What is your go to self-care routine after a long day?
For me, my go to self-care regime after a long day, starts with switching off.
Switching off, self-massage, and skincare.
Any E-commerce Founder, employee within the tech industry, contractor and to be honest anyone alive today, will know just how “normal” it is to have our tech devices by our side, all of the time. But I have recently been asking myself – how healthy is this?
The answer I have come to is that, it depends on the intent and the purpose of the scroll.
Tech devices can be a great way to connect, research and find our tribe, but when it comes to the mindless scrolling, that has to go.
Here at BN, we love what we do and it is important for us to have an online presence and stay connected to both our readers, consumers and each-other.
We do however, practice what we preach and make sure to take time for ourselves and make sure that we can switch off as and when needed.
Like so many others, lockdown was an amazing opportunity to revisit what an incredible difference the quiet and more balance can make to the overall self.
Spending time outdoors and in nature is so important to me and I recommend it to anyone looking to improve their overall wellbeing. Even just five minutes in the garden with a cup of tea can make all the difference. To me, being outside is like a call home. I also love the water, so each day after work, you will find me either out in the fresh air or jumping feet first into the nearest pool of water.
I will always make sure to feed myself good thoughts and good food after a long day. To me this is the ultimate act of self-care.
Just before bed, one of my absolute favourite routine includes my skincare routine. I love taking this time just for me. Sometimes I will apply my skincare in the bathroom and sometime on my bed (silk pillow included). I apply our Vitamin ACE Facial Serum with a rose quartz Gua Sha and really take the time to breathe into the strokes and allow the serum to sink in and do it’s thing. Self massage is an amazing way de-stress, unwind and smooth away the “go,go,go” of the day. I follow up with our Pro-Age Eye Cream and then inhale the fragrance of our luxurious Rejuvenating Night Cream before I apply. This always makes me sleepy.
I meditate, and then I fall to sleep.
Do you think the pandemic/lockdown has made people re-think their self-care, skincare and overall general health routines?
Absolutely, the Pandemic came with devastating changes to many and their lives and I want to acknowledge that.
Many of us were forced to look within when we couldn’t get out. With an hours window to get outdoors, many people took the most of it. I think that gave people a great opportunity to reconnect with themselves, the basics and the simple beauty of life. The uptake of self-care and meditation is on the rise and I believe if this is sustained over the future years, this will make a tremendous positive improvement to the collective as a whole.
The biggest change I would summarise is a recognition that for years we have all been in a collective mindset of doing, going, being productive, achieving, and measuring who we are by our output and what we can achieve in a day. The pandemic gave us the opportunity to just be. This kind of felt awkward at first, often with self-inflicted guilt for sitting and watching a film during the normal hours of what was previously a commute from work!
Then over time, many of us, began to feel better and relax into the energy of just being and soaking it all in.
Personally speaking, my body is the healthiest it has been in a really long time and I am a person that would typically be described a healthy. The only difference to my routine has been slowing down and what a wonderful difference it has made.
Do you think people underestimate the true benefits of a good night’s sleep? How does Beautifully Nourished ’s 5 HTP help with sleep?
Any athlete will know that the rest and recovery phase is just as important as training. It is where the body rejuvenates, heals, repairs and grows stronger. And the same for all of us. Our bodies need time to rest, where they are not digesting, not consciously thinking, not being productive – sacred repair time. Sleep is as important as the water that hydrates us, the food that nourishes us and the environment that protects us.
5 HTP, often known as the “happy hormone” is short for 5-Hydroxytryptophan. It is a naturally occurring amino acid and precursor to the neurotransmitter Serotonin. Serotonin levels can influence melatonin which governs the body’s ‘sleep-wake’ cycle and plays an important role in regulating sleep. We recommend starting with one tablet of 5-HTP before bed, if improved sleep quality is your desired goal.
Beautifully Nourished’s 5HTP has been extracted from the seeds of the African plant know as 'Griffonia Simplicifolia'.
What’s your favourite Beautifully Nourished product and why?
I take up to three Beautifully Nourished’s Nutricosmetics per month in 3 month cycles and I encourage others to do the same for optimal results. My staple is gut loving, Fibre Pro for gut and digestive support and then I rotate the others. Anyone new to Nutricosmetics, I would suggest starting with our multivitamin and building from there.
I am planning to get Pintura Highlights added to my curls in July, so I am prepping my hair by making it as healthy, strong, and hydrated as possible before hand by taking one of our bestselling vitamins- Repunzel, alongside our Hair, Nail and Skin Complex.
Last month, my vitamins included: Fibre Pro, Beautifully Nourished’s Hair Nail and Skin Complex and Vitamin D3.
How have you found entering the beauty/skincare market? Do you have any tips/advice for small beauty/skincare businesses owners looking to upscale?
My advice for anyone looking to launch their own company is to trust your intuition. You are you and that is your superpower. Our minds and intelligence are wonderful tools, when used as just that, but lead with your heart and stay authentic to where it guides you – even if your plan looks entirely different to anything that’s ever been done before.
Take small, consistent steps and place your consumer at the heart of everything.
To read more on the industry's secrets surrounding hair care and self-care routines, check out more of our blogs here.