In a world full of filters, face tune and filler, it’s all too easy to become a slave to the bathroom mirror and spend hours picking apart your pores and questioning why the facial wash you bought that Kylie Jenner ‘swears’ by hasn’t given you the glass skin she promised it would.
It’s taken me nearly 21 years to master the concept of feeling ‘beautiful’ and if I’ve learnt one thing, its that it’s so much more than having a cupboard full of the most expensive foundations or the five star teeth whitening kit promoted by last year’s 8th place Love Island couple.
Here’s some of my favourite beauty tips that I wish I had been told sooner, to help make you feel and look your best.
Practice self love affirmations
So often we find ourselves saying negative things about our appearance out loud which can contribute to a toxic thinking cycle fuelled by feelings of insecurity and low self worth. Saying at least five affirmations when you’re completing your morning routine will start your day with a positive mindset. As the days go on, watch yourself believe your words and transform your mental health.
“I am beautiful inside and out”
“I am enough”
“I love my body and my body loves me”
“Today, I let go of negative thinking and self talk and welcome positivity”
“I love myself unconditionally”
Morning meditation
You don’t need to become the next Buddha, but a simple meditation or even just taking deep breaths for five or ten minutes in each morning and night really makes a difference. Taking this time for myself made me feel good about my existence; that’s what being beautiful is to me. Simply sit wherever feels comfy and be present with your self.
A breathing technique I recommend for reduced stress, better emotional health and improved self awareness is to breathe in for four seconds, hold it for eight seconds and breathe out for six seconds.
Facial massages for toning and lymphatic drainage
Whilst this tip is by no means an overnight fix, through the act of mindful facial massaging your lymph nodes are encouraged to push out toxins, improve circulation and reduce puffiness! Consider it a completely free workout for your face…
1. On a clean face, lightly coat both hands with your favourite moisturiser or facial oil.
2. Find one of your key lymph drainage points where the end of jaw bone meets your neck and using your fingertips, gently stroke downward from this spot towards your collarbone.
3. Find the spot just under your cheekbone (another area with a known lymph vessel) and gently stroke downward.
4. Finish your massage by lightly tapping all over your face and start at your forehead and move downward towards your jawline.
Less is more
I’ve learnt the hard way that having a 24 step skincare regime or wearing makeup everyday can actually do more harm than good. Over-washing your face or scrubbing makeup off can strip your skin of natural oils, forcing your body to overproduce oil to make up for it.
Take a step back and try out a simplified routine of washing and moisturising and set yourself a challenge to forgo the foundation and concealer and embrace being barefaced every few days. Trust me, your skin will thank you for it!
Above all, the most important thing to remember is beauty is more than skin deep; who you are is already enough and no beauty standard or trend can ever take that away from you.
By Chloe Keys
