The Role of Mindful Practice in Long-Term Skill Growth
Regular mindfulness practice is where you’ll begin to see improvement in your natural skincare formulations. If you practice with mindfulness, you will begin to see the difference that small changes have on the end product. I don’t mean that you simply go through the motions, I mean that you begin to really notice the sensation of each step of the process. Regular mindfulness practice in your formulations requires that you think about the texture, the smell, the way that it feels on your skin and notice what’s working and what isn’t and why. And it requires that you learn something new in each session.
Perhaps the best benefit of a mindful practice is that you will begin to understand what works for you and what feels “right”. The more you make things, the more you will learn about how certain oils absorb, the way emulsifiers perform, and how temperature affects stability. You will learn to predict rather than simply respond, and you will develop a sense of love for the act of creating rather than just the end result. The more you do this, the better you will get at intentionally making things.
Another important part of mindful practice is reflection. With each batch, it’s useful to take a few minutes to think about what worked and what didn’t, what you want to tweak for next time, and so on. It can be as straightforward as thinking about the consistency of the mixture, the absorption of the product, or the longevity of the fragrance. These thoughts help shape your next steps, as you move closer to a recipe that is more consistent and fine-tuned for your needs. Plus, reflection reminds us that everything is an evolution, not a revolution.
Consistency is another reason why mindful practice will help you in the long run. A big problem with practicing until perfection is that it can get frustrating at times. By focusing on consistent improvement, you’re more likely to continue on even when you don’t get the results you want because each time you try, you’re learning something new. The process of practicing becomes more of a game than a chore. This is the type of mindset that you need to cultivate for ongoing development and mastery.
Lastly, mindful practice helps you to develop a sense of accountability and stewardship over your work. Natural cosmetics are not just stuff, they are a practice. A mindful practice means you value ingredients, safety and the end user experience. It helps you develop a practice with a sense of purpose and quality. And as you advance, it’s the foundation from which you approach each new formulation, with more clarity, confidence and connection to the practice.
