Bridget Carmady, Founder of Clemence Organics, talks us through how stress can affect your skin, and what you can do to combat it.
How stress affects your skin
As the world grapples with the unfolding of one of the toughest challenges we’ve faced for almost a century, our individual stress levels are understandably rising with each passing day. It’s difficult to maintain focus and keep to ‘new normal’ everyday routines and activities when so much is happening to so many.
So we do what we can. For us here at Clémence Organics, that’s helping you look after yourself and your skin.
If you’ve found your skin isn’t behaving in its usual way lately, perhaps it’s reacting to products or foods that are normally fine or you’re breaking out more than normal, elevated stress levels are likely to be the culprit.
Your skin is the largest organ of your body and provides critical barrier and immune functions. What’s going on inside your body is, more often than not, reflected in your skin.
Repeated or prolonged stress suppresses your skin’s immune function, which increases inflammation, allergic response, susceptibility to infection, and reactivity to new stimuli. A spike in the stress hormone cortisol adds to the inflammatory response, making your skin work even harder.
This is why, if you have an underlying skin condition, stress is probably going to make it flare up. To add to that, it can also make even usually well-behaved skin hyper-sensitive.
So, how does all this play out for your complexion?
Sensitivity and redness (rosacea eczema)
If your skin is prone to sensitivity, rosacea or eczema, you undoubtedly already know how much stress can affect a complexion. Once again, cortisol and its immune-suppressing effects are to blame for the heightened inflammatory response and ensuing flare-ups that occur during times of stress.
When your skin is suffering flare-ups or hypersensitivity the best way to adapt your skincare routine is to bring it right back to basics.
Remove any products that might cause irritation or sensitivity and use simple yet powerful ingredients such as Calendula, Rose Otto and Biofermented hyaluronic acid to increase hydration, ease inflammation and soothe hypersensitivity.
Our Ultimate Face Crème incorporates these divine ingredients and has gathered a loyal following for its skin-soothing effects.
Acne
Possibly the most common side effect of stress, acne and breakouts occur when the skin starts overproducing oil. Stress can be a catalyst for this as it disrupts our delicate hormonal balance and signals the skin to start producing excess oil.
Your first thought may be to start scrubbing it away with strong cleansers, but hold that thought! Over-cleansing and stripping your natural oils only makes your skin work harder to replace the lost oil.
We highly recommend cleansing only once per day with our Refining Cleanser and then toning with our Ultimate Biome Spritz which gently balances pH levels, tightens pores without drying and strengthens your skin’s natural barrier to reduce infection and inflammation.
Dark circles
Stress and sleep¦.well, there’s a huge topic. But we all know the feeling of tossing and turning as our thoughts run away with all those hours we should be using to recharge. And, of course, lack of sleep leads to the inevitable, tell-tale dark circles.
Turning off screens in the hours preceding bed-time, meditation, essential oils – all these activities will help optimise your chance of some rejuvenating rest.
If you need some extra help to combat dark circles and puffy eyes, our Lime Caviar Eye Crème is formulated with brightening and skin-tightening vitamin c. Rosehip oil and Biofermented Hyaluronic Acid work to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to give your peepers the lift they need during trying times.
Adapting your skincare in times of stress
When overwhelm gets the better of your skin, the best thing you can do is go back to basics.
All Clémence Organics products are gentle and made with 100% natural, certified organic ingredients and nothing synthetic.
Make sure your routine is simple and brings you a little joy.
Wishing you and your loved ones the best of health,
Bridget x
Clemence Organics are offering FREE Shipping and 15% OFF for Bud Club members. Simply enter the code ‘AO15 at the checkout. Visit www.clemenceorganics.com
