Dos and Don'ts of Slow Beauty: A Practical Guide to Transitioning to Natural Skincare

Skincare is not something that should be layered or a race to use all products on the shelf. Since there is a product launch every now and then with promising transformation happening overnight, it might be tempting to change your routine for getting instant results. But the truth is, healthy skin takes time; So, being patient, consistent, and following a routine consistently matters.

This is where "Slow Beauty" erupted and has been evolving!

Slow Beauty does not mean you should avoid modern skincare ingredients or using only natural is better. It is something that encourages you to go in a mind full approach. Which is fewer products, purposeful ingredients, right application, giving some time for skin to respond, and also avoiding unnecessary experimentation.

If you are swapping to natural skincare, the process seems to be way more important. Some of the unique yet meaningful addition of oils, hydrosols, powders, plant-based ingredients, etc will be a meaningful addon, which can be thoughtfully introduced in your existing routine.

What Slow Beauty Actually Is?

Slow Beauty is nothing but a skincare philosophy which has been revolving around patience, simplicity, and skin health, especially on a long run where results last instead of being temporary.

Some of the questions which you should ask yourself are:

• Is this product actually needed for my skin?
• How do these ingredients help skin?
• Is It safe to use them consistently in your routine?
• Do the ingredients and formulation suit my skin type?
• Should I give some more time to see results?

This seems to be a simple question, yet they are practical without any complications that will add some value to your routine.

Slow Beauty vs. Instant Skincare Fixes

The thing which matters here is the expectation you look for, while bringing them in your routine.

None of the products will give you overnight change in your skin. For eg, if dryness or hydration is the concern, then yes the result will be visible instantly. But the other concerns like acne, ageing signs, pigmentation, etc require a longer and consistent approach. This is to be more considered especially if you are someone who has recently moved towards botanical skincare.

Consider the scenario: A botanical oil might make your skin feel; softer the next day post application, but that does not mean it will make your skin free from pigmentation or reverse years of sun damage within a few days.

Dos of Slow Beauty

1. Do Introduce One Product at a Time

When you are planning to make a swap to natural skincare outline, then avoid replacing everything in one go!

Start with one at a time, either a cleanser, or moisturizer, or a face oil. In this way, you will be able to understand how skin responds and reacts! This is advised because, when you change your routine completely, then it is hard to identify which products are not suitable for your skin or which ingredients are not suitable.

Key Note - One change in your routine, observe, and continue if it's suitable and working on your skin.

2. Do Patch Test New Products

Natural products do not mean, it will be 100% allergy free.

Botanical ingredients, oils, and herbal extracts might be causing allergic reactions on some people. This is why, whenever you are introducing any new product in your skincare, it is better to patch the test on your chin or back of ears.

When you feel any redness, itching, or swelling, pause and try again. If it continues, then stop using it. Else you can adopt them in your routine! If your skin reacts easily in general, our sensitive & redness-prone skin collection has more gentle picks worth starting with.

3. Do Read the Full Ingredient List

Every product in the label will claim itself to be safe, natural, bottle, herbal, or clean. But turning back, and knowing the ingredients will help you know what exactly is in it!

Go with actual ingredients rather than falling into marketing gimmicks. For eg, when you pick a botanical cream and turn back its packaging, they may still have added fragrance, essential oils, or preservatives. Even though this does not make a product bad, knowing what's inside will make you understand better and pick a thoughtful choice.

4. Do Keep Your Routine Simple

Transforming your skincare into something natural is a good opportunity to make it simple. A basic routine can look like:

Morning: A gentle cleanser, hydrating moisturizer, and SPF Sunscreen

Night: Double cleansing, using a refreshing hydrosol, and nourishing moisturizer / botanical oil

And slowly you can include products for your skin concerns. Make sure to not choose every product naturally, but the needed ones in a natural form! For a fuller breakdown of how morning and night routines differ, see our guide on the morning vs night Ayurvedic skincare routine, and our guide to minimalist skincare in 3 simple steps.

5. Do Give Your Skin Time

Most of the mistake people make is stopping the product usage after 4 to 5 days, because of not getting desired or expected results.

While some products show results instantly, few others take time to see a noticeable change in your routine. So, rather than expecting overnight results, use them consistently for a month or two, and then decide before purchasing the next one!

Don'ts of Slow Beauty

1. Don't Expect Overnight Results

When you are swapping to natural or botanical products, expecting overnight transformation is not possible. Especially avoid believing these below statements as true!:

• "Removes pigmentation in 7 days"
• "Stops hair fall instantly"
• "Detoxes your skin overnight"
• "Erases wrinkles naturally"

These are strategies which attract you, but this is not something that will keep up according to the claim. For achieving healthy skin, consistent care and time matters more than a certain ingredient or product.

2. Don't Assume Natural Means Safe for Everyone

This is one where most people make mistakes. Transforming to natural skincare does not mean everything is the same. There are times, where even natural products might cause allergies or reactions over your skin.

Botanical compounds also contain triggering irritants which will react on one skin, and might be on another. And there are also times, where fragrances and essential oils will also act as a triggering factor for people with sensitive skin.

3. Don't Mix Every DIY Ingredient You Have

DIY skincare might get complicated very quickly. For example, when the botanical powder is mixed with ingredients like lemon juice, baking soda, or other abrasive powders, it will react and cause reactions over your skin.

So, while combining or mix-and-matching natural ingredients, be careful and ensure to patch test before using them on full face.

4. Don't Exfoliate Just Because Your Skin Looks Dull

When you have dull skin, it does not often mean you should exfoliate. Over scrubbing tends to irritate skin and worsen dryness over a period of time.

If you are experiencing dullness frequently, it might be because of lack of hydration too! So, ensure to analyse before randomly jumping into exfoliation or DIY recipes.

5. Don't Throw Away Your Sunscreen

Changing your skincare into natural does not mean, you should skip SPF and go with botanical oil or DIY powders.

Daily SPF protection is a must irrespective of skin type, skin concern, climate, or any other factors. Using a SPF 30 or above SPF sunscreen in an AM routine is a must, and should be part of everyday skincare routine.

Your 4-Week Transition to Natural Skincare

Week 1: Simplify

Cleanser → Moisturiser → SPF Sunscreen. Basic yet non compromising skincare routine.

Week 2: Introduce

When your skin is okay with initial swaps, then you can add one botanical product. It can be a face oil or hydrosol.

Just ONE. Let them work on skin for a few days, before introducing a new product in the skincare routine. Observe how your skin reacts, and continue accordingly. If you're deciding between the two, our guides on why you should add natural facial oils to your routine and what a hydrosol is and how it's used can help you choose.

Week 3: Observe

Here is where "Slow Beauty" eventually evolves. After all these steps, check and ask:

• Does my skin feel less dry?
• Is my routine comfortable?
• Am I experiencing irritation?
• Is the product easy to use consistently?
• Do I actually need another product?

Week 4: Refine

And by the last week of the month you will get to have a clear idea of what your skin likes and dislikes. Now filter and create a standardized routine for your skin, and follow accordingly.

Conclusion

Slow Beauty Is About Consistency, Not Perfection.

Transforming your routine to natural skincare does not mean first. Get everything out and start from the beginning. Start slowly. Choose products and ingredients which will suit your skin and be consistent rather than expecting instant results within a day or two!