Valentine’s Day is a polarizing holiday. Even though love is a core part of what makes us human, we’re also all complicated, messy, and wonderful in our own unique ways. So it’s no surprise that love has a different definition to us all, and that celebrating that love doesn’t look like flowers, chocolates, and romantic dates to everyone.

No matter how you feel about Valentine’s Day, I think you deserve to love the skin you’re in. And I think that feeling doesn’t just come from our skin looking the way beauty standards tell us it should look–if that were the case, 99% of us would be miserable! Instead, I think loving the skin you’re in means redefining what beauty (just like love!) means to you, so that your definition encompasses all the ways your skin changes over time, whether it's as temporary as getting freckles in the summer or as long term as the way your skin evolves as you age.

Loving the skin you’re in means redefining what beauty means to you.

When I say redefining beauty, I don’t just mean finding love for the way you physically look, but also creating habits that help you grow your confidence and connect you to your skin. This can come in the form of anything from mindfulness techniques to having a skincare routine that’s as focused on being enjoyable as it is on improving or maintaining the health of your skin.

So if you’re planning on prioritizing yourself this Valentine’s Day (or any day), first of all 👏👏👏 I love that for you, and I’ll be doing the same. Second, I wanted to share three small ideas for how to pamper your mind and your skin. Feel free to steal them from me, I’m planning on doing these myself in the coming weeks.

Write a Love Letter to Your Skin

Let’s be real. Valentine’s Day is a cheesy holiday! So why not lean into it and take a page out the age-old romance playbook by writing your skin a love letter. We often get caught up in seeing the “problems” with our skin when really, our skin deserves a little more appreciation for all the things it does for us. 

Give yourself the space and time to really consider what you love about your skin. Here’s some inspiration if you’re stuck. It might take you some time to move beyond your skinsecurities. It’s totally normal to find yourself stuck with some negative feelings at first. After all, we’re living in an era of “anti-aging” messaging when it comes to the beauty industry. Just have patience with yourself and be willing to dig deep.

Once you’ve had time to sit with your thoughts, put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Address the letter to your skin, then pour your heart out on the page. If a letter isn’t your style, write a love poem! Whatever way feels best to you and how you express your feelings is perfect.

When you’re done, take time to re-read what you’ve written, and hold on to your letter. That way, you can return to it weeks, months, or even years from now you can use it as a reminder of the expansive love you are capable of holding for and receiving from yourself.

Go the Extra Mile to Make Simple Things Feel Special

It already feels good to do things you love. From your skincare routine to making time for your favourite hobby, there’s plenty of moments in life that have the potential to be special. But what actually turns them from average to amazing? It’s the atmosphere you create around it.

Let me give you an example. I, for one, am looking forward to cooking myself my favourite meal. But I’ll also be lighting candles, playing music, and setting the table much more elaborately than normal for a solo meal–fancy napkins, nice silverware, the works! I’m turning it into an event. Why? It elevates a good experience into a great one.

It also reaffirms something that we should maybe be reminding ourselves of more often: we deserve special moments that make us feel good.

Since skincare can often toe the line between chore and self care, you can use this idea of going above and beyond to firmly position your skincare as an enjoyable, special act of self love and care. Think of it as elevating a routine into a ceremony or ritual.

Turn the Products on Your Counter into a Spa Experience

So far I’ve shared ways to mentally and emotionally practice self love, but the physical is important too. Enjoyable sensory experiences that ground you in your body are valuable. That is why my last tip (and my personal favourite) is to raid your bathroom, gather up all the products that pique your interest–even if you haven’t used them in ages–and find ways to incorporate them into a spa experience for yourself.

Some of my favourite ways to do this include:

• Turning my products into face masks. I sometimes leave Aloe Milk Cleanser on for a few extra minutes before washing it off, and apply a thick layer of Putty as a mask when my skin needs some extra soothing.
• Busting out all the skincare tools I own. They make the act of applying skincare more enjoyable (and beneficial). I’ll use my gua sha, but a metal spoon from the cutlery drawer gives a nice, cooling sensation on your skin too.
• Focusing on scent. People underestimate the way scent transforms the atmosphere around you and your mood. Bring out the scented candle or use an essential oil diffuser.
• Focusing on texture. By texture, I mean getting playful with the different kinds of products you have–like scrubs, mists, oils, etc–enjoying the various textures of each. Texture can also mean putting on a fluffy robe or a pair of slippers, noticing the way it feels on your body.
• Incorporating massage and touch while using your products. Being intentional about your touch by taking extra time to massage in certain products or to focus on areas on your body that hold tension elevate your experience.

I love doing this because it means you’ve given yourself space to be playful and experiment. Discovering what feels good to you is a pursuit we all deserve to spend a little more time on.

Love the Skin You’re In

Loving yourself and the skin you’re in is not easy. It’s also not a linear journey. However, just by clicking on this article and reading it, you’ve made it clear that self love matters to you 💙

If you resonate with the idea of loving the skin you’re in and want to give a little time and appreciation to your skin, you’re in the right place. We have an entire blog filled with articles about skincare, mindfulness, and self care for you to explore. We've also put together an exclusive self love themed Valentine’s Day kit curated to make your skincare routine feel luxurious and special.

It includes a 10mL bottle of our bestselling Supermoon Serum and a rose quartz mushroom shaped gua sha (plus some extra samples and cute stickers). Not only are you treating your skin to a serum packed with ingredients like bio-retinol, peptides, collagen, and hyaluronic acid but you’re also investing in a feel-good practice like gua sha to elevate your routine.

Shop the Love My Face kit below.