My natural beauty rituals for healthy skin, hair growth, and radiance

Herbs, roots, potions, tinctures, living wisdom that raised me. I remember my mother on her tiptoes, reaching deep into our cabinets, pulling out capsules and liquids steeped in earth knowledge. Dandelion, indigo, ginseng, bonnetset, cassia, yarrow and ginger, plantkin, who sat beside me at breakfast and dinner, whether I was unwell or full of life. Over time, I came to know them intimately, the ways they soothed, the way they spoke to my body, how they moved through me with love. And somewhere deep in me, a remembrance stirred. It wasn't our first meeting, but rather a reunion. An echo of something ancient, as if I belonged to them and they to me. As we danced together, they revealed their magic and I revealed mine. My body remembered what it needed, what mixed well, what could be transformed into potions of care. So I brought them with me into the privacy of my childhood bathroom. I'd unravel my hair, cleanse my skin, and tell them all the ways I longed to be nurtured. And they would listen. They'd give me permission to blend their strengths, to pour, to mix, to anoint, until something deep within me whispered, it's ready. I'd slather my skin with the sacred mixture, look into the mirror dripping in clays and crushed leaves, and think to myself, how beautiful I looked as one. These are the rituals I still return to. Sacred, herbal, and rooted in reverence. Come close and I'll show you each one. The moment I step into my bathroom with my plant potions in hand, my playlist on, I feel like I enter this whole new realm where my little sanctuary comes alive and my goddess energy unlocks. And I just feel so ready to beautify, to elevate, and slather myself in all of earth's goodness. And so I thought I would bring you into a very intimate part of my world where I share some of my natural beauty remedies that give me a radiant glow and keep my skin healthy and contribute to my hair health and growth as well. But I don't do these rituals every single day. I typically sprinkle them throughout the week or throughout the month. It really just depends on what my body is calling for, what it's tending to. And I also have so many rituals and remedies that I have to share with you guys. So this is just a little, a little bit scratching the surface. But these really form my everything beauty routine. And these are some of the rituals that I find myself coming back to time and time again that just make me feel like a goddess, goddess energy. Also, just a soft reminder that although these beauty remedies are very powerful and effective on their own, they do shine the most when I'm feeding my body proper nourishment and hydration because beauty really does begin from within. So I thought that was worth mentioning. I begin with the body awakening and grounding in my vessel. Most days I start with dry brushing, an Ayurvedic practice passed through time, meant to stir the lymph, awaken the blood, and invite the body to release. It's exfoliation, yes, but also a call to let go. My skin warms beneath the strokes. Each sweep preparing me to receive what's next. And then comes the clay. Iwaki, the mud that heals. A living memory of my indigenous ancestors. Then tonight, earth formed from volcanic ash. Alive with the power to draw out what no longer serves. I spread it across my skin like an offering, a remembrance. It purifies, it renews. We speak often of caring for our faces, but I like to remember the body needs love too. It carries the weight of our days, the imprint of joy, tension, grief, and stillness. This is my way of honoring the body. And after the water element rinses it all away, while my skin is still warm and damp, I adorn myself with oils that have traveled through time. Rosehip, the oil of renewal. Nourishing and evening skin that's weathered many seasons. Frankincense, the resin of ancient ceremony. Soothing the spirit, softening the skin, and sealing in protection. Each drop carries its own memory, its own light. I smooth them into my skin slowly, lovingly. And then I seal it all with butter from the tree of life. Shea butter, a woman's gold. A gift of moisture passed down through African tradition. Offering my skin shea butter feels like being wrapped in the ancestors' hands. Held, loved, remembered. And I soak it in with gratitude. For the stories this sweet plant carries, and the ones it helps me to remember. Wow, I really feel like a baby's bottom right now. But this whole process from dry brushing to oiling my body, it really feels like a coming home to self moment. And it also feels like an energy transfer because these plants hold so much energy. And when we commune with them and we use them, we're receiving all of that. And so I try to be mindful about where I source my clays, my butters, my oils from. And just knowing the hands in which it has moved through, knowing how it was grown is really important to me. And then while I use them, I try to remember my ancestors and think about the relationship that they had with these very same elements. How they used them, how they moved with them, what they understood about their power. And that really brings me more into the essence of the plant. And I feel like I can settle into a deeper reverence for them. Instead of just using them without honoring their life force. And I notice that my routines feel a lot more connected and a lot more grounded this way. It feels like I'm in a shared experience rather than kind of like a selfish experience where I'm bringing the spirit of the plant into the room rather than kind of ignoring its presence and its magic. Because right before me, I can really be with it and remember it and honor it in the moment. And so yeah, I feel like my self care routines just feel a lot more connected and I feel a lot more special because of that. Food for thought. Maybe open up your butters and your oils and say hello. Give your plant ken some love for all the love that they give to you. I carry the same mindfulness into my face rituals. Years of deep acne left more than just scars. They left lingering stories of shame. So now I tell new stories. With each step, I move and speak to my skin more lovingly. With understanding, with softness, and deep gratitude. Because our skin isn't meant to be perfect. It's meant to breathe, to glow from within, to protect us by speaking on our body's behalf. I like to begin by cleansing. And then I guide my hands or my gua sha across the places where tension hides. The jaw, the brow, the