Moving Forward...

Things will never get "back to normal" and I think we all realize that. I am doing my best to adapt my business into whatever the "new normal" might look like. Luckily, the changes haven't been too extreme for me... I've always spaced clients out, always used a hospital grade disinfectant on items and surfaces that weren't disposable. I wear mask now and have a face shield. I feel safe working with clients again, and hope that in time people will be comfortable coming back in for services.

Being closed for most of 2020 did change somethings though. It really made me think about how I look at skin care. There were days (possibly weeks) where I really struggled with taking care of myself (mentally, physically, and some days even with basic hygiene)... I had points where I just didn't care. Something somehow thankfully shifted...and I started caring again. I started small, little with little victories: I made my bed, I brushed my teeth, I washed my face, I got dressed... then I started working with my skin again. Did I need a whole routine? What did my skin need in that moment? It was like starting fresh. I actually started to think about my intention for each item I was using on my face. I still love and use a lot of products but I changed my thought process about how and when to use them.

I started by feeling my skin and thinking about how it felt. I did this in the mornings to see if I needed a full cleanse or if a warm rinse would do. Did I need toners and serums and moisturizers and SPF? Sometimes... but sometimes I'd add a little serum and SPF and feel fine. In the evening I would decide if I needed a double cleanse, which serums would feel beneficial, and if I needed a moisturizer (and believe me in the winter months my skin was craving a heavy moisturizer).

Taking the time to actually consider how my skin was feeling actually made it feel like self care. It doesn't need to take long, just a couple of minutes to think about yourself, your skin, how it feels and how you are feeling about it. Do we all have a few minutes everyday to take this little bit of time for ourselves? Hopefully. Maybe. Maybe not everyday but we can try.

Maybe instead of focusing on a daily routine, we work on our skin care as a practice. Be intentional with the products that you are choosing, be conscious with your movements, think of cleansing and applying products as a self massage. Go slowly and be present.

Let me know if you try this out and how it works out for you!