5 Minutes of Peace

Today is as good a day as any to practice some self-care. In fact building just a few minutes for yourself into every day can have a profoundly positive effect on lowering your cortisol levels, reducing stress and reducing the chances of stress related skin flare ups.

Here’s a handy 5 step guide to a peaceful and mindful approach to applying your skincare and practicing a grounding and intentional meditative ritual.

You can practice this 5 minute self-care ritual morning or night, or both for the maximum benefits.

STEP 1 :

Close your eyes and take three intentional breaths, in for 4, out for 8. Light your favourite candle if you have one for an extra layer of relaxation within this ritual. 

It’s really easy to miss this step out especially if you’re in a hurry in the morning but try to stick with it, commit to starting your day with these powerful calming breaths to increase your serotonin levels and keep the stress hormone, cortisol, at bay.

STEP 2 :

Use an oil based cleanser, an oil or balm is best. Warm the cleanser in your hands to start with then spend about a minute massaging in small circles all over the face evenly with the fingertips. Be extra gentle around the eyes, light strokes across the eyelids and under-eye to dissolve impurities, makeup or dirt build up. 

STEP 3 :

Take a soft cotton or bamboo cloth, rinse under a warm tap and squeeze out the excess water. Gently swipe across the face in sections, from the centre outwards.

STEP 4 :

Apply your skincare essentials, hydrating moisturiser, nourishing serum/facial oil, SPF. 

When you’re applying the serum or facial oil, use your fingers again to make outward strokes from the nose out to the sides of the face. Over the eyebrows, the forehead, cheeks and chin, the jawline down the neck.

STEP 5 :

Drink a glass of water and spend just a minute stretching, sitting or standing, whichever feels more comfortable. 

Neck, side to side, shoulders, roll forwards, roll backwards, arms, wrists, circles, legs, ankles, circles. Seated cat cow, feel the back  arch round and curve in. Then back to those 3 powerful breaths from the beginning.

So give it a try and let me know what a difference it makes in the comments

Alice x