Whether you’re suffering from anxiety or depression or want to find ways to feel more positive about life when practicing self-care is a beautiful way to care for yourself. This blog post will look at ten self-care ideas to help you feel happy and relaxed and improve overall wellbeing. Let’s get started!
Stress is an inevitable part of modern life. From juggling work, family, and life’s daily responsibilities to dealing with financial worries and health issues, stress is an unavoidable part of life. But you don’t have to let your stress get the best of you.
10 Self Care Activities to Help You De-Stress and Recharge Your Batteries
Stress can be draining and overwhelming, but it’s important to remember that you can take charge of your mental wellbeing when you practice self-care. Here are the top 10 free ways to help you eliminate stress.
1. Reduce Worrying
There are multiple benefits to reducing worrying. One of the most significant benefits is that it can help you focus on the tasks. As a result, you’re more productive and can quickly complete tasks when focused. However, worrying can also lead to negative emotions like anxiety and stress, which can interfere with your ability to think clearly.
Coping with worry can also help you alleviate stress and anxiety and make you feel better. When you’re stressed, you tend to avoid situations that provoke anxiety. But by facing your worries head-on, you can learn to manage and reduce them. Plus, worrying can lead to harmful habits like eating unhealthy foods or smoking. By changing your thinking, you can combat these negative behaviours.
Reducing worrying can also have a positive impact on your mood. When you’re in a good mood, dealing with difficult situations is more accessible. Your mood is also contagious, so if you’re in a good mood, your friends and family will also be in a good mood
2. Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is a type of meditation that involves focusing on your breath and letting go of any thoughts that come into your head. Many people find that using essential oils during meditation has many benefits. Organic essential oils can be diffused in the air or used directly on the skin. When diffused, they can help you to focus and promote relaxation. When applied to the skin, they can help to soothe and calm the nerves. Some benefits of using essential oils during meditation include increased focus, reduced anxiety, and improved sleep. Before diffusing or using any oils, always consult a therapist.
3. Deep Breathing
Deep breathing is an essential self care ideas. When you breathe, you are taking in large amounts of oxygen. This improves your overall health since deep breathing can help to improve your respiratory system, heart, and brain.
Deep breathing also helps to relieve stress and anxiety. When stressed, your body releases cortisol, which can cause several problems. Deep breathing can help to reduce the amount of cortisol that is released, which in turn can help to reduce the amount of stress that you experience.
4. Exercise
Exercise has many benefits for your health. It can help improve your mood, cognitive function, heart health, and more. There are many types of training, and the most important thing is to find one that is comfortable for you. Exercise has been linked with a decreased risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and more. It can also help you lose weight, maintain weight, and improve overall health. Exercise can also reduce stress and improve your sleep quality. It’s essential to find a routine that you enjoy and stick to it. It will only be as effective if you want your exercise.
5. Eating Mindfully
Eating mindfully is a practice that helps us eat in a satisfying, healthy, and enjoyable way. When you eat mindfully, you are paying attention to the food you are eating and the emotions that are associated with it. Eating mindfully significantly reduces the number of calories that you consume. When you eat mindfully, you are more likely to choose healthy foods full of flavor. You are also more likely to avoid processed foods and unhealthy snacks. Mindful eating can also help you lose weight.
Eating mindfully can also improve your mood. Eating mindfully makes you more likely to feel satisfied and content. You’re also more likely to lose weight because you eat fewer calories. In addition, eating mindfully can reduce stress levels.
6. Listening to Music
There are many benefits to listening to Music. Music has positively affected our emotions, cognitive function, and physical health. Here are just a few of the benefits of listening to Music:
a. Music can reduce stress and anxiety.
b. Music has been shown to improve our moods and make us feel happier.
c. Music has been shown to improve our memory and cognitive function.
d. Music has been shown to improve our focus and concentration.
e. Music has been shown to improve our creativity and productivity.
7. Getting Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential for your physical and mental health. It helps you stay alert and focused during the day, restores energy and revitalizes your body. Unfortunately, a lack of sleep can lead to several health problems, such as obesity and heart disease.
