Body care tips for slow and minimal living

The term "body care" is often associated with products and skincare routines that involve strict step-by-step instructions and specific products to be used for different parts of our body. But body care is way more complex and all encompassing that the products used on our bodies. What we, our emotional wellbeing, as well as how we take care of our time are all part of how we can take care of ourselves. 

My experience of taking care of my body improved considerably once I learned the value of simplifying things. When I set myself free from the idea of what my body needed, and started to actually listen to my body,

I learned it was possible to spend less time and money in body care while making my body and overall wellbeing improve considerably.

Here I share a few tips I learned in my process. I hope they can help you as much as they helped me along my journey!

1. Listen to your body

Our bodies gives us signs all the time of what it needs. When our skin is too dry or too oily, when our scalp gets sensitive, or when we break down more than we usually would, our bodies are sending us signs that something could be wrong.

By letting go of the products that are sold to us as "needed" and listening to what our bodies are saying we can understand what our bodies actually need, and choose products and practices that will be specifically good for us.

All bodies are different and the best way to create healthy body care practices is by listening to your own signals. 

2. Simplify

Our bodies have complex, smart systems in place that are designed to help us stay healthy (yes, nature is that cool!). That means we don't need to do much to help our bodies succeed. Simplify = Use less, buy less, choose smart. Organic products with simple ingredients can be gentler to the body, helping it maintain its natural systems. Some ingredients can interrupt our body's natural functioning processes, so when talking about body care, less is more.

Ingredients to avoid are:

• Synthetic Fragrances
• Synthetic Preservatives
• Synthetic Fillers

• Ingredients you understand: Plants, foods, oils.
• Organic and unrefined ingredients: went through minimal processing, maintaining the properties and nutrients of the plants.
• Short ingredient lists.
• Multi-use products: Can simplify your life and help you choose less things that fulfill more of your needs. A 3-in-1  shampoo + face + body soap for example can minimize significantly the amount of products you might currently have in your bathroom. 

3. Integrate Inner + Outer Care:

Our minds and bodies are connected. Emotional and Physical balance are both crucial for healthy body functioning. Beyond the use of products, make sure your diet is balanced, your are drinking enough water and checking in on your feelings. 

4. Optimize your time:

Reestablishing simplicity comes with understanding there we don't need to spend hours in a bathroom counter applying products to our face and body.

Simple, mindful routines will free time that was spent in "beauty rituals" and open time to do things that prioritize your wellbeing.

Walks, meditation, making a cup of tea, preparing a wholesome meal.. What activities brings you joy and you wish you had more time to integrate in your day? Maybe opening time for them can be the answer :)

I went from waking up 40 minutes earlier to straightening my hair every morning, applying toners, make up and moisturizers to waking up slowly, washing my face with warm water, and making tea to enjoy slowly during breakfast. My bathroom counter went from having 20+ plastic packaged products to a few, super simple products I make myself. I created the Essentials Kit to gather all these products that have helped me simplify my life and share them with you. Do you have other tips that helped you simplify your life and use your time in a more mindful way? I would love to hear about your journey in the comments :)