The Power of Natural Sensory Skincare
EI SKIN’s creation of Natural Sensory Skincare explores clinically-proven skin formulations with naturally unique and all-immersive sensory experiences. Natural Sensory Skincare is an indulgent, all-immersive approach to skincare. Decadent textures, natural infusions and exquisite aromas encourage everyone to feel their most confident, authentic selves in such a crowded space. There is more of a push now more than ever to produce an anti-aging skincare routine that delivers exceptional, youthful results while also targeting skin concerns. Sensitivity. Hydration, Dark pigmentation, Acne Control and Dryness. We understand the desire for luxury wellness; skincare with delicious sensory elements for a full, captivating “me time” euphoric experience. We believe the multi-sensorial aspect of a skincare ritual is essential to achieve, all-encompassing anti-aging as well as positive overall health & wellbeing. Natural Sensory Skincare is holistic skincare, providing more than anti-aging benefits, such as mood enhancement, anti-anxiety, improved cognitive function and stress relief.
What is Sensory Skincare?
Ok, what exactly does Natural Sensory Skincare mean? Sensory skincare is treating the skin from a “whole” self-care beauty perspective, creating a multi-sensation, holistic experience. Basically, it’s not just about how your skincare delivers anti-aging results but it also about how it makes you feel. Sensory skincare incorporates your body, mind and soul for an authentic, all-embracing mindfulness experience for personal calm and inner peace.
Sensory Beauty is Self-Care
Your skincare routine ritual should provide you with the essential framework for finding contentment, spiritual calm and happiness regardless all of the hardships going on around you. When you don’t carefully establish a “me time” routine, it deeply affects skin’s health. Skin can become chronically inflamed and excessively dull & dry, can develop more wrinkles and breakdown of moisture barrier.
Routines create structure that free up space in the mind. Once they become second nature, we are free to utilize that energy in more productive and creative ways. The result? An outer glow that matches your inner flame. – Redoux
Brain Power!
Beauty confidence comes from feeling good about yourself… both inside and out. Your special skincare ritual plays a positive role on not just skin but your well-being, mood, brain, relationships and your life!
“Almost our entire understanding of the world is experienced through our senses.” –Martin Lindstrom
The texture and sensory properties of skincare have immense powers on how consumers experience a skincare product: how it feels, looks and smell, often before considering how it delivered results! Have you ever considered how touching and smelling something makes you feel? For example, menthol scents might make you feel clear-minded and invigorated. The color of your moisturizer might suggest a feeling: green is fresh & clean while pink might invoke playfulness. Velvety and silky textures generally evoke a pleasurable response, where a gritty or sticky finish generally does not.
Scents in Skincare
Have you ever found a particular scent immediately takes you back to a point in time in your life and you either have a positive or negative association, depending on the type of experience it was?
“Scents can have positive effects on mood, stress reduction, sleep enhancement, self-confidence and physical and cognitive performance,” according to Theresa Molnar, Sense of Smell Institute (research and education division of The Fragrance Foundation).
Although we aren’t offering miracles, scents in skincare can offer safe and effective strategies for managing symptoms of stress, depression and anxiety, all which have skyrocketed for many during this unprecedented time. Scents can even improve digestive and tolerance to pain. (1)
Delicious scents are not just reserved for body and bath products anymore. For example, one of our bestselling cream cleansers (especially since the pandemic began) is Peppermint Sea. Infused with stress-reducing peppermint, it provides a light, cooling cleanse to stimulate a refreshing feeling, so skin feels fresh and energized. Our Canadian Maple, an organic moisturizer, has a rich, buttery texture with the hint of sweet light maple allows a truly pampering experience for skin.
Our facial treatments use lush, juicy ingredients like Pomegranate, Pumpkin, Cherry, Mango, Banana, Pineapple, Avocado and Citrus (to name only a few!).
