Finding the perfect natural beauty routine means targeting the culprits that cause aging in the first place, including stress, sun damage, and dry skin. Routine self-care is essential to looking and feeling your best. Fortunately we’ve got a seven-step beauty routine that protects and restores beautiful skin.
1. Dry Brushing
Dry brushing not only helps exfoliate your skin, bringing new skin cells to the surface, it’s also beneficial to the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is important to the body’s immune system because it transports lymph throughout the body and helps it naturally detoxify itself. Here’s how to get started dry brushing:
- Choose a dry brush made with natural bristles.
- Do it daily before you shower.
- Start at the feet and move up the legs, working in long smooth strokes.
- Always brush toward the heart, where the lymph drains.
- Move to the arms, again working in long strokes toward the heart.
- Finally, apply long strokes to the abdomen.
2. Abhyanga Massage
Abhyanga is an Ayurvedic self-massage that’s done with warm oil. It’s great for detoxifying the body, similar to dry brushing, but it’s also important for grounding the mind and reducing stress. If you have dry skin, it’s especially good for adding a layer of moisturizing protection before you bathe. Good choices when it comes to oil include coconut or sesame oil. Here’s how to do traditional Abhyanga massage:
- Take a small amount of warmed oil in your hands and rub it together. Start by massaging your scalp.
- Move on to your face, making circular motions over your forehead and temples, cheeks, and jawbone.
- Use long strokes to massage the front of the neck and the shoulders.
- Use long strokes to massage the limbs and then circular strokes to massage the joints.
- Massage the abdomen in a circular motion to promote movement of the bowel.
- Allow the oil to sink into the skin 5 minutes before bathing.
3. Cleanse Your Face
Once you get out of the shower, start your facial routine. Cleansing is crucial for removing built up makeup, dirt, or other particles that can settle on the skin. Choose a natural face cleanser that’s free of parabens, fragrance, triclosan, petroleum or mineral oils, and sodium lauryl sulfates. Use EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to choose safe products. Spend time massaging the cleanser on your skin, working it into the forehead, delicately around the eyes, and along the jawbone, neck, and décolletage. Take your time and enjoy the process. Make it relaxing.
4. Use a Toner
Toners help bind moisture to your skin, which helps your moisturizer work better. Toner also helps control oil on the skin. For a great all-natural toner, use raw apple cider vinegar diluting it with double the amount of water. You can also choose a toner that contains effective natural ingredients like vitamins C and E, which are both potent antioxidants, and [linkbuilder id=”6711″ text=”witch hazel”], which is a natural astringent. Often toners that contain alcohol are too drying to the skin.
5. Add in a Homemade Avocado Mask
Once a week add in a deeply moisturizing homemade facial mask. Avocado has both vitamin E and healthy fats to smooth your skin, uncooked oats serve as a light exfoliant, and apple cider vinegar is a skin brightener. Here’s how to make it at home:
DIY Avocado Mask
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/4 cup uncooked rolled oats
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. raw honey
Method
- Mash all the ingredients together in a small bowl and apply the mixture generously to your face.
- Let sit for 20 minutes.
- Rinse with warm water.
6. Moisturize Your Face
When it comes to skin maintenance, it’s important to have one product that you use in the morning that contains a broad spectrum SPF and another moisturizer to repair skin overnight. Moisturizers should be free of potentially toxic ingredients like parabens, fragrance, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). Again, the best way to ensure you’re choosing safe products is by using EWG’s Skin Deep database.
7. Drink Eight Glasses of Water a Day
I know many will say this isn’t a necessary step in skincare, but I disagree (even some doctors say it doesn’t make a difference). I’m all about personal results. I’ve tested this theory of drinking eight glasses of water per day and not drinking the eight glasses. There is a distinct difference in my skin if I don’t drink enough water. When I’m not at the top of my water game, my skin becomes dry and fine lines start to appear. Ugh. So I drink up on a regular basis and have a normal water routine that I practice daily.
This simple, relaxing, and rejuvenating skincare routine will make your skin look and feel its best without expensive spa treatments. Give it a try! And if you wear any kind of cosmetics, be sure to choose clean products that don’t contain any of these harmful ingredients that can stress out your skin.