We’ve all heard of mindfulness and its myriad benefits for our mental health. But have you ever tried incorporating this meditative practice into your everyday skin care routine? 

Turning your daily skin care routine into a relaxing everyday ritual can be a wonderful way to introduce a little more calm into your day and treat yourself to some much-deserved serenity in today’s stressful world.

Now, before you think, ‘But I can’t meditate’, let’s take a moment to consider what it really means. Being mindful isn’t just about sitting cross-legged, emptying your mind, chanting ‘om’ or any of those other stereotypes. Mindfulness is simply about being open and attentive to the present moment, observing your thoughts and feelings without judgement. And what better time to do this than when you’re giving your face a little pampering?

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When to Do Your Relaxing Skin Care Routine
Your Morning Skin Care Routine
Your Nightly Skin Care Routine
The Best Skin Care Routine for Relaxation

Whether you want to bring some Zen to your morning routine, your nightly regimen or both, turning your daily beauty practices into a bonafide self-care routine is easy and can be as simple or as in-depth a process as you like. 

For some, it might involve lighting a bunch of candles, running a bath for an hour-long soak, and taking a luxurious 10-step approach to skincare. For others, it might simply be taking time to breathe deeply and focus on the process of your usual cleanse-and-moisturise routine — perhaps with a revitalising mask thrown in once a week for good measure. It’s up to you!

For many of us, a stress-free morning routine is one that’s quick, easy and gets us out the door on time — but that doesn’t mean relaxation is out of the question. As you dip, pour, massage and spritz your products in your morning skin care routine, take note of how they look; how they feel on your hands, on your face.

Focus on each step and breathe deeply, taking in every scent. Washing your face after waking? Instead of compiling the day’s to-do list in your mind, pay attention to the sensation of the cleanser as it glides over your skin. Is it thick? Milky? Foamy? How do the products smell? Are they light and delicate? Rich and creamy?

Take note of the warmth and texture of your skin as you gently smooth on moisturiser and SPF, and keep the mindfulness going as you apply your make-up. Swiping on your favourite lippie? Notice the scent and the texture, rather than projecting your thoughts towards that 10am meeting. These are all small but powerful ways to bring yourself back to the present moment during your morning skin care routine. 

Mindfulness is certainly a great way to start the day, but when our stress levels ramp up and we’re extra tired after work, it’s very easy to let our night skin care routine fall by the wayside. But while it can be tempting to swish away the top layer of the day with a quick makeup wipe and stumble into bed, developing an evening self-care routine is a beautiful way to not only prepare your mind for rest, but also treat your complexion to a little TLC.

Sleep is a deeply restorative process for our skin, making bedtime ideal for deeply nourishing potions and lotions to go to work. Using the same mindful techniques, make your way through these next few steps for a beautifully calming, deeply relaxing skin care routine to help you unwind, disconnect and revitalise after a busy day. 

Hint: if you prefer a less-is-more approach, start with cleansing and moisturising, and incorporate as many or as few of the other steps as you like. 

Step 1: Cleanse and exfoliate

Even if you don’t wear makeup, it’s still important to start your night skin care routine by cleansing your skin with a gel or cream cleanser, removing any dirt and oils that have built up over the day. You might even like to double cleanse to ensure every skerrick of makeup and SPF is gone.

Step 2: Apply a mask

Throw some next-level indulgence into your relaxing skincare routine with a mask. Pop on a soothing, hydrating sheet mask, or swipe on a purifying mud mask, press play on your favourite chill-out playlist and give yourself 10 minutes of pure “me time”. Perhaps even take the opportunity for some deep breathing to calm and rejuvenate your mind while your mask works its magic.

Step 3: Smooth on Serums

Facial serums inject the skin with a concentrated dose of nutrients and antioxidants, and putting them on before you hit the hay gives them ample time to absorb into skin — so you wake up fresh-faced and glowy. Gently pat and press your serum into your skin, rather than rubbing and dragging with your fingers.

Step 4: Focus on Your Eyes

Fix undereye circles and combat puffiness by delicately applying eye cream, using a gentle tapping motion so as not to drag the skin. For some extra pampering  (and a little more enforced relaxation time), pop on an undereye sheet mask, again gently tapping any product residue into the skin when the time’s up for maximum absorption.

Step 5: Moisturise

A good moisturiser is a staple in any skin care routine. Make sure you’re using the right one for your skin type: something rich and nourishing for dry, dehydrated skin, or a lighter lotion for oily skin. All the products in Innoxa’s range are dermatologically tested, meaning they’re ideal for those of us that need products for sensitive skin.

Step 6: Treat Your Hands

Before you slide between the sheets, finish up your self-care routine by infusing some moisture into your mitts with a luxurious hand cream — it’ll be a much-needed treat at the end of a long day.