Skin, Soul & Transitions
The Autumn Equinox & first New Moon of Fall have passed us, reminding me that things always keep moving forward and the season of transition comes for us whether we are ready or not. I am thrilled that so many people love Autumn! To me this means that letting go, moving inward, & reflecting resonates with people & I want to honor that. The next full moon that we will encounter in October is called the Hunter’s Moon because of the preparation that is needed to ensure there is enough food for winter. It is a time to tie up loose ends, complete long term projects, & let rest the pieces of us that we need to say goodbye to so that way we can come together to celebrate all we’ve been through and turn inward in preparation for winter.
I once read that Autumn starts with together & ends in solitude. I think this act of coming inwards gives us an opportunity to meet ourselves again after almost a whole year has passed. Connecting with ourselves as we are in a season of letting go reminds us of the love we have when everything else fades away. When it comes to loving & caring for ourselves this season, there are a few main things our skin asks of us. Skin nourishment, immunity, & protection.
Skin nourishment: Throughout history & in nature, gathering nourishment to last through the cold months is of utmost importance. Our skin is no exception to this and does so with arteries & lymphatics that deliver essential materials for growth & repair. Blood delivers oxygen & nutrients while lymph bathes the skin and removes toxins. Here are some ways to ensure that your skin is getting nourishment this season:
Daily Face Massage. You can do this to yourself as an AM or PM ritual that grounds you. Remedy Treatment Oil from Color Up is perfect for this! Facial massage stimulates blood flow to the skin, bringing nourishment that we might not get otherwise.
Use nourishing ingredients like niacinamide, panthenol (B5), and hyaluronic acid to name a few
Practice Gua Sha. This is a beautiful way to drain lymph and remove toxins from our our system & assist in blood flow as well.
Skin immunity: For any pathogen to enter our body, it needs to first pass through our skin! This is why maintaining a healthy skin immunity is important. Equally important, our skin immunity also speeds up the healing process which helps us when we are dealing with almost any unwanted skin condition. This next season of our skin is all about repairing damage that summer has created & preparing for the chilling months of fall & winter. Our immunity will allow the skin to make these adjustments. Some ingredients that you can incorporate into your routine this are:
Beta-glucan
Glyco-proteins
Antioxidants
Skin protection: We all can all feel how the weather gets drier as winter approaches and with the lack of water in our skin, this can enhance, irritate, & inflame existing problems. Harsher weather environments mean the more protection our skin needs. Our skin depends on healthy cellular membranes & relies on it’s water holding capacity so giving our skin enough ingredients to protect our barrier is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves! Some ingredients to look for are ceramides, humectants, emollients, & triglycerides. A few ways to enhance your protective barrier this season are:
Essential fatty acids: make sure to eat them or supplement!
SPF & water!!
Have a good morning & evening routine to give your skin what it needs to protect itself throughout the day!
As I look out my window right now, the leaves are changing colors & the air feels a bit colder in my lungs. It has me thinking that our skin isn’t the only thing that needs nourishment, immunity, & protection in this phase of transition. Our souls shift with the seasons and as the nights get longer & the days get colder, I have a quote that is lingering in my head.
“…most of all, it hints at the winter to come, opening the door to the dark season, and reminding us of the darkness that lurks in all our futures…Somewhere, somehow, we will be shown the way to the next world.” - Katherine May
Everyone make sure to care for your souls & your skin this season and blessings to everyone as we embark on our darker journey. Nourished, Immune, & Protected! <3
