Many of you know me as the founder of Essance Organic Skincare. I was born in Vietnam and Asian culture focused on teaching discipline and to respect our elders, but I never felt like it taught me how to love. So I taught myself! I learned through expressing my emotions and there are many variations of emotions like anger, fear and where that fear comes from. That awareness taught me to recognize and embrace the emotions that I lacked and one of the most predominant is love.
There are also many ways to love, but one thing I know is that I have to love myself before I can love or help others. Here are a few ways I love all of me. By all of me, I mean my mind, body, & inner being. When I feel at peace with the alignment; it feeds my inner child.
Laughter truly is really good medicine. Humor is so important and it helps me embrace and release tension. Having fun like a child is a part of self-care.
First thing in the morning:
- I acknowledge myself as soon as I open my eyes and think…I feel good! You know like that James Brown song. Play a soundtrack like that in your mind and believe it.
- Grab water first instead of coffee or tea, because while you sleep, you lose 32 oz of water and you need to replenish that before you have an intake of caffeine.
- Set aside fifteen minutes to self-journal. Whatever is on your mind, write it down. It releases stress and not having to keep it in your mind clears the space you need to focus on your priorities. It also helps you track tasks easier.
- Spend three minutes on breathwork. Inhale for 10 seconds. Hold 5 seconds. Exhale for 10 seconds through the nose, not the mouth.
- If you have access to the sun, the morning sun is good for you because it boosts serotonin levels.
- Walk outdoors or in a garden.
- I take a quick shower but if you're low on time it even helps to run your hand under the faucet.
- Don’t forget to drink more water! Glass water bottles that have measurements on them can help keep track of how much you consume.
- Yoga is great for balance, realignment, and reintroducing oxygen to the cell tissue.
I use our Essance Revitalizing Toner. It’s versatile and can be used anytime throughout the day or night. It’s refreshing for the mind and skin. Made with essential oils it also provides aromatherapy that can uplift your mood. Your skin will drink it in and love it!
I give myself a scalp massage while showering and shampooing my hair. Our GAC Superfruit Organic Shampoo is refreshing and light. It doesn’t leave a heavy residue. I visualize any negative thoughts being washed down the drain.
Skin is the largest organ on our body. It protects you from diseases, and elements like wind, cold and heat. Having a skincare ritual is essential to care for it. Many people ask about my daily facial skincare routine. Daily I…
- Go to the gym
- Add Revitalizing Toner before sauna
- Drink two bottles while in the sauna
- After the sauna I shower and while in shower I use Revitalizing Cleanser
- Next I apply Dragon’s Blood Serum
- Then I add Revitalizing Moisturizer
- At bedtime I add 3 in 1 Antioxidant Eye Creme
And that's it. We all have different rituals for different needs, and this is mine.
I make quiet time for myself so I can allow creativity to flow to me. When you have a better understanding of yourself it builds confidence.
While I love to spend time with friends and families; I recognize the importance of fulfilling my needs first before being a provider. I see providers that take care of everyone else first because our society can condition others to feel selfish if they don’t. It’s not selfish to put yourself first! I make my care a priority so I don't become depleted and or exhausted.
Loving yourself is about having compassion for yourself, not beating yourself up. It takes patience and practice. My mother never supported or encouraged my dream of creating my business. She told me I could never start it and would never succeed. Well, guess what?! Because I have worked on the practice of loving myself I was able to overcome self-doubt and create the business I always wanted. Not easy, but again, that’s where patience and practice come in.
I also learned to ask for help and building great relationships matters because we can’t do everything alone. I’m not afraid to make mistakes and I find that it’s important not to be afraid to let things (and people) go that no longer serve and align to my values. Trying to hold on and force things to work, depletes too much energy.
Connecting to nature is important to me also connecting to animals. They are great teachers because they teach you to love yourself unconditionally. And I’m always curious and learning! It keeps my mind growing and provides me with knowledge and life lessons.
One of the ways I express love for myself and care for my customers is by putting all of that love into my products. How about you? How do you love yourself? Let us know! Giving is also a love language so If you’re inclined to give to yourself or someone you love and can’t decide what to buy, we’ve also curated a special discounted offer we call our Love Bundle, available only on our website until Valentine’s Day 2022.
With Love, Jasmine