IS STRESS THE HIDDEN FACTOR IN YOUR SKIN PROBLEMS?
3 QUICK FIXES..
There's a good chance that this is the hidden factor, the piece of the puzzle you need to finally understand your skin..
There's a good chance that this is the hidden factor, the piece of the puzzle you need to finally understand your skin..
Think back to times when your skin took a turn for the worse (it could even be now!). Your skincare routine hadn't changed.. your diet and exercise were about the same.. overall, it didn't seem like your routine was too different.
But all the same, angry pimples starting coming through, your skin felt a lot more sensitive, and it felt like you were fighting back against something you couldn't see.
But all the same, angry pimples starting coming through, your skin felt a lot more sensitive, and it felt like you were fighting back against something you couldn't see.
What if we add stress to the mix? Was that a particularly busy part of your life? Most people don't realize how directly of an effect stress has on your skin, see..
There's many different types of stress (physical, psychological and so on), but they all lead one thing: elevated cortisol levels.
Elevated cortisol levels are the enemy of the skin.
Obviously stress day to day is unavoidable, but bringing it back down to a healthy level can be surprisingly easy and quick, with a few different practices:
1/ SKIP CAFFEINE ON HIGH STRESS DAYS
The reason is, cortisol stress hormones degrade your skin barrier. Your skin barrier is a microscopic layer of your skin that keeps moisture in, whilst keeping harmful environmental build up out.
It's a crucial part of your skin health, and when it's degraded by cortisol, you see breakouts (as dirt and bacteria can get in to the skin), and also sensitivity/drying (as moisture and protective fatty acids leave the skin).
It's a crucial part of your skin health, and when it's degraded by cortisol, you see breakouts (as dirt and bacteria can get in to the skin), and also sensitivity/drying (as moisture and protective fatty acids leave the skin).
Obviously stress day to day is unavoidable, but bringing it back down to a healthy level can be surprisingly easy and quick, with a few different practices:
1/ SKIP CAFFEINE ON HIGH STRESS DAYS
It can be tempting to fuel up on coffee to get through a busier, higher stress day.. but this actually makes the problem a lot worse. Caffeine increases cortisol as your body enters an almost fight-or-flight state from the increase in adrenaline you get (that's what provides you with the alertness). So if you can, cut down on the caffeine in busier weeks/days.
2/ REDUCE YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE
It's a good idea to reduce your skincare routine down to the cleanest essentials (think: our collection) in higher stress times. With your skin barrier weakened, you really want to avoid anything that could aggravate your skin like excess fragrances, colours or heavy products. Just temporarily reduce your routine down to the basics, and make sure these basics are as clean as possible.
3/ NON-SLEEP DEEP REST
This is a method of deep relaxation similar to a guided meditation, however it only takes around 10 minutes, and brings a noticeable reduction in stress and anxiety immediately after. Not only does it help you to quickly and powerfully de-stress, it also puts your brain a state of enhanced learning, improved focus, and boosted creativity for the rest of your day. 'Virtusan NSDR' is a great place to start with this on YouTube!
It's a good idea to reduce your skincare routine down to the cleanest essentials (think: our collection) in higher stress times. With your skin barrier weakened, you really want to avoid anything that could aggravate your skin like excess fragrances, colours or heavy products. Just temporarily reduce your routine down to the basics, and make sure these basics are as clean as possible.
3/ NON-SLEEP DEEP REST
This is a method of deep relaxation similar to a guided meditation, however it only takes around 10 minutes, and brings a noticeable reduction in stress and anxiety immediately after. Not only does it help you to quickly and powerfully de-stress, it also puts your brain a state of enhanced learning, improved focus, and boosted creativity for the rest of your day. 'Virtusan NSDR' is a great place to start with this on YouTube!
