The Aging Practice: 4 Tricks to a Spectacular Relationship with Your Evolving Beauty

It wasn’t so long ago that I was a deeply influenced participant in the “never enough” beauty culture and industry, that, has deeply wounded generations of women. Our fears exploited, depreciated for aging, and barely pulling through unrealistic expectations, designed so we desperately hand our power, confidence, and hard-earned money to the all powerful “products”. Continually deceived that somehow the products contain our beauty like a cereal box prize. All the while our powerful intuition prickles at us, in a gentle reminder that products are not the solution. We have a collection of products in our cupboards and drawers to reinforce that knowledge. Yet when we are vulnerable, scared, feeling “less than” and rejected, the ‘Industry’ of beauty is always there, with an easy, new and improved product, with the newest scientific findings to quickly fix what’s ‘wrong’ with us.

From my 25 years as a professional in the front lines of beauty and education, I can tell you this with 100% conviction; Our relationship with our beauty isn’t about products at all. Its about practices, mindset and a commitment to wellness.

Beauty is your birth right, and the beauty of aging is an incredible experience, when we surrender to the privilege. Overcoming years of being told otherwise if the hard part, so here are a few practices I welcome you to explore on your path to creating your beauty mindset.

Gratitude

When the “less than” voice or images start to bubble up. Welcome them. They come from a place of fear and media conditioning. Fear isn’t your enemy; it wants to protect you. Explore yours, question them and practice replacing them with gratitude. THIS is your moment of power! This is your opportunity to hand a megaphone to the wrinkles, sunspots, stretchmarks, cellulite so they could tell their incredible story of how they came into existence. Thank your skin and your body EVERYDAY, for the incredible work it does to support you with life. With time, this practice will shift the features you observe as flaws, to your unique beauty features.

Protect

“What can I do today to support my body for a better tomorrow?” is one of the most important questions you can ask yourself. So many of us have mentally separated our skin/beauty from our general health. With life expectancy longer than ever, we need to understand that healthy skin is a benefit of longevity practices. Supporting our skin’s health and density as part of a wellness plan offers us the added benefit of a healthy-looking skin as we move later into our lives. Since environmental damage (UV, pollution, stress, nutritional deficiencies, high sugar lifestyle, etc) is the leading contributor to the breakdown of our skin’s integrity. Supporting our bodies defensive abilities (with appropriate care products) is the most effective way to maximize beauty practices.

Nourish

Everything you introduce to your body, mind and spirit directly impacts your health and vitality. Food, people and media. It all contributes to your over all well being. A well-nourished body that isn’t in constant stress can heal itself more efficiently, no products required. Start simple. Sit down to eat, chew your food well. Choose brightly colored fruits and veggies. Take several moments through the day to take deep breaths and hydrate. Cleanse your face gently and thoroughly every night. Make healthy media and entertainment choices. Quality and quantity of information you welcome directly impacts beauty perceptions. These practices will support your body while offering it an opportunity to catch up with your mind so you can check in to your well being.

Celebrate You

Ditch the rules, my lovely sisters! The hardest thing for me to hear from my clients is “I’m too ____ for ____”. According to who? You have earned the right to express yourself as feels right for you. No, you are not too old for sparkles. If you feel like looking like a unicorn’s birthday party, show it! Yes, bare faced is beauty! Personal expression through clothes, accessories and cosmetics only need be limited by how YOU feel doing it. Authenticity is the most incredible thing to wear and I welcome you to wear it like one of your favorite outfits.

Beauty is found through practices we choose to engage in every day, and no, its never too late to start. Wellness and vitality breed into confidence and self love. With time and care this emanates into a true beauty that is not only seen, but deeply experienced as part of our evolution into our crone years. The power of this will be seen by the generations of woman looking to their matriarchy for guidance of the women they will become.

Meet the Expert

I'm Nikki Hunter, and I have worn all sorts of professional hats in the health and beauty world over the last 25 years. Currently I am recognized as Founder and Owner (well... Director of Shenanigans if I'm being honest) of The Green Vanity Holistic Beauty Lounge (Est 2015). I'm also an educator and loud mouth podcaster at Nikki & Raina Show and social activist in the movement of sustainability and ethical practices. I spend my days facilitating a safe space (in downtown Kelowna) for people to discover their relationship with beauty through health & wellness practices, re-examining their beauty narrative, good talks about personal accountability, all while (humorously) pointing our how the industry of beauty has been leading us the wrong direction. Ohhh! I also curate the best of ethical, nontoxic, vegan and sustain-ably committed! products too.