Your Early Spring Skincare Almanac

Mmmmm… that first early March moment where the sun feels warmer on your face than you remembered, the green tips of crocuses peek up through the ground, and the long winter seems to be coming to an end. The energy of early spring is ascending: sprouting, greening, birthing. Traditional rituals as well as our personal rites tend to revolve around breakthroughs such as new growth, projects, and seed blessings. Sondra tells us about Ostara in beautiful, loving detail in her post The Spring Equinox: Opening to Ostara

The Spring Equinox (March 20th in the Northern Hemisphere) is the midpoint between the Winter and Summer Solstices. This balanced day of “equal light” is the tipping point where the natural world comes alive, light begins to overtake the dark, and the days warm up.

At Brooklyn Herborium, our recommended Regimen (when you do it) and Rituals (how you do it) are deeply connected with The Natural Calendar. If you need a refresher or want a closer look, visit Emma’s article Crafting Your Functional Skin Care Regimen. We recommend the following products in connection with this unique stage of the Natural Calendar.

The Sun Cycle: Your Daily Regimen

The Sun Cycle is the pattern created by the rotation of the earth which gives us our days and nights.
The sun cycle guides the daily rhythm.

Your Sun Cycle Regimen for Early Spring

VITA-C BRIGHTENING BOTANICAL MIST

This delightful trinity of Tulsi, Rose, and Lemon Verbena hydrosols, along with our unique blend of skin-supporting minerals, assists in the optimal functioning of the skin, bringing its inherent radiance to the surface while addressing stagnation and dullness.

Your Vita-C Brightening Botanical Mist Daily Ritual

In your Morning Moisture Duo Ritual: Drip 3 drops of Nourish & Replenish Oil into the palm of your hand and spray 5 pumps of Vita-C Brightening Botanical Mist directly into the oil. Rub your hands together before applying to you skin.

In your Evening Mineral Mist Ritual: Spray 5-6 pumps of Brightening Botanical Mist on to freshly cleansed skin. Take a moment to connect to your highest self-aided by the aromatherapeutic benefit of the herbs. Spend a few minutes massaging the skin (perhaps with one of the gorgeous Facial Massage Tools we carry at our shops!) before you head off to bed.

If you are new to the Between You & The Moon way of doing things, you can also spray Vita-C Brightening Botanical Mist directly onto your skin before applying your moisturizer–or even directly into your moisturizer to increase transdermal mineral absorption while brightening your day.

The Moon Cycle: Your Weekly & Monthly Regimen

The Moon Cycle is created by the movement of the Moon around the Earth. It is what creates the waxing and waning phases of the moon as well as the appearance of the New Moon or the Full Moon. Our regimen for weekly and monthly rituals follow the Moon Cycle. These are the rituals and practices that are not appropriate for every day, but can be beneficial when used judiciously and at the right times. These are your intelligent intermittent practices.

Your Moon Cycle Regimen for Early Spring

INTEGRITY BIOME MASK

This fresh and vibrant herbal blend lovingly nourishing the “life” of our depleted personal ecosystems. Sometimes the topical biome of our skin gets a bit out of whack, perhaps due to something as simple as a change in humidity.

Nourishing and revitalizing, Integrity Biome Mask is a great way to give your skin a gentle boost that increases the strength and integrity of the skin, especially during seasonal shifts.

Your Integrity Biome Weekly & Monthly Ritual

How to Use: Measure 1 tsp of Integrity Biome Mask into a bowl and add 1 tsp very hot water to the mask. Mix it together and apply to the skin. Keep moist for 5-15 Minutes and remove with a warm, wet washcloth. During the day you can follow with your Moisture Duo Ritual. Before bed, follow with the Mineral Mist Ritual (as mentioned above).

If you are working to rebuild your barrier, Integrity Biome Mask is appropriate to use in this way up to three times a week.

Throughout the entire year, we recommend spending 5-10 minutes in a clay mask about once a week.

Give Yourself a Mini-Facial: Oil Cleanse with NO EVIL or one of our other Functional Skincare Oils, follow with Integrity Biome Mask, and then one of our Perfection Clay Mask.

If you are strapped for time, you may instead mix 1 tsp Integrity Biome Mask with 1 tsp of your favorite Perfection Clay Mask and 3 tsp very hot water. Before putting on the mask, apply NO EVIL, Cow Fart Juice, or Seeds of Change and massage as though you are oil cleansing for as long as you like. Apply your mixed mask right on top of the oil and keep the mask moist for about 8 minutes before removing. For a more intense experience, remove the oil with a steamy washcloth before you apply the mask.

The Earth Cycle: Your Seasonal Regimen

The Earth Cycle is created by the movement of the earth around the sun and the tilt of its axis. It is what gives us the seasons that create the year. Within our regimen, this earth cycle allows for both transitional practices as well as special occasions, such as “holidays.”

Your Earth Cycle Regimen for Early Spring

VITA-C 10 MINUTE DRY SERUM

This dry powder becomes a powerfully clearing serum when wet. Our unique formulation combines the amino acid matrix of silk with the potent minerals of pearls to strengthen the structural integrity of the skin and support metabolic function. Wild cranberry, raspberry, blueberry, apple and rosehip gently remind cells to behave their best, resulting in radiant, clear skin. The dry serum is incredible for clearing stagnation (mottled redness under the surface of the skin) left over from winter and the over-use of heavy products and foods, and a wonderful Rite of Spring.

Your Vita-C 10 Minute Dry Serum Seasonal Ritual

How to Use: In the evening, Oil Cleanse with NO EVIL, Seeds of Change or Cow Fart Juice first.

Measure 1/2 tsp of the powder into a small dish, then add 1/4 tsp of warm temperature water into the dry powder. Stir to dissolve — about 2 minutes.

Press the Serum into your skin with the light touch of your fingers in an upward rolling motion. You can also use the tip of a cotton swab or small fan brush to glide over each area in long sweeping motions, leaving a thin layer evenly on the surface.

Keep on (and wet) for up to 10 minutes before removing with a warm, wet washcloth.

Go to bed without moisturizing to allow your skin a chance to reset.

If you have a lot of stagnation that needs clearing, wait 4 days and then repeat.

Your Earth Cycle Regimen for Early Spring

SEEDS OF CHANGE

A botanical renewal oil that can be helpful for anyone, particularly when there is hardened, wrinkled, scarred skin. Antioxidant oils pressed from organic seeds help to renew the skin’s surface by encouraging cellular turnover, and sloughing off damaged skin cells. In infrequent doses, high levels of healthy fatty acids improve overactive inflammatory actions, leaving the skin radiant. Use this active oil in a more intense way for short periods of time to create an antioxidant response that triggers the body’s natural “clean up” mechanism.

Your Seeds of Change Seasonal Ritual

Use this active oil every day, for up to 3 weeks, in place of Nourish & Replenish Oil in your morning Moisture Duo Ritual and instead of NO EVIL in your evening Oil Cleansing and Mask Rituals during this time. After 3 weeks, take a break and return to your usual Nourishing Rituals until the next season. If you are working with one of our Holistic Skincare Specialists to diminish the look of old scars, you may repeat every other month for a while.

Need Help?

If you have any questions about appropriate regimen and rituals for your own skin, we recommend making an appointment with one of our Holistic Skincare Specialists.

May Green Blessings be upon you for a radiant spring filled with renewal and growth!