Stress Awareness Month: Take Care of Your Skin
April is Stress Awareness Month, and while we often focus on how stress affects our mental health, we can't overlook the physical effects stress has on our skin. During times of high stress, it’s important to be aware of our skin care routine, as neglecting it could lead to long term consequences such as premature aging and dryness. Let’s take a look at how stress can affect your day-to-day skin and how moisture and exfoliation play a key role in prevention to the effects of stress on aging skin.
How Stress Affects Your Skin
When we experience high levels of stress, cortisol (the ‘stress hormone’) is released into our body. This can cause an increase in oil production leading to breakouts and acne, reducing collagen production making wrinkles more visible, and impairing skin barrier repair resulting in dryness. All this can add up to an overall dull complexion that looks tired or aged before its time. It’s important not to let these effects linger too long by taking special care of your skin during stressful periods. That may include, washing your face before bed every night or making sure to change your pillow case once or twice a week. Those few extra steps can truly make a difference in your skin during times of high stress.
Why Moisturizing Matters
Staying hydrated is key when dealing with stressed skin since dehydration will only exacerbate any visible signs or symptoms you may have from higher cortisol levels. Quality moisturizers help keep your complexion looking healthy by keeping it balanced between oily and dry areas which helps promote healthy cell turnover for glowing skin all year round! Look for products that contain ingredients like mango butter, pink Himalayan salt, Grapeseed oil, lemongrass essential oils or other natural ingredients that help nourish your skin while also promoting relaxation and a sense of calm overall.
The Benefits Of Exfoliation
Exfoliating is an important step in any skincare routine but especially so during times when you're feeling extra stressed out! Sloughing off dead surface cells helps unclog pores which prevents breakouts while also allowing other products like serums and moisturizers to penetrate deeper into the layers of the epidermis where they can do the most good. Be sure not to over-exfoliate though - no more than two times per week - as this can cause irritation or damage if done too frequently.
Stress Awareness Month serves as a reminder for us all to pay attention not only to our mental health but also our physical health - including our skincare routines! Taking preventive measures such as staying hydrated with quality moisturizers containing natural ingredients like mango butter, Grapeseed oil, and lemongrass essential oils will help protect against some of the negative side-effects associated with high levels of stress like wrinkles & breakouts while also helping you feel calmer & more relaxed overall! Additionally, exfoliating regularly (no more than 2x/week) will help keep your complexion looking bright & healthy even during hectic periods when life gets extra busy or stressful - so don't forget this step either! Taking good care of yourself should always be top priority - so make sure you make it a priority this month!
