Your Step-by-Step Guide to Radiant Body Care

While many of us maintain a religious daily skincare routine, we often give body care much less attention. Save it for an occasional massage or a day at the spa, right? 

The reality is that the rest of our bodies, not just our face, benefits from regular care—even beyond applying a daily moisturizer. In Ayurveda, the mind, body, spirit and external environment are deeply connected, and each element informs the others. Our bodies help us weather through our daily routines. Their aches, fatigue and discomfort—or, on the opposite end, their energy, litheness and strength—reflect the way we treat them, from how well we sleep to what kind of exercise we get to what we eat and drink. External factors like sun exposure, seasonality and pollution can also affect how our bodies and skin feel on a day-to-day basis. 

Taking good care of our bodies not only promotes healthy, radiant skin, but it can also treat problems like joint pain, aches, scarring and poor circulation. Certain body care practices, such as dry brushing and self-massage, can also boost our overall health by promoting natural detoxification and a boosted circulatory and lymphatic system. Furthermore, many grounding body care rituals provide a space of mental grounding and tranquility, leaving you feeling more in touch with yourself and your body as a result. 

Caring for your body doesn’t have to wait until your next spa appointment. Have a free Friday night or an upcoming day off? Here’s an indulgent step-by-step body care routine that will leave you feeling rested, relaxed and rejuvenated. Many of these steps are fast and easy to incorporate into your daily routine. By figuring out which ones you like best, you can make slow but powerful changes to your body care approach.

The use of essential oils dates back to the era of ancient civilizations.

The Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians extracted fragrant essential oils from plants (eucalyptus, lavender, rose, tea tree oil... the list goes on) to use in their wellness and beauty regimens. Queen Nefertiti is said to have offered essential oils to the gods. And Paris is rumored to have given Helen of Troy a decadent massage using drops of ylang-ylang, clary sage, and chamomile.

Aromatherapy—the therapeutic use of essential oils inhaled or absorbed through the skin—is extensively practiced throughout the world today.

(The term was technically coined by French chemist René-Mauric Gattefossé in the 1930s.) Practitioners in India and China use it to heal both body and spirit. Western science has deemed it an effective treatment for pain, as well as a positive therapy for depression, anxiety, sleep issues, and other ailments. It's a staple in wellness routines and a holistic beauty treatment. And because it taps into our sense of smell, one of the most primal parts of ourselves, aromatherapy can been known to evoke strong memories and potentially enhance our short-term memory.

One of the many benefits of using essential oils is that they are non-habit forming and entirely natural.

And the possibilities and effects are abundant. Different oils provide different results, whether it be relaxing lavender to induce calmness or uplifting lemon to invigorate the mind and senses. You can apply oils directly to the skin through massage or inhale them by adding a few drops to a hot bath, steam diffuser, or piece of cotton on your bedside table. 

Psychological and physical wellbeing are intricately tied together—and one can influence and sway the other, sometimes without our even realizing it.

Given that our mood and mental state can vary frequently because of life and environmental stressors, aromatherapy offers a consistent, natural, non-invasive treatment that alleviates stress.

Incorporating aromatherapy into our daily lives is simple.

It neatly fits into our morning or evening routines. At UMA we've crafted our wellness blends to naturally enhance your wellbeing. Whether you're seeking a better way to unwind, a natural mood elevator, stress relief, or a healthy alternative to caffeine, each of our oils are pure lusciousness for skin and aromatherapy for senses, proving that an ancient therapy is just as relevant today as it was centuries ago. 

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