How I Discovered Self-Love Through My Skincare Routine

Washing your face and putting on a moisturizer that was common in all households is what skincare was for several years. Teenage years completely changed all of it for me as they brought along red, angry acne and stubborn, oily skin. Since makeup was still a few years away, my only knight in glowing armour was effective skincare. Fragrant soaps made an exit and were replaced with anti-acne skincare products. Neem face washes, special moisturizers for the face and SPF became a part of everyday skin care. Today, my vanity only holds products and ingredients that suit my skin and address skin concerns well. 

As Valentine’s Day inches closer, I can’t help but think how my first love is and will always be myself. Indulging in skin care is what rejuvenates my mind, body and soul. And just like every year, I plan on treating myself to fortifying habits that do my skin good. Curious? Read on to know how!

Why self-care is important

You’ve seen and heard everyone advocating for self-care, right from celebs to experts. What makes self-care so important? It’s the endless list of benefits it offers that are not just limited to feeling more balanced. Here’s why self-care needs to be a part of your everyday life.

• Reduces stress significantly
• Gives you energy throughout the day
• Enhances your emotional awareness
• Boosts your level of productivity
• Counteracts anxiety with a sense of control
• Provides an opportunity to practice mindfulness

Few self-care tips for better skin

Cleansing my face after a long day of being out, applying my favourite mask and relaxing in some comfy pyjamas is what the weekend looks like. Skincare, for me, has transformed from being a chore to an indulgent habit that not just makes my skin look good but also boosts my confidence. Skincare is an act of self-care and self-love. Skincare is a dual process of feeling better, both on the inside and the outside. It’s a big part of my journey towards healing, from inside out!

1) Start slow & steady

Introduce anything new into your life and it takes a while to sync and sink in. Prepping ingredients for work lunch the night before is my one ritual I stick to no matter what. This makes sure I eat healthy instead of bingeing on junk food, making my self-love journey a lot easier. Skincare isn’t that different. It took me years to transition from a face wash to cleanser + toner + moisturizer. And then a few more to actually establish different AM and PM routines. It is true that skincare can get overwhelming, especially if you are starting fresh. There are a ton of products and endless trends to make you so. So just start slow and build it up as you go to be V-day ready. Remember, actually sticking to it on a regular basis can be a trial and error process.

AM Routine: 

• I cleanse my face in the shower using the Bravocado Pollution Rescue Cream Face Wash. 
• I follow the 3-second moisturizing rule. So as soon as I am done with my shower, I barely pat down my skin with a towel. 
• Then I take a scoop of the Mon Cherry Ultra Light Moisturizing Gel and apply it all over my face and neck. 
• I follow it up with an SPF and then moving on to makeup.

Read Here: The 3-Second Korean Beauty Moisturizing Rule You Need To Know About

PM Routine:

• I begin my nightly routine after a day out with a cleanser. On days when I wear makeup, I go for the Mon Cherry Dirt Dissolving Cleansing Balm.
• Thrice a week, I use a face mask like the Mon Cherry Sheet Mask For Bright And Clear Skin before I moisturize.
• Next, I put on my trusted serum. The Bravocado Intense Brightening Serum is my go-to.
• On weekends, when my skin needs some pampering I indulge in an overnight mask. 

Read Here: The 5-Step Nighttime Routine You Should Follow If You Have Sensitive Skin

2) Invest in skin care that actually works

Scroll through Instagram or simply open a website and you will see a ton of ads for skincare products. The market is overflowing with options but not everything you see will suit you. Individual skin needs and type essentially decide what will make your skin feel and look better. Just like most foundation shades for European skin won’t fit the majority of the Indian population, skin care needs customization. Instead of grabbing the latest products off the shelf (or off your cart online), do some research and invest in good skincare products.

After years of searching, I know that my go-to facial cleanser to get rid of heavy makeup is the Mon Cherry Dirt Dissolving Cleansing Balm. It’s the only product I trust to wash off stubborn eyeliner, waterproof mascara and the best matte liquid lipsticks by SUGAR. Ingredients matter the most when choosing skincare products. For my combination skin, I opt for Korean skincare ingredients like grapefruit, cherry blossom, pearl, cica, chia seeds and pomegranate. Quench’s Mon Cherry range delights both me and my skin. And that’s a skinvestment I am willing to make forever!

