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Just breathe. It’s a saying often heard and often spouted, but have you ever stopped to think why? For Ashley Neese, the Los Angeles–based self-care practitioner, and many yogis and Taoists before her, breath is the most effective tool for changing your physical, emotional, and mental state. She writes, “Paying attention to our breath is one of the most radical acts of self-inquiry you can participate in because it is a direct invitation into your body.” It should come as no surprise, then, that good breathing habits, with its calming capabilities (that classic paper bag trick) and pain relief potential (Lamaze in labor), will also lead to better skin.
“People often ask me what I use on my skin, and the answer is nothing—it’s simply a product of the breath work,” says Neese, who has become known within her community, which includes students such as CAP Beauty founders Kerrilynn Pamer and Cindy DiPrima Morisse, mogul Shiva Rose, and Women With Superpowers’s Tasya van Ree and Nitsa Citrine, as much for her supernaturally glowing complexion as for her transformative private and group workshops. The best part? “You can do it anytime, anywhere.”
Often used as a way to boost energy, deep breathing is first and foremost a way to eliminate excess carbon dioxide from the body, provide a rich supply of oxygen to the blood, and invigorate the cells and tissues. The pick-me-up, whether practiced in a yoga studio or outside your office during your lunch break, improves circulation and in turn, reduces the effects of stress on the skin and cortisol-induced breakouts.
All of Neese’s sessions—she splits her time between wellness spaces in Los Angeles and her apothecary in Oakland, California, and also works with clients over Skype—start with a primer in how to breathe slowly and deeply using the diaphragm and abdominal muscles—none of that short shallow-chested breathing. Once mastered, Neese prescribes various breathing patterns based on individual needs. “The beauty of breath work is, not unlike other healing modalities, that the work is tailored to the individual depending on their needs and goals,” she says of the one-size-doesn’t-fit-all practice. If your objective is better skin, Neese advises incorporating the practice into your skin-care routine every morning and night.
As soon as you wake up, you’ll want to jump-start the blood circulation, which gives energy, color, and life to the skin, says Neese, by “addressing the nerves directly under the surface.” Start by sitting up in a comfortable position and inhale through the nose deeply, she says. Exhale through the mouth quickly, and repeat five times. The shorter exhale will signal to the brain that your body needs to activate. Soon, your heart rate will increase, too. In the evenings, she says, “the aim is to soothe the nervous system and prepare the body for deep restorative sleep, [which] is very important as sleepless nights can lead to dull skin, puffy eyes, and dark circles.” End the day by lying down and inhaling and exhaling through the nose only, as nasal breathing gives lungs more time to extract a greater amount of oxygen. Make the exhale two counts longer than the inhale, she says, and repeat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until you feel very relaxed. This routine will let your brain know that things are more calm and peaceful than just a few minutes prior.
“Consistent practice reduces inflammation in the body and the skin after three months,” says Neese of her first-hand experience. “Clients that go on to practice for years have a noticeable youthful quality [to their complexions].” It’s not a bad racket when you consider the worst-case scenario: Learning how to breathe deeply and correctly and, as Neese often puts it, with more “intention.”