3 Ways to Integrative Skin Care by Dr. MBK

In our current fast-paced, workaholic and multi-tasking world we often feel overwhelmed, anxious, and exhausted. This constant negativity affects our emotions and behaviors and harms our minds as well as our bodies. Likewise, the skin feels this unhealthy imbalance because it is intricately connected with the mind and the rest of the body. The body has a variety of organ systems such as neurological, endocrine (hormonal), immune, and circulatory that communicate with the end organs such as the brain, gut and skin. The mediators that are delivered via these axises can lead to the skin breakouts, irritations, blemishes, etc. In addition, these deteriorating stress-inflammatory-aging cycles impact our overall wellness. 

So what can we do to help to break, interrupt, redirect these negative loops and improve our skin health and radiance?

There are many holistic happiness and health boosters for our overall well-being: moderate diet, proper sleep and hydration, regular exercise, meditation, mindfulness in nature, gratitude or visualization journaling, etc. These stress-coping tools can enhance our energy level and stamina. I also recommend another way to enhance your happiness equation through the practice of Integrative Skincare. Even though it's initially challenging to embark on this holistic journey, starting with gradual, incremental practices will likely lead to a meaningful ritual. Integrative skincare combines the conventional aspect of skincare, to improve the health and beauty of the skin, with alternative meditative rituals which re-connect our mind-body-skin.

Integrative approach to skincare helps to reduce stress, uplift spirits, and fulfill our joy.  These are 3 ways to practice Integrative SkinCare:

• Realize that skincare is not a tedious chore or over-complicated mission but instead an important pleasant ritual of self-care. When we are prioritizing skincare, even if it's just a few minutes in the morning and the evening, we are telling our minds that we matter and our health and beauty are vital. When we take that moment for ourselves to breathe, disconnect and relax, it is very uplifting for our self-esteem and mental well-being.
• Make skin care a mindful practice. While we are using our cosmetics products we can embrace and enjoy that moment. Visualize the packaging, like the Positive Affirmations on the Stamina products, such as “Defy the Odds” or “You Got This” or “Glow with the Flow.” They may jolt you to a more resilient mindset. Also, enjoy the sensual pleasures of the products, like the blueberries and rosehip aroma in our Stamina Mask, or the refreshing pool immersing tactile feel of the Stamina Mist, or the immediate gratification of seeing your reflection with smoother and brighter complexion after our Stamina Mask. Skincare is playful and pleasant!
• Cultivate meditative experience of skincare. We can incorporate our cosmetics applications with decompressing activities such as guided meditation (I like Calm app), or calming essential oil, incense or candle aromatherapy, glass of unwinding wine or a cup of soothing tea, or relaxing music or bubble bath. Using guasha tool or quartz roller with your skincare product, such as our Stamina Mask, augments that fulling experience of skincare. We can feel the stress melt away as we nurture our skin and minds. The gratification we feel for the Integrative Skincare practices can enhance our daily life, which translates to better versions of our-selves. For some of us, this experience may also be spiritually transformative.

In essence, Integrative Skincare can set intentions for more skin grit, grace and overall wellness. It can also be transformative by directing us toward a more beautiful life balance. 

See more information on Integrative Skin Care in this New Beauty article. 

Check out our line of Stamina Cosmetics products and Integrate them into your skincare regimen!