3) Incorporate a face massage

Just think about laying on a table with soothing aromas, tranquil music and soft yet firm hands working to relieve stress in your body. Heavenly! Massages are highly appreciated and hailed as the ultimate self-care activity. But did you know that facial massages have their own set of unique benefits. Korean facial massages not only tone and sculpt your face but are also vital in helping you achieve glowing glass skin. A face massage promotes lymphatic drainage and reduces puffiness along with toning, sculpting and lifting effects.

Indulge in a variety of facial massages to achieve a sculpted jawline or cheekbones, defined bone structure and improve sagging skin. Start by washing your face and then add moisture with a hydrating essence. The most important thing is a generous amount of moisturizer to get that slickness needed to massage. Give your skin a face massage for valentine’s day and get a youthful, sculpted look!

Read Here: Want A More Toned & Sculpted Face? Try These Korean Facial Massages

4) Detox your skin and body

Detox can mean a variety of things to different people. But one thing’s common - the end result. Soaking in a bubble bath with Epsom salt, your favourite aromatherapy candle and calming music or even a book is my ultimate detox. This is a great weekend self-care act to let the stress wash away and indulge in soothing skin care as well. I make sure to grab an exfoliator and body scrub to check it off my list. 

Another detoxifying self-care activity is opting for skincare that works while you sleep. An overnight sleeping mask makes it easy for active ingredients to penetrate into your skin. They go on your skin like a thick moisturizer and are meant to stay on your face all night until morning. This self-care skincare act requires minimal efforts but delivers great results.

Read Here: Why Overnight Face Masks Are A Beauty Sleep Essential

5) Be close to nature

Nature-based self-care reduces stress, depression and anxiety. That’s the science part of it. But the fact that just stepping outdoors, away from screens and traffic and surrounded by greenery instantly lifts your mood is an emotion. We all feel ten times relaxed being in nature, a feeling that’s much-needed after spending months trapped inside our houses for months at times. I go for walks on the outskirts of the city where there are more trees than buildings late at night to enjoy peace and tranquility.

There are more ways to stay close to nature and that’s natural, organic skincare ingredients. This is the reason Korean skincare is a big part of my vanity. I opt for ingredients like cherry blossom, lotus root, rice water and pomegranate. Even my DIYs include natural ingredients like a tea tree spot treatment with aloe vera and a face mask with vitamin E with honey for glowing skin.

6) Exercise, do yoga or just walk

One observation blew my mind a few years ago about physical activity. It was that my grumpy mood completely transformed the day I worked out in spite of not feeling motivated. Physical activity truly helps you in a plethora of ways. It not just improves your health, makes you fit but also relieves you of stress and revives your emotional state. Be it a full body workout session, yoga class or just a brisk walk, engaging in this kind of self-care is beneficial.

And there are ways to pamper and soothe your stressed skin after exercising. Sheet masks make for a fun and relaxing act of self-love when you are done for the day. A spray of a facial mist post workout makes you feel rejuvenated and delivers a boost of hydration to your skin. These may seem like tiny little acts but together they create the ultimate self-love regime.

7) Sleep well, use clean towels and pillows

Clear, healthy skin goes beyond manifestation, positive affirmations. While skin care effectively takes care of skin concerns and needs, there’s more to it. Take your pillow case or towel for instance. No matter how well you cleanse and scrub your face, some dead skin cells, oil and dirt tends to accumulate on your pillow via your skin. Faces get dirty and so do pillows. This transfer from face to pillow and back again can cause breakouts. The towel affects your skin too. Using the same towel to dry your body as well as the face can be a bad idea. The reason is the same; transfer of dead skin cells from the rest of the body to your face.

So what’s the solution? Make sure you change your pillowcases often and even wash the pillow itself regularly. Satin or silk pillowcases are even better since they make for a cleaner sleep surface and reduce friction on your skin. For towels, keep small hand towels for your face. Use them not just when you shower but also when you indulge in skincare treatments like masks. 

We all know that a stable sleep cycle forms the crux of self-care. Having a set routine is the first step towards achieving a deep sleep. And with a dedicated skincare routine, I have managed to create one with ease. The next habit I have incorporated is to give my brain a break from technology for at least 45 minutes before sleeping. And most importantly, I make sure to create the perfect sleeping environment - cool, dark and quiet.

Loving your skin is a huge part of self-care and self-love and a habit you definitely should adopt!