temples. A massage that is more than sculpting but releases what my face has been holding. It invites circulation. It soothes inflammation and slows me down. Really bringing me back to the present moment. And then I listen closely to what my skin is asking for. Some days it's the golden blend. Honey, turmeric, and rice. A union of Ayurvedic and Korean beauty wisdom. It soothes, softens, brightens, and gently exfoliates. My skin devours it like true earth medicine. This one is my personal favorite. Other days I turn to the banana peel mask. A treasure from Caribbean and Southeast Asian traditions. Rich in antioxidants and potassium. It hydrates and lifts the skin while gently fading old marks. It feels like a secret from the fruit bowl. Still alive with memory, old pathways, and tradition. After rinsing, I tone with one of my homemade waters. Each one a ritual in itself, steeped in intention and lineage. Rose and clove water. Inspired by North African and Nigerian beauty wisdom. Clove, the protector. Strong, sharp, full of warmth. It clears, heals, and watches over sensitive skin. Rose is cooling, calming, and hydrating. A flower adored through the passing of time. Worn by queens and prayed over by grandmothers. These two elements together are truly a powerhouse. Other days I'll use fermented rice water. A Korean beauty tradition simply made by letting rice sit in water overnight, or sometimes over a few days. It brightens, softens, and strengthens the skin's barrier over time. It's truly a tonic of patience. A slow brew of skincare. Now to my favorite pastime, hair care. There's something so intimate about tending to your crown. Each strand is so symbolic of where our stories, memory, and energy gather. I've always loved playing in my hair. Learning what it needs. Listening for what it responds to with joy. One of my most cherished rituals is my monthly henna treatment. A tradition rooted in North African and South Asian lineages. Henna strengthens your hair shaft, adds luster, supports growth, and helps reduce shedding. It's been a steady companion as I've been growing my hair out. And every time I rinse it away, my strands feel fortified from root to tip. After the henna, I nourish my scalp with a clove and rosemary spray. I steep the herbs in hot water, sometimes overnight, until the water is rich and fragrant. Throughout the week, I mist it directly onto my scalp, soothing my roots, bringing circulation, and clearing space for growth. Then to seal in moisture and feed my roots, I love massaging in argan oil infused with rosemary. Especially when my hair is tucked away in a protective style. This is the hair ritual I return to often. Each step helps me retain my length, strengthen my strands, and offer my hair the love it truly deserves. Hello, I am now in my hair styling t-shirt. Because when I style my hair, it just goes everywhere. From the walls, to the floor, sometimes the ceiling. It gets messy in here. And so this little outfit really is a catch all. But it's also my favorite t-shirt because there's something so special about an old worn t-shirt that just feels so cozy. And so I have this on every self-care day. This is literally a weekly outfit for me. But that's not why I'm here. I'm here because I wanted to show you this. So everyone who knows me knows that my eyebrow routine has been so sacred from the beginning of time. It's a non-negotiable. I take it very seriously. And this is what I use to keep them conditioned, nourished, and also growing. And it's just castor oil and a spoolie holder. And what I do is I don't use the spoolie directly on my eyebrow because it catches too much oil. But I'll just pull it out like this and dab it onto my finger. And then I just rub it into my eyebrow like so. Smooth it in. And then I use this extra spoolie that I have to just brush it into my brow. And this is a daily routine for me. Not new information, but definitely effective. Definitely important information to know for sure. So yeah, I hope this gives your eyebrows some love. I pluck my eyebrows at home and clean them up. So I know what it feels like to pluck one hair the wrong way and your entire eyebrow just goes awry. I feel like that happens to me on a weekly basis. But this grows back my eyebrow in like two to three days. So use consistently. It is really effective and really loving to your eyebrow. And yeah, I hope this helps. And last but not least, we arrive at oral care. I see the mouth as a gateway to our body, our breath, our truth, to the words we speak into the world. So it's important to tend to it with care. Every morning before I eat or speak, I oil pool with coconut oil for 10 to 20 minutes. This practice is rooted in ancient Ayurvedic tradition. It draws out toxins, whitens your teeth, supports your gum health, and freshens your mouth. Afterward, I spit it into the trash, never the sink, and then I tongue scrape. Another Ayurvedic ritual that clears residue from the tongue. It improves your digestion, refines your taste, and supports your body's detoxification. This is simply a ritual I cannot live without. And to top it off, I make a simple lip exfoliant. Just Celtic salt and Manuka honey. The salt is drawn from ancient seas. It's a mineral-rich offering that clears the old and dead skin without wounding the new. And the Manuka honey softens my lips, wrapping them in sweetness. It's antibacterial, healing, and deeply hydrating. What's left behind is soft, supple, and nourished lips. And I find that nothing more is needed. I think what makes a beauty routine so special is your intention behind it, and that it's guided by your own rhythm and your own design. And these are some of my go-to beauty rituals, but I know it can feel a little overwhelming with all of the potions and steps and concoctions. But I promise you, when you find your own intuitive movement, when you find the elements that you enjoy working with, it really does become such a sweet escape and almost like second nature. And again, this wisdom is not new, but it is so worth sharing and so worth remembering because I truly believe that when we share remedies, we're sharing stories. And those stories are what connect us back to ourselves and what connect us back to the earth and all of those who came before us. And so I am just so grateful to be able to share these remedies with you. Thank you for spending this sacred time with me. And I hope that they make you feel so ethereally beautiful because you are. I love you so much. I'm gonna go finish styling my hair. Bye.