I aligned my wellness routine to my star sign - this is what happened
Does the secret to wellness lie in the stars? Charlie Elizabeth gave it a try and aligned her wellness routine to her star sign to see if it really can improve self-care
A long bath that leaves your roommates without hot water; a mental health walk where you plod on for miles with crystals lining your pockets and Phoebe Bridgers blasting through your headphones; candles and heated eye masks and meditation and phone-free evenings. There are so many different approaches to consider when building a good wellness routine. It’s overwhelming, isn’t it?
I didn’t know where to start when I decided that I needed to carve out some ‘me time’ in which to de-stress and show myself some love so my hectic work life wouldn’t completely take over my sanity, which is something I’ve now learned is classic Libra behaviour. But, as it’s always listening in, my phone delivered a solution and flooded my FYP with the astro-skincare trend.
What is astro-skincare?
Astro-skincare is popping up all over TikTok and Instagram and it encourages people to align their wellness routines with their astrology, star signs and birth charts for a personalised approach to self-care. And for those of us with no idea where to start on our wellness journeys, it takes a lot of the overwhelming guess work out.
“Our star signs influence so much in our lives, and most of the time we don't even realise it,” Inbaal Honigman, celebrity psychic and astrologer says.
“Our likes and dislikes, where we feel most at home, the kind of people we draw to ourselves and even the fragrances that we enjoy can all be linked to our time of birth.
“Not everyone is exactly like their zodiac sign,” she adds. “But most people have a lot in common with their sign.”
How astrology shapes your self-care routine
Astro-skincare may be new, but it’s rooted in ancient beliefs like botany and astrological theory, which can be used to tailor a personalised self-care routine.
Not only is the practice aimed at improving someone’s aesthetic look by treating their skincare concerns, but it also promotes holistic wellbeing by considering the emotional and stress-related factors associated with astrological signs.
This can be a radical act in a time of trends and a pressure to conform, Honigman explains.
She says: “The ability to listen to our own needs is so often forgotten, especially in these digital years underscored by comparison and judgement, so an aligned and personalised wellness routine is a daily reminder that our way is absolutely fine, and nobody needs to measure up with anybody. Being you is forever the best way to be.”
As a classic Libra who is racked by indecision, is always trying to please people, and gets astronomically (pun intended) nervous when deviating from my usual day-to-day routine, of course I was going to try it out.
Libra-centric self-care: finding balance
To begin my journey, I consulted Arabella von Nesselrode, a skincare expert and founder of astro-skincare brand Children of Earth Skincare. We started by looking at the traits traditionally associated with my star sign. She tells me, “When out of balance, ancient wisdom believed Libras to be vulnerable to nervous exhaustion. So, Libras need to restore balance to the mind and skin.”
This is further highlighted by Libras’ aesthetic and harmony-seeking nature. To honour this through self-care, she says, “Balancing and beautifying products like moisturising oils and skin tone-equalising creams are recommended.
“A personalised wellness routine is a daily reminder that our way is absolutely fine, and being you is forever the best way to be”
“Journalling has also been proven to relieve anxiety and activate reward-seeking areas of the brain through the hand-mind connection.” Soothing activities like this, she says, can also include tending to plants or colouring, which are both relatively mindless activities that still give you a visual payoff when they’re done.
Von Nesselrode tells me to take an evening to myself, starting the unwinding process with a facial massage. Using a face oil with an anxiety-relieving scent and running through breathwork while doing this, she says, will help ground me before going into the rest of her recommended routine.
She highlights stress-reducing oils like geranium oil, which has been clinically proven to help with the brain's stress response; black pepper oil blend, well-known for improving not only collagen production but also dopamine levels; and frankincense oil, whose grounding properties will give me a sense of stability and balance while also working as an anti-inflammatory.
Does astro-skincare really work? My two week experience
I’m skeptical – aren’t we all a little bit when it comes to astrology? But, for two weeks, I took every other evening off to myself, lathered myself in lotions and oils, gua sha’d the muscles in my face into submission and vented out my innermost worries into an unsuspecting notebook. And you know what? I’ve never felt better.
I never would have guessed how delightful the smell of the black pepper oil blend could be. I don’t know how much the oil blend did for my skin, but by the end of the two weeks, the warm, woody aroma gave my body an instant hit of relaxation just upon opening the bottle.
I’d sit in my lamp-lit bedroom, massage the oil into my skin as I took deep, calming breaths through my nose to really breathe in the grounding scent, and then I’d run my gua sha up my jawline, across my cheekbones, pay particular attention to my temples, and then run it back down my neck.
These massages have had no effect whatsoever on the look of my face, despite the person whose tutorial I watched promising me a sleeker, more slender look. It has, however, reduced the insane amount of tension I was holding in my face, especially across my jaw and forehead, and it’s been incredibly relaxing nightly practice.
Massage and breathwork done, I’d then write scathing reviews of my days in my diary, discussing them in the utmost detail even if all I’d done was scroll through TikTok.
This is something I’ve done on and off all through my life and I’ve always found that it eases the racing thoughts that sometimes stop me from falling asleep. I can’t say if this is because I’m a Libra or not, though. In my mind, venting your worries out before going to sleep is a good idea for everyone no matter your star sign.
Read more: Should you be taking advice on your love life from TikTok tarot readings?
KoolShooters via Pexels
I got into the colouring far more than I’d expected to, and found I could waste hours each night concentrating on keeping in the lines and picking out the most complimentary colours to create a masterpiece. I’d settle down to colour feeling a little bit ridiculous with my pencils all lined up, but then I’d get lost in the task and, the next time I’d check my phone, hours would have passed.
Undoubtedly, my major takeaway was that the ritual aspect of the self-care routine far outweighed the effects of the specific actions I took part in. When I encountered moments of stress in my days, my mind would settle down quicker than before knowing that later on I’d get to unwind.
And I’ve only just realised that it’s related to my star sign. Balance, which is a Libra’s defining want (the zodiac symbol is a set of scales after all), is something I didn’t have before.
I threw myself into one or the other: work or relaxation, socialising or introversion, all or nothing. But with my self-care evenings scheduled in, I knew that any stress I felt when working, socialising, or just simply running errands ( really am very susceptible to stress), would be counteracted by my astro-skincare routine at the end of each day.
Is that because I’m a Libra, though? I’m not sure. But Honigman makes a good case that means I can’t completely rule it out. “In stepping off the treadmill of ordinariness that requires us – and our wellness routines – all to be the same, we honour ourselves at the deepest level,” she says.
“We send our bodies and souls the message that we matter, and that, no matter the current trend, we're doing things the way we want to.”
How to align your wellness routine to your birth chart
For those wanting to sync their self-care routine with their star sign, Honigman suggests plenty of different routes to take. Some might want to dig a little deeper and look into their moon sign, ascendant, and all the other planet placements in their birth chart to get the best astro-care profile for their needs.
But you can also take a more lax approach too. “Don't forget about your intuition,” she says. “If you feel that something is right, then it probably is. If you try something and find that it's not for you, set it aside.” Solid advice for most things, we’d say!
The best self-care practices for every zodiac sign
Jared Rice via Unsplash
Honigman advises your self-care routine according to your star-sign.
Aries - You love a quick fix and hate time wasters. Tabata workouts and shuttle runs are the quickest type of activities to get your blood pumping. Self-care with a two-minute face mask and blitz a smoothie, so you've got the rest of the day to enjoy yourself and your multitude of activities.
Taurus - Cosiness is everything to you, and you prefer to be gentle with your self-care. Your slow and deliberate mornings could include journaling, meditation and setting your intentions for the day, and your evenings are happiest when you're curled up with an inspirational book. A true foodie, creating your own superfood routine will help you feel in balance.
Gemini - Sociable self-care is the way to your heart. Group activities such as fitness classes help you vibe with other kindred souls, and a retreat that's a bit like a holiday is your peak self-care dream. You love speed, and would enjoy any pampering experience that puts the wind in your hair: sailing, running, and even bungee jumping.
Cancer - You always take care of others, so when you care for yourself, it feels kind of unusual. A spa day is your ultimate pamper: face masks, submerging in a tub, essential oils. The self-care experience for you needs to lock out the real world entirely. Since you love your home, an at-home spa experience is fabulous for day to day joy. Fresh seaside scents uplift you.
Leo - Putting yourself first is important for every part of the day, not just a bedtime routine for an hour in the evening. Your self-care needs to be warm and sunny, as your planetary ruler is the sun, so a warming face mask, a tangerine body wash, and an oil diffuser with a blend of citrus scents. Any 1:1 session you can take, from pilates to chanting and beyond, will give you that unparalleled joy of being central to the experience.
Virgo - Tidy and organised is the name of your game. Ahead of any soothing technique, you need for your surroundings to be just right, otherwise you can't really relax. Baking is a comforting activity for you, which is lucky because so is snacking. And when you're the baker, you can choose to make your snack as luxurious or as nutritious as you fancy.
Libra - Balance and harmony make your heart sing. When anxiety hits, you can bring out the smelling salts - or rather the calmest essential oils, and your trusty journal. Soothing activities such as tending to your plants and stroking a cat can rebalance you in the quickest and simplest of ways.
Scorpio - In an overexposed world, a bit of privacy feels like self-care. You'll enjoy being able to hide away anytime you can. Schedule a date with yourself to drive to a part of town where nobody knows you. Order a wonderful, intense coffee, switch your phone off and sip. A piece of Shungite in your pocket will absorb any negativity, so that you can vanish as you sink into a book.
Read more: The best crystals for love
Sagittarius - Freedom and adventure are key strategies for you, when looking for self-care options. If you can go abroad, or to a wide open location for some calming activities, that would be best. As a day-to-day strategy, make your whole life more tropical - dopamine dressing, powerful fragrances such as ylang ylang and vanilla, and loud therapies such as drumming will help your free spirit soar.
Capricorn - Quality over quantity, you love a branded experience. Even if it's free, your self-care has to be first-rate. From luxury face masks to sweat-wicking fitness clothes, your attention to detail is apparent in every step of your self-love strategies. A sauna, where everyone is equal, will be a very liberating experience for you. A rose quartz on your work desk would remind you that you are loved.
Aquarius - This planet matters to you more than your own comforts, so your self-care needs to be environmentally friendly and socially conscious. Stay true to your values by blending your own skincare products using high-quality, low-cost ingredients from the supermarket. Your dream journal is recycled, of course, and your bedding is natural cotton.
Pisces - Romantic and collaborative, you prefer the couples version of whatever self-care strategy you pick. Having a couples massage, visiting a vegan restaurant as a twosome and joining a retreat with a loved one is the best way for you to put yourself first. You love a bit of rose incense to make every day smell sweet.