Don't Skip This Part of Your Morning Routine!
Everyone’s ideal morning routine looks different.
Some hope to use their mornings to study and meditate. Others like to journal, exercise, eat breakfast and more before they head out for the day. Personally, my ideal morning routine consists of one thing - getting out the door at a reasonable time. However, there is one part of that path to leaving out that I simply never skip, and that is my morning beauty routine.
A morning “beauty routine” is something everyone can incorporate. It doesn’t have to involve putting on makeup if you’re not a makeup person. But having ten or fifteen minutes in the mirror with yourself can really make a difference. Not only is it important, nay, necessary to have a regular skin care routine, but those moments force us to slow down, stand still and think. Those moments, are exclusively for you and no one else. We spend so much time on the go and in a hurry, we never really have the time to just think. In addition, many people in developed countries live alone, and have less time to talk out our day with someone and have an outlet for all that is bottled up inside. This addition to one’s morning provides time for us to think out our feelings and process them, amidst the blur of day to day living.
The every day grind leaves little time for us to be alone with ourselves and our thoughts.
A great way to begin adding this step to your routine is by first learning how to take care of your skin. Your skin has its own special features, so doing research about your particular skin type and the best way to care for is a must before starting. A 2017 national survey performed by CeraVe, showed that 55% of consumers only wash their face with water and 60% are clueless about how to do so properly. Studying your skin and gradually developing a regiment that at least includes a cleanser, toner and moisturizer, not only removes you from that statistic but also gives you something to look forward to in the morning. Maybe you’ll have a favorite step (mines is toning), that will make you even more excited to keep it up.
After learning and adding skin care - which will probably take ten minutes tops - makeup wearers can also add five or ten minutes to apply their looks in the house. I know, it’s easier to just do it in the car while sitting in traffic. But again having that time with yourself in the morning before heading out into those crazy roads with people who are hyped up on coffee and late for work, can be just what you need to help you gather your thoughts and be calm in spite of what might be a stressful day. I love to take this time, again, to just think and beautify myself. A mini pampering session if you will. In taking this time, I’m telling myself, You’re important.
Image Source: Glamglow
In an article written for Very Well Mind, Elizabeth Scott (author of Eight Keys to Stress Management), brings out that multiple times each day, we receive multiple stress triggers About the effects of this epidemic, she says
The body is in a constant state of physiological arousal over perceived threats that are numerous and not life-threatening, and the body's relaxation response doesn't always have time to kick in before the next stressor hits. This can lead to decreased immunity and increases in negative emotional consequences like anxiety and burnout.
We don’t often take such things into account, and have probably gotten use to being stressed out as a simple part of life. As we can see, not having the moment to trigger our body’s “relaxation response” can actually do more harm than good. Our morning skincare and beauty routine can help us do this, and make for better mental and emotional state, over time. Why not give it a shot, and see what positive effects it has on you.
Image Source: Origins
