The Synergy of Wellness and Beauty | Holistic Skincare

My skin had always been the part of me I felt deeply discontent with. I can't quite pinpoint where it all started. Somewhere in between being bullied, comparing myself to seemingly "perfect" models I saw on television and having an abusive memory of my childhood days, I began developing a toxic relationship with my skin. The untamable teenage acne was the exact "cherry" on top of the cake(no pun intended) I needed to take my self-loathing to the next level. The honest but dismal reality is that there are many teenagers who feel this way. And yes, in a perfect world where we are able to let go of this self-hate once and for all as soon as our adolescence acne perishes, it wouldn't be such a bad thing. But that is usually not the case. From my personal experience, I know I had carried my incapability of being able to love myself far into my early adulthood long after my face cleared and I lost the baby fat I sore was the sole reason for my unhappiness. 

The subject of detest keeps changing when we put our self-love in some imagined future state once that we "fix" the problem that troubles us. This is a loop, a loop from which the one and the only escape is to learn to accept ourselves as we are in the present moment. The foundation of a holistic and conscious self-care regimen is to appreciate ourselves as the miracle of a being we are. When we appreciate our existence as is, we are able to nourish ourselves inside out, and that is where true beauty radiates from. 

Much of the time when we think about skin care, we completely segregate it from the rest of our existence. We give it superficial treatment in the form of expensive skin care products that disappoint us. Taking a holistic point of view is essential to understand the synergy between wellness and beauty. I have noted down three parts of a holistic skincare regimen that I personally find helpful in comprehending this topic. In each section, I start by sharing my own journey followed by the self-observation exercise and some practices you can take part in to align in these areas of your own skin-care routine.  

When the way we perceive ourselves change, the essence of our thoughts about ourselves change and thoughts emit vibration. This is important because we are 70% water, water that is scientifically proven to hold the vibrations of it's surrounding. That is precisely why the thoughts we have about ourselves hold an exceptional amount of power.

Observation: Next time you stand in front of the mirror and glance at yourself, be aware of the vibe you embody. When you see an unwelcomed zit or wrinkle on your forehead, what nature of thoughts to do project towards your skin? Observing the tone we share with our selves helps us take a more holistic look at our "self-care" or "beauty" regimen, it can unveil the dialogue we share with our cellular body. After all, is there a place for self-criticism in genuine self-care?

Practice: Self-critical thinking stems from deep-rooted beliefs we have about ourselves - believing we are not good enough, that somehow we are flawed and in need of fixing. Firstly to shift this perspective we need to acknowledge its presence. Self-inquiry meditations can help greatly in doing so. Once we practice being present with ourselves as we are, we can shift our beliefs towards more self-empowering ones. Our physical symmetry and unblemished exterior don't define our worth. We are beings of energy, conscious living breathing manifestations of a universal force much greater than ourselves. Our body holds ancestral wisdom and is constantly aware to ensure the continuity of our existence. Allowing this truth to seep into our core enables us to bring harmony to the mental aspect of holistic skincare(and overall self-care).

One sentence I've heard a million times (and I am certain you have too) - "you are what you eat" has a slight edit in my personal self-care routine, "you are how you eat". When I finally began taking my dermatologists advice on my diet, I took it with a bitter resentment in my heart. I cut down on the sugar, ate more veggies with distaste and gulped down a flavourless bowl of oatmeal every morning to get bowels to have a healthy flow. Did it help? yes, maybe a little. Before I could rest with the reassuring thought of finally curing the acne I had, it was back.

Fast forward 8 years, I am now a vegan. I've been a vegan for 2 years, and I didn't do it for my skin, I didn't do it for my weight and neither did I do it because it was a trend. I did it because It came from my heart. My skin is now at it's best, and when I eat healthy plant-based whole foods I do it with a deep connection with my body and the food that I am eating.

Observation: When you find yourself eating a delicious meal that you know isn't good for your body, observe the "how" you eat part of it. Is it simply because of distraction caused by the dopamine rush, are you at all aware of the source of this food while you eat? or is there a blindfold on your conscience? What about how this food is treating your body? are you bringing your awareness to that? Ask yourself these question internally and most importantly - non-judgementally. Self-inquiry is to acknowledge ones current state, not to judge or label it as good or bad. 

Practice: Each food we eat hold a specific vibration. And what we eat is absorbed by our bodies, bathing all of our cells in that vibration. When I ate vegetables because my dermatologist told me to, I didn't have any idea about this inherent truth. When we understand our deep connection with the food we eat, we can bring a new healing essence to our dining moments. Next time you are about to eat food that you know is good for you, really look at that food, appreciate it and consume it meditatively with gratefulness. Do your own research to learn about what foods are anti-inflammatory and learn recipes that are not only healthy but also taste great. Eat more alkaline foods and stay hydrated. Not because you are told to, but because it is your way of giving thanks to the vessel for your existence, your body. 

While it is much easier to find whole foods that are healthy for your skin, it can be a challenge to find cosmetics that are composed of a few natural ingredients at current times. I honestly never read the ingredients of the chemical concoctions, aka beauty products that I slathered on my skin until only 4 years ago. And now that I look back, I know exactly why it didn't bother me. When I bought a new face cream or concealer, my goal was never to heal my skin, it was to fix my skin. That's precisely why the cleverly marketed cosmetics with labels such as "clearer skin in 7 days" etc got me. 

In holistic skincare, there is no place for fast fixes. And yes that can disappoint some but this also teaches you to honour and accept yourself as you are now while you take steps that help you heal. When my intention was to heal my skin rather than correct the problem I perceived it as I began shifting to a much more natural skin-care routine. 

Observation: Firstly, try to understand your current intention in your skin care regimen. Is it to prevent ageing? are you trying to get rid of a lifelong struggle with acne? or is it simply to maintain your skin as it is? Next, take out all the cosmetic products that you put on your skin and read the ingredients. You can check out the toxicity of the ingredients on CosDNA. Get an understanding of the risks that are on your skin from prolonged use of your current favourite cosmetics. 

Practice: Our skin is our largest organ. What we put on our skin matters because it doesn't just sit on our skin, it is absorbed into our body as the skin membrane is semi-permeable. With a heartfelt intention of wanting to nourish our skin, we can choose natural products that are beneficial for our biochemistry. One way to ensure it's good for your skin is to ask yourself if you could eat it without harm caused to your system. There is plenty of information on the internet about skin care ingredients such as plant oils, essential oils and plant butter that are amazing for the skin. We have our own specific needs and each oil has it's own unique properties, thus it is best to do a lot of research before choosing your own skincare products. 

I want you to know that I personally struggled a lot with my skin most of my life and to be honest I still do have acne. But what I don't have is a constant restless wanting to fix my skin which has brought me a lot of peace. It was much easier for me to stick to a holistic skin care routine when I realized how good it was not only for me personally but also for the environment and our ecosystem. I hope this helps you get an idea of how bringing conscious awareness into your own routine can help you create a loving relationship with your own skin and yourself. I really believe beauty flourishes from self-love. Because beauty is not only for the eyes, it can be felt too. It is felt by our presence when we love and honour ourselves, truly care for and nourish ourselves inside out. 

- With Loving Awareness