What is a beauty ritual and how is it different from a beauty routine?

By: Mackenzie Adams

MASK was founded to help support the journey to self-acceptance through the act of self-care. MASK seeks to nourish the skin and soothe the spirit with products created to comfort, nurture and encourage the look of healthy skin—in its most pure, authentic state.

You probably already have a beauty routine, maybe even one for the morning and one for the night. A beauty routine is a set of steps you do each day or night to take care of your skin, hair, or body. 

Routine Def. Adjective: performed as part of a regular procedure rather than for a special reason.

Having routines is great, they keep you on track to reach your goals. The part of a skincare routine that is often talked about the most is the results. Focusing on the result or the end goal can take away the joy in the journey. We spend a majority of our time on the journey, so why not make it something we look forward to? 

Here at MASK, we talk a lot about normal skin and the realness of discoloration, pores, redness, pimples, etc. Spending so much time focused on the end result of your skincare routine can make the intention behind it unhealthy. If you’re doing your skincare because you want to have perfect skin, you’ll likely end up disappointed and falling off the routine you created. 

This is why we suggest creating a skincare ritual instead. What is a ritual?

Ritual - Noun - a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. Adjective - relating to or done as a religious or solemn rite 

Why are rituals important? 

"Often rituals can help channel intense energies such as joy, sadness, and wonder. The prescribed steps help us hone in on feelings that can be hard to handle, and give us a roadmap. But ritual also demands our presence in that it is meant to have an intensity that a routine does not. Ritual is special and sacred whereas routine is profane." - @blissomaskin 

Creating a skincare ritual with positive and loving intentions can make the processes much more fulfilling. Here are a few easy steps to create a skincare ritual.

1. Look at your products. Are you using clean, non-toxic, or cruelty-free products? Using products that are good for you, the earth, and animals hold positive energy. They hold positive energy because they were produced with the intention to help others. 

This is why clean skincare is the perfect thing to add to your ritual. Non-toxic beauty doesn’t harm the earth, animals, or you! We are always clean, non-toxic, cruelty-free, and vegan. Try one of our  Sheet MĀSKS, Under-Eye Patches, or Serums.

1. Set the environment. Where are you doing your skincare routine? Maybe you do it in the bathroom and in front of the mirror. Try putting your skincare in a small container and take it into your room. Light candles, incense, play calming music, dim the lights and try to not look in the mirror. This may seem crazy but taking away the visual aspect can help you focus on the emotional reasons for taking care of your skin.

Maybe treat yourself to a special candle that you use specifically for your beauty rituals. Look at these candles from FORVR MOOD. A black-owned selfcare brand that even offers a luxury candle subscription. 

1. Say positive affirmations in the mirror. As you massage your lotions, serums, and oils into your skin, say kind and loving affirmations about yourself. Your mind is an extremely powerful tool and by putting yourself in a positive headspace as you perform your ritual will create an environment you want to come back to. 

Try listening to these free, 10-minute, Self-Love & Beauty Affirmations as you do your ritual. 

Remember the joy is in the journey and not the results. You are beautiful just the way you are and you deserve a ritual that makes you feel that way.