The Bigger Picture
By Katie Woods
December 8, 2018The time has finally come that I write my first Ritual blog post.
I wish I could tell you I’m finally writing because I found the time, that I stopped making excuses, that I let go of my perfectionism, or that I finally became organized. But none of that is reality. In truth, I am writing you this post with my left hand in a cast and have found that I can type one handed easier than giving a facial with one hand. So here I am, forced out of the treatment room for the longest time since becoming a Skin Therapist. I would have never wanted a broken bone to be the reason I get through my to-do list, but hey, sometimes life works in mysterious ways!
There are so many topics on skin health, wellness, and beauty that I would love to write about (and will!) but today it seems appropriate that I introduce you to my blog by shedding light on what I see as my mission. I think of it as “the bigger picture” of Ritual Skincare. Opening my own business was stemmed by my need to be creative, by my Aquarian blessing (and curse!) to do things my way, and by my strong desire to shift the focus and approach in this modern beauty world. How can a girl like me who just shoved a croissant in her face at 4 PM, who prefers living in her yoga pants but rarely commits to her yoga practice, and hates applying makeup, be in the beauty world?! This industry never fully felt like where I belonged.
I didn’t go to beauty school for beauty. I went to beauty school because of my fascination with skin, my love for plants, and most of all my obsession with learning more about the magical functioning of the human body. What I learned quickly along the way is that when the body is able to function optimally, it leads to a healthful radiance on the outside. We all know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and is perceived differently culture by culture, era by era, and even individual by individual. But I believe all of us can agree that there’s nothing more beautiful than a woman with a confident radiant glow.
I want to take the “woo-woo” stigma out of natural, holistic, alternative skincare and beauty. This starts with education. Learning how to compliment, stimulate, and restore our body’s natural function is key to long-term skin health. I want us to age gracefully with self-care while embracing and honoring the beauty and wisdom which can only come with maturity and life experience. I want us to begin to understand that paralyzing a muscle in order to iron out a wrinkle is unlikely to provide long term skin health and harmony. I want people to embrace that working with the nervous system, the lymphatic system, and the muscular system stimulates the body’s internal resources. This can have a profound effect on long term skin health and radiance. I want us to be aware that continuously stripping our skin of its natural oils and trying to manipulate or suppress proper function is only a short-term fix. I want everyone to know that nutrient-dense ingredients internally and externally provide the skin with the fuel it needs to be radiant.
I want women to elevate their self-worth by loving themselves more. I believe beauty is a relationship that begins and heals with the acceptance of your own reflection. I believe we need to re-educate. I believe we need to listen to our bodies. I believe beauty will never come from anything which is unkind to our environment. Most of all, I want women to realize that the beauty they are seeking is a life-long practice and that beauty be will cultivated slowly through mindful practices of supportive self-care.
I am going to end this blog post by sharing a beautiful quote by one of my favorite poets.
“Their concept of beauty is manufactured. I am not.” -Rupi Kaur
So that’s it! Ritual’s mission or “bigger picture” is to completely change the way our modern culture perceives and approaches beauty.
No Big Deal. Right?!