You want to know something life changing? Prior to contrary belief, it’s okay to take some time to care for yourself. Maybe it was watching our mothers run around like mad women, still somehow being put together, all while not letting anyone SEE them get put together… but the concept of taking time to practice self care and self love was not a part of my growing-up agenda. It feels to me like Eastern cultures – with yoga and mediation and acupuncture and everything else – support taking time to perfect one’s own mental and physical health. But in my Western culture? This feels like new, unexplored territory. And, I mean, this is coming from someone who grew up right outside of LA, the self-proclaimed capitol of veganism and yogi devotees in the States… and even now this whole thing feels new to me.

If you can’t tell already, I’m a huge fan of the evolution in society’s thoughts about this. Over the past few months, maybe a year now, I’ve fully come to understand just how important it is to take care of myself first. In the past, I was always one to put everything and everyone before myself. That was just the selfless thing to do, you know? Fast forward to today, and I’ve learned that there’s no way I’m able to put my best self forward without TAKING CARE of that best self. What a concept.

So, with that in mind, we all know to eat right, exercise, and hopefully meditate to learn to clear the mind and focus on what’s important. BUT, how do you feel about taking your beauty routine into self-care territory? This concept might be super new for those of you who were raised to think that taking time for a beauty routine is vain (yep, you can count me in that group). What if I told you that this is an important step in learning to love and care for yourself?

Now that I’m open to this, I’m always sure to make extra time for my skin, and, in turn, for myself. While I always partake in my usual morning and night beauty regimens, I’ll expand that into masking and a full mini self facial once a week. My favorite products to do this with are hands down the Herbivore Botanicals line. I’ve been using their Blue Tansy Mask, Blue Clay Mask, and Lapis Face Oil for about a year now. The Lapis Oil is part of my daily routine, but I’ll also use this to massage into my skin after either mask – depending on which I’m feeling at the time. I’ve added a few more products to this ritual the past few weeks: the Pink Cloud Creme, the Jasmine Green Tea Toner, and the Phoenix Face Oil. So now, I mask, tone, moisturize, and then use either oil. It’s a simple yet effective routine that calms my mind and let’s me focus on myself. And, let me repeat, THIS IS OKAY TO DO. Spend some time on yourself, and your overall mental and physical health will be sure to stay in balance.

Shop these products, plus a few more I want to try:

I was gifted by Herbivore Botanicals. All opinions are my own.