What does Spring mean to you?

Congratulations, beauty! If you're reading this, you've made it through another Winter season.

This Spring, we begin by supporting nature's cycle of rebirth and renewal - planting seeds and celebrating the creation of new blossoms and life. 

In the same way, you can honor this same process within yourself by setting intentions, planting seeds of change, and observing how you can blossom into something beautiful and magnificent this year and beyond!

This article covers the season of Spring, from its significance and energetics to the profound impact it can have on your health and well-being.

By attuning yourself to the qualities of Spring, you can adopt daily self-care practices to feel more balanced and revitalized.

I will be covering my favorite Spring loving foods, herbs, and beauty & self-care rituals so that you can support yourself - inside and out!

Because as you may know, my motto is that “your skin is a reflection of your inner being.”

Spring energetics

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda, both traditional systems of medicine that have been practiced for millennia, Spring symbolizes detoxification - purging what's no longer needed, both in your internal (i.e. body) and external (i.e. home) environments.

The act of detoxification or purging is essential as it offers you a chance to clear out clutter so that you can start fresh and focus on new beginnings.

In Ayurveda, the primary dosha (i.e. elemental constitution) of Spring is Kapha, while in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the primary element of Spring is wood and its corresponding body organs are the liver and gallbladder.

Both TCM and Ayurveda encourage you to focus on the transition from Winter into Spring through acts of detoxifying, purging, shedding old habits or clutter; planting seeds, setting intentions, rebirth, renewal, new beginnings, and expansion.

Spring offers the perfect opportunity to purge so that you can reinvigorate your body, mind, and spirit.

If you step outside and look around your natural environment, you're likely to find it flourishing with activity - birds singing, bees pollinating, and flowers blossoming.

There's an energy of lightness and expansiveness and you can tap into this energy by setting intentions, finding inspiration, and pursuing new ideas and creative projects.

You can align with Spring's energy by moving forward and expanding, otherwise you might remain stuck.

The challenges you might encounter are qualities that lie in direct opposition to the energetics of Spring, including:

• Sluggishness
• Rigidity
• Heaviness
• Laziness
• Negativity
• Fatigue / brain fog

So how can you avoid these common pitfalls?

By getting yourself aligned with the energetics of Spring!

This includes:

• Filing your soulwith love and gratitude through beauty & self-care rituals
• Nourishing your body with nutrient dense, Spring loving herbs and foods
• Feeding your mind with positive thoughts and intentions

This Spring season, I invite you to watch and listen closely to both your internal environment (i.e. your body) as well as your external environment (i.e. your home, neighborhood, while exploring nature).

You may end up discovering what no longer serves your highest good so that it can be released or purged.

Or you may even find yourself reaffirming what’s working well in your life so you can continue your healthy habits.

These practices can ultimately help you get really clear on what you wish to cultivate so that you continue creating your vision with clear intention and purpose.

Spring holistic beauty goals

• Purge what's old or no longer needed
• Focus on new beginnings & expansion
• Plant seeds of change
• Look for inspiration
• Start new creative projects
• Collaborate with others
• Remain flexible & fluid
• Support natural detoxification

To support you in staying in balance this season, here are my favorite Spring holistic beauty practices categorized by skincare, foods, herbs, and lifestyle.

Detoxifying Beauty Rituals that cultivate gratitude

These skincare practices not only cleanse and refresh your skin, but promote detoxification which is crucial for achieving a glowing complexion!

1) Body Brushing

There's no better way to refresh your skin than to polish off dead skin cells and reveal fresh, glowing skin underneath — all by way of dry body brushing!

Body brushing is a modern day practice that’s based on the ancient technique of gliding a natural or synthetic bristle brush along the skin.

It’s been used for centuries in many cultures including Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and Greek self-care rituals.

The many benefits of body brushing include:

• Softer, smoother, brighter skin
• Fewer ingrown hairs
• Improved blood flow and circulation for greater vitality
• Removal of wastes & improved immune function via lymphatic drainage
• Increased energy

Interested in body brushing? Check out our comprehensive line of dry body brushes.

2) Botanical Salt Baths

You can hit the pause & reset button from your bathtub by detoxifying from the inside out!

Soaking in a mineral rich blend of botanical bath salts helps pull toxicants out of your body while gently exfoliating and deeply nourishing your skin.

Benefits of bathing with botanical based salts include:

• Tension relief from overworked muscles
• Enhanced blood flow & circulation
• Improved metabolism, including digestion
• A calmer and more relaxed state of mind & body

Free Flow Botanicals' Relax Soaking Salts is a mineral and botanical rich blend that includes magnesium sulfate (i.e. epsom salt), pink salts, sea salts, aloe vera leaf juice, chamomile flowers, rose petals, lavender flowers, and more!

Plus it's lightly scented with bergamot and lavender oils which refresh the skin while calming the mind, body, and spirit.

Learn more about Relax Soaking salts here.

3) Gua Sha Massage

Gua Sha is a massage technique with a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In ancient China, precious stones such as jade or bian were carved into slim tools for gua sha therapy.

