. For example, if my kids are being challenging or I’ve had a really busy and stressful day, I love to escape upstairs and wash my face. It really goes a long way to relax and reset me. When I have more time, I enjoy treating myself to a facial. Here's me last week after an amazing facial at my favorite spot, La Sheida Spa.
Is skincare only important for women?
No! Skincare is important for everyone. Remember, your whole body is covered in skin so it doesn’t matter your gender or age, everyone can benefit. Men and women tend to have different skin textures, but it’s just as important for both to follow a simple routine – wash and moisturize. Once that habit is formed, you can add steps in from there. Here's me and my husband enjoying a nice charcoal face mask! For young people, boys or girls, it’s important that they start washing their face before they experience breakouts. Just like every other part of your wellness routine, prevention is better than reacting once a problem arises.
What differentiates Beautycounter?
Beautycounter is a leader in the clean beauty industry, not because they did it first, but because they were the first ones advocating for safer ingredients across the beauty industry. Beautycounter stands on three main pillars: educate the consumer, advocate for additional regulation in the industry, and produce products that are efficient.
Finally, with spring around the corner, is daily sunscreen important?
Yes! You should use sunscreen all year. Here’s a few things to know about sunscreen:
Mineral versus chemical. Mineral sunscreen reflects the sun off your skin, meaning the rays bounce off. While chemical sunscreen acts as a sun filter which absorbs the light and then releases back as heat into the atmosphere. Beautycounter uses non-nano zinc oxide in their mineral sunscreen which sits on top of the skin versus being absorbed into the skin.
Level of SPF means the time it will take for the sun to burn your skin versus if you were not wearing any sunscreen. For example, SPF 25 means it will take 25 times longer to burn. SPF 15 blocks 93% of UV rays, SPF 30 blocks 97%, and SPF 50 blocks 98%. Just make sure you re-apply according to the instructions on your sunscreen.
In summary, investing in skincare as part of daily self-care can really go a long way for your mental and physical health. Not only will it help you relax, but having clearer, stronger skin will help you feel better and more confident. If you are not sure where to start or if you are interested in changing up your routine, check out Beautycounter. To view the full interview with Marianne Moore click here.
Until next time…Eat Well. Live Well. Be Well.
Dianna
Komentarze