June 19, 2025Wellness

Summer Glow-Up: TCM Edition

11 Radiant Rituals to Try for a Joyful, Natural Transformation

Summer isn’t just a season—it’s an invitation. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), summer is associated with the fire element, the heart, and the emotion of joy. It’s the time of year to open up, express, connect, and let your inner and outer glow come alive.

Forget the harsh detoxes and 12-step skincare routines. This glow-up is all about nourishing from within, syncing with nature, and embracing your qi (life energy).

Here are 11 TCM-inspired summer glow-up rituals to help you look and feel radiant in the most joyful, natural way.

1. Start Your Morning with Warm Water + Lemon or Chrysanthemum Tea

Cold drinks can weaken your digestive fire (called “Spleen Qi” in TCM), especially first thing in the morning. Start your day with something warm and gentle.

Glow Tip: Try warm chrysanthemum tea to clear internal heat, reduce puffiness, and support skin clarity. Add a few goji berries for bonus eye and liver support.

2. Eat with the Season — Think Cooling, Hydrating, and Bright

Summer calls for juicy fruits, crisp veggies, and water-rich foods that help you stay balanced.

TCM faves for summer glow:

Watermelon (clears heat + hydrates)
Cucumber (soothes skin + detoxes)
Bitter melon (clears internal damp-heat)
Mung beans (used traditionally for skin flare-ups and heat rashes)

Avoid: Too much greasy, spicy, or fried food—they trap heat and stagnation.

3. Herbal Iced Teas—Yes, But Make Them Room Temp or Lightly Chilled

Iced drinks can “shock” your digestion. If you must cool down with tea, do it TCM-style: infuse flowers like blue lotus, chrysanthemum, or rose in cool water and let them slowly bloom.

Try: The Qi's Shangri-La Rose + goji berry cold infusion. It supports circulation, skin glow, and emotional balance—plus, it’s gorgeous.

4. Gua Sha, but Gently and with Intention

Facial gua sha helps move stagnant qi and lymph, boosts blood flow, and encourages that lit-from-within glow. In summer, keep it light—no dragging or scraping.

TCM Pro Tip: Start with the heart meridian (middle of the chest), then move to your face. Everything begins with the heart in summer.

5. Try a Qigong Flow for the Heart

Summer is governed by the heart meridian, so gentle qigong flows that open the chest, expand the arms, and lift the spirit are perfect.

Suggested practices: check out this video, this video and this to open energy flow and feel more connected to joy.

6. Sip Flowering Teas Midday Instead of Coffee

Caffeine can cause overheating and agitation in the summer, especially if you're already prone to anxiety or insomnia.

Replace your second cup with:

Blue Lotus Bloom for calm focus
Royal Chrysanthemum for cooling clarity
Shangri-La Rose for inner-outer beauty

These flowering teas don’t just work—they’re a ritual, a moment of beauty in your day.

7. Wind Down with a Heart-Clearing Evening Bath

In TCM, the heart holds the shen—your spirit and consciousness. If you feel restless or can’t sleep, it could be your heart qi.

Evening ritual: Soak your feet or body in warm water with dried rose petals, lavender, and a pinch of Epsom salt. Add a few drops of neroli or sweet orange essential oil to uplift the spirit.

8. Add Bitter Foods for Clear Skin and a Healthy Heart

Bitter is the flavor of summer in TCM—it supports the heart and helps clear heat from the body.

Simple ways to incorporate:

Add arugula to your salads
Sip dandelion root tea
Try bitter melon stir-fried with garlic and a touch of tamari

These foods support liver detoxification and give your skin a subtle reset.

9. Journal Daily to Clear Emotional Heat

Summer heat doesn’t just live in your body—it can build in your emotions. Frustration, anxiety, restlessness—those are signs of excess “heart fire.”

Emotional glow-up ritual:
Each evening, ask yourself:

What brought me joy today?
What felt like heat or tension?
Where can I soften, open, or release?

Journaling is medicine in TCM—it helps regulate your shen and clears the mind.

10. Expose Your Chest to Morning Sun

The heart meridian runs through the center of your chest. Letting this area receive early sunlight helps regulate circadian rhythms, boost mood, and gently activate yang energy.

5-minute practice: Stand near a window or go outside, close your eyes, and take deep, heart-opening breaths while the sun warms your chest.

11. Follow the Moon for Balance and Reflection

Summer is high yang—active, bright, outward. The moon brings balance with yin energy—restful, cool, inward.

Create a moon ritual:
On the full moon, sip a calming tea (blue lotus + chrysanthemum), journal your wins and gratitudes, and do a short facial massage to reset and reconnect.

Final Thoughts: Your Summer Glow Is Already Within

This isn’t about transformation for others—it’s about returning to your natural brilliance. In TCM, beauty is a reflection of harmony—between the organ systems, your emotions, your environment, and your spirit.

Your glow-up doesn't need to be extreme. Let it be joyful. Let it be nourishing. Let yourself bloom.

Looking for your perfect summer flowering tea ritual?
Explore The Qi’s curated collection of pure whole flower teas designed to help you glow, from the inside out.