As a busy natural who is often stretched too thin, I find that my self-care has to be in conjunction with a routine that is already in place in my life.
As a busy natural who is often stretched too thin, I find that my self-care has to be in conjunction with a routine that is already in place in my life. Whether you are a student, a mother, a professional, a caretaker, or all of the above, it’s important to consider whether you are practicing enough self-care in your life. Here are a few steps that have worked for me.
1. Commit to your self-care
The first step is to make a conscious effort to practice self-care, just for you. I have found that natural products–and a bit of mindfulness–really do go a long way. Through being in tune with how I handle my mind, body and spirit, as well as paying careful attention to what I interact with, I am able to focus more clearly on my manifestations–all while continuing the constant glow-up.
2. Meditate and reflect
I typically start my morning off with a small meditation + mirror session. I stare at myself in the mirror as I get ready, taking a mental note of all of the intricacies that make me me. I remind myself to, “Be gentle with yourself today.” We tend to feel shrouded in societal self-doubt that can sometimes be difficult to recognize.
3. Incorporate aromatherapy
As I meditate, I rub lavender essential oil in my hands. I let the scent float and wrap itself around me as I get dressed. According to Dr. Axe, the scent of lavender has medically been proven to aide in “the treatment of neurological issues like migraines, stress, anxiety, and depression.” Personally, it grounds me–I even bring my vial with me, and in my most anxious moments, I rub a tiny dot on my wrists or temples, take several deep breaths to return to a calm state.
4. Hair care is self-care too
On my hair, I use an infusion of rose water and dried lavender herbs. I also infuse my clear quartz with my rose water during the creation process to channel positive energy into my tincture.
At night, before I prepare to retwist my hair for that bomb twist-out I plan on rocking the next day, I douse my hair with rose-lavender water. During this process, I reflect on my day. Its incredible scent in addition to the healing properties of the flower provide my bleached ends with a noticeable sheen to my twists.
My process for making my water infusion is simple, though time-intensive. I use:
- organic, pesticide-free roses
- distilled water
- organic lavender that has been dried in the sun
- my clear quartz
I put a cup of rose petals into a glass jar, then pour three cups of distilled water over the top of them. Then, I add a half-cup of dried lavender. Finally, I add my clear quartz to charge in the water I have made. Sealing the jar, I let this sit in the sun on my patio for about a week until everything melds together to my liking.
5. Treat your skin well
Healing my skin has become a form of meditation, also.
On my skin, I follow a relatively loose regime; however, mostly all of my products are natural. The one product I swear by is the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay–y’all, this clay hands down has saved my skin–along with drinking of plenty of water and eating better.
I mix about a tablespoon of clay with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar oil and form a paste. I place this paste all over my face and let it dry until it starts to flake.
6. Rinse off your self-doubt
Whenever I am in the shower and I am rinsing off the mask, I envision that all of my doubts and fears are flaking off with the mask.
I enjoy watching them go down the drain while the warm water hugs me. I am letting go of all that does not serve me; once I am done and the mask has been washed off, I bond with my body, moisturizing her all over with aloe vera gel. My spirit and my mind are calm and my body is nourished.
Incorporating natural products into my daily life has amplified my self-care journey tenfold. Finding the perfect combination of ingredients that works for you is one of the best parts of the self-care process. When you are gentle with yourself, you will eventually reap the rewards, both mentally and physically.
Ladies, how do you incorporate natural ingredients into your self-care regimen? We would love to know.
I have a wash day playlist. Have you listened to it yet?
