What does the latest Mercury retrograde mean for your beauty routine?

By Sanjana Salunkhe14 February 2020

2020’s first Mercury retrograde is only two days away, and you’re going to want to be well prepared for it. Here’s how your vanity kit can help

If you’ve been feeling emotional, upset, frustrated and a little out of balance, take solace in the fact that it’s not just you. 2020’s first Mercury retrograde is almost here, which means you can anticipate mood swings, indecisiveness and petty microstressors to start cropping up soon. Simply put, Mercury retrograde marks that period of the year when Mercury appears to be moving backwards when viewed from Earth. Though it has a challenging reputation—it’s known to disrupt and create chaos (for example, you may get a text from an ex you haven’t spoken to in years, or your travel plans might fail due to unforeseen circumstances)—it can also impact you positively (you may realise your mistakes and move on to better things). Whether you’re obsessively checking Costar or just staying away from all the reminders on social media, it’s likely that you may have to face the rumoured effects of Mercury retrograde. We spoke to famed astrologer Susan Miller, who currently also runs Astrologyzone.com, to find out what to expect.

Everything you need to know about the first Mercury retrograde of 2020

“Because Mercury is situated closest to the sun, its orbit is much shorter than Earth’s. About three or four times a year, Mercury speeds past Earth, and that is when we experience a Mercury retrograde period,” explains Miller. “Mercury retrograde is notorious for creating confusion. Mercury rules all types of communication, including listening, speaking, learning, reading, editing, researching, negotiating, selling and buying. Mercury also rules all formal contracts and agreements, as well as important documents such as agreements, deeds, contracts, leases, wills, and so forth. When this planet retrogrades, these areas tend to get scrambled or spin out of control. Romance tends to go haywire too. Couples tend to create miscommunications, that in turn can cause a domino effect of errors.”

With respect to the upcoming retrograde (which lasts from February 16, 2020 to March 9, 2020) in Pisces season, she advises, “If Mercury retrogrades in a water sign, it’s an instant signal to start listening to that small voice within. Use your intuition. Research can be driven by the way questions are asked, so if your research says to go a certain way, but your intuition tells you to reject the research, follow your gut. Intellect can only get us so far; often our emotional intelligence is more accurate.”

Just being aware of the fact that your daily functioning may get affected by Mercury retrograde isn’t enough, but it can be a good first step. “While Mercury naps, the activities that it governs don’t have the benefit of a well-functioning, wide-awake planet to supervise them. You can expect a certain degree of pandemonium to ensue, but keeping track of Mercury retrograde periods can allow you to increase your productivity and avoid at least some of the frustration they can bring about,” says Miller. As a second step, consider practices like meditation and journalling to channel your most zen self, or just look towards your vanity kit to do it for you. There are a variety of beauty products available in the market today that might just help soothe your troubled mind through this planetary shift. Here, we list out the ones you should be adding your beauty repertoire for the upcoming retrograde.

UMA Pure Calm Wellness Oil

Start your day by massaging four to five drops of this blended oil on your skin. With a mix of roman chamomile, vetiver and lavender, it alleviates the feeling of stress while enhancing calmness and tranquility. Ideal for some mental unwinding, especially in the retrograde period.

Forest Essentials Tranquil Sleep Pillow Mist

Our sleep patterns tend to get affected during this period, but it’s nothing this pillow mist can’t fix. For a restful sleep, spritz four to five sprays on the pillow before sleeping—it’ll help you enter a relaxed space. With soothing geranium and lavender essential oils, and nutmeg, which helps with anxiety, this is a mist that needs to own prime real estate on your bedside table.

Herbivore Amethyst Exfoliating Body Polish

Famed for its healing properties, amethyst is also known as the crystal of calmness. Use this scrub, which includes crushed amethyst crystals, during your shower to harmonise your thoughts before you leave for work—the amethyst emits peaceful vibrations, and the scrub leaves you with supple, smooth skin.

Moon Juice Spirit Dust Herbal Supplements

Up your morning latte game with this sweet and nutty blend of reishi, ashwagandha, astragalus, mimosa bark, dan shen, longan berry and goji to relieve tension and irritability. Keep it handy with your coffee or tea kits at the office as well—you know you are going to need it more than once a day.

Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Rose Vanilla Scented Candle

Reap the benefits of rose oil through this scented candle, which may help you get rid of all the stress and anxiety of the day. Sit with your favourite book, binge on your Netflix show and let the candle do its job.

Huda Beauty Mercury Retrograde Eyeshadow Palette

If there is anything that you can control during this period, it is your eye makeup. With 18 beautiful shades to choose from, this palette is sure to brighten your mood up every time you use it. Glide on your mood for the day and let your eyes do the talking. Feel like gaining some momentum? There is a shade for it inside too.