How to Take Care of Your Stressed Out Skin

Feeling stressed out really can affect your skin. Our body’s stress response puts our immune system into battle mode and throws our hormones out of whack, which increases inflammation. When stress causes inflammation, our skin can start to freak out.

So how should you take care of your skin when you’re stressed out?

1. Stay hydrated. Drinking a lot of water helps your digestive system flush out toxins from the body. Without adequate water intake, skin appears duller, and wrinkles and pores more prominent. Proper hydration levels help the skin to become plump and is less likely to have irritations and blemishes

2. Cleansing: Choose a gentle cleanser that doesn’t leave your skin feeling tight after washing. If you have normal to dry skin and you’re not wearing makeup, wash your face once a day. Otherwise, you are stripping your skin of its natural oils.

3. Vitamin C Serum: Vitamin C serums help slough away dead cells from the skin's surface leaving it brighter and smoother. The natural exfoliation process will help combat acne as well as speed up the production of collagen for a more youthful appearance.

4. Moisturizer: Don’t forget to apply moisturizer day and night. Using a moisturizer is very important to using a moisturizer is a great way to leave your skin looking and feeling fresh and hydrated. Nighttime is when your skin repairs itself, so be sure not to skip applying again at night!

5. Retinol: For acne prone skin, use a retinol product. Retinol helps keep the pores and follicles clear so that oil does not become trapped, causing breakouts.

6. Keep your hands and your cell phone off of your face. Our hands and phones are dirty! Not only will you stay healthy, you will have healthier skin and less breakouts when you keep your hands, cell phones, etc. off of your face.

7. Be sure to get a good night’s sleep and don’t forget to change your pillowcase weekly! Dirt and oils from your hair and skin build up on your pillowcase that can cause breakouts.

The best way to help reduce stress is to be sure to get seven to nine hours of sleep a night, exercise three to four days a week, and consider meditation or yoga to help you relax. Of course, everyone deals with stress differently, however, adding exercise and meditation to your daily routine has proven to be a game changer for most people.