We've collaborated with Sarah, the health and wellness blogger The Growing Butterfly, and here is her take on Skincare as Self-care. 

"Since I was a little girl, I remember my mum taking great pride in looking after her skin. Every morning and evening I would see my mum applying creams and lotions to her body. My mum explained that it is helping to keep her skin supple, nourished and energised, also it was something that she found pleasure from. Back then, it seemed like an awful lot of time, money and effort to do on a daily basis, plus I wasn’t really seeing any value in caring for myself. Which is why I didn’t bother until a few years back.

My own skincare story really began when I was recovering from really poor mental health. I could see the damage that had been done by malnourishment and neglect of my body and mind. It became very apparent that it was more important than ever to care for myself inside and out, for me to feel comfortable in my own skin (literally).

The biggest organ of the human body is the skin, yet like myself, many people do not prioritise skincare in their daily routines. It can seem like a luxury to some; a huge time waster or expense (like I used to believe), but there is so much to be gained from looking after your skin on a regular basis.

It is beneficial to look after your skin as it protects all your other organs and encourages you to feel happier and healthier. When you have healthy-looking skin, you have a natural glow that echoes from the one you have on the inside too. The practice of looking after your skin can be incredibly relaxing and soothing, giving you some much needed ‘you’ time during and after busy days.

Saint Iris Adriatica

I have had the pleasure of collaborating with a beautiful new brand Saint Iris Adriatica (SIA) who have created a range of products inspired by the plants, remedies and sea spas that are found in Adriatic. The founder of SIA, Sanela Lazic, tributes the brand to her Croatian heritage, using clinically proven natural ingredients from traditional remedies of her home culture to create formulas that strengthen the body and mind against modern city living.

Each of SIA’s products contains an ingredient called Fjaka, which is an essential component to a balanced Adriatic way of life. It comes naturally from living in the now and loving that feeling of being there in the moment, which I am all for when it comes to self-care. We spend so much of our time and energy busying the day away, so ensuring that our self-care practice our chance to pause and slow things down is so important.

Having used two of SIA’s products for the past few weeks as apart of my own daily routine, I have benefited from the addition of the following few things:

• Making more time for self-care practices like skincare

• Prioritising nourishment for my skin before the day begins and before applying make-up

• Slowing down and gently using the products on my skin to allow them to soak in more naturally.

• Hydrating my skin after every shower to ensure the skin is retaining enough moisture to prevent dryness.

By waking up every morning and energising the skin my face with some Wake-Up Droplets, I feel ready to begin my day even before I have had a coffee! It leaves my skin with a lovely glow and makes my skin so smooth to touch. The Serenity Salve has become a staple in my shower and shave routine, as it helps to hydrate and strengthen my skin, especially after being in contact with sharp razor blades.

A little beginner guide 

Now I am no expert, but I do have some pieces of advice for beginners. The first is to start off small and work your way into a full routine. A couple examples are, introducing a facial mask after your working week is over to wind down and relax or ensuring that you apply body lotion/cream after you shower.

Also, invest in a high-quality product that you know will really enhance the health of your skin. You don’t need to lather the lotions on, small amounts are more than enough to ensure that you get the most out of your purchase. I recommend 3-4 pea-sized amounts for your face and 2-5 grape-sized amounts for different body parts such as legs and arms.

The full version can be read on her website: https://bit.ly/2N4PcRt