Now, with the rising popularity of crystals, gua sha tools carved out of rose quartz, amethyst, clear quartz, and blue spot jasper gemstones are now available.

The benefits of a regular Gua Sha massage practice include:

• Brightens complexion
• Reduces puffiness and promotes detoxification via lymphatic drainage
• Firms and lifts the skin
• Smoothes out the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Reduces facial tension, including temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
• Provides relief from mild allergy symptoms, including sinus pressure

Want to learn more about Gua Sha facial massage technique?

Check out our guide and step by step video tutorial here.

Need help choosing the right Gua Sha tool for your needs?

View this guide to learn about different Gua Sha tool shapes & their recommended uses.

Ready to invest in your own massage tool?

Explore our collection of 100% genuine, grade A Gua Sha tools!

4) The Perfect Hair Accessory

Introducing our newest addition to the Free Flow Botanicals accessories line:

Absorbent hair caps and hair towels that are super soft and plush, making them the perfect bath or spa accessory!

 Benefits of using an absorbent hair cap / towel include:

• Absorbs water quickly and minimizes hair drying time
• Prevents water dripping from wet hair
• Minimizing frizz and breakage to your hair strands as they dry
• Keeps your hair out of the way so you can enjoy your favorite skincare and beauty rituals including facial cleansing, masking, bathing or applying makeup

Packs conveniently and is super lightweight, making it great for travel (i.e. out at a spa, beauty salon, retreat, hotel, gym, yoga studio, beach, pool, or hair salon)

Browse our new collection of hair accessories, available in different styles and colors!

Spring friendly foods & herbs

There's no better time to give your liver & gallbladder some extra lovin'!

Why? Because according to Traditional Chinese Medicine theories, your liver & gallbladder are your body's key organs of detoxification, and therefore need extra love and attention this Spring.

Fortunately, you can optimize their function by eating nutrient dense foods & herbs that support overall gut health.

Your skin is a great indicator of what’s going on inside your body - especially the health of your gut!

Because you aren't what you eat...

You are what you digest!

This means that your overall health greatly depends on how well your digestive system (i.e. gut) processes foods and allow for nutrients can be absorbed

In other words, by improving the health of your gut, you can also improve your skin, immune function, mood, energy levels, and more!

1) Nutrient Dense Foods

Eating seasonally and consuming organic, whole foods can do wonders for your health, mood, and skin.

Here are my favorite skin loving foods for this time of year:

• Bitter greens (endive, dandelion), artichoke, arugula, asparagus, garlic, green beans, lemon, peas, radish, romaine lettuce, spinach, sprouts, strawberries, sugar snap peas

2) Herbal Remedies

Mineral rich herbal infusions

Herbs are a great way to support nutritional balance, not only during the Spring season, but all year round.

Mineral rich herbal infusions, made with medicinal herbs like dandelion leaf, alfalfa, nettle leaf, and oatstraw, offer great nourishment while gently supporting your organs of detoxification.

Learn more and get the recipe here.

Burdock root

One of the most liver loving herbs is burdock, specifically its root.

Burdock root is considered one of Mother Nature’s best blood purifiers, working to promote the flow of bile, and blood circulation to the skin.

Rich in inulin, a prebiotic fiber that supports gut health specifically in the colon, burdock root may cause bloating or gas when consumed raw – probably something you don't want to deal with, right?

Which is why eating pickled burdock root is a wonderful alternative – it's easy to prepare and makes a savory snack that your liver will love!

Want to learn how to make your own pickled burdock root?

Learn more and get the recipe here.

3) Daily Movement

To holistically support detoxification, a major theme this Spring, you'll want to encourage lymphatic drainage.

The lymphatic system is part of your immune system and contains lymph, a fluid that carries immune cells as well as metabolic wastes and byproducts of toxins we are exposed to daily.

It’s like our septic tank or body’s sewage system.

Unlike your circulatory system which has its own own pumping mechanism (ie. your heart), your lymphatic system lacks a pump.

Which is why movement, massage, and other practices are necessary in order to lymph to flow smoothly.

The benefit of these practices is that they not only encourage lymphatic drainage but can also boost blood flow and circulation which keeps your cells fed with fresh oxygen and nutrients!

Start small with daily walks, build up to enjoyable activities: cycling, running, yoga, softball, swimming, dancing for thirty minutes most days of the week.

Don’t forget to stretch regularly and be careful not to overdo it!

Final Thoughts

Paying close attention to your surroundings and simply observing what’s around you can bring a greater awareness of how to support yourself, your overall health & well-being.

The act of observing and reflecting can bring you closer and more in touch with your own inner rhythms, which can ultimately help you flourish!

With the Spring season, you can thrive simply by finding ways to detoxify, to purge and cleanse so that you can make room to invite in more creativity, inspiration, and expansion!

I invite you to take this opportunity to turn inwards and reflect while exploring any or all of the holistic beauty practices shared above.

With any of these practices, the goal is not to achieve perfection but rather to make progress - to learn, grow, expand so that you can expand, grow, and live your best life - by taking small steps each day.

It's my hope that this beautiful energy of the Spring season will help to facilitate this expansion for you!

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