The average person needs at least seven hours of sleep per night. You may suffer from sleep deprivation if you’re getting less than that. You can measure how well you’re sleeping by taking a sleep survey. There are also several sleep apps that you can use to track your sleep and ensure that you’re getting the rest that you need.
8. Staying Calm
It can be challenging to remain calm in an emergency. However, by training yourself to stay calm in difficult situations, you can improve your chances of escaping unscathed. The first step is to recognize when you’re beginning to get overwhelmed. Then, take a few deep breaths to calm down. You can also use essential oils for relaxation.
Once you’re more relaxed, think about what you need to do to stay safe.
Some things to keep in mind when staying calm during an emergency are to remain aware of your surroundings, keep your voice low, and avoid making noise. When dealing with an emergency, staying calm and planning are essential.
9. Taking A Vacation
Taking a vacation can have a lot of benefits for your mental and physical health. The mental benefits of a break include a decrease in stress, an increase in creativity, and a decrease in anxiety. The physical benefits of vacation include an increase in endorphins, blood flow, and a reduction in heart rate.
10. Being Grateful
Gratitude is a powerful state of mind that has been shown to increase happiness, positive outlook, and resilience in the face of stress. In addition, being grateful has been linked to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, reduced risk of heart disease, and even longer life.
Being grateful also has a ripple effect. When you are thankful, you are more likely to share your blessings with others. You are more likely to be helpful, supportive, and understanding. You are more likely to find joy in your life and to be more compassionate.
Gratitude makes us happier because it reduces stress. When stressed, our brains release cortisol, which negatively affects our mood and leads to cravings for unhealthy foods. Gratitude is a powerful antidote to cortisol.
So, if you want to be happier, be more grateful. It’s that simple.
Conclusion
We live in a busy world. Sometimes, we need something to enjoy ourselves, a way to relax, and something that will help us find peace. Self-care activities can be that help. Whether spending time in nature, reading a book, or finding a hobby, self-care activities can allow us to enjoy our lives. And self-care doesn’t have to mean a spa day or a weekend away. Self-care can be as simple as taking some time for ourselves. This article has helped you think about which self-care activities you enjoy and which can help you feel more positive about life. Tell me in the comments which type of self-care activity you decided on and how it’s working out for you!
You partied and drank too much the night before and perhaps the one before that. Today, you have a business meeting or brunch with the in-laws. Although you…
A best nighttime skincare routine is an essential part of any beauty regimen. A good skincare routine can help you maintain healthy, glowing skin for years. A night skincare routine is vital as it helps to cleanse, repair and nourish your skin while you sleep. In this article, we’ll look at the best way to care for your skin at night to achieve beautiful and healthy skin cells.
What’s the best skin care routine at night for healthy skin?
The best skincare routine at night depends on your skin type and needs. If you have dry, acne-prone skin or sensitive skin, you’ll want to follow a way that includes cleansers, toners, moisturizers, and sleep deprivation masks. For oily or combination skin concerns, you’ll want to add mattifying products and the best nighttime routine for every skin type like face wash and lotion. Finally, use the right ingredients in each product to ensure healthy skin at night.
How to Use the Right Skin Care Products.
Ingredients are essential when it comes to a good skin-care routine at night. Ensure all your skincare products contain natural ingredients like shea butter and olive oil which will help keep your skin healthy and hydrated throughout the night. Additionally, choose effective ingredients that won’t cause irritation or sensitivity in your delicate skin.
How to Keep Your Skin Healthy at Night.
One of the most important things you can do for healthy skin at night is to follow a routine that includes plenty of sleep, including six hours per day spent in bed. This way, you’ll be able to disengage from electronic screens early in the evening and get quality rest without being disturbed by loud noises or commitments outside your bedroom.
How to Make sure You Get the Best Skin Care Routine at Night
Start your day with a good skin routine by following the advice in this section. Make sure you get enough sleep and use the right skincare serum and sunscreen daily. Following these simple steps will help maintain healthy skin while on vacation.
Get enough sleep.
One of the most important things you can do to improve your skin during vacation is to get enough sleep. A lack of sleep can lead to dryness, redness, and other issues with your skin. So, get at least 7 hours of sleep each night to ensure the best results.
Moisturize your skin
Moisturizing your skin every night can help it look younger and more radiant. When you moisturize your skin each night, it helps to keep the dead skin cells healthy and replenished. This helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots.
You can use only a few products to get the desired results; a moisturizer will do the trick. Apply moisturizer to your neck, chest, and face at night. You can also apply moisturizer before you get out of the shower. Just use it evenly and avoid getting it in your eyes.
Use the Right Skincare Products.
To keep your skin looking its best during vacation, it’s essential to use the correct skincare products each time you use them. Choose products that are gentle on your skin and won’t irritate it too much; these products should also be affordable if you plan on using them frequently throughout the weeklong trip. Try to stick with brands that have been certified organic or have been chosen for their environmental impact – these companies tend to be more sustainable in their product choices than some others out there.
Use organic beauty oils.
Organic beauty oils are an effective and natural way to nourish, protect, and heal your skin. With these powerful ingredients, you can easily switch up your effective nighttime skincare routine with many organic oil options.
Not only do these organic oils provide a chemical-free alternative to traditional beauty products, but they also offer numerous benefits for both dry and oily skin types. From being gentle on sensitive skin to provide antioxidant protection against sun damage and free radicals, organic beauty oils have been shown to effectively combat signs of aging and inflammation while leaving your skin soft, smooth, and hydrated.
Whether you choose rosehip oil for its anti-aging benefits or jojoba oil for its hydrating properties – incorporating one or more of these natural ingredients into your nighttime skin care routine that works best to help you achieve glowing results without harsh chemicals or irritants.
As one of the few oils derived from a fruit, rosehip oil is instantly recognizable by its sweet and slightly musky scent. This oil, extracted from the rose hip fruit (or rosehip), has a natural SPF of approximately 20 with an antioxidant score of over 50. This means that it is a very effective antioxidant and can help to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun, including wrinkles, discolouration, and sagging.
The rosehip seed oil also contains essential fatty acids (EFAs) necessary for maintaining healthy skin. These include oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids. The benefits of these fatty acids can moisturize the skin, increase elasticity in ageing skin, prevent scarring and improve the healing of wounds. Rosehip seed oil is also a good source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), an important antioxidant that can help protect your skin from the damaging effects of free radicals.
Argan oil is a natural oil derived from the kernels of the argan tree, native to Morocco. It has been a beauty treatment for centuries and is known for its anti-ageing and skin-healing properties. In addition, Argan oil contains beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants that can help restore moisture and reduce inflammation in the skin. It may also help protect against environmental stressors such as sun damage, pollution, and windburn.
Rich in vitamin E, linoleic acid, oleic acid, and other essential nutrients, Argan oil helps your skin to reduce wrinkles by boosting collagen production in the skin. It can also improve elasticity and minimize symptoms of acne or psoriasis by balancing out excess sebum production in oily areas of the face or body.
Tips How To Maintain Skin Care Routine at Night for Healthy Skin
When trying to achieve healthy and glowing skin at night, using the right skincare products is essential. This includes selecting products that are effective at keeping skin hydrated and looking radiant without over-the-counter chemicals or artificial colours. To help keep your skin looking its best at night, follow these tips:
Wash your face: Having a good skincare routine is essential for keeping your skin looking healthy and vibrant. It’s important to cleanse your skin every night., washing your face helps remove dirt, oil, and other impurities that can build up on the skin throughout the day. It also helps to prevent breakouts and keep your skin looking fresh. Not only that, but it can help you relax before bedtime and get a better night’s sleep.
Get enough sleep: Sleep is essential for keeping your skin healthy and radiant during the day. Be sure toppers such as caffeine or alcohol don’t interfere with a good night’s sleep.
Use a face mask: Taking care of your skin is essential to maintaining a healthy and youthful appearance. Moisturizing the skin helps to keep it nourished and hydrated, which can help combat signs of ageing. A moisturizing face mask is an effective way to nurture and hydrate your skin deeply. Not only does a face mask provide intense hydration, but it also locks in moisture for long-term effects. You can use many different types of masks depending on your skin type. For example, a moisturizing face mask is the best option for you if you have dry skin. These masks tend to be more hydrating and nourishing than other masks.
