The Zen of Skin Care: How to use your skin care products to change your day

Warm summer nights, lying in a sun drenched field, sitting down on Friday with a group of friends and a glass of wine, soaking up the last bits of sunlight at dusk as a child – these are the moments where time seems to slow down. As time slows down, our senses are alive with the awareness of sound, touch, taste, and smell. Our presence in these moments etches them into our brain and even as we age we can remember the way it felt to play outside in the last moments of the day.
Reducing stress is one of the top resolutions of many of the 50% of Americans that regularly make New Year’s Resolutions. In the languid moments listed above, we feel no stress; slowing down and being present in the moment seems to be a key method for reducing stress. However, it seems that for those of us who are constantly on the go and caught up in the flow of modern life, slowing down is difficult. According to Christopher Richards of slowdownnow.org, “Making a change takes time and isn’t always easy… Many people who retire from an active life feel themselves at a loss. Hyperactivity is often a defense against boredom, and the fear of slowing down is really a fear of confronting yourself.”

What does this have to do with skin care, you ask? An easy way to infuse your life with more intentionality (read: thoughtful and present awareness) is to add ritual into your daily routine. Truthfully, whether we are intentional about our “habits” or “ritual” most of us do engage in some kind of ritual. And this is a good thing because “Research shows rituals enhance our experience…remind [you] to slow down and take notice…to connect to the moments of life.”(Polly Campbell, How to Add Ritual to Your Life) What if, for 2014, you let your skin care routine be your ritual?
Richards’ article cited above suggests taking small steps towards slowing down. Campbell’s article, on creating ritual in your life, suggests beginning and ending your day with ritual. In her video describing how to wash your face, Corinne Erickson, MD demonstrates slowly massaging your face wash upwards in circular movements. Why not use the time you wash your face to connect to your day. Truly be present in the moment. Feel the warm water on your face. Think thoughts of gratitude for yourself and your life as you massage on your face wash. Breathe in deeply and smell your products. As you massage on your antioxidant or moisturizer, know that you are taking care of yourself, and carry this peacefulness into your day? Harness your energy for the day. Take a few moments in the evening to do the same. Don’t think about tomorrow, just be present in the end-of-the day sensations and sounds. Feel the day wash off of you and release your energy as you relax in preparation for sleep.

Using these times to capitalize on improving your skin and yourself can be a powerful resolution. After the birth of my second child, I felt as though I had literally NO time for myself. I decided there had to be at least seven minutes a day for me. I made myself wash my face and put on a moisturizer, a serum, and SPF every morning and evening. Some evenings I even added a hot bath and a facemask. These little moments of self-care helped me hold onto my sense of self and sanity when it felt as though my life had just upped the pace by 100%.
2014 Come in for one of these to really amp up your skin care regimen and start a simple mindfulness practice in 2014.
McCalla manages the Facebook page, website content, marketing campaigns, and blog, and designs the marketing material. McCalla has been involved with Dermatology Affiliates since 2004. McCalla is married with two children. When she isn’t working she loves painting and reading.