Calming Evening Ritual
My intention for my treatments is to give my clients a moment of stillness and mindful calm that perhaps they wouldn’t get away from my treatment room. I personally find the human species is not very good at doing nothing! We often feel a sense of guilt for not being busy or for focusing on ourselves instead of others. My belief is that it is only when we take care of ourselves that we can best look after those who need us. Therefore, I’m an advocate for ensuring we show ourselves some self love, not only by treating ourselves to therapies we enjoy, but also in our personal lives. I would like to share my own at-home calming and mindful evening ritual and I invite you to adapt to your own skin and energy needs.
SELF LOVE SPACE
At the beginning of ‘Covid Quarantine’ I cleared an area in my bedroom where I could sit or lay comfortably for times I needed some peace from my household. It was just for me! For my sanity! My space includes:
Natural wax candles (very important for our health)
Ethically sourced Smudging bundle to refresh stagnant room energy
Essential oils or incense if you’re not sensitive to them
Cushions
Himalayan Salt Lamp & Candle holder
Crystals (I change around depending on my life and energy needs)
Bluetooth speaker for my calming music to be played
Blankets
And my cat now too, who claimed my happy space as her own when she saw it!!
RITUAL
Light candles and select calming music playlist
Pour my favourite hot herbal tea or sustainable, fair trade Ceremonial Cacao
Take 3 - 5 deep breaths in through the nose, exhaling through the mouth and sit with eyes closed in stillness for a moment. I mentally note how I feel and notice where in my body do I feel tension/soreness. I specifically check in my the muscles in my face and neck at this stage and try to relax and soften areas I’m holding.
Cleanse away makeup, pollution and stagnant energy from the day. I begin my cleanse by taking 3 deep breaths and inhaling my Cleansing oil/balm. My first cleanse focuses on cleaning. Slowly massaging the product into my skin, inviting my body to calm down. My second cleanse is where I introduce more slow massage movements. To stimulate circulation and lymphatic drainage.
Exfoliation: To gently buff or remove any unwanted loose top layer skin cells to help my skin glow and any subsequent products to be absorbed more effectively.
Hydration spritz before masking: I always apply my chosen Face mask (depending on my skin needs) on to dampened skin to help activate the ingredients so they work harder. Always select a hydrating, non alcohol based face mist/toner/floral water for this. Then I apply my chosen mask on top.
Sit back with my hot drink, Crystal in hand, or in my lap if I need more grounding, focus on the gentle waves of my breath and go into meditation or simply enjoy the soothing musical sounds of my calming playlist.
Remove mask and apply nourishing treatment serum and oils.
Mindful Massage & Facial Gua Sha Ritual: I place one Gua Sha tool in a mug of warm water and leave one cold to alternate throughout my ritual to boost circulation. Working on my chest first, then neck and shoulders and up to the face. I focus on slow upward strokes, kneading out tension and tapping too. Always working outward from the centre of the face and down the sides to the neck gently for lymphatic focus. Check out my Instagram page for some of my favourite mindful massage & Gua Sha movements for healthy, clearer skin.
Finish by taking 3 - 5 deep breaths and drawing awareness to how I feel now compared to the start of my ritual. If my tension and muscles tightness has eased. Just noticing, without judging if it’s still somewhat present. Holding my hands over my heart, I feel the gently tingling of energy in my hands, where they’ve worked hard for me, I feel gratitude and calm.