WE ALL DO!!! It isn't so much about the beauty, although that is a very nice added perk, it is about our overall wellness. We, as a collective are not getting enough sleep, and the sleep that we are getting is not quality. Mary Lobo, Founder of SKINIRVANA, tackled this issue very gracefully with her recent "Beauty Sleep Challenge"! Many people around the world participated, and I was honored to be one of them.
THE CHALLENGE:
1- For 7 days, get some "Clean Sleep"
2- Include facial massage in evening routine (videos + beauty oil provided)
3- Try meditation to help you wind down (free download provided)
4- Take a before + after pic at the beginning + end of the week + share
5- Do a sleep diary on your stories
Okay, so... how did this challenge go for me?! It does seem simple enough, right? I was really looking forward to it, and my favorite part of course was enjoying the facial massage with SKINIRVANA's delightful Beauty Oil! However, what this challenge did for me was to bring more awareness to my current lifestyle.
There are times when I am far more put together than others. I have my zen moments, but since this is real life, there is also chaos. I have been doing so many events lately, that I am just always on the go. I found it very challenging to take time for the still moments I needed to properly chronicle the journey of this challenge. I did however post videos of my facial massages, and I love learning the new massage techniques. I wish I could say I got great rest, although I did power off my phone at night, I still tossed and turned... mostly because I need to get a new tempurpedic mattress ASAP! I did notice that I looked more rejuvenated from the facial massage + Beauty Oil, so this is something that I have continued with in my daily routine.
LESSONS LEARNED:
1- Spend less time on my phone + w/screens in general
2- Get an Assistant to do everything for me! (j/k or am I?!)
3- Try not to overbook, keep a balance of 2-3 events per week
4- Create more space for self + relaxation time
5- Don't obsess over progress
SKINIRVANA Q+A: Q: What inspired you to create Skinirvana? A: SKINIRVANA was born out of my need to heal my own skin. I had acne as a teenager and rosacea in my twenties. After using a commercial skincare product that literally burned my skin one morning in the shower, I decided to stop using all commercial \ skincare products and go back to basics. I just used water on my face but realized this was not enough. I started researching oils and began making my own blends. This was 10 years ago. My original formula is the same blend I created to heal my reactive skin, and I have been using it ever since. I will not use anything else on my skin. I cleanse with a pure plant oil - grapeseed on a cotton pad, and I moisturize with my oil morning and night. Q: What has been your experience with it thus far? A: Entering the beauty industry has been a baptism of fire! My greatest challenge has been educating others on the misinformation about how to treat your skin. Often people don’t believe me that you don’t need 100 products. Your skin only requires oil and water. Nothing else. Nada. Zilch. Application is also key - massaging the skin naturally exfoliates the epidermis without needing an exfoliator or masque. Massage also brings blood to the surface of the skin that helps in the daily repair of skin cells. I don’t use a toner or eye cream or serum. You don’t need product overload. Quality over quantity every time. I source the highest grade oils for my blends. Q: What is your vision for Skinirvana? A: SKINIRVANA is not just a product, it’s a lifestyle choice. It’s about embracing our natural beauty, and caring for our skin with a daily facial massage ritual. The ethos of SKINIRVANA is rooted in the tradition of passing beauty advice on from parent to child. It’s part of a wider philosophy of learning to love and respect nature in its purest form. My vision is to keep spreading the message. Q: How do you feel about the skincare community? A: I’m very torn with the skincare community. There are some true clean beauty advocates out there of whom I wish to consider myself amongst. Otherwise, I find most of the industry to be sham and trickery. I don’t tend to talk about this because I don’t want to give it any attention but the truth is it makes me sad and sometimes despondent about what I am up against. Q: What inspired you to launch the Beauty Sleep Challenge? A: I wanted to launch the beauty sleep challenge because most of us are in sleep deficit and it’s a public health crisis. Lack of sleep is linked to so many physical and mental health problems. I was playing with the term ‘beauty sleep,’ and asking what does this actually mean? In reality it’s ’health sleep,’ which should be considered as vital as daily exercise and good diet. Q: Anything else you would like to share? A: Finally, with facial massage there are no hard and fast rules. It’s intuitive; much like dancing. What I loved most about the beauty sleep challenge was watching client videos where everyone was following aspects of my routine but then putting their own twist on it. I loved that so much! It fills me with joy seeing people enjoy their skin and the process of caring for it. It’s a beautiful act of self care. If I can keep inspiring one person at a time, I feel I am doing my job.
Thank you so much for inspiring us all Mary! I truly appreciate what you are doing in the World of Wellness, let's keep pressing forward! Cheers!
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