Here’s a new part of our much loved My Beauty and Wellbeing series! We love hearing about how other people are managing there’s – so excited to share with you more stories from inspiring women and men of course to find out about their favourite products and practices- you know …the things that enable them to be their best selves!

Today we’re sharing our feature with Michelle Roques O’Neil, Aromatherapist, Healer and owner of wellbeing brand Therapie.

Michelle, please share your daily wellness routine with us

My day starts early with a really good stretch, then a cup of hot water, lemon and ginger root with the weather so chilly I need to boost my inner fire. I write my morning pages I’ve done this practice for 15 years (essential for my sanity and clarity) a 15 minute meditation. I’ve struggled with a knee injury throughout lockdown, I’m only just getting back into moving, gentle walking and strengthening QiGong to get my joints strong again. I hope to start doing some outdoor swimming once it get a little bit warmer.

In the morning I use Boost Hair & Bodywash massaging along the meridian pathways with a sisal glove, it really gets my skin tingling then a generous layer of Cherish skin repair serum, it’s like an uplifting hug and I’m good to go.

Breakfast is either smoothie made with nut milk, homemade unsweetened Granola and yogurt or a winter porridge made with cardamon and coconut milk and seed mix, if I’m feeling really indulgent a teaspoon of Almond butter. l love scenting I’m currently using a persian rose oil on my pulse points, I also love Fleur d’orangeur by Serge Luten.

I try not to leap into work, a few deep breaths to focus. I make a list of priorities it just grounds everything. Music is very important for me it sets the tone of my day,I have a very extensive and eclectic library. Lunch is normally a vegetarian salad with mint or Pu- erh tea, love it and full of antioxidants. I try to drink 2 litres of water so I try to always have a large glass of filtered water at my desk and replenish throughout the day.

I am pretty tired by the time I get home so a nice soak in Cocoon or Protect bath oil to unwind and dis-engage from work. We eat around 7-7.30. I am to get to bed earlier. I never go to bed with makeup and really enjoy the ritual of cleansing. I also take a quick warm shower and then oil pulling after I cleaned my teeth I have a tongue scraper to get rid of toxins. I got into this practice about a few months ago when I did a 3 day seasonal Ayurvedic and it’s stuck. When I lie down I do some deep breathing  and review my day, I try to find gratitude for at least one thing each day and then set a body,mind,spirit intention to dream on.

How do you manage stress/relax?

I write, I meditate and do Qi Gong also walking is a great leveller and then of course deep breathing is a marvellous meditation and antidote to stress.

michelleAt Wow Beauty we are conscious of the mind/body connection: as a leading advocate of the link between mind and body, how important is it for us to make ‘me time’?

Essential, too often people pay attention when they’re in deficit and really low. Taking time out even if it’s only 10 minute every couple of hours to just sit and reset, a few deep conscious breaths can make such a difference. It’s stress that restricts and you go into fight and flight, the more worry the more it impact on your mental and physical health. It’s essential to interrupt this mindset and breathwork does this beautifully.

Michelle you’ve been a wellness entrepreneur for 30+ years starting out as an aromatherapist /Healer: based on that journey, what’s the key message that you would share with women via your brand?

Be yourself, define your beliefs and demonstrate them on daily basis. Rather than being driven to succeed at all costs, incremental steps to ensure integrity, find your balance point and listen. Like the breath know when to receive(breath in) and when to take action (breath out) understanding the dance of Yin & Yang in life is essential.

How has your approach to your wellbeing changed because of the pandemic?

michelle pandemic

I have become less task-driven and more flexible. I have felt so strongly that this pandemic has fostered a change on many levels within many. Mostly, I am encouraging my patients to live in the moment more authentically, to remove the conventions that create all the pressure and with awareness set intentions that support you and then allow them to unfold.

Have you any simple tips that anyone can adopt to help manage stress?

Keep it simple and listen to your own rhythm, set yourself free of other peoples expectations and do things in a way that feels true to you.

What change would you like to see across the wellness/beauty landscape over the next couple of years?

Less focus on the outer and youth, even more focus on individuality and a growing sense of a healthy inner beauty glowing from within. That mental Health and beauty merge to create products that give emotional support and inner confidence.

Thank you, Michelle x

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