Mindful Beauty

The benefits you get from luxuriating with masks, soaks, and other decadent rituals are much more than skin-deep.

- Didi Gluck

TAKING THE TIME to dote on yourself is more important than ever. According to the World Health Organization, the number one cause of ill health and disability globally is depression—a lot of which is caused by anxiety.

“The self-care and wellness movement—for lack of a better term—is a good way to counter that angst,” says Shel Pink, the founder of SpaRitual and the author of the new book Slow Beauty. “As the world speeds up, caring for your skin is a simple yet effective coping mechanism,” adds Lev Glazman, a co-founder of the beauty brand Fresh. But beauty regimens, which force us to slow down, do more than just help us tolerate our hectic lives. They’re good for our bodies and brains.

“Instinctively, we’re aware that slowing down is good,” says Whitney Bowe, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City and the author of The Beauty of Dirty Skin. “Just think about how you feel after a leisurely vacation: You sleep better, you digest better. Now science is proving that mellowing out and stopping emotional upheaval help lessen inflammation, which has a positive effect on our skin and overall health.” So please indulge. We’ve got the best new ways to make the most of your “me time.”

1 Foot soak and massage