‘Self-care’, ‘wellness’, ‘wellbeing’: these seem to be the buzz words for the beauty industry within the last decade, and it is easy to see why. We live in a society who are becoming increasingly more aware of the risks of: overworking, spending too much time comparing ourselves and the impact that social media has on our day-to-day decisions.
However, there are ways we can take care of ourselves and it’s important that we practice a bit of self-love, even when we don’t feel it. So here’s a guide with some tips you can try at home to boost your spirits:
- It’s time to stop comparing.
Easier said than done. We’re all guilty of this one. If your self-esteem feels terrible and you fill your headspace with negativity towards yourself, it’s time to stop! The lives we see on social media are staged and heavily edited. The model with the glossy hair we see on adverts has had 2-3 hours of a professional hairstylist’s time, a green screen and special editing techniques to make it look perfect. Even our friends we see everyday take around 6-10 selfies (yes that many!) before choosing the perfect one to post. We need to start recognising that we can’t continue comparing if we are to take care of ourselves properly.
2. Role Models.
Choose carefully who you spend your time looking up to. Try to find a role model who you admire not because of what they look like, but because of what they do. Someone who inspires you for their skills, motivation or personality will give you reasons to find those qualities within yourself.
3. Take pride in your appearance.
I am a big believer in the idea that looking confident will make you feel confident. Makeup isn’t the answer to our self esteem problems, and shouldn’t be used as a mask, but I do think that it has the power to trick us into feeling better. If you’re having a bad day or feeling low, try putting on your favourite outfit, put on a little bit of makeup and hold your head up high.
4. Relax and breathe.
All joking aside, if bubble baths help you to relax, then embrace them. There are different ways to relax: taking a nap, chatting to your best friend, having a bath, watching TV, playing music you love. Whatever it is that makes you feel good and gives you energy, do more of it, and do less of what makes you stressed and tired. Finding something creative to do for 45 minutes lowers our stress hormones or taking a nice warm shower can inspire creativity, so try a few different things to see what works for you.
5. Remember who you are and who loves you
Beauty manifests in loads of different ways and often we see ourselves much more differently to the way others see us. Remember that there is no single other individual like you. You have been made by the same creator who made: waterfalls, sunsets, the ocean, the moon, the stars and Beyonce. There were no mistakes made in you, and in the same way that miracles happen, your very existence is a miracle of its own. Remind yourself of this, put a note on your mirror ‘there were no mistakes made in me’.
