My favorite self-care practices
Self-care is personal. Everyone has their own approach. There’s no specific right or wrong way to do it, but there are some techniques and practices that may enhance its effectiveness. As a part of the Berry Collective, I would like to share my own personal practices and tips that I implement into my life.
The first thing I think of when I picture self-care is my morning and evening skincare routines. I’m one of those people who hasn’t skipped a nighttime skincare routine since I started doing it during middle school (and I’m now a senior in college, so I don’t say that lightly). I’ve prioritized it so much for a few reasons: I’ve dealt with acne since middle school and it’s a time at the beginning and end of my day when the only thing I’m focused on is my physical self (not my phone, for once). I’m a very routine-based person so I honestly just enjoy it. I think many of my friends have laughed at me during sleepovers, or my roommate especially, with knowing the intensity and length of my nighttime routine (although it has simplified and lessened throughout the years).
My morning routine always starts off with brushing my teeth. I was always the last person to get breakfast at a sleepover, even as a child, because I always had to brush my teeth prior to eating. Although it’s something that my mother instilled in me, it’s also just a personal preference to avoid morning breath mixing with food. After, it’s skin care time! I’m currently switching between Curology’s Acne Cleanser, and Dermalogica’s Special Cleansing Gel for face wash as I’m in the process of figuring out which I want to stick to. Then, I always take a morning shower. For me, no matter how tired I may be, a morning shower is always worth it. It’s my first real bit of self-care of the day, evening though it is also a task because it always makes me feel fresher, cleaner, more awake, and a little more ready to start my day. After that, I use Crystal Mineral Roll-on Deodorant, and The Ordinary’s niacinamide and zinc serum on my face. With my hair, if it’s a wash day I’ll comb it out, scrunch my waves with foam, and cream, and then spray, or if not, dry shampoo it. I finish up my skincare with a hydrating eye cream, Curology’s gel moisturizer, and La Roche Posay SPF. On most mornings, my skincare is then followed by makeup, choosing a cute outfit, and eating breakfast (another thing I will never skip).
My night routine starts with removing my makeup, usually with a makeup remover balm. Then, I wash my face with the same cleanser and apply my personalized Curology acne cream, as well as floss and brush my teeth. I then try to make time to apply a face oil, usually The Ordinary Rose Hip Seed oil, and spend a few minutes using my obsidian Gua Sha from Mount Lai. It helps me feel like my jaw and facial bones are a little more prominent and is a great massage for the face. It’s important to use it with an oil or other product that will make your skin slippery, so the tool isn’t dragging your skin. Then, I finish with eye cream, and moisturizer, which always makes me feel relaxed and ready for sleep.
As of late, every month I get a facial at Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa. I’ve been going since the beginning of my puberty-driven acne. It’s a membership that I don’t believe I’ll ever stop because it helps clean my skin, which is a major piece of self-confidence, is an hour where I don’t need to do anything except lay down and close my eyes while listening to relaxing soft music, and keeps me connected to estheticians who can always help with consulting my skin concerns.
Another form of self-care, in a much different category than everything else mentioned, is reading. I love reading for fun and giving myself time to just chill out and absorb a completely different story. To me, the best form of relaxation after a busy productive day is sitting down in bed, lighting a candle, and reading a really good book. I’m currently reading Vow of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson, a good fantasy novel. Honestly, is there anything better than an enemies to lovers story?
There’s always going to be one more thing you can technically try to fit into your time in terms of “productivity” of work, academics, or whatever else society may deem productive. However, self-care is just as important as it is the building blocks of everything else. Although you can fit in more, you don’t always need to. For me, I have about a half hour of commuting time on the subway from my apartment to classes. Technically, I could fill that time with getting more things done, and maybe sometimes I will, but I generally try to fill that time with simply listening to music. It helps romanticize the commute more and gives me a breather before and after classes, which is just as essential.
Overall, self-care is about not being too hard on yourself, giving yourself grace, and taking time to prioritize your well-being whether it’s mental, physical, or anything in between (which generally always overlaps). I’m sure there’s more that I do– sometimes I write in my journal to let out emotions but to be honest, I have periods where I’ll pick it up a few times a week and others where I won’t for months. But that’s the thing about self-care, it doesn’t need to be perfect. It can be the smallest of things or the largest– it’s all about what you make it to be. These, overall, are ways that I make it my own, personal self-care.
Thanks for reading,
Lila