Put eye cream: Good skincare routine is essential for a healthy and glowing complexion. Eye cream is one of the most critical steps in any skincare regimen, yet many people need to use it correctly. To ensure that you get the best out of your eye cream, it is essential to know the best time to apply it. In this article, we will discuss why putting on eye cream during the night is beneficial and how it can help reduce signs of ageing around the eyes.
Apply night cream: As part of your daily skincare routine, it is essential for maintaining healthy, glowing skin. Not only does it help lock in moisture overnight, but it can also target specific needs such as dryness, clogged pores, and uneven texture. Night creams are designed to be thicker and more nourishing than day creams to help tackle the signs of ageing that come with time. In addition, they can transform dull skin into a more radiant complexion when applied correctly.
A moisturizing face mask is a product applied to the skin and left on for a certain amount of time. Once it has been removed, your skin will be left looking refreshed and hydrated. Moisturizing Face Mask Ingredients many different ingredients in moisturizing face masks, including Aloe Vera: This ingredient has been used for centuries as a skin treatment. It is known to be highly soothing and moisturizing while also providing anti-inflammatory benefits. It is also known to reduce skin inflammation, redness, and irritation.
This ingredient has been used for centuries as a skin treatment. It is known to be highly soothing and moisturizing while also providing anti-inflammatory benefits. It is also known to reduce skin inflammation, redness, and irritation.
Conclusion
By following a healthy and glowy skin routine at night, you can ensure that your skin is healthy and looking great all night long. Stay asleep and avoid too much exposure to the sun during the day – this will help keep your skin looking its best!
When it comes to establishing good skincare habits, it’s all about routine.
Nothing quite says natural beauty like bright, clear skin. While genetics often play a role, especially when it comes to different skin types and concerns, it’s certainly possible to improve the condition of your skin with a solid daily routine. Finding the right combination of products can take some trial and error, and the way you choose to care for your skin needs to fit into your schedule and lifestyle — read on for our top tips and general guidelines to help you build a regime that works for you.
1. CLEANSE THOROUGHLY
The simple act of washing your face should be the first step in your daily routine. Be sure to cleanse thoroughly to remove impurities, dead cells and any makeup or sunscreen that may be stuck to your skin. Ideally, you should cleanse your face in the morning and evening — this will help keep your skin looking and feeling radiant and prevent your pores from becoming blocked with dirt.
To keep your skin bright and clean, it’s best to remove your makeup before you begin the cleansing process. Then, use a gentle cleanser and lukewarm water, as extreme temperatures could irritate. Gently rub your fingers in an upward direction — this will help to boost circulation – and don’t forget your neck and jawline, as these areas are also susceptible to the build-up of dirt. When you’re done, gently pat dry your skin – leaving your face wet can contribute to dryness.
When choosing cleansing products, consider your skin type – concerns like dryness, excess oil and acne can all be addressed with the right combination of ingredients. Oily skin, for example, is best suited to a foaming liquid cleanser formulated to break down dirt and oil in the pores, while dry and red skin usually benefits from a cream wash with hydrating properties. You might consider a lightweight oil cleanser if you have particularly sensitive skin, while mature skin usually does well with a nourishing melting balm.
Esse Refining Cleanser This luxurious cleanser is a clay-based product that lightly foams, exfoliates and detoxifies. Bentonite clay acts as a superfine exfoliator while drawing out toxins. 100ml | R375
Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser This brightening and conditioning cleanser renews dull and uneven skin tones. It helps remove build-up caused by environmental factors. 295ml | R999
Exuviance Total Correct Wash This cleanser is creamy in texture, soap-free and leaves the skin clear and smooth. Suitable for non-sensitive skin, prematurely aged or mature, sun-damaged skin. 125ml | R730
2. TARGET SPECIFIC ISSUES | SERUMS + OILS
One of the best things you can do when building a healthy skincare routine is to incorporate active ingredients that protect your skin from day-to-day damage. You’ll find these ingredients in serums, which can address specific concerns, like fine lines, pigmentation and redness, or can simply be used to keep the effects of environmental damage at bay. Look out for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which keeps the skin strong; retinol and peptides, which keep the skin firm and elastic; and colloidal sulfur, which reduces inflammation. To apply your serum, use your fingertips and gently smooth the product over your face and neck. Don’t rub too hard — simply allow the product to absorb into the skin.
