Episode Overview

Podcast: ASCP Esty Talk
Episode: Ep 363 – Freakiest Friday
Hosts: Ella Cressman & Maggie Stasik
Date: December 3, 2025

This episode dives into the difference between routines and rituals in the context of self-care for estheticians and skincare professionals. Ella and Maggie engage in an interactive, creative discussion where they push each other to turn everyday skincare routines into soul-nourishing, intentional rituals. The episode is infused with humor, realness, and practical mantras and is designed to inspire listeners to bring more meaning to their daily self-care practices, both professionally and personally.

Main Theme

From Routine to Ritual:
The hosts discuss how beauty and skincare professionals—and everyone—often run on autopilot, treating routines as checklists. They challenge themselves (and listeners) to pause, add mindfulness, and transform ordinary routines into restorative rituals.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Reality of Daily Routines

• Ella and Maggie start by reflecting on their mornings, which often revolve around taking care of others—clients, partners, pets—rather than themselves.
  • “We have these routines in the morning, but often it’s to check off boxes. It’s everything else besides ourselves.” (Ella, 01:55)

2. The Difference Between Routine and Ritual

• Definition:
  • “A routine is what one does. And a ritual is how you do it and why that routine matters.” (Ella, 03:27)
• Insight: True care happens when we’re present in the moment, not just going through motions.

3. Transforming Skincare into Self-Nourishing Ritual (Morning Segment)

• Ella crafts a mindful morning ritual for Maggie:
  • Begin with three deep, intentional breaths (Inhale calm, exhale chaos; inhale clarity, exhale overthinking).
    • "Inhale, calm. Exhale, chaos. Inhale, clarity. Exhale... your overthinker." (Ella, 05:06–05:29)
  • Cleansing as emotional release: Visualize each motion lifting away stress and yesterday’s residue.
    • “With each little circle, you're lifting away stress, doubt, and yesterday's emotional residue.” (Ella, 05:48)
  • Ritual mantras to repeat:
    • "I release what's heavy."
    • "My glow is lighter than my worries." (05:16–06:21)
  • Applying serums/moisturizer as self-worth practice:
    • “Imagine you're patting in your serum...like you're painting on self-worth." (Ella, 06:43)
    • Fun sidebar on eye cream preferences (“Go rogue. Skip the eye cream…”)
    • Final affirmations:
      • "I hydrate my skin and my spirit."
      • "Boundaries tight. Barrier strong. Today I am radiant and unbothered." (Ella & Maggie, 07:14–07:22)
  • Seal the ritual: Look in the mirror and say, “Go on, glow getter. The world isn’t ready for this level of luminous rebellion.” (Ella, 07:40–07:42)

4. Transforming Night Routines into Ritual

• Closing the day with intention:
  • Deep breath to wash away accumulated stress
    • "Take a deep breath through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Kind of like you're sighing out every group text, every team's meeting, every to-do, every tiny stressor..." (Ella, 08:08–08:30)
  • Set boundaries with cleansers:
    • “Each sudsing bubble is a boundary that you're setting. Each rinse is a reminder of what you decide sticks with you.” (Ella, 09:04)
  • Replenishing affirmation:
    • "I replenish what I gave away today." (Ella & Maggie, 09:32)
  • Further mantras on strength and repair:
    • "I am soft. I am strong. And I'm still learning how to glow through it." (Ella & Maggie, 09:41–09:46)
    • “My skin and my soul are both on their nighttime repair cycle.” (09:49–09:52)
  • Signature Transparency: “I still don’t do eye cream. And somehow I still see things clearly.” (Ella & Maggie, 09:56–10:00)
  • End with self-kindness:
    • “Look in the mirror, maybe a little sleepy-eyed, and say, 'Good night, gorgeous.'” (Ella, 10:04–10:15)

5. Mantra Exchange – Maggie Creates a Ritual for Ella

• For Ella, the “Moon Mother Goddess”
  • Introduction & tone: playful, spiritual, personalized
  • “I am Ella. Moon mother goddess.”
  • “I harness the lunar cycle.”
  • “But I also check my email on my phone.” (Maggie & Ella, 11:17–11:44)
  • “I trust my intuition and my ingredient deck.” (Maggie, 11:50–11:54)
  • “My light is radiant, my energy magnetic. And my SPF always applied.” (11:59–12:15)
  • “I bring balance to the barrier and harmony to the hustle. I am the moon mother goddess. I am magic.” (Maggie & Ella, 12:23–12:38)
  • Final group affirmation: “I must stay young / I'ma stay young!” (12:38–12:45)

6. Practical Takeaways for Skincare Professionals (and Everyone)

• Ritual transforms repetition into restoration.
• It’s not about adding more steps, but adding more soul and intention to what you already do.
• Listeners are encouraged to integrate similar rituals into all aspects of daily life, not just skincare—e.g., laundry, dishes, commuting.
  • “Routines keep us organized, but rituals can keep us connected, especially to ourselves.” (Ella, 12:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Routine vs. Ritual:
  • “A routine is what one does, and a ritual is how you do it and why that routine matters.” (Ella, 03:27)
• Release & Renewal:
  • “I release what’s heavy. My glow is lighter than my worries.” (Mantra, 06:17–06:21)
• Self-empowerment:
  • “Go on, glow getter. The world isn’t ready for this level of luminous rebellion.” (Ella, 07:40–07:42)
• Night Ritual Wisdom:
  • “Each sudsing bubble is a boundary that you’re setting. Each rinse is a reminder of what you decide sticks with you.” (Ella, 09:04)
• Signature Humor:
  • “I don’t do eye cream and I still see things clearly.” (Ella & Maggie, 10:00)
  • "I harness the lunar cycle. But I also check my email on my phone." (Maggie & Ella, 11:38–11:44)
  • "And my SPF always applied. Because goddess or not, UV rays don’t care." (Maggie & Ella, 12:15–12:20)
• Transformative Takeaway:
  • “A ritual transforms repetition into restoration.” (Ella, 13:23)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:55 | Discussing the challenge of prioritizing self in routines | | 03:27 | Defining routine vs. ritual | | 05:05 | Starting the mindful morning skincare ritual | | 06:17 | Mantras for cleansing (morning routine) | | 07:40 | “Go on, glow getter” – affirming self before the day starts | | 08:07 | Beginning of evening routine transformation | | 09:32 | Nightly affirmation: “I replenish what I gave away today” | | 10:04 | Nightly closure: “Good night, gorgeous” | | 11:07 | Maggie’s custom “Moon Mother Goddess” mantra for Ella | | 12:38 | Group affirmation: "I must stay young" | | 13:23 | The importance of transforming routines into rituals |

Final Takeaways

The hosts encourage estheticians and listeners to reclaim mundane moments and layer them with presence and intention, making self-care a practice in connection, not just function. Ritual, not rote routine, is what nourishes both skin and soul, contributing to resilience, radiance, and balance for busy professionals.

Call to Action: Listeners are invited to share their own rituals and transformations on Instagram, Facebook, or by email.