We at Scentual aroma believe in the holistic approach to skincare. Holistic skincare includes not only clean natural skincare routines but also takes into account all factors that affect our skin, like eating well, exercising, eliminating toxins that are harmful to the skin & body while practicing mindfulness to calm the mind. This week we talked to Wendy Keslick: Licensed Massage Therapist, Licensed Esthetician and owner of In Harmony Wellspring about holistic skincare.
Below are some of the questions we asked her:
1. How can we help our skin with massage?
Massage can benefit the skin in a variety of ways. Massage increases oxygen and nutrient blood flow to the skin, reduces tension in facial muscles, improves lymphatic flow, and decreases inflammation. Adding massage to your daily skin routine can help with exfoliation (turning over dead skin cells) and give your skin a natural boost and a healthy natural glow. It is a great modality to combat signs of aging, along with improving TMJ, sinus, and acne conditions. Massaging the face can also stimulate overall relaxation and improve mind-body awareness.
2. What advice would you give your younger self about skincare?
If I could change anything related to skincare from my earlier years it would be to limit my exposure to the sun without sunscreen. However, I was diagnosed with melasma in 2012. Although melasma can be very frustrating, it has forced me to be absolutely vigilant in avoiding the sun on my face. At a minimum I wear sunblock, but also a wide brim hat and sunglasses on my daily walks and when enjoying the outdoors. I am sure my face would have incurred more sun damage, and thus more premature aging over the years if I did not have melasma.
3. How yoga affects our look?
Yoga can help reduce stress and the production of stress hormones. This is important for our skin health, because continual stress in time becomes visible on our faces. When stressed we often contract the muscles between the brows, around the eyes, and around the mouth. Stress can cause us to clench our jaws for extended periods of time and grind our teeth, which can lead to an overdevelopment of the masseter muscle and widen the lower face. Specific facial yoga exercises to help combat headaches, jaw pain, tired eyes, sinus conditions, etc. and also improve appearance. It can be an important part of self care and help improve mindfulness. I sometimes teach face yoga classes online and I always include breathwork, movements and stretching of the neck and shoulders, and meditation as part of each class.
4. What book was life-changing for you?
I cannot think of a book that was life-changing for me other than the Qur’an. Although that is not to say that I do not learn and grow from each book I read. I am an avid reader and my favorite genre is historical fiction. I recently finished a wonderful historical fiction trilogy by Laila Ibrahim. One light book that I leave on my desk as a reminder to slow down is The Little Book of Sloth Philosophy. It is an adorable book that reminds us it is ok to embrace a sloth attitude and pace to reset. I consciously try to run a successful business, yet not participate in hustle culture.
5. Any yoga (or self-massage) tips on how to look fresh in the morning?
In the morning it is important to massage your face, at least during the cleansing process. In addition to lifting massage movements, I like to gently tap around my eyes, making a full circle three to five times to help awaken the eye area. I always finish my movements with very light pressure in the direction of lymphatic drainage (from the face down to the lymph nodes of the neck) to help reduce overall puffiness and stagnation.
We had the pleasure of going live on Instagram with Wendy Keslick: Licensed Massage Therapist, Licensed Esthetician, Pure Sculpt Specialist and owner of In Harmony Wellspring.
Watch our full Interview here.