If you’re looking for a concentrated targeting treatment, another great option is an oil. Oils help to protect the skin’s moisture barrier and can be used to address specific concerns, depending on the type you choose. Simply apply a few drops to your face and gently pat it onto your face and neck. If you have specific areas you would like to target, you can concentrate your application on these places.
Endocare Expert Drops Hydrating Protocol A day treatment with an exclusive formula with Hyaluronic Acid that provides long-lasting hydration.
And a night treatment formulated with retinol and synergy of key ingredients constitutes a double chemical and enzymatic peeling that promotes cell renewal. R735.37
Lancôme’s Advanced Génifique Serum Formulated with Bifidus Prebiotic, Hyaluronic Acid, and Vitamin C, Advanced GénifiqueSerum accelerates the skin surface barrier recovery for stronger skin in one drop. A strong skin barrier helps to lock in hydration and defend against external aggressors, including pollution and cold and dry weather. 75ml | R1 780
Gatineau Collagene Expert Hydra Essence A collagen-boosting essence for advanced hydration to plump & balance the skin whilst smoothing fine lines & reviving a youthful-looking complexion. 120ml | R1 240
3. DON’T FORGET YOUR EYES | EYE CREAM
The skin around the eyes – which tends to be very thin – is often vulnerable to issues like fine lines, puffiness, hyperpigmentation and dark circles. In fact, this area of skin is particularly prone to dryness because it loses water much faster than other parts of the face. Because it is so delicate, it’s a good idea to give this area extra attention daily. If you struggle with inflammation, choose soothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides. Dark circles can be reduced with vitamin C, niacinamide and kojic acid, all of which work to brighten the skin. Be sure to avoid fragranced products, which can cause stinging and irritation.
To apply your eye cream, place a small amount onto the back of your hand and then dip your finger into the cream to make a semi-circle of dots in the target area. Begin below the inner part of your eyebrow, and move sideways and up along the bone that encircles your eye. Gently pat the cream onto your skin as you go, and ensure that you don’t rub it in, as this could irritate the skin and eyes.
PRAI Ageless Eye D-Crease This supercharged creme, powered by Matrixyl®, peptides, and precious oils, fights every key visible sign of ageing: wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness, and dryness. 15ml | R1 150
Sothys Eyelid Lifting Serum This serum, inspired by dermo-aesthetic techniques, smooths the lids leaving them defined and radiant with youth. 15ml | R995
Esse Eye Contour Cream Targets main concerns around the eye area including crow’s feet, dark circles and puffiness. 15ml | R1 430
4. MOISTURISE
It’s no secret that regular moisturising is key to keeping the skin in tip-top shape. But the specific product you choose will depend on your skin type and any concerns you have. Lightweight gels are usually a good option for oily skin, while classic lotions are good for normal and combination skin. Dry skin benefits from a formula that is especially nourishing — oil-based creams are an excellent choice. A moisturising balm will serve you well if you have very dry, sensitive or inflamed skin.
A small, pea-sized amount of moisturiser is usually enough to use each time. Apply the product to your face and neck with your fingertips, rubbing gently in circular motions.
Lancôme Advanced Génifique Night Cream This moisturising night cream soothes the skin, repairs the skin barrier, seals in moisture, and repairs the skin barrier to achieve visibly younger skin. 50ml | R1 260
PRAI Ageless Throat & Decolletage Crème A rich, luxurious creme featuring the unique Sepilift technology and Hyaluronic Acid to dramatically lift and tighten sagging skin and diminish fine lines and crepiness. 50ml | R960
Esse Ultra Moisturiser This moisturise is super rich and nourishing for dry skin. Grape Seek Extract acts as a potent antioxidant. 50ml | R765
5. PREVENT SUN DAMAGE | SUN CARE
The importance of daily sun protection simply cannot be overstated. Even if you spend most of your day indoors, it’s advisable that you apply an SPF of at least 30. Many day creams multitask as sunscreens, which makes it easy to make sun protection part of your regime.
If you’re baffled when it comes to choosing a sunscreen, bear in mind that most formulas contain chemical ingredients, which are absorbed into the skin and provide protection from the effects of ultraviolet light; and physical ingredients that remain on the surface of the skin and prevent damage from UV rays. Ideally, it’s best to opt for a formula containing a combination of these ingredients — this will help protect your skin from UVA and UVB damage.
Heliocare 360º Age Active Fluid SPF 50 The complex features a trio of hydrators to help plump the skin and smooth lines, while an additional ‘soft focus’ complex helps diffuse light, reducing the appearance of fine lines. R612.38
Litchi & Titch Vitamin-Rich Face Cream + SPF 20 This SPF is a lightweight lotion that seals in moisture to last the entire day. It can be used as a daily moisturiser. Vegan. R380
Lamelle Helase Urban Defence 30 Lamelle Helase Urban Defence 30 is a multi-functional broad-spectrum photo-protector that helps reduce the impact of urban pollution. R550
6. TRY AN OCCASIONAL EXFOLIATOR OR MASK
While it’s not necessary to use exfoliators and face masks every day — every two weeks or so is sufficient — these products can give your skin the boost it needs from time to time. Masks are formulated to address specific concerns and work by trapping ingredients and moisture in the skin. This, in turn, creates a film that moisturises or exfoliates the skin, depending on the ingredients, and allows an intensive dose of ingredients to enter the skin quickly. Although there is no substitute for proper skincare, these products can complement your regime and contribute to healthier-looking skin.
When it comes to exfoliating, there are two options — mechanical exfoliation involves the use of a brush or scrub to remove dead skin cells, while chemical exfoliation uses chemicals to dissolve skin cells. Whichever method you prefer, ensure you are gentle with your skin. Apply the product in small, circular movements for about 30 seconds before rinsing off with lukewarm water. Using a sponge or brush, use light strokes and moisturise afterwards to keep your skin hydrated.
AQ Moisturising Mask This intensive hydro-gel mask increases cell and blood vessel production and collagen and elastin production for a youthful complexion with healthy, radiant skin. R299
Litchi & Titch Gentle AHA Exfoliator This gel-like chemical exfoliator leaves your skin feeling revitalised and renewed. Ingredients include salicylic acid, aloe and blueberry. R370
Gatineau Limited Edition Radiance Enhancing Gommage A unique balm to oil exfoliator with AHA’s includes Glycolic, Lactic, Malic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid & Vitamin C. R542
Lelive Seatox Mask
This sustainably sourced mask with marine algae and aloe will give your skin the deep cleanse you need without stripping your skin of its natural protective oils. It also soothes inflamed skin. R319
Dermalogica Milkfoliant A gentle exfoliating powder made with a blend of coconut milk and oat that polishes and reveals a more vibrant skin. This exfoliator is so gentle that it can be used as part of a daily routine. R1 329
The post Best of beauty: get your skincare regime right appeared first on Aspire Lifestyle Magazine.
This is the eighth article in a new nine-part series entitled “Evidence for Agnostics.” New articles in the series will be published each Monday.
Love almost defies definition and description. For the fullness of love involves so much. Takes so many forms. Makes so many demands. Elicits so many emotions. Inspires so much courage and sacrifice, generosity and constancy. Provides so much comfort and consolation, nourishment and encouragement.
For love delivers so much meaning and purpose to our lives. Love inspires us to become better human beings. Love informs our aspirations and it compels our development. Love touches every facet and feature of who we are, what we do, how we think, what we value, why we live. For the fullness of love knows no bounds. Such is the truth of love and such is its magnificence and its mystery.
Love touches and ennobles everything in us and affects all those who inhabit our individual lives. For the love in us realizes its purpose, not just to those most intimate with us or familiar to us, but even to those far removed from our immediate and intimate personal lives. Such is the reality of love.
It is an ideal we all know and recognize. An ideal we all desire and for which we all seek and strive. It is a primary principle upon which we all act. It is an emotion, a morality, a philosophy. It is a reason for living. It is a reality of our lives and all the many aspects of our very existence.
And, for even a mildly informed agnostic, it is the biggest problem for their philosophy and their worldview. Their most difficult challenge and the most relentless threat to the truth of their agnostic beliefs and the legitimacy of their skeptical doubts about God and His existence. About His nature and plan. About His proximity to us, His activity in us and His intimacy with us.
