What Is Slow Beauty? Here’s How You Can Hop On To This Fast-Growing Trend

Slow beauty is the ‘new’ clean beauty
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Explore in this Article

  1. Need for the slow movement
  2. What is slow beauty?
  3. Pillars of the slow beauty movement
  4. How to develop a slow beauty routine? 

Clean beauty lovers unite! The shift to cleaner, more gently made products that our skin loves, has really changed the way we perceive beauty.  

Talking about change, there’s a new trend in town that is definitely here to stay – the slow beauty movement. It focuses on slowing down, being mindful, choosing health, and making informed decisions.

girl applying face mask with a brush
Polina Kovaleva / Pexels

It is a more holistic approach towards beauty that takes into consideration our overall well-being. The movement is growing fast, with more and more people talking about the benefits of slow beauty.  

However, there’s still a lot of confusion around what slow beauty really means, its importance, and how to incorporate it into our beauty routines. In this article, let us find the answers to these questions. 

Need for the slow movement

bathtub with citrus and a hand holding a book
Taryn Elliott / Pexels

Completely opposite to the conventional beauty trends that may or may not work for our skin, slow beauty has become a much-needed approach for the current scenario – where the industry promises a great deal with their quick fixes, but these products are heavy on the pocket, with results that are extremely short-lived. 

Another problem, this movement addresses is – how wasteful the beauty industry has become. To give you an idea, according to National Geographic, for US-made products in the cosmetics industry, plastic packaging is now used 120 times more than it was in 1960. 

What makes the problem even worse is that 70% of plastic waste generated by the industry isn’t even recycled. Instead, it ends up in landfills, according to the EPA. Shocking, right? 

In easier words, most beauty products we use are mass-produced, following unethical practices. Such products are destined to end up in landfill due to their use-and-throw nature. 

Choosing sustainable beauty products and keeping zero-waste practices in mind is an important principle for the slow movement. This solves the waste problem associated with the slow beauty movement significantly.  

Thus, slow is the way to go… 

What is slow beauty?

Slow Beauty: Rituals and Recipes to Nourish the Body and Feed the Soul
Shel Pink / Amazon

Shel Pink, the author of the book ‘Slow Beauty: Rituals and Recipes to Nourish the Body and Feed the Soul’ tells Vogue – 

‘Slow beauty is a movement and a philosophy to help people develop a sustainable self-care practice grounded in nature, health and wellness which includes the use of multi-sensory products, tools and resources to support a joyful way of feeling and being in the world.’ 

Slow beauty is not just about looking good — it’s also about feeling good. It helps us to feel more connected to ourselves, others, nature, and the world around us. It’s a comprehensive approach towards our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.  

Slow beauty talks about taking time to do what we love and what makes us feel good. With the help of this approach, we should learn to embrace our imperfections and inner strength while eliminating the pressure to be perfect. 

It is about putting quality above quantity. We, at GoodGuilt, perceive slow beauty as – clean beauty meets slow living or mindfulness meets minimalism.

Pillars of the slow beauty movement

principles of the slow beauty movement
Goodguilt / Canva pro

Slow beauty promotes durable, planet-friendly products that actually work over disposable products that are unethically produced and only service landfills after a short while.  

The pillars of slow beauty stand on sustainable, ethically made products that are good for you and the planet. With its roots in Ayurveda, slow beauty idealizes healthy as beautiful.  

On this note, let us have a look at all the core principles of the slow beauty movement. 

1. Slow is sustainable

girl with a towel wrapped on her hair
Ron Lach / Pexels

Beauty doesn’t have to be fast and aggressive. It is about slowing down to appreciate the little things in life (like a good night’s sleep or a relaxing cup of tea after work) without feeling guilty. This is one of the many reasons we love slow beauty so much.  

It’s about a beauty routine that you look forward to over an expensive 10- or 12-step skincare routine that only adds more worries to your day.  

Knowing what your skin loves is the key to having a beauty routine that will actually work for you. Slow beauty is also about consistency and simplicity.  

For example, taking care of yourself on a daily basis. It’s as simple as washing your face with cold water, avoiding processed foods, and going at a balanced pace with exercise. Easy, isn’t it? 

However, it’s not one size fits all. It’s up to each of us to find what’s right and also, what really works – for you! 

2. Healthy is beautiful

girl meditating in nature
Felipe Borges / Pexels

Health over perfection, there we said it. There’s nothing more beautiful than having a healthy mind and body. Slow beauty focuses on overall health and the process of achieving it instead of chasing perfection. 

The current beauty industry is obsessed with short-term solutions that give instant results (and cost a handful!). In contrast, a slow beauty routine promotes the idea that ‘healthy is beautiful’ or ‘beauty comes from within.’  

In other words, if your body is relaxed, it will reflect on your skin. Eating right, staying hydrated, sleeping well, minimal skincare, and taking breaks, when necessary, all these habits contribute to a healthy you. 

Find beauty habits and routines that make you feel happy. Create your own beauty care rituals that promote health and wellness over excessive use of products that promise flawless skin.  

If you feel good on the inside, your skin will also reflect it on the outside. 

