Astro-Skincare: Can The Stars Decide Our Beauty Routine?

Whether you’re a believer or a sceptic, chances are you’ve consulted your horoscope at some point in your life to see what your astrological sign says about you. The question is: would your trust your skincare routine to the stars? That’s what astro-skincare advises us to do – but does it work? We ask the experts what we need to know about this new celestial trend.

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What Is Astro-Skincare?

While there are multiple approaches to astro-skincare, the main takeaway is that it bases your approach to skincare on your astrological sign. ‘Astro-skincare is a holistic approach to skincare that combines elements of astrology with traditional skincare practices. It is based on the belief that an individual’s astrological signs, such as their Sun, Moon and Rising sign, can influence their skin’s characteristics, needs and overall well-being,’ say Andrea Pfeffer, founder of Salon C. Stellar. ‘Astro-skincare also takes into account the emotional and psychological aspects associated with astrological signs – this is where the neuro-cosmetic element comes into play. Stress, anxiety, and other emotional factors can impact the skin’s condition. Astro-skincare may incorporate stress-reduction techniques, meditations or aromatherapy based on an individual’s astrological profile.’

Arabella von Nesselrode-Reichenstein, founder of Children of Earth Skincare, tells us that astro-skincare is still an emerging field within the beauty scene, so it might take a little while to refine – but the approach she takes is one of balance. ‘Everyone’s skin and mind can get out of balance sometimes, and usually for vastly different reasons, she says. ‘Our astro-skincare approach presents a personalised solution for these moments while celebrating the differences between signs and various skin types. It aims to restore balance in a tailored way, using ancient wisdom and ingredients proven by modern scientific studies.

‘Astrology generally encourages us to be more in sync with the universe,’ Arabella continues. ‘We already do this to some degree – women are all aware of the moon telling our bodies the monthly schedule! It can start by reading your horoscope, knowing that the day might be eventful, or if Mercury is in retrograde, expecting possible delays. Then, to mitigate stress and its effects on the skin, a small ritual using skincare personalised for your zodiac, such as a breathwork or meditation, to gain the aroma-therapeutic benefits of natural essences crafted to your sun or moon sign. This can be the final step of your existing skincare routine.’

(c) Nastya Dulhiier, Unsplash

What Are The Benefits Of Astro-Skincare?

The biggest benefit of using astro-skincare, says Andrea, is that it encourages you to tap into a more holistic approach. ‘Astro-skincare often incorporates emotional and psychological aspects, promoting holistic well-being,’ says the Andrea. ‘By considering the emotional and stress-related factors associated with astrological signs, it may contribute to a sense of balance and relaxation. Astro-skincare acknowledges the interconnectedness of the mind and body; by incorporating meditation, stress reduction techniques, and emotional awareness, it aims to improve both mental and physical well-being.’

Like other skincare trends that focus on personalised routines, astro-skincare is all about getting to know what works for you and your body. ‘Infusing astrology into skincare encourages people to get to know themselves better,’ explains Arabella. ‘By discovering your Sun, Moon and Rising signs (we recommend our partner app Soulloop), you can understand why you can get out of balance and be more self-aware so that on bad skin and bad mood days you have a toolkit of how to get back to your peak wellness and best self. Astro-skincare is that toolkit, and this time it’s personalised.’

As mentioned, the trend comes from a greater demand for personalised products. ‘We’ve definitely noticed a lot more demand for personalised skincare and advice,’ notes Arabella. ‘In a collaboration with raye the store in Notting Hill, we interviewed a sample of customers who all had stress buildup which manifested itself through facial tension in the jaw or forehead – but we quickly found that the solution to easing this tension differed from person to person. It’s about understanding how that individual works, so we offer a facial tension analysis as well as spiritual guidance by way of an astrological reading (which complements any skincare routine) to better inform our recommendations. We celebrate these differences and relish the challenge of helping people restore balance.’

