Self Care this Autumn: the benefits of the return of rituals and routines

Self Care this Autumn: the benefits of the return of rituals and routines

The end of Summer holidays and the return to work, and or new school terms, signals the opportunity for our routines and rituals to re-establish. The most important one being self care and a time to refocus on the regimes which nourish us. Restoring the habits we may have neglected in the busy summer months when normal patterns tend to go out of the window!
Routines and rituals play a role in all cultures and are passed down from generation to generation. I recall observing the habitual self care practice my Mum diligently followed and contemplate fondly how I recreate the same ones myself. Reflecting on this has made me consider the notable role such self care practices play in our day to day behaviours.
One aspect of self care, which many people find beneficial, is establishing and sustaining a skincare regime. These routines have the power to restore, revitalise and reinvigorate our skin and heighten our overall sense of well being.

To honour and mark self care this Autumn, Scence have a self care offer of A FREE GIFT WITH EVERY ORDER OVER £12. Simply add the words ‘Indulge Me!‘ in the notes on your order and we will send you a surprise free gift. It could be a soothing candle, smoothing balm or maybe a delicious chocolate bar.

We have been thinking about ways in which rituals, routines and ceremony form important roles in our day to day lives:

Stability and Predictability
Rituals and routines create a structure within our lives. By deploying these daily activities and habitually repeating a process which calms, self soothes and enables us to switch off our minds we can alleviate stress, reduce anxiety and create a focus and comforting repetitive process, to start and end each day with.

Mental Health
Any self care ritual, whether it be skincare routines, physical exercise, yoga, meditation, all contribute to mental and physical well being. Engendering a positive lifestyle and enabling the fragrances in the products we use to harness the power of aroma on our senses to uplift and soothe.

Relaxation: the act of taking care of your skin is both relaxing and therapeutic, the regular habitual aspect can reduce stress levels by cultivating a sense of calm and time out from your busy day.

Confidence: nothing makes us feel better than knowing we look and feel well and healthy. This sense boosts our confidence and self esteem.

Physical Benefits
Adopting regular and skincare practices result in improved skin and body condition. The main pillars of a good regime are:

Cleansing: thorough cleansing removes make up, dirt, oil and pollutants from your skin. Resulting in a brighter complexion and helping to avoid breakouts and a dull appearance.

Moisturising: hydrated skin is healthier skin.. it’s appearance will be more youthful and plumper. Your moisturiser should enable your skin to retain its’ moisture levels and prevent dryness.

Sun Protection: it’s essential that you use a daily SPF. This protects your skin from damaging UV rays, reducing the risk of pigmentation, sunspots, premature aging and cancer.

Emotional Connection
Personal rituals, such as taking a long bath with aromatherapy oils, applying a face or hair mask, journaling or simply reading, enjoying a cup of tea in the sunshine, can provide an emotional connection to ground and engage with our feelings, thoughts and emotions. They give us the space to reflect, process and acknowledge sentiments or things we are currently dealing with.

Consistency: establishing a skincare routine helps to build healthy habits which can contribute to a sense of control and discipline. This can be especially important during the days and times in our lives when everything seems out of control. The familiarity of regular patterns and routines can be extremely beneficial.

Ritual: incorporating skincare into your daily routine can create a calming regular activity which promotes mindfulness and relaxation

Me Time
Often our skincare routines are the only time during the day when we are self focused and concentrating solely on ourselves. These self care rituals may seen innocuous but they can provide more benefits than we think.

Self Care: providing us with time exclusively and entirely dedicated to yourself

Mindfulness: applying skincare products can be a meditative experience, we focus on the products we are using and the sensory feel of applying them.

Long term advantages
Aside from out day to day rituals feeling good, they also provide additional benefits.

Anti Aging: regular use of high quality and natural skin care products can reduce the signs of aging and promote more youthful looking skin, clearing blemishes and congestion and promoting collagen production.

Skin Health: consistently sticking with a regular skincare routine can alleviate skin issues such as acne, pigmentation, rosacea and eczema, leading to healthier skin.

The Autumn sees us all settling back into our routines and re-establishing regular patterns, it’s the perfect time to reinforce and reapply dedicated self care routines. Recommitting to the things which are familiar and provide snippets of quietness and an opportunity to reflect and gain a sense of balance in our hectic and often unpredictable lives. The power of skincare and looking after ourselves is restoring and rejuvenating and often goes beyond just physical appearance, it can positively impact your mental and emotional well being as well.

Why not treat yourself to our Autumn self care offer and let us indulge you with A FREE GIFT WITH EVERY ORDER OVER £12. Remember to add the words ‘Indulge Me!’ in the notes on your order and we will send you a surprise free gift. It could be a soothing candle, a nourishing balm or maybe a delicious chocolate bar!