Hurtling towards and then reaching midlife can be a tricky business all round. Children flying the nest, menopause rearing its head with all it brings with it, changes to body and often the mind too - a definite time of transition.
It can take a while to see the benefits that these changes can bring; freedom from juggling family life, greater confidence in knowing who you are and what you want from life, not to mention more time to spend on yourself ... at last, this is your time!
It's also when your skin needs you to take care of it the most. Regular facials help increase skin cell turnover and support muscle tone, but there is so much you can do to help in between them.
CLEANSE... gently! Cleansing with oils such as my Gentle Cleansing Oil or cleansing balms and melts help gently lift away make-up, grime and impurities, while feeding the skin and providing extra nourishment without stripping it of its natural oils.
DAILY SELF MASSAGE Try to fit in a little extra time for this wonderful daily ritual which not only relaxes the mind but has fabulous benefits for the skin, boosting cell regeneration, supporting muscle tone and helping to make the skin glow. An ideal time to fit five minutes of this in is at night while you're washing the day away. This is especially effective if you use cleansing oils, balms or melts as the slip they provide gives the ideal opportunity to cleanse and massage at the same time - a designated time for you while you reap the physical and mental benefits it brings.
MOISTURISE Your skin needs extra attention from now on in. The benefits of carefully formulated facial oils and serums are many, including the fact that they can be used in several different ways; on their own after cleansing (always on damp skin - let's lock that moisture in!), before applying a cream moisturiser, or even by adding a few drops to your moisturiser for added skin nutrition. A few drops is all you ever need and you may even find that after a while, you don't even need a cream moisturiser, especially at night.
EAT MORE OIL! Yes, we need oil as well as water. Flaxseeds, olive oil, pumpkin and sunflower seeds etc all provide nourishment on the inside - so it's unsurprising that when they are carefully balanced, we can harness their power on our skin too. Fabulous nourishment for the inside aswell as the outside!
DRINK WATER We know this. We're always being advised to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. It can be tricky, but the benefits to our skin are unquestionable and almost immediate.
HYDRATING WEEKLY FACE MASK A weekly facial mask = you time! Light a candle, run a warm bath, add some relaxing bath oil (the skin on your body needs TLC too) and apply a nourishing mask. I use my Natural Beauty Balm for this, deep cleansing with it first and then applying a thicker layer and leaving it on for the duration of my bath, giving it time to do its magic. And then, just relax. Read a book, listen to some music, do nothing! Thirty minutes to stop, take time out to de-stress and care for your mind, body and skin - it will serve you well.
Midlife can certainly throw us some curve balls, but it can also be where we finally carve out time for some serious self-care - and skin care! With the right products and just a few minutes extra a day making such a difference, it's surely worth it.
If you'd like to find out more about natural skincare, please get in touch - I'd love to hear from you.
Nicky x