Stress. It’s something we’ll all familiar with and when it comes to our body and mind, we’re probably pretty good at recognising the symptoms. Irritation. Tiredness. A fast heart rate. Racing thoughts. But do you know the signs for when your skin is stressed? Maybe not…

So, what is skin stress and why would I want my skin to relax? Let’s get into it…

What causes skin stress?
As the body's largest organ, your skin serves as a protective barrier between the internal and external environments. However, this barrier is under constant attack from aggressors that can lead to damaging effects. Think: Pollution. UV rays. Temperature changes. Pair these with lifestyle-causes aggressors – poