Especially in the world of social media, it is easy to become obsessed with physical appearance. There is also proof that our perceived beauty affects our stress levels, confidence and negative feelings. However, there is a new trend in the beauty industry that focuses on feeling good while looking good. Here are ten natural beauty tips for your mental health. 

Take a Shower

When we are feeling down, it is tempting to stay in sweats all day. While this can be enjoyable enough, taking a quick shower can improve circulation and cold water may give your skin a healthy glow. Using soaps that smell nice can help reduce stress. Taking even five minutes to shower also is an opportunity to be more mindful, to focus only on the physical task of bathing.

Exercise

Beauty and self-care go hand in hand when it comes to exercise. Exercise not only relieves stress, it also helps keep us healthy. Healthy levels of physical activity can keep us feeling and looking more beautiful. Find exercise that makes you happy or brings you peace. The most effective exercise doesn’t change your outward appearance, it makes you feel stronger inwardly.

Wash Your Face

You don’t need an expensive moisturizer or toner to leave your face feeling clean and rejuvenated. Washing your face is easy, it’s fast and  it can leave you feeling super refreshed. 

Moisturize

No one feels good with dry or cracking skin. Taking time to moisturize gives you a second to pause, and to connect with the present moment. Physical touch can also reduce anxiety, leaving you feeling more content. Choose a natural moisturizer with ingredients like lavender to increase the effect.

Use Aromatherapy

Using products with essential oils like lavender and frankincense not only helps keep your skin healthy, they may also help you relax. Lavender has been shown to help reduce acne, while frankincense may reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Be sure to follow usage directions carefully and always use a carrier oil. 

Eat Less Sugar

Many of us have witnessed the havoc that sugar consumption can wreak on our skin. If you have issues with acne or other skin conditions, eating less sugar may help alleviate some of the symptoms. Processed sugar can increase the amount of insulin your body produces, increasing oil production. 

Invest in Lip Balm

This may sound simple, but it’s so important. Skip the synthetic flavors and opt for a natural option. Shea butter and coconut butter are great foundations, and tend to be more long-lasting than some versions. Sunflower oil, jojoba oil and Vitamin E are other ingredients that may help relieve cracked lips. 

Meditate

Your body’s stress response mechanism is how you physiologically respond to stressful situations. However, most of us struggle at times with coping with difficult or painful situations. Meditation is a great way to calm the mind, provide relief from anxious thoughts and help process difficult emotions. Studies show that meditation can affect our health at a chromosomal level, impacting our body’s ability to regenerate cells and repair damage. Healthy emotional health may have more of an impact on our beauty than we realize.  

Get More Sleep

Okay, we hear it all the time, but that’s because it’s true! If you want to invest in your health and natural beauty routine, get more sleep. This might shorten your morning routine or mean turning off Netflix a bit earlier every night, but it’s so worth it. Lack of sleep raises your cortisol levels, leading to inflammation. Simply getting a little more rest may make a huge difference.

Take a Deep Breath and Wash Your Face

Feeling beautiful isn’t about using the right mascara, finding the perfect concealer or buying the most expensive fragrance. To really feel beautiful on the outside, you have to feel beautiful on the inside. While the beauty industry has long been invested in appearance only, there is a trend of beauty companies investing in the emotional well-being of consumers. 

Your mental health and your perception of yourself as beautiful are intrinsically linked. Self-confidence and esteem stem from a healthy state of mind. Your beauty routine is more than skin-deep. Take some time to wash your face, get some nice lip balm and take care of yourself.