Fun fact: “Self-care” isn’t a new term invented to sell more yoga mats.
Its origins go all the way back to Socrates, whose “care of the soul” philosophy made its way into the medical community as “self-care” and was used by physicians long before wellness juggernauts like Goop even existed.
But there’s a reason self-care feels new: In April 2020, Google recorded more searches for the term than ever before (#quarantine). We’re at peak self-care! Everyone’s talking about it, but somehow many still don’t know what it means. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines self-care as promoting and maintaining health, which extends to everything from nutrition to taking care of your hair and skin.
Ask yourself, “What do I need to feel healthy and balanced?” and that is what self-care is for you. The good news is that practicing self-care in any form is good for your mental health — and that is extremely good news for your hair, as stress is a top culprit of hair thinning.
Here are some hair, skin, and wellness rituals to make you feel cared for from the inside out.