Examples of scents and their physiological effects:
Citrus (Orange/lemon/lime) – Refreshing, uplifting, eases stress and depression
Lavender -Enhances relaxation
Apples – Helps reduce anxiety symptoms, reduce headaches, uplifting
Chamomile – Comforts, improves mood and calmness
Peppermint – Elevates mood, Revitalizing, Freshness, Increased alertness
Pumpkin – Pleasure, Aphrodisiac
Ginger – Aids digestion
Citrus, plants, fresh cut grass and pine are some scents that research has shown to be linked with having a positive influence on someone’s mental state. (1)
Fragrances do more than stimulate memory and desire, they can also affect our behaviour in the present moment, triggering a physiological response. Many fragrances possess strong associative properties, and work easily to alter the mood, promoting increased alertness and positivity, or creating feelings of calm, tranquillity and relaxation.(2)
Texture
Skincare products’ texture is also responsible for triggering different emotional responses. A study conducted in Japan showed the connection between and textures of skincare creams and emotions. When using fragrance free & color free skincare, whether the cream was “soft” or “sticky” evoked different types of emotions.
The importance of Natural Sensory Skincare
Now that you know all of the benefits of sensory skincare, we can’t forget to discuss the elephant in the room – synthetic fragrance.
Synthetic fragrance is often used in skincare to mask unpleasant odours that occur with certain ingredient formulations. Also, as we have pointed out, we all enjoy using a product that has enjoyable scents. However, synthetic fragrance in skincare products have posed many concerns, such as inflammatory skincare problems, allergies and health risk. Synthetic fragrances are a mixture of artificial chemicals, such as phthalates and benzine, that contain numerous carcinogens and toxins.
Fragrances can cause irritation, allergic reactions, headaches, and even worse. “Stay away,” says Redondo Beach, CA dermatologist Annie Chiu, MD. “These can cause cancer, asthma, kidney damage, birth defects, nervous system disorders, allergic reactions, an
d so much more.” (8)
The ingredients that make up synthetic fragrance are not required to be labelled by law because product fragrances are considered company trade secrets… so companies can scoot under the radar. Read your labels! If you see “fragrance” “perfume” or “parfum” beware!
Sometimes Less is More
Although natural extracts tend to be gentler on skin than essential oils, some with ultra-sensitive skin might still need to use skincare that is completely “fragrance free.”
ELLA i SKiN fragrances composed with essential oils or extracts. We also have fragrance free products.
Full Disclosure of Natural Ingredients
ELLA I SKiN offers full disclosure on all skincare labels to show you we never use artificial scents. We extract natural ingredients, like citrus and plants, through steam distillation. You will not see “fragrance” on ELLA i SkiN labels – because all ingredients, including those that make the skincare smell amazing, is included.
Holistic Skincare
Taking time out of your busy life for your sensory beauty ritual is a beautiful way to provide a temporary disconnect from life’s stresses of reality. Skincare and skincare routines that pull from nature’s most decadent treasures to evoke warm & fuzzy feelings will provide you more than just anti-aging benefits but a holistic, experience that can improve your overall health and wellbeing.
Learn More about us.
Resources
- Smelling Is Feeling: Using Scent to Change Your Mood. Invisible Stories.
- The Power Of Scent – How Fragrances Can Affect Your Mood. TrueFitt&Hill.
- Stressed? Peppermint can help! Jodi Schulz, Michigan State University Extension
- 11 Scents That Can Do Wonders For Your Well-Being Lindsay Holmes.
- Research on Skin Care Linked to Emotions. Kao Confirms that Different Emotions are Evoked by Skin Care Products that Produce Different Textures During Application. Kao.
- The Subtle Connection Between Scent And Emotional Well-Being. Air-Scent.
- 15 Evidence-Based Aphrodisiac Scents to Improve Date Night. Fragrance X. Leanna Serras.
- Synthetic Fragrance In Skincare: Why You Should Avoid It. Mixed Makeup. ANNA FRYXELL
