Interoception and Inner Awareness Through Beauty
What Is Interoception?
Interoception is the brain’s ability to sense the internal state of the body—heartbeat, breath, gut sensations, temperature, and even emotional shifts. This lesser-known sensory system is foundational to self-awareness, emotional regulation, and intuitive decision- making. When interoception is strong, we feel connected to ourselves. When it’s disrupted, we often feel numb, reactive, or disembodied. Interoceptive pathways are closely tied to the insular cortex and vagus nerve, which help regulate everything from inflammation to stress hormones. Practices that increase interoceptive awareness—such as meditation, mindful movement, and touch—also help recalibrate the nervous system.
Aesthetic Rituals as Interoceptive Training
Beauty practices like skincare, gentle facials, microcurrent stimulation, and even breathwork during aesthetic treatments bring attention back to the body. These rituals are more than routine—they are sensory immersion experiences that guide the patient inward. When a provider applies serum with slow, grounding touch, or when a patient tunes into temperature and texture during treatment, interoception is enhanced. Over time, this creates a stronger mind-body connection and increases internal safety.
Clinical Example
A patient recovering from trauma finds it difficult to meditate or connect with her body. During an LED facial combined with light scalp massage and warm compresses, she unexpectedly relaxes and says, “This is the first time I’ve felt like I’m back in my body.” With
continued treatments, she begins using skincare at home as a ritual of reconnection.
Beauty, Brain, and Longevity
Interoceptive awareness improves emotion regulation and supports the parasympathetic nervous system—both essential for slowing biological aging. Patients who learn to listen to their body’s cues through aesthetic care may reduce chronic stress, enhance immune resilience, and improve sleep quality.
Feminist Reflection
Women are often trained to override their own internal cues to perform, please, or endure. Reclaiming your body as a source of wisdom is revolutionary. Beauty isn’t about pleasing others—it’s about creating a relationship with yourself that is rooted in care, presence, and power.
Rewire & Restore your Mind with ExoMind
ExoMind is powered by a non- invasive, cutting-edge technology that uses Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to support mental clarity, well-being, and behavior change.
Clinical studies have shown that TMS can:
• Reduce obsessive thought patterns and compulsive behaviors
• Improve mood and decrease symptoms of depression
• Reduce chronic stress and physiological markers of anxiety
• Improve cognitive flexibility and emotional regulation
• Support healthier sleep architecture
Book your Exomind Session
About Us
Beauty and the Brain is the integrative aesthetic philosophy of Fresh Faces Rx, led by Dr. Jodee Anderson, a Stanford-trained physician, certified life coach, and one of the most trusted voices in ethical aesthetic medicine today. As a licensed physician in the state of Oregon, Dr. Anderson has dedicated her career to blending neuroscience, self-perception, and aesthetic integrity. At Fresh Faces Rx, we believe that self-care is healthcare, and beauty—when rooted in autonomy, compassion, and science—is a powerful path to healing, longevity, and personal transformation. All care is safe, ethical, and personalized. We follow Oregon Medical Board ORS/OAR regulations and hold the highest standards of integrity and patient safety.