"I don't wear makeup most of the time and stick to a skincare routine. So why do I still get breakouts?" This is a frustrating question that's been asked a lot, especially lately.
Since many of us are staying home and giving our skin a break from makeup (and touching our faces), our skin should be looking better than ever...right? Maybe if stress wasn't a factor.
"Stress can definitely cause various inflammatory conditions like acne, rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis to flare up and get worse," says Dr. Nancy Samolitis, board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of Facile Dermatology.
Since many of us are experiencing higher levels of stress than usual (thanks, moms and moms-to-be), it's completely normal for your skin to be a little panicked. Read on to learn how stress plays a role in your skin care routine, and how you can relieve it (and yourself).
Effects of stress. There are countless reasons why you might be stressed — work deadlines, financial worries, family obligations, relationship tensions, etc. — but no matter what the cause, your body responds in the same way: by releasing cortisol and adrenaline, among other things Hormones to protect yourself, try your best.
Depending on the situation, this might not be that bad, but it can cause emotional and physical stress, including skin stress. You may notice the following things:
Outbreaks increase. When your body releases cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, it goes into survival mode, preparing your body for a potentially dangerous situation. This involves telling your glands to increase oil production in order to retain the moisture they might lose.
Since oily skin is one of the culprits of acne, you may notice more breakouts. Inflamed and irritated skin. Stress weakens the immune system, and when our defenses are weakened, it becomes more difficult for us to fight off antigens (harmful substances like toxins) and keep the skin barrier strong.
This may be why you may notice that inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis become worse during times of stress. It can also cause less serious skin problems such as dryness, flaking, and irritation.
Lack of motivation. Excessive stress often leads to feelings of apathy, so we have difficulty completing even the simplest tasks.
Whether you have more free time or not, if all your energy is focused on keeping cool, you might feel less enthusiastic about using skin care products—and that's totally understandable.
This can cause your skin to notice its lack of attention and react negatively.
What can you do. First things first: check in with yourself. Practice stress-reduction techniques such as mindfulness and exercise (we've compiled our own recommendations here), and if necessary, contact a mental health professional for further help.
When it comes to skin care, now is the time to incorporate more skin-soothing ingredients and rituals to help your skin feel calm.
Some ingredients to look out for include niacinamide (an anti-inflammatory that also strengthens skin and is found in our Just Breathe Clarifying Serum), green tea extract (which makes our Dew Point Hydrating Gel Cream so soothing), and turmeric ( It's popular)
in Ayurvedic medicine, has antibacterial properties and reduces redness, and looks perfect in our photos (Brightening Firming Mask, please). Of course, if your skin still struggles to calm down, we always recommend consulting a dermatologist.
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