So, how would this kind of personalisation work in action? Arabella gives us Gemini and Pisces as an example: ‘In ancient astrology, Geminis were traditionally considered to be prone to nervous exhaustion. Our advice is, since they are ruled by Mercury, that Geminis should be careful to avoid burnout, as well as getting run-down. The best skincare approach for this sign is to incorporate ingredients proven to relax and restore vitality to skin – power ingredients such as ginger oil and grapefruit oil are proven to ease muscle tension in the face, as well as being anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and sensitivity reducing. Our in-house astrologer, Inbaal Honigman, recommends Air signs like Gemini to be original and come up with their own combinations of products to work for them.

‘Pisces, on the other hand, were believed by ancient wisdom be prone to over-thinking about others’ actions, plus having a high level of physical and mental sensitivity,’ says Arabella. ‘These can manifest onto the skin, so a powerful ingredient like bergamot is great to add into any ritual as it’s proven to reduce anxiety by activation of the GABA neuro-transmitters responsible for regulating your mood. We recommend Pisces to focus on nurturing their inner selves with a dreamy contemplation-boosting approach to skincare, such as long baths with rose oil which is proven to relax users on a physiological and psychological level.’

(c) James Lee, Unsplash

Are There Any Misconceptions Surrounding Astro-Skincare?

Sceptical? You wouldn’t be the only one. But Arabella assures us that astro-skincare is very much a field backed up by research and logic. ‘Misconceptions come from those who don’t understand the skin-brain connection, which is what astro-skincare is based on,’ she explains. ‘This is because the research is very recent, with most of it coming to fruition in the last two or three years – this is the same stage the gut-brain axis was at before it became mainstream knowledge that what we eat governs our mood and general wellbeing.

‘More and more studies are emerging confirming that the skin is in constant connection with the brain, via a series of neurotransmitters (dopamine, cortisol, histamine and more). That’s why, when we get stressed, it shows on our skin,’ Arabella explains. ‘Eczema, psoriasis, acne and rosacea can all be caused by stress. If we take control of the skin-brain connection, our mind feels better and our complexion looks better. It’s important to take into account for skincare, the same as we are now aware of the gut-brain axis.’

Arabella also tells us that more and more people are starting to spread the word: ‘In a world where many skincare companies have stripped out natural ingredients and the ancient knowledge that all households used to have, people are actively choosing astro-skincare as the best gift to themselves.’ She also notes that this is a trend that is probably going to be more prominent amongst Gen Z, with 43 percent of this age group currently using astrology to inform life decisions and over a quarter using it to inform purchase decisions.

What Is Astro-Botany?

Another vein of astro-skincare looks exclusively at how certain natural ingredients work with our star signs: cue, astro-botany. ‘Put simply, this is the astrology of herbs and natural extracts,’ says Arabella. ‘The ancient idea that each plant is linked to a planet, which can therefore inform how we cure anything wrong in our bodies. It was first championed by the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, as well as the famous British 16th century physician Nicolas Culpepper.

‘For example, mushrooms like reishi and herbs like clary sage are considered to be ruled by the moon, which is associated with the physical body and mood,’ she continues. ‘Hippocrates used planetary archetypes to decipher treatments and diagnoses of various illnesses. So herbs ruled by the moon can be useful for cooling signs, ruled by fiery planets such as Mars and Aries. This is exciting when applied to the skin, since solutions can be personalised for each skin type of skin – sensitive skin can be matched by soothing formulas, dry skin can be drenched with moisture, skin with large pores can be corrected and wrinkles can be plumped by boosting collagen production.’

(c) Farzad Mohsenvand, Unsplash

The Astro Facial

As well as facial oils, cleansing balms and jellies, Children of Earth Skincare also has inspired a facial treatment available at Salon C. Stellar which uses the same astro-skincare principles to tailor the experience to the individual. The brainchild of Andrea Pfeffer, Founder of Salon C stellar, the 75-minute Astro Facial works via the skin-brain connection, addressing skin health concerns while promoting relaxation, rejuvenation and overall well-being. The result? Glowing, plumped skin brought to life through carefully selected ingredients, including a curated zodiac oil, live probiotics, growth factors and cutting-edge technology such as radio frequency and medically certified LED meditative light trip. You can try out the experience and book a treatment yourself at childrenofearthskincare.com

Featured image: Greg Rakozy, Unsplash