Elizabeth Reid Boyd - The Secrets of Mindful Beauty: Revolutionary Techniques in Anti-Aging and Self-Care

Copyright 2017 by Elizabeth Reid Boyd, PhD and Jessica Moncrieff-Boyd, PhD

Photos Copyright 2017 by Steve Fraser

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Reid Boyd, Elizabeth, 1968- author. | Moncrieff-Boyd, Jessica, author.

Title: The secrets of mindful beauty: revolutionary techniques in anti-aging and self-care / Elizabeth Reid Boyd and Jessica Moncrieff-Boyd; photographs by Steve Fraser.

Description: New York: Skyhorse Publishing, [2017]

Identifiers: LCCN 2016050244| ISBN 9781510717695 (paperback) | ISBN 9781510717701 (ebook ISBN)

Subjects: LCSH: Beauty, PersonalPsychological aspects. | AgingPreventionPopular works. | Stress managementPopular works. | Self-esteem in women. | Self-care, HealthPopular works. | BISAC: HEALTH & FITNESS / Beauty & Grooming.

Classification: LCC RA776.98 .R45 2017 | DDC 646.7/2dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016050244

Cover design by Jane Sheppard

Cover photo: iStockphoto

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-1769-5

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-1770-1

Printed in China

Note to Readers

Mindful Beauty contains the ideas and opinions of the authors. It is intended to provide helpful information on the subjects addressed in the publication. It is not intended to provide or replace medical, health, or any other kind of psychological and complementary medical advice. Readers should consult their health care providers before adopting any of the suggestions in this book or drawing inferences from it. If you are experiencing mental health challenges, we encourage you to seek therapeutic support and care.

The authors and publishers specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.

Contents

PART 1

THE MINDFUL BEAUTY SECRET

Introduction: Discover Mindful Beauty

Open your mind to a beautiful new you. Make the mindful beauty connection.

If you think beauty comes from a jar, a salon, or a surgical procedure, think again. The best beauty treatment is in your own mind.

Mindfulness is a hugely popular concept today. You may know that mindfulness can create improvement in our minds and bodies. What you may not know is that mindfulness can also enhance our appearance as well as bring us peace of mind.

Mindful beauty is an exciting method of applying the practices of mindfulness to our overall health and well-being. The unique mindfulness techniques youll discover in this book offer a brand-new way to bring the benefits of mindfulness into beauty and self-care. Mindfulness can be used to reduce stress and enhance beauty, and in this easy-to-follow guidebook, youll find out how.

Mindful beauty is about reclaiming the practices of beauty and self-care and turning them into experiences that assist us to be present and accepting of ourselves, our bodies, our thoughts, and our feelings. Too many of our beauty routines are fraught with anxiety, self-criticism, stress, or even self-loathing. There is a way to look and feel better. The revolutionary mindful beauty treatments in this book have been specially created for a happier, more beautiful you.

Changing Our Minds About Beauty

Over the years, theres been a lot of trivialization of womens beauty and self-care. Many women experience embarrassment and shame about the time or money they spend on themselves because theyve been told or internalized the idea that its trivial or superficial. If were struggling with self-care, poor self-esteem, body distress, feelings of not being good enough, or even if were just tired or stressed out, the last thing we need to hear is that our worries arent important or worthwhile. Its time for women to have a more positive, compassionate attitude toward themselves.

Thats where mindfulness comes in. Mindfulness can decrease our self-consciousness so that we become less worried about what others think of what we say or do, or how we look. It silences the critical voice inside and facilitates the development of self-compassion. Mindfulness doesnt just ground us; it allows us to see things from a new perspective. By paying attention to ourselves in a new way, mindfulness allows us to perceive more than what is merely on the surface, to still the chatter in our minds, to look around and about, above and beyond, within and without. By going deep, we can rise above being called superficial, or better yet, bring new meaning to it.

Mindful beauty can bring about this change by providing powerful mindfulness methods and supportive self-care routines to balance our lifestyles and improve our overall well-being in a way that wont add more stress to our lives. These easy and effective techniques are uniquely designed to improve our appearance, but theyll also give a sense of empowered calm that we can carry with us wherever we goand we dont need to make room for it in our cosmetics bag. The treatments are presented in a format that can be easily integrated into any beauty routine.

Let mindful beauty take back the beauty in your life by reminding you of the beauty in each moment and how beautiful you really are.

Why We Need Mindful Beauty

Many of us want to break out of the trap of difficult thoughts and feelings about how we look, but we often dont know how. The problem is, stress and poor self-care can often make matters worse.

Did you know worry can give you wrinkles, insomnia can cause sagging skin, anxiety can increase reddening and skin rashes, and stress can result in acne and hair loss? Thats why its vital we reclaim beauty in a mindful way.

Every day millions of dollars are spent on cosmetic products and procedures, often with disappointing, dissatisfying, and sometimes distressing results. The good news is that the easy, cost-effective mindfulness techniques in this book can make a real difference.

Recent medical and psychological research shows that good mental health is a key to good physical health. How we think and feel affects how we look. Specific mental health challenges have particular impacts on different parts of our bodies, such as our skin and hair. Your total well-being also affects your appearance far more than you realize. If youre not balancing your life, it shows. Poor self-care behaviors can cause cumulative collateral damage.