How to incorporate self care into our daily skincare routines
Q&A with Inhale Botanicals - A natural skincare branded rooted with self care rituals
Welcome to our Q&A session with Inhale Botanicals, a wellness company with mindfulness and self care at the forefront. We understand that choosing the right skincare products can be overwhelming, you want products that are good for the skin, but what about products that make you feel amazing too? In this blog we chat to Inhale Botanicals founder Victoria, all about her brand, how we can incorporate self care into our daily skincare routines and tips for creating sacred spaces at home. Let's dive in!
"Its all about not rushing through & slowing down and really giving yourself the time and space."
Hi Victoria! Tell us a little bit about Inhale Botanicals
Hi, all my products are made slowly in small batches with love and care so you can enjoy a momentary escape from daily life & carve out some time to rest & reset. Aromatherapy and its physical and psychological benefits has always been of great interest to me, our sense of smell is such an integral part of our being, and different fragrances have a strong hold on our emotions and can help evoke memories and feelings. Aromatherapy can lift you up & put a little spring in your step if you're feeling a bit sluggish, and it can be beautiful & calming when you feel a little frazzled.
What inspired you to start a skincare/wellness business?
I qualified as an aromatherapist in 2002 and I suppose it was a natural progression, I’ve always made things like that for myself and I’ve always loved tinkering with things, working with my hands and being creative- it's always brought an inner stillness to me. I think that as a society we’re all so caught up in the “hustle culture” that we’ve forgotten how to take the time to truly rest and give ourselves the self care that we all need.
Are Inhale Botanicals products cruelty-free and environmentally friendly?
I never test my products on animals and all of my suppliers along the chain are the same. I try to be as environmentally friendly as possible, everything is made in small batches which helps minimise waste & keep our footprint small. I use recyclable glass packaging and a lot of my postal packaging like the biodegradable peanuts come in my glassware deliveries. By staying as a micro business, I’m able to tread lightly.
Why should you choose natural skincare products?
Less is more! Simplicity is so much better for your skin's vital barrier function, bombarding your skin with too many products or over-exfoliating can wreak havoc on your face, it's important to care for what you’ve got rather than trying to trick your skin into compliance.
As a business owner, mum of a little one and a skincare professional, what does your skincare routine look like?
"I never let clay masks dry on my skin as that can be very drying"
Really quite quick and simple at the moment, in the AM I wash my face with Clean Slate gentle cleansing grains and gently remove it with a soft warm flannel and mist my face with a hydrosol, either Rose, neroli or jasmine, depending on what I feel drawn to on the day and then I massage a few drops of Glow Facial Elixir into my skin. The PM when my little boy is in bed is when I can take a little bit more time, I usually remove my makeup with a quick sweep of immaculate cleansing oil and then I re-apply so I can really work the product into my skin and massage any tension away, then I remove it with a soft warm cloth.
I really love our Heaven + Earth face mask with rhassoul + red clay if my skin is feeling a bit dull, I never let clay masks dry on my skin as that can be very drying, I either rinse them away with a cloth or I’ll massage them in a little with wet fingers if I want to add a little bit of a very light exfoliation, I normally use a mask once a week. Then I mist my skin again and apply a facial balm depending on my skins needs, I finish up with lip balm, usually my turkish delight and I like to finish with a quick mist around my space with one of my sacred Space Mists.
Tell us how a skin care routine can transform into a self care routine.
I always like to set the scene when I sit down to do my skincare routine, I tend to do it when my little boy has gone to bed, I feel it helps me to decompress. I love lighting a few candles & maybe some incense along with some quiet relaxing music. I enjoy focusing on the aromas & the feeling of my fingertips massaging my skin. Its all about not rushing through & slowing down and really giving yourself the time and space.
Tell us about your top three products you make?
My Wild Woman Bath Milk is our top selling product, the scent of lavender & patchouli is so deeply grounding & relaxing, and the skin soothing qualities of oats & buttermilk powder make it my bathroom staple.
Description: Abundantly moisturising & nourishing our bath milks are packed full of soothing oats & buttermilk alongside mineral rich Himalayan sea salts. Who doesn't love sinking into a warm aromatic bath at the end of the day? Our milks are perfect for those slow evening bathing rituals to calm the body & mind.
Next would be my Glow facial oil, I’ve been making this & using it myself for 18 years now & it seems to be just as well loved by my customers, it sinks into the skin beautifully & it's packed with nutrients.
Description: Our gorgeously indulgent skincare serum is packed full of plant based nutrients to boost radiance, deeply nourish the skin and give you a beautiful glow. A little goes a long way with our facial oil. Massage a few drops into freshly cleansed skin. For an extra boost, first spritz your skin with a refreshing toner or add a couple of drops to your regular moisturiser.
Lastly is the Nuit Sacred Space Mist. I always have this on my bedside table. The scent of Lavender & bergamot paired with vetiver is so soothing & relaxing and it really helps me prepare for sleep.
Desciption: Our Sacred Space mists were lovingly created to help you get the most of your daily yoga, meditation or even self care rituals, by creating a wonderfully soothing environment you'll be more receptive to. Along with a synergistic blend of essential oils, we add a small amount of Himalayan salt to further purify & sanctify your space.
Tell us about self care rituals and creating sacred spaces at home?
We’ve actually not long moved into a new home so things are still a little bit upside down but we’ve made our conservatory a proper cosy little retreat, there's lots of ambient lighting in there & all our plants, including a gorgeous Jasmine that smells out of this world when its in bloom. I love having somewhere to go and chill out at the end of the day.
Is aromatherapy an essential part of the experience when using your products?
YES absolutely! Scent has always been a huge part of my life & the therapeutic qualities of essential oils and aromatherapy feel like the perfect marriage when it comes to looking after ourselves.
Tell us about seasonal skincare - should we change up our routine for summer?
In summer I find I need lighter products, my skin prefers lighter oils and lots of hydrating mists as opposed to the richer balms & butters that I like to layer on in the winter. I also change up my skincare during my monthly cycle I get quite oily and get a few hormonal spots so I like to reach for Reset Detox Face Mask as its full of absorbent clays like bentonite & green clay and I always apply Oh Rosa Treatment Balm which is great for oilier skins thanks to the anti inflammatory blend of oils. I think it's really important to work with your skin's natural cycles to nurture it, rather than fighting against it.
To finalise, please give a self care or skin care tip to the readers
Be kind to your skin, a gentle touch is so much better for your skin, too many harsh ingredients and over exfoliating can make it really hard for your skin's own micro-biome to do its job.
Never underestimate facial massage, Manipulating the fascia and encouraging circulation & lymphatic flow is one of the most important steps in skin health, and its free.
A very interesting read I look forward to trying some more of your products I’m already in love with the glow facial oil 🥰