For just as the full reality of reason is not even possible within the parameters of any agnostics’ scientific materialism, so too does the full reality of love transcend the merely physical plane. For love not only affirms the demise of scientific materialism as an explanatory metaphysic, but it provides a real meaning and morality to human life and experience. For love is an experience that reaches not just our rational minds, but encompasses, informs and inspires all our other capacities, across the full range of our expansive human experience.
For love in its fulness is, in many ways, a revelation. A vision and an encounter. A state of being, whose intimations are familiar, but whose full reality transcends our anticipations and expectations. And, it even transcends many of our shared descriptions and our common understandings. That is why the poets and the mystics come closer to love’s comprehensive realities, than do the philosophers and the psychologists.
For the fullness of love is akin to an ecstatic and an aesthetic vision; a state of being and an encounter with the transcendent. For love is more than an emotion, more than an ethical injunction, more than an affiliative attitude or a romantic motive. This is why Scripture reminds us that “God is love.” And, this is also why Scripture admonishes us that “my people perish for lack of knowledge.”
The fullness of knowledge is more than information about God, more than just the theological and moral components of our faith. For the fulness of this form of knowledge is more than information or ideas. Much more. The knowledge of which Scripture speaks is of a deep and rich relational intimacy. It is the possibilities and promises, the mystery and mystical encounters with God. The God who is truly there. The God who is love in its fullness and fruitfulness. The God who knows us. And, the God who is intimate with us in an abiding, yet mystical manner.
For knowing God is more than the mere knowledge of His theological and moral nature. More than a belief in the philosophical certainties of His existence and His nature. More than the particularities of His plan and His overall redemptive mission. For He loves us and He wants us to know this as a factual, regular and intimate reality. As a deeply personal and profound intimacy. As an immediate and abiding reality of life in the here and now.
God is a being, a being who knows us and who loves us. A being who desires our intimacy and who desires to be intimate with us, as well. A being who loves us perfectly, completely, relentlessly, as only true love can. For God knows the fullness of His love is the key to our soul, our very being. The key to our ultimate fulfillment and intimate relationship with Him, now and in eternity.
Just as reason is evidence of the immaterial realities of the cosmos and our very being, so too is love in all its forms and functions. And, so is our aesthetic sensibilities, our sense of beauty. For all true beauty is further evidence of the intangible dimension of reality and human nature. Beauty, like love and reason, is inherent to life and living. It is not just a matter of personal perception.
This is why when we encounter others whose aesthetic sensibilities are missing or distorted, we often try to explain these deficiencies to them in the hope that they will be able to appreciate or at least acknowledge their misperceptions or omissions. It is also why we discuss and debate these differences. For despite some preferential differences in aesthetics that may exist, we know beauty is a real reality, a meaningful and pleasurable aspect of life.
The very realities of love and beauty, in all their many forms and manifestations, are realities of life and living. And, most agnostics know and value these dimensions of life and human experience, just as they do with reason and life’s meaning and morality. But, the error they make regarding these intangible crucial dimensions of reality is really an attribution error.
Many, if not most, agnostics understand all these facets only as matters of perception, a function of personal experience and individual preference, a psychological experience that is a by-product of neural and cranial activity. They understand love and beauty, meaning and morality as more emotional than factual, more perceptual than actual, though they sometimes admit a degree of correspondence with “human” realities.
But, these admissions are not on the same plane as scientific certainty, as they define it. For their primary principle of scientific materialism precludes any such acknowledgement or admission of factual truth to anything that is not physical. The rest of our human realities, including reason, love, morality, meaning and beauty, are all psychological or mental, emotional or preferential. All matters of personal perception or cultural norms. Never matters of fact.
Yet, this very attribution error requires proof. And, the proof they offer must appeal to reason. That is how they justify the rigor and relevance of their evidence that everything knowable must be physical, must be scientific. And, it is just here that their entire argument falters and fails. And, it does so quickly and catastrophically.
Why? Because to make their case they must use arguments grounded in reason, replete with reason, reliant on reason. Their case against all these realities of life cannot be made with the empirical method, not with scientific experimentation, not experimental replication and scientific peer reviews, as all scientific research requires. For every aspect and stage of scientific investigation uses reason, at least when it is done right.
This inescapable need for the intangible rigors of reason in science and in mathematics proves the intangible order of reason itself. And, it proves the sum and substance of a host of intangible realities and truths like love and beauty, meaning and morality, as well as the full factual and intangible nature of humanity.
As reason and logic tells us and as science demonstrates, you cannot have more in the effect than is in the cause. The order and power of reason must be explained just as the nature of love, beauty and goodness do. And, all this cannot be explained by appealing to the physical realities of the cosmos. For matter and energy are just that – matter and energy.
That is why if all we are is biochemistry, we cannot know anything. We can’t even know that we can’t know anything. For “if all we are is biochemistry, we can’t know that all we are is biochemistry.” Yet, reason is real. Intangibly real. And, with it we can do real science. This is why the logical principle of the need for evidence is proof of reason’s order and its rules. And, it is proof of a Divine Order-er.
So too, with love. For love is real, just as reason is. And, both have an order and a content. And both entail imperatives and injunctions, so we know when we get them right. And, reason and love, along the many other intangible aspects of our human experience are evidence of God’s existence and His nature, His love and His plan.
And, because of these certainties we can know about Him and can truly encounter Him, not merely as our Maker, but intimately as our Father and as His sons and daughters. For that is what true love is. It is a deep and profound intimacy. A mystical intimacy He desires with us in all the meaningful and mundane realities of our temporal lives. For He is truly our perfect Father. And, He wants us to know Him this way, as our personal and perfectly loving “Abba,” as our daddy. That profoundly. That mystically. That intimately. That lovingly.
Similar to beauty editors, content creators like Vienna Skye, who boasts more than a million followers on TikTok alone, get inundated with all sorts of gifts galore come holiday season. So when they like something enough to actually rave about it on their platform, well, then that’s how you know it’s worth writing home about. For Skye, Versace’s iconic Eros and Bright Crystal fragrances are her latest gifting obsession. “Besides how amazing they make you feel while wearing them, the bottles are going to look so good on the shelf,” says Skye. And we have to agree. After all, the stunning eaus have stood the test of time for a reason: They’re complex, beautifully layered, and incredibly versatile. Whether you know someone new to fragrance or want to excite the perfume connoisseur in your life, these timeless scents won’t disappoint.
Ahead, find out more about Versace’s best-selling fragrances and why they’re a non-negotiable in Skye’s gifting arsenal this holiday season.
For Him:
Versace’s Eros is deeply complex, masculine, and sensual yet refreshing all at once. Skye plans on giving it to her boyfriend this year, as it’s utterly perfect for a romantic partner. With that said, it’s also sure to delight your dad, brother, or any guy in your life who appreciates the fine art of fragrance — and you know, just smelling nice.
Inspired by Eros, the Greek god of love, this stunning eau de toilette features an otherworldly blend of mint oil, Italian lemon, and green apple, along with tonka bean, geranium, and earthy notes of cedarwood, oak moss, and vetiver. “It’s super refreshing,” says Skye, who especially fancies the citrus notes. It’s undeniably bold, in-your-face, and constantly keeps you coming back for more. And if that didn’t make it giftable enough, just look at the gorgeous bottle. I mean, need I say more?
For Her:
When it comes to what Skye looks for in a signature scent, it’s simple: “Something that lasts all day, makes me feel confident, and gets noticed by others while I’m wearing it,” she says. It’s Versace’s Bright Crystal. Bright Crystal is boldly floral, fruity, and unquestionably feminine, making it a prime present for any and all femmes in your life. Dazzling bottle aside, the fragrance itself is bright and juicy thanks to pomegranate and yuzu (a favorite note of Skye), with distinct floral notes courtesy of magnolia, lotus, and peony. And that’s not all: musk, acajou, and plant amber impart a sensual warmth that any fragrance-lover is sure to swoon over. With that said, don’t think twice before gifting Bright Crystal to your best friend, mom, sister, work wife… you get the idea. Anyone who appreciates feminine fragrances will love this one.
1. CLEANSE THOROUGHLY