Related Article: 10 Ways To Practice Self Care, Sustainably

3. Conscious consumption over quick fixes

conscious choices over quick fixes
sparitualist / Instagram

There’s an abundance of fast beauty products in the industry today, that promise instant results. These products don’t really eliminate the root causes of our (beauty) problems. Hence, they are not the best options for our bodies and skin. 

Some ingredients like artificial fragrances, parabens, and phthalate used in such beauty products can cause allergies, discoloration, and even permanent damage in some cases. Moreover, they are wasteful, contaminating landfills and oceans. 

Making informed decisions is necessary when deciding what goes into our bodies and onto our skin. This includes knowing the chemicals that go into our personal care products and makeup.  

Paying attention to how our choices impact the environment, both locally and globally is one way to practice a slow routine. Instead of adding to the landfill waste, opt for (sustainable) products made keeping the zero-waste approach to reduce, reuse, and recycle in mind. 

The best kind of products to add to a slow self-care routine should be free of harsh chemicals and made with planet-friendly ingredients. Such skin-loving products work on the root cause of the concerns, instead of just the visible symptoms. 

Our favorite and some of the most trusted slow beauty brands include – 

4. Choosing ethical is the key

a girl working in a mining site
tdh_de / Instagram

Did you know 30% of world’s Mica (a commonly used ingredient in makeup), is made with forced child labor? Shocking, right? 

Rethinking how we consume and how are these beauty products made is another important factor for slow beauty lovers. Well-being of everyone should be ensured, including people who are involved in the production process of our beauty or personal care products. It is something we should all be striving for as consumers. 

Slow beauty products are made with care and attention to detail, rather than being mass-produced cheaply by companies who use unethical practices. 

Fair trade practices and ethical manufacturing standards protect workers, and their families. The slow movement aims to provide a voice for these people. It seeks to support them by paying fair wages, providing safe working conditions and being respectful of their culture. 

Similarly, certifications like cruelty-free and Ecocert ensure that the products were not tested on animals and the ingredients are grown organically, respecting biodiversity.  

Related Article: Mica In Makeup: Is It Good Or Bad? 

5. A holistic approach from Ayurveda

Ayurveda
Pixelshot / Canva Pro

Slow beauty is a holistic approach, just like the one we find in the Ayurveda. It seeks to nourish and restore the body, mind, and spirit through slow movement. It is a gradual process and not an instantaneous one. 

The idea of slow beauty emphasizes wellness, balance, and health. It considers our environment and our relationships with others. It also encourages us to take time for ourselves to rejuvenate and recharge. 

Ayurveda teaches us that everything in nature has its own purpose, including all living beings. We are not separate from nature; rather, we are part of it.  

This means that when we take care of ourselves and our bodies properly, we are also taking care of the environment around us and making our world a better place for generations to come. 

How to develop a slow beauty routine? 

how to develop a slow beauty routine
Goodguilt / Canva Pro

If you, too, are looking to shift to a slow beauty regime, we have good news – It’s not at all difficult.  

Here’re our top tips to make the switch – 

  • First, take it slow. We know this sounds obvious but it’s just as important. Instead of making multiple changes at a time, start by making only one or two basic and simple ones. It will become easy to keep up with and you will enjoy the process, which is truly necessary to have a successful slow beauty routine.
  • Choose products that suit your needs. This will be different for everyone but if you’re unsure of what products might be right for your skin type, head over to our beauty & wellness section where we go through different product categories and explain each one in detail. You will find out what works well for dry skin, oily skin, and sensitive skin types, so there is something for everyone! 
girl reading the slow beauty journal in bed
sparitualist / instagram

  • Invest in hybrid products that have multiple benefits instead of the ones focusing on a single function or concern. For example, you can choose makeup with skincare benefits like foundations with SPF to shield skin from harmful UV rays; or a primer with hyaluronic acid to soothe dry skin. Find a combination that works best for your skin type.  
  • Slow down when it comes to the shopping spree. Before buying new, read the label, look for ingredients that have worked for you in the past. Go for refillable options instead of disposable or recyclable ones. Homework aka your research always helps! Learn from verified sources that support the slow movement.
  • Make sure that the production practices are fair and ethical. You will most likely find this information on the brand’s official website. (Beware of greenwashing though!) Look for certifications like Fair Trade, Ecocert, Cruelty-free, etc.

Final takeaway

The beauty industry is incredibly fast-paced — new products are launched every day, and these products are often marketed as having the ability to perform miracles in just seconds. 

This can be hugely beneficial for people who want quick results (who doesn’t?) but these results do come with an expiry date.  

And yes, it can feel overwhelming. But prioritizing health and taking your time to figure things out instead of rushing headlong into them, is the key. Slow beauty says it just right:  

You’re only as healthy as the state of mind you are in, after all.  

Oh, and yes! If you already made this far, then you are probably ready to begin your slow beauty journey. Here is something to get you started – 10 Clean Ingredients You Should Look For In Your Cosmetics 

We hope you love the products we recommend! All products featured on GoodGuilt are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn a commission on the sale. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of the time of publication.

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