I didn’t know anything about self-care when I was a teenager. Not only did I grow up eating junk food: In-N-Out every week, pizza, sodas at dinner, but I also wasn’t learning the best self-care, or skincare, habits from my parents (my mom thought sunscreen was a myth). But when I developed severe acne at 19, I started to realize that what I put in and on my body had such an impact.
That’s when I made the shift to start investing in myself, and I saw change pretty much immediately.
Now, I take my time every morning and night to treat my acne-prone skin. In the AM that means taking 15 to 20 minutes to use a jade roller to de-puff my face, to put on my serums, moisturizer, eye cream, the whole shebang. At night I’ll take a bit longer to do a mask.
I spend money almost every month on facials. I’ll either get a hydra-facial, which ranges from $200 to $300, or I’ll do a regular one which is closer to $150. Since wearing makeup is such a crucial part of my job, it’s worth it to me to fit one in each month to ensure my pores are nice and clean.
Fortunately I don’t have to restock my serums and moisturizers too often, but when I do I’ll splurge on a luxury cream from La Mer or a serum from iS Clinical. Everyone’s self-care is different, but I feel so relaxed and fresh when I stick to this routine.
Everyone’s self-care is different, but I feel so relaxed and fresh when I stick to this routine.
Because of my job and the fact that I’m always on camera [ed note: Gasparian boasts over 750,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel], feeling confident in my skin is so important to me. My smile is a huge part of that. I had an Invisalign treatment back when I was 22, but I didn’t keep up with wearing my retainers, so my teeth really shifted back.
Now that I’m older and really value putting time into a regimen, trying Invisalign again has been another way for me to put myself first. I want to show my teeth confidently, and all it takes is adding a few extra minutes to my routine to ensure I’m taking care of my smile like I am my skin.
And while this works for me personally, there’s no set dollar number you need to spend to feel great. Find the routine that suits you, even if it’s a small tweak like applying sunscreen everyday, or taking up yoga.
Of course making yourself the priority is never easy. Your work and your social life can get in the way of your needs. Sometimes I miss events or birthday parties because I’m so exhausted. You have to admit that you can’t do it all.
You have to admit that you can’t do it all.
If going out means you’ll be even more exhausted and grumpy the next day, it’s just not worth it. Stay home and relax. Make the right sacrifices so you can have a happy and productive tomorrow.
Presented in collaboration with theInvisalign® brand. Treatment times are up to 2x faster (thanks to weekly aligner changes vs. two-week wear) so you can truly invest in yourself, while getting back to what matters—your life.
As told to Alison Ives
