A 2021 Weekly Wellness Challenge

[Photo by @jessbaileydesigns]

A Beauty Girl on a Mission

With a background in esthetics and corporate beauty, I’ve had my fair share of beauty products, spa treatments, and wellness experiences throughout the years. This has been a major perk as I genuinely love the wellness industry and believe caring for yourself often can lift and renew your spirit just as much as your outward appearance. 

In the last few years I’ve had two children, which unsurprisingly, has left me with little to no time for seven-step facial routines, luxuriously bath and body care rituals or weekly standing spa appointments like my past life. Chasing wellness became even more difficult in the year 2020 with a global pandemic forcing spa facilities to be shut done, restricted, and in too many unfortunate cases, closed forever. 

Spark Joy

I’ve found making time, as little or small as it is in this season of my life, to take care of myself brings me immense happiness and fills my cup. That’s why I’m making wellness a priority this new year, striving for at least one moment of self-care each week. I’ll be documenting this challenge here on Spa & Beauty Today and my new Instagram account (@SLCBeautyBabe). Keep your eyes out for something new each week!

What is ‘Wellness?”

[Photo by @avasol]

According to The Global Wellness Institute, wellness is the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health. Wellness is multidimensional and ongoing including physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritually, and environmental factors. Wellness is deliberate and coexists quite well with my understanding of happiness as a ‘constant state of growth.’

I’m looking forward to seeing how this project unfolds. I’m guessing some weeks will include very small moments like a facial mask or at-home device, while other weeks might include a spa visit or more in-depth experience. In addition to beauty products, I’m hoping to explore new books, podcasts, and physical experiences, and I’m really curious to learn what resonates and sticks. I’m sure many of these experiences will be part of my sacred ‘alone time,’ though I’m hoping to share and incorporate wellness with my entire family, too.

Where & How

[Image by Viva Luna Studios]

Based in Utah, I’m hoping to expand my reach locally and visit more spas and wellness sanctuaries in my neighborhood, along with revisiting some of my favorites! I typically try to schedule a spa visit or two if I travel, which I’m hoping to do more of this year. If 2020 taught me anything though, it’s perseverance and flexibility. Read more about some of my previous spa visits here including this Greek Hammam Bathing House I’m still dreaming of.

Follow along for 52 weeks of this mama’s simple wellness journey for 2021. I’d love to know how you feel grounded and cared for at home and in your daily life. What ingredients, brands, and products help you achieve wellness? What treatments, devices or experiences might you suggest as we embark on this journey together? Here’s to a beautiful year ahead!

Follow along for my weekly column or keep tabs via Instagram @SLCBeautyBabe #weeklywellness2021

Alisha Racker’s beauty career has spanned over a decade as she's worked as a master esthetician, skin care PR-pro and freelance writer. She lives in the beautiful mountains of Salt Lake City with her husband and daughter. Follow her on Instagram: @alisharacker