There’s a certain aesthetic floating around social media these days—girls sipping green juice, wearing organic cotton, doing gua sha every morning, and swapping out every single product in their homes for a cleaner, greener version. And honestly? It’s beautiful. There’s so much to admire about this movement toward clean, non-toxic and conscious living. It’s empowering, health-forward, and rooted in self-respect and planetary care. However it can feel stressful or overwhelming trying to keep up. But here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Let’s talk about what it really means to live a conscious lifestyle—and how that doesn’t have to mean perfection or rigid rules. Because somewhere in between the all-natural everything and the YOLO approach lies a lifestyle that’s both intentional and enjoyable.
You Can Care Deeply About Wellness and Still Love Botox
Let’s get this out of the way right now: being passionate about wellness doesn’t mean you have to reject everything modern medicine or beauty innovation has to offer. You can be the girl who oils her scalp with rosemary and wears blue light glasses to protect her circadian rhythm—and still book your Botox appointment with zero shame.
The truth is, it’s possible to do both. We can care deeply about what we put in and on our bodies, but also enjoy the little things that make us feel confident and happy. It’s not hypocrisy. It’s humanity.
Clean Living Isn’t a Competition
The pressure to be perfectly clean can be overwhelming. One day you’re swapping out your aluminum deodorant and the next, you’re being told your yoga pants are releasing microplastics into your system. It’s easy to feel like you’re never doing enough. But here’s the truth: clean living isn’t a competition, and it’s not about winning points.
Progress matters more than perfection. If you’ve switched to reusable water bottles, swapped your candles for indoor plants, or started shopping local produce, you’re doing amazing. We don’t need 100 people doing clean living perfectly—we need millions doing it imperfectly, with intention.
The 80/20 Philosophy for a Conscious Life
One of the most sustainable ways to approach clean living is with the 80/20 mindset. 80% of the time, you choose the organic option. You skip the artificial scents. You shop clean beauty and sleep in cotton or linen sheets. But 20% of the time? You eat buttery movie theatre popcorn without checking the ingredients. You wear your Lululemons even though they’re not GOTS-certified. And you enjoy that one vanilla latte from your favorite café with zero guilt.
This mindset is what keeps clean living livable. It allows for flexibility, for life to be enjoyed, and for changes to stick long-term without leading to burnout.
A Day in the Life of the Balanced Wellness Girl
You wake up with a silk pillowcase and reach for your clean skincare. You journal for five minutes and make eggs sourced from a local farm. Later, you head out in your favorite (yes, synthetic fiber) workout set for a Pilates class, then stop by the farmer’s market to grab organic tomatoes and fresh herbs.
You light a non-toxic candle when you get home (or maybe essential oils are more your vibe). You prep dinner with your favorite wooden utensils and compost the scraps. After dinner, you scroll your phone a bit too long. That night, you do a face mask… and also schedule a nail appointment for next week.
See what we mean? This is the middle ground. It’s not about denying yourself joy or becoming obsessed with what’s “clean enough.” It’s about building a lifestyle that feels good—mind, body, and soul.
The Real Risk of Extremes
When we fall into the trap of black-and-white thinking, conscious living starts to feel like a moral high ground. We can begin to judge others—or ourselves—harshly for not doing everything “right.”
That’s a slippery slope. Because clean living isn’t about being better than anyone else. It’s about feeling better, living longer, and supporting a more sustainable world. And shame has no place in that equation.
We’re all learning, unlearning, and evolving. The industry is changing. New information comes out daily. What matters most is that we care. That we try. That we do our best.
What Really Matters
At the end of the day, conscious living is about awareness and intention. Are you thinking about your purchases? Did you choose better where you could? And are you educating yourself and gently encouraging those around you to do the same? Great. That’s what counts.
You don’t have to give up every comfort or modern convenience to be a conscious consumer. You just have to be awake to the choices you’re making—and kind to yourself in the process.
So yes, be the girl who uses reusable grocery bags and buys organic. Be the girl who double cleanses with a non-toxic products and books her eyebrow lamination. Be the girl who knows parabens are problematic but still wears her favorite old lip gloss from time to time. It’s all about balance.
Final Thoughts
There’s power in being thoughtful, in caring about what you consume and how you live. But there’s also power in letting go of perfection. In laughing, indulging, and embracing the 20% that keeps you human and joyful.
Clean, conscious living doesn’t have to come at the cost of your happiness or your sense of self. You can live in the gray area. In fact, that’s where most of us are—and it’s where the real magic happens.
So here’s to the conscious girls, the in-betweeners, the mindful-but-chill crowd. You’re doing better than you think—and you’re creating a lifestyle that’s sustainable, enjoyable, and uniquely yours.
Take the stress off where you can. Do the right thing when you’re able, and don’t beat yourself up in the areas where you can’t. And a big shout out to the girls who are managing to edge closer to that 100% clean marker – that’s amazing!
So here’s to Conscious living—minus the pressure x
For a little extra inspo head over to our Lifestyle page
