How A Psychologist Uses Beauty To Support Her Mental Health

Beauty can be a very useful tool to take care of your full well-being; just ask psychologist Chloe Carmichael, Ph.D. In this episode of Clean Beauty School, I chat with Carmichael about just how connected grooming habits and mental health are. She notes that, for example, neglecting hygiene routines like washing your hair can be a sign you're not feeling like yourself. On the other end, she says that as part of a well-rounded treatment, mental health practitioners will help the patients get back into their normal beauty practices, which can make a significant improvement in their mood and recovery. But of course, we also know that beauty standards and the pressure that comes with them can have pretty nasty effects on self-esteem and cause lifelong hang-ups. 

Beauty can be an incredible tool to help you feel more like your best self. But it's also very easy to slip into habits that aren't supporting you and are instead about changing yourself. 

"Personally, I think beauty rituals are a wonderful thing. And we don't need permission to explore, experiment, and enjoy whatever beauty trends we want," she says. "But we also have to be really mindful of asking ourselves, 'Is this really for me?' Or is this coming from a space of negativity where I feel like I have to 'fix myself' instead of enhancing or celebrating myself?"

We are inundated with images of celebrities who, apparently, don't age. Of course, we know they do—but given their access to dermatologists, estheticians, and Photoshop, it can feel like time stops moving for them and only them.

Instead of comparing yourself to people who have an advantage, find figures who are allowing themselves to age naturally and with power. These people can be those in your life, beauty icons, you name it. Just remind yourself that aging is powerful, and you're in control of your skin as you do it.