We all have those bad days when we’re in desperate need for a bubble bath and some smooth jazz in the background, with scented candles infusing the air with pure serenity, right? Well, it’s on those particular days that we realize that beauty is so much more than skin-deep. It’s that feeling of comfort in your own skin, of no rush moments when you devote your full attention to your body and soul and choose only the finest ingredients to treat your body like the temple that it is.

As a mom, or a mom-to-be, these self-care moments are all the more vital. You tend to your inner caregiver, you become a role model to your little ones, and you pamper that bun in the oven when you’re expecting. Whichever stage of life you might be in, there are beauty-focused ways to feel gorgeous, relaxed, and grateful for the body that you have – so let’s go over a few that can help you even on your most hectic of days.

Sweat Out Your Troubles

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Most of us like that feeling when you enter a sauna – your muscles instinctively relax, your breathing changes, your pores open up, and all the pent-up negativity slowly vanishes. As you sit there, quietly pondering life, the steam helps you purify your pores, which is a vital step to help your skin make the most of all the beauty products you’re about to slather afterwards.

No time for a full-blown sauna escape? You can steam your face with herbal teas with the same glorious effect. It will tone, plump, boost circulation, help you get rid of those annoying blackheads, and prep your complexion for that sunscreen.

Vivify Your Skin Care

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This is a shout-out to all future moms who are struggling to find a comfortable position to sleep in, let alone a moment for pampering. In those beautiful months of bonding with the bun in your belly, you need to create a pregnancy skin care ritual based on natural ingredients such as clay for purification and inflammation-reducing antioxidant masks. It shouldn’t boil down to preventing stretch marks, as your skin truly deserves more, better-tailored care during your pregnancy.

Natural, toxin-free, organic goodies in your skin care items are your best choice for the long haul, not just while you’re expecting. However, start now, and you’ll likely help your skin through this somewhat challenging period to prevent and treat acne, signs of aging, dry patches, and the like.

Head for a Relaxing Massage

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Imagine finding that perfect solution to painful, swollen ankles, sore joints, and overburdened, painful lower back. That would be a professional massage helping your muscles and your joints cope with your growing baby, and giving you the much-needed time to relax.

Even if you’re not expecting, every gal should treat herself to an occasional relaxing hour under the hands of a skilled masseuse. It’s wonderful for your circulation, skin health, and it can become a truly calming ritual with the help of the right essential oils, candles, and music.

Treat Yourself to that Bath

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Sometimes, the simplest solutions that protect our beauty are the ones we need the most. And so we go back to the bubble bath, the iconic epitome of Zen you can do at home, and every week if you so please. Instead of relying on the bubbles, add a few bath essentials to make it worth your while. Think about herbal baths infused with plants that help you sleep better, sea minerals for radiant skin, and prime moisturizing baths with fair trade honey.

Just a few drops of lavender essential oil, or any other favorite of yours, and you’ll be floating away to an oasis of your own. Put on some tunes, slather a generous facial mask for rejuvenation, and enjoy your own fifteen minutes of glory.

Pamper Your Tired Locks

If your pores are tired, how can you assume that your lovely strands aren’t? Odds are, you need to give your hair back some of its plump fullness, and there’s no better ally in this endeavor than your kitchen. Although not every woman is too eager to get messy with her beauty products, some of these DIY hair masks are worth a few minutes of your time and handiwork – and they do mostly take a few minutes to prepare.

If you want to banish brittleness, mix in milk and honey and generously spread all over your locks. It revitalizes and it smells delicious, so you’ll feel invigorated all around, and you’ll renew your hair’s natural glow. Other combinations that work well include bananas with olive oil or eggs, while even one-ingredient masks such as putting on plenty of coconut oil can restore your perky mane.

When it comes to beauty, it’s a life-long pursuit much like any other worthy goal in life. Since your inner feelings, health, and mindset are indeed reflected all over your largest organ, devoting time to your health through self-care means you’ll naturally beautify your complexion and your life. Use these tips to stay beautiful and happy alike!

Author Bio

Sophia Smith is a beauty and style blogger, an eco-lifestyle lover, a graphic designer and DIY enthusiast. She is very passionate about natural skincare, yoga and mindful living. Sophia writes mostly about beauty-related topics in her articles. She has contributed to a number of publications including: Naughty Nutrition, Life Goals Mag, Sivana Spirit, Bonvita Style, Mom With Five, Cause Artist, and Carousel.

You can find out more about her writing by following her on:  Facebook  Twitter 

As busy mothers, we’re all likely to have a set hair routine that is efficient, does the job and leaves us feeling ready to take on the day. But what’s easiest may not always be the best for our hair in the long run. As hair health is just as important as skin health or physical health, all moms should know hair tricks that are easy to make and will show a huge difference in the overall look and feel of your hair!

Your Pillowcase

If you’re ever wondering why you wake up with frizzy hair, your pillowcase might be the culprit! Even though cotton is the most common kind of cloth for pillowcases, it’s not necessarily the best option to sleep on. While cotton is a breathable material, it’s not the best choice for your hair or skin health. As we sleep on cotton, it robs our hair of moisture leading to frizzy and possibly tangled hair in the morning.

Image by Claudio_Scott from Pixabay

Instead of cotton, use a silk pillowcase for your slumber. The smooth silk will help keep your hair from becoming frizzy and prevent you from waking up with facial creases, helping to reduce the appearance of future wrinkles.

Hair Dye

Every woman wants to change up her hair every now and then. Often, with the change of seasons comes a new hair color to go along with it. Even though a brand-new look can leave us feeling confident and ready to take on the world, not all hair dyes we apply to our hair are healthy. With many dyes containing sulfates, ammonia and parabens, all the chemicals can end up damaging your hair follicles.

Image by Arturs Budkevics from Pixabay

Before you dye your hair the next time, look to products that will give you the hair color you desire but the healthiest version possible. Women-owned company, oVertone is a perfect example of this, as their main initiative is to create healthy color for your hair. Using only natural ingredients, their at-home hair color will give you the healthiest hair color possible!

Towels

As we all generally like to try and dry our hair as fast as possible, an easily accessible way to dry our tresses is through towel drying. But using a heavy, possibly damp towel to dry your hair is not the recommended route to take. Your hair is at its most vulnerable when wet, so rubbing it with a cotton or terry cloth towel can cause severe damage and worsen your split ends; leading to dry and frizzy hair as a result.

Image by Gentelle_Linen from Pixabay

Instead of using a typical towel, use a specialized microfiber hair towel instead. The microbers will help to reduce breakage as well as dry your hair in an effective amount of time! Another option is to take advantage of that old unused shirt you’ve been planning on donating and instead use it as a hair towel. Similar to a microfiber towel, the t-shirt will help to reduce frizz while also absorbing excess water.

Hair Ties

As moms we all know the easiest solution to solving a hair problem is by throwing it up in a bun. But what we use to put our hair up could be causing more damage to our hair than we know. If you pull your hair back too tight or put your hair up as soon as you get out of the shower, the hair ties can cause pressure to your hairline, leading to damaged hair follicles.

Photo by Edgar Martínez from Pexels

Instead of using typical elastic hair bands, use scrunchies or hair ties that have a soft and stretchy material. Not only will they spruce up your outfit, but it will also put less pressure on your hairline. Another alternative is to avoid hair ties altogether and stick to sporting other easy summer hairstyles or put your hair up using only bobby pins.

What are some of your hacks for healthy hair?