SkinCare as SelfCare

My foundation for understanding plants and the healing they provide stems from practicing aromatherapy and wholistic esthetics. I am careful with my practice of sustainability and do not source from endangered ecosystems. In fact, many of the selfCare tools I formulate begin with plants I have lived beside as well as cared for in gardens and the wild. I acknowledge their medicine and chemistry as complex and precious.

Instead of selling the products I create, I am extending information

for you to create your own healing formulas. Instructional and informational videos can be found on my YouTube channel @Five28_hz.

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Skincare as a ceremony for Self Care

Cleansing your face gives you a moment to breathe.
Take a couple of intentional breaths to center your Self before you begin.
While looking into the mirror find one thing you like about your skin.
Care for your skin with Love. Slow down to feel your hands on your face.

Use your senses as you unwind and relax into your skincare routine.
What is the aroma of the ingredients?
Which plants are you using?
Can you picture the botanicals in their natural habitat?
Imagine yourself with the plants in nature.
Practice thanking the plants who are taking care of you.

Botanical Powders

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Botanical Powder can be used as an ingredient for Face Masks. Or, add to cleanser to bump up exfoliation. Make a pimple paste (spot tx) by adding a bit of clay and water.

Ideas and Video shorts on YouTube @Rose petal power #gardenflowers #rose #rosé #selfcare #botanicalskincare - YouTube

Recipes

aromatic steaming as selfCare

Botanical Steaming

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When I steam, I bring my awareness into the present, noticing the sensation of heat and the aroma of the plants. Taking deep steady breaths I try to slow my breathing. Set a timer for 5-8 minutes and give your Self a moment to quiet the mind.

Botanical steams can be used for sinuses, pores, and meditation. You can re-use (re-purpose) the herbal steam for a footbath to stretch the use from these medicinal plants. I love this because it provides you with two selfcare opportunities (an herbal steam and additional foot bath) with one product.

Inhalation of herbs and flowers can clear sinuses and infuse mucus membranes (eyes, nose and mouth) with anti-microbial essential oils released by the plants as they are heated by the hot water. Plant blends can assist with clearing pores and reducing breakouts. They can support immune system before, during and after illness or allergies.

Additional Resources

Herbal steam; YouTube Aromatic Herbal Baths of the Ancients (link also on resource page)

https://www.herbalgram.org/resources/herbalgram/issues/57/table-of-contents/article2449/

Warmer noses are better at fighting colds: A study; https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20221206-warmer-noses-are-better-at-fighting-colds-study

Skin Care Manifesto

by Kristina L Daniels

Thank you for perusing my services. I am a licensed skincare professional who wants to meet you exactly where you are at. I believe in celebrating the ceremony of skin Care. I understand that to better take care of each other and this beautiful world we must practice how to care for our Self.

My aim is that your skincare routine becomes an expression of self-appreciation. A cleansing routine can be a ritual to support your best self and include intentions for the day. It can also serve as a practice to transition both face and mind, from daytime occupations into gently slowing down.

I welcome anyone who has felt uncomfortable in their own skin. It is my professional endeavor to create a space where you can relax and begin to explore the beauty of your Self.

I encourage your beauty to unfurl from within. Skin offers us an observation point from which to view the body and the health of its systems.

I believe skin is inclusive of everyone, and that it is time to stop supporting unrealistic, racist, ageist, exclusively able bodies, as our beauty goal(s). I will not promote one version of beauty, and I embrace diversity in all its wisdom.

SkinCare can be seen as a means for self-expression, and purchasing decisions may reflect individual values. This includes supporting small, fair-trade businesses, female business owners, business owners from diverse communities, and companies that are cruelty-free and use ethically sourced plant materials.

When recommending skincare products and lines, I consider the impact on plant species. It is important to be mindful of the types of plants and trees used in routines, as both ocean health and rain forests face environmental challenges. Certain tree species frequently utilized by the beauty industry—such as Frankincense, Sandalwood, Baobab, and Cedarwood—include members within their genus that are threatened or endangered. Although many companies do not use endangered species, non-endangered species may still be subject to overharvesting. Forest resources and the communities reliant on them are significant considerations.

Nature is my guide. Eco systems work together to support growth, and I will work with you and the whole planetary community (inclusive of plants, trees, insects, natural habitat, animals and humans) to do the same.

I am here to witness the map of your facial features with all its color and dimension, how lines and creases host laughter and struggle. With gentle hands, I want to feel the indents and scars, the pimples, bumps and irritation you describe as imperfect. The condition of your skin speaks about your past and present. I will listen and help you move towards what you strive to reach in the future.

*I have been a licensed esthetician and certified aromatherapist since 2017.