Autumn face ritual

There is something about the end of September that makes me want to slow down a little. The light is changing, the mornings are cooler and the evenings are starting to feel darker.

It has also made me think about how often we treat these seasonal changes as a reason to start again. We decide that we need a new routine, a new skincare regime, new goals or perhaps a whole new version of ourselves.

But I am not sure we always need a reset. Sometimes we simply need to pay a little more attention to what we already have and what we actually need.

I think this is particularly true when it comes to our skin. When something changes, our first instinct can be to add something. We buy another product, introduce another active or start looking for the next treatment that will fix whatever we have suddenly noticed.

So, rather than giving you another skincare recommendation, I want to invite you to try something very simple.

An autumn ritual for your face

Once a week, give yourself five to ten minutes to massage your face.

I want you to approach it as a few minutes of time where you can slow down, connect with your face and simply notice how it feels.

I have recorded a little video for you below, so you can follow along with me or just simply follow your own intuition. If you feel like listening to calming music, this soundtrack is my favourite for the season.

Before you start, find somewhere comfortable where you will not be interrupted for a few minutes. Apply a little facial oil or moisturiser so that your hands can move comfortably over your skin. Even a cleanser can be wonderful for this.

Then take a moment to place your hands over your face and breathe.

Notice what you can feel. Is your jaw tense? Are you holding your forehead slightly contracted? Have your shoulders crept upwards? You might be surprised by how much tension you are carrying without consciously noticing it.

Start with very gentle movements across your neck, jaw, cheeks, forehead and temples. There is no need to press hard or spend a long time on any particular area. Let your hands move slowly and comfortably.

Most importantly, close your eyes and try not to look in the mirror while you are doing it. Try tuning in and noticing how your skin feels. Does your jaw feel a little softer? Does your forehead feel more relaxed? Has your breathing slowed down? Do you feel more present in your body?

That is really what I love about facial massage.

Of course, touch and massage can have benefits for the skin and circulation, and I love the way my skin feels afterwards. There is something so valuable about spending a few minutes simply being in contact with your own face without judging it.

Your face is part of how you experience the world. It smiles, laughs, speaks, expresses emotion, holds tension and relaxes. It deserves to be cared for. So this month, I would love you to make this a little weekly ritual.

Choose one evening when you have five or ten quiet minutes. Put your phone away, warm a little oil between your hands and give your face some gentle attention. You do not need to do it perfectly, and you do not need to achieve a particular result.

Just slow down and notice.

I hope you enjoy the little video and, more importantly, that you enjoy the feeling of giving yourself those few quiet minutes.

Here is to entering autumn a little more slowly.

Jenny x