Autumn Beauty Ritual
Is it just us, or is fall definitely in the air?
Whether it’s the pandemic, the fires on the west coast, or the upcoming election, all we know is this: we’re ready for some cold-weather comfort!
There are the obvious go-to’s: chai lattes, pumpkin-colored knit sweaters, and so many candles your house ends up smelling like a cinnamon factory. One of the best ways to acknowledge this transition is to #treatyourself with an autumn beauty ritual! This is the perfect way of adding more self-care into your life while celebrating the shift in seasons.
Fall is all about slowing down and enjoying the abundance of what we experienced in the spring and summer. Traditionally, fall is the time when we would enjoy and organize the excess. For example, we would take extra fruit that had grown in the spring and summer, turning it into jams, or pickling summer vegetables to have during the colder months. While this isn’t as likely anymore--most of us go to our local grocery store for produce and jam--we can still practice the art of savoring what the warmer seasons brought us.
If you’re not satisfied with how your spring and summer went this year, you can also use this time as a reflective transition to close out the previous months. Instead, you’ll be looking towards autumn as a new beginning, while letting go of the previous seasons.
If none of this appeals to you, no worries--just follow our “recipe” for creating a cozy autumn beauty ritual, and enjoy!
Our Autumn Beauty Ritual
This is best done as close to the equinox as possible, just to formally acknowledge the full transition. The autumn equinox in the Northern Hemisphere falls on Tuesday, September 22nd this year, but any day during the equinox week is just fine.
The best way to celebrate the incoming cold is by doing the opposite--getting warm with a bath! If you don’t have a bathtub, you can always do a foot bath, which is almost as cozy.
This isn’t your typical bath. For this bath, you’ll need a few supplies:
Candles (as many as you want--go wild!)
Epsom salt or sea salt
Essential oils (we recommend jasmine, apple blossom, or frankincense)
Flower petals (rose, marigold, and passionflower are lovely)
Optional: add any crystals you’d like!
Fill your bathtub with warm-to-hot water; something you can tolerate being in for approximately thirty-plus minutes. Light your candles, and place them in (safe!) spaces around your bathroom.
As the tub is filling, add two cups of either sea salt or Epsom salts. Salt is one of the best ways to help your skin detox, while also soothing any aches or pains you may have, and increasing circulation.
Add a few drops of essential oil, as long as you don’t have any sensitivities. Keep in mind the oils will float on top of the water and come into contact with your skin, so be very careful not to add too much and opt out entirely if you have sensitive skin.
Once the tub has finished filling, sprinkle flower petals on top. This adds to the scent of the bath, and the properties of the flower can also have therapeutic qualities. For example, rosewater brightens the complexion and soothes the skin, so by adding rose petals to your hot bath, you’ll essentially be relaxing in a large dose of rosewater. How lovely!
If you enjoy crystals, feel free to add these as well. If they’re water safe crystals, you can place them in the tub with you. If not, you can have them sitting on a counter nearby for you to enjoy. Crystals like citrine, jasper, moonstone, and clear quartz are all water safe, and are perfect for fall!
While you sit in the bath, focus on things you’re grateful for, and the things that you’re ready to let go of. You can even make a list before or while you’re in the tub! It can include habits you’d like to move beyond, people you’re grateful for, or new things you’d like to bring into your life. Above all, make sure this is YOU time--take the time to focus on yourself.
Pro tip: when you’re ready to get out, be careful to use something to filter the petals out of the water before you drain. Saltwater can be drying on the skin, so finish your ritual with a luxurious body oil (our Eminence Organics Apricot Body Oil is a great option) and feel free to take some extra time to really massage it into your skin.
A great time to do this is when you know you won’t be disturbed after (before you go to bed is a great option) so you have extra time to journal any thoughts or inspiration. Before you go to bed, just take one last moment to acknowledge the fact we’re moving into a new season and let yourself be ready for it. Autumn beauty ritual complete!
The author of this blog, Layla Hanson, is a writer and project manager for Infinity Aesthetics, specializing in holistic media production. You can see her popping in and out of the office from time to time to snap photos for our Instagram and website. Feel free to say hi and offer to pose for a picture!