Whether it’s an ongoing yoga practice or a monthly blowout at the salon, we all have ways of adding a little self-care into our schedules.
But for some, self-care is about a lot more than a temporary rush or an individual benefit. Beauty rituals can be acts of caring for someone else and creating a community — something certainly needed right now.
Take a look at these inspirational beauty stories and see how a bit of beauty can make a real impact.
1. $1 Haircuts For Suicide Prevention
A student hair salon in Tennessee recently offered free haircuts in exchange for donations for the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network.
The idea sprang from how the intimate atmosphere of a salon often results in deep conversations between stylists and clients.
“A lot of people will tell their hairstylists things they wont even tell their best friends,” local stylist Abigail Jenkins told WVLT. “When you have someone in your chair and they continuously come back, there’s so much relationship that goes on. Over time, you get to know them on a personal level.”
So far, they’ve raised over $1,000 in donations in just 5 days.
2. Little Girl Gets Manicure From Hospital Staff
Alyssa Le Shepard has been hospitalized at least four times in the past year due to seizures.
After a nurse helped her get comfortable and asked Alyssa if she needed anything else, she replied: “I need to get my nails done!”
The nurse asked a child-life specialist about the request, and soon enough Alyssa was getting a new coat of sparkly nail polish.
“It was so sweet because Alyssa was really freaked out to be in the hospital, and I was really stressed,” Alyssa’s mom told People. “They just went out of their way to do this really special thing that wasn’t necessary at all.”
3. 83-Year-Old Husband Learns Makeup For Wife
When Mona Manahan started losing her eyesight, she found herself unable to apply makeup the way she wanted. That’s when her husband Des stepped in.
Although he picked up the basics quickly, he wanted to learn more. The couple of 56 years started making trips to a local beauty store so Des could learn other techniques.
“He got lesson after lesson after lesson, and loved every minute of it,” says Rosie O’Driscoll, the makeup artist who helped him out. “I think he prefers me to take a step back now and let him off, let him do whatever he wants to do.”
Indeed, after learning the basics, Des has developed a routine that is centered on his wife feeling her best.
“Mona and I both agree on one thing, ‘less is more,’” Des told BBC.
Their story ended up catching the attention of Mario Dedivanovic, Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist, who ended up inviting them to a master class in London.
They use their daily ritual to reminisce on their lives together — revealing that it’s much more about appearances, but about communicating appreciation and tenderness toward each other.
“He thinks I’m lovely as I am,” said Mona.
4. Hair Salon Creates Safe Space For Muslim Women
Some Muslim women choose a modest lifestyle and adorn themselves with Islamic attire that covers their hair and face. This can make finding a beauty salon a bit of a challenge.
But at Hstylze, a Philadelphia area salon owned by renowned Instagram influencer Hullema Reddick, they feel right at home.
With no risk of men entering their space, Muslim women are free to comfortably take off what they need to get their beauty on.
“There’s nothing worse as a Muslim woman than a guy that comes into the salon and starts selling CDs or a mailman that stays a little too long,” Aliya Khabir, a client at Hstylze, told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “To be able to go to a salon where you can relax and have privacy is truly important.”
The safety Hullema created in her space has really moved her clients.
“You have to do things to uplift them,” Reddick said. “One time, I had a lady… she just bust out crying. She was like ‘I didn’t know I could look this beautiful.’”
5. Internet Rallies To Get Autistic Teen The Skincare He Needs
When the sister of an autistic teenager with severe acne asked for help on Skincare Addiction (SCA), a popular subreddit dedicated to everything about skincare, she didn’t expect the overwhelming amount of support she received.
“Not only did I get responses from your typical SCA user, many people on the autism spectrum responded, parents responded, and siblings like myself responded. My family and I were so touched by people’s willingness to help a total stranger,”Callie Ross-Smith told Yahoo Lifestyle.
Reddit users flooded her post with all sorts of tips and tricks, eventually helping her develop a routine to help her brother get clearer skin.
Of course, it’s about more than just clear skin.
“My end goal really from this, though, for Alec as a person, is for him to learn a bit more on how to take care of himself,” said Ross-Smith. “I feel like when people see that he respects himself, people will respect him.”
Beauty is more than skin deep.
It’s about relationships, confidence, and self-care — as these inspirational beauty stories clearly show.
Do you have a favorite story that shows the transformative power of self care? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!
The post 5 Inspirational Stories That Show How Beauty Can Be More Than Skin Deep appeared first on Makeup Madeover.
