There has been a trend in recent years tied to more mindful living and an awareness with how we consume things as a society. To that end, the concept of “slow beauty,” or a conscious approach to purchasing cosmetics and personal care products to lessen unnecessary waste and consumption, has been gaining popularity and becoming more mainstream. Read on to get more familiar with slow beauty and how you can incorporate it into your daily routine.
What exactly is slow beauty?
As Shel Pink, Founder of SpaRitual, writes in her book, Slow Beauty: Rituals and Recipes to Nourish the Body and Feed the Soul,you can think about slow beauty as a sustainable beauty alternative. She says that slow beauty isn’t about a quick fix. Instead, it’s a solution that will last over time and become an inextricable part of your life. In other words, the focus is less about fast or temporary options like botox and fillers, and more about investing in a few products that are chock full of sustainable ingredients meant to deliver results over a period of time. It’s also about literally slowing downand taking time away from the hectic pace of today’s world to take care of ourselves.
Additionally, she states in her book that practicing slow beauty helps us make a return to our connection with our personal natural rhythms, and ultimately, it brings us back to an unconditional love and acceptance of becoming who we really are. “When we live in this sort of manner over a period of time, we naturally and continuously evolve into a beautiful and more timeless version of ourselves.”
What do I look for when shopping slow?
Nia Pejsak, advisory strategist at trends intelligence company Stylus, explains that the rise in popularity of the 10 or even 12-step skincare routine have overwhelmed some consumers and slow beauty is a move towards “slower and simpler” regimes that work best for the individual. Consumers looking to focus on more of a slow beauty routine should seek out brands that “promise results while incorporating eco-conscious practices in every step of the supply chain, from ingredient sourcing through to packaging,” she says.
A few examples of slow beauty brands to get you started include Tandem Skincare, a skincare line which aims to do more with fewer products that are packed with science-based natural ingredients; Axiology, which carries a line of lipsticks and balms that are vegan and cruelty free; and Ethique, a company that makes a line of personal care products in bar form and prides itself on being zero waste, in fact, all of its packaging is compostable.
Rituals beyond skincare
While taking care of our skin in an eco-conscious way is certainly a big component of slow beauty, that’s not onlywhat it’s about. Slow beauty also encompasses rituals like yoga and meditation which play an important role on our state of mind. It’s about taking care of our bodies by making sure we’re hydrated and nourished through healthy foods to help us feel our best from the inside out.
“The ultimate goal with all of this is to better attune yourself with your mind, body, and energy levels on both a day-to-day and seasonal basis, and to help you live your life in an intentional way,” writes Pink. She adds that when you realize how alive and refreshed you feel from incorporating these types of rituals into your routine, it’ll leave you “joyful, enlivened, and brimming with self-acceptance,” and that the passage of time becomes something to celebrate rather than to fear. This is one trend we can get behind for the long haul!