Discover six ways your skin is effected by stress, plus how to counteract them!
Stress happens to everyone, but since you can’t avoid your job, bills, or life, the best thing to do is learn to manage the stress. This includes eating healthy, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and taking care of yourself in general, says Jackie Damboragian, health coach at the Dr. Frank Lipman’s Eleven Eleven Wellness Centre. If you don’t, signs of stress can show up on your hair, skin, and nails in ways you won’t like.
Here are six evil things stress does to your appearance, along with ways to keep looking flawless 24/7.
Article courtesy of cosmopolitan.com
PROBLEM: Under eye bags
Tomorrow’s to-do list can weigh on your mind, keeping you from getting enough beauty sleep. This can cause fluid to pool below your lower eyelid area. What you end up with is a puffy mess in the am. Stomach sleepers, bad news: You can expect the puffiness of your under-eye bags to be even worse because of gravity.
SOLUTION
Get at least eight hours of sleep. Since the light from your smartphone’s screen simulates sunlight, shut off any electronic devices an hour before you go to sleep. Use your downtime to make yourself a cup of caffeine-free chamomile tea to help calm and relax you before bed.
If you still wake up with puffy eyes in the morning, hold the back of a cold spoon up to your under-eye area and massage it from the inner to the outer corner of your eye to jumpstart the fluid’s drainage. Then, apply concealer in an inverted triangle under your eye. The brightness will start slightly below your nostrils and build toward your eye, concealing the puffiness.
PROBLEM: Dry, Flaky Skin
If you’re stressed, chances are you’re not drinking enough water. You might also be drinking coffee or soda, which can be dehydrating. And if your body doesn’t get the proper hydration it needs, your skin will end up feeling (and looking) like crepe paper.
SOLUTION
First and foremost, drink a lot of water — eight glasses (or more!) each day. You can also down some green tea for a boost of healthy antioxidants and eat foods that have a high water content.
For a quick hydration fix, use a serum that contains hyaluronic acid. This is an ingredient that naturally occurs in your body and holds 1,000 times its weight in water. It even pulls moisture from the air into the skin, instantly hydrating it and leaving you with a gorgeous glow. Try Peter Thomas Roth Viz-1000 Intensive Hyaluronic Acid Complex.
PROBLEM: Acne
Stress causes skin issues to flare up regardless of what you’re prone to, whether it’s acne, psoriasis, or eczema. When it comes to acne, stress releases cortisol, which can throw off the other hormones in your body and cause breakouts on your face or body. Stress can also disrupt the balance between the good and bad bacteria in your gut. That can then show up on your skin in the form of acne, Damboragian says.
SOLUTION
Practice deep breathing (take a big breath that fills your belly, hold for few seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth) to calm any anxiety. Damboragian also suggests downloading the meditation app Headspace and engaging in meditation exercises for 10 minutes. Drinking a lot of water and eating a well-balanced diet are important too. Your body can’t handle stress well if it’s not properly nourished. Fruits, vegetables, and high-quality proteins are also crucial (they keep a balance between the good and bad bacteria in your gut), as is cutting down on sugar.
To cover zits in a pinch, use a concealer that comes in a tube so you only touch fresh product that is squeezed out. Try Illuminarè Concealing Mineral Foundation, which offers shades from light to dark.
PROBLEM: Rashes
Both are both caused by a dysbiosis, aka an imbalance in your gut. They crop up when stress takes over and too much bad bacteria outweighs the good.
SOLUTION
Breathing exercises can help minimise the chances of getting a rash when you’re stressed, but to keep both at bay, consult your doctor. Ask if you should be taking medical-grade probiotics to balance out the good and bad bacteria in your gut.
If you’re heading out for the night, camouflage a rash by patting a little bit of stick concealer onto it with your clean fingertip. Try Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Waterproof Concealer, which has calming and anti-inflammatory properties in it, thanks to vitamins A and E, and soothing Amazonian clay that helps balance your skin.
PROBLEM: Flushed Face
When you’re stressed, you breathe in short, shallow breaths. You can even find yourself holding your breath for periods of time, which can lead to flushing and redness, says Doris Day, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in NYC.
SOLUTION
Breathe in a calming beauty elixir, like Tata Harper Aromatic Irritability Treatment, which contains chamomile and patchouli, to keep you from feeling super-stressed (You can even think of a happy time in your life to brighten your mood!). It sounds simple, but it’s integral to a properly functioning system and lowered stress levels.
The flushing shouldn’t last too long (10 minutes max). However, to conceal any pink tones on your face immediately, smooth on an anti-redness foundation. Clinique Redness Solutions Makeup SPF 15 will help calms the skin and cancel out any redness.
PROBLEM: Fine Lines
Constantly making certain facial expressions, like furrowing your brows when you’re stressed or pursing your lips, can lead to deeper wrinkles in these areas over time.
SOLUTION
Be mindful of making certain unconscious facial expressions when you have a lot on your plate. Especially when you’re sitting at your desk. Need help training your muscles to relax? If you tend to furrow your brow, put a piece of clear tape in between your arches when you’re at work. That way when you scrunch up your brow muscle, the tape will crinkle, reminding you to relax it. If pursing your lips is what you struggle with, do the same above your upper lip. After a while, you’ll learn to drop the habit. Because, let’s be real, how long can you tolerate wearing face tape in public? To minimise the look of any lines you may have now, pat on a silicone-based formula that temporarily fills in fine lines, so your makeup goes on smoothly and doesn’t settle into them. Try The Body Shop Drops of Youth WonderBlur.For the full article visit cosmopolitan.com
