Parenting can be one of the most stressful jobs in the world. The constant demands on our attention, minds, and bodies!
So, it is of such importance to take care of ourselves. After all, you cannot give to others if your own cup is empty. We would never let the battery on our phone run out completely, so it’s the same with this. We cannot expect to burn the candle at both ends indefinitely and it not have an impact on our health. We need to make sure we look after ourselves so we can better look after the ones we love the most.
The wonderful thing is that when we take a little time to give to ourselves (aka self-care) we are role-modelling something wonderful for our children also. We are teaching them how to look after themselves in the future, and to listen to their bodies. When we stop and rest, they learn to do the same.
Now there are thousands of ways to do self-care, and it will be unique to each and every person what recharges them. It could be working for 45 minutes and then taking a 10-15 minute break as this can increase our productivity when we are working. It could be going for a lovely walk by ourselves, meditating, or pampering ourselves with a face-mask.
However, when we do take time to pamper ourselves, it’s important to make sure we aren’t putting harmful chemicals into our systems at the same time. This is no good for our health and, like mentioned earlier, we are role-modelling healthy behaviours for our children to learn from, right?
And hey, push away all those plastic packaged products with ingredients you don’t know about, and multiple product claims. After all, what could be better than simple, natural ingredients from our kitchen, that are absolutely chemical free and effective!
Here is the recipe for a wonderful moisturising face-mask that you can make at home. When we make things at home, rather than buy ready-made products, we save the environment from wasteful packaging. We can reuse jars that we already have at home rather than creating new waste. So it is a win-win for us, and our beautiful planet!
Ingredients:
- Half an avocado
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 drop orange essential oil*
- 1 drop lavender essential oil*
- 1 drop copaiba essential oil*
(*Please make sure that you are getting high quality essential oils from a good source, as some essential oils can contain perfume oils rather than pure essential oils. These can contain a whole host of harmful chemicals that are best avoided.)
Method:
- Step one – Mash the avocado and mix in the honey, followed by the essential oils, making sure to combine well.
- Step Two – Apply the face mask to your clean face and allow it to sit for up to 10 minutes. Don’t be alarmed if you feel like your face is wearing guacamole!
- Step Three – Make sure that you relax while you sit and wait for it to dry. Maybe watch your favourite program on TV, or close your eyes while listening to some classical music.
- Step Four – Wash off with warm water.
- Step Five – Pat dry and enjoy beautiful looking skin!
The essential oils in the face mask are so beneficial for your skin.
Orange oil can help eliminate toxins, has anti-inflammatory properties, can give smooth looking skin and can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and blemishes.
Orange oil can help eliminate toxins, has anti-inflammatory properties, can give smooth looking skin and can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and blemishes.
Lavender oil has traditionally been used for its antiseptic properties for things like cuts, grazes and blemishes. It supports skin and hair health. It is also known for its calming properties and can help to relax and instil a sense of peace.
Copaiba essential oil comes from a resin and has a warm ‘woodsy’ smell. It boasts many benefits, such as anti-inflammatory properties, can cleanse and purify, can support healthy skin, and is good for blemishes. It also has the added benefit that it boosts the properties of all the other essential oils it is combined with.
Enjoy this organic skin care products as you unwind and relax. Your skin and mental wellbeing will both thank you for it, as your stress levels are taken down a notch.
If you are feeling creative, get your children involved in both the making and wearing of it – it is never too early to learn about self-care and how important it is to look after our emotional well-being. It’s a super fun activity to do with children and they love helping to mash the avocado!
Just remember to try not to eat the face mask – even if it smells amazing and looks like delicious guacamole!
You’re not alone. Share your experiences, tips, tricks; post your questions or even challenge what we’ve written! Let’s build an eco-conscious community together!
Happy Shifting!
Camilla Gammelgaard-Baker is Parenting Coach and Psychodynamic Counsellor working with clients all over the world. With a background in psychology and with 20+ years experience of working with families, she is known for her work with Mothers to overcome self-doubt and burn-out. She currently lives a very eco-friendly life in Denmark with her husband, son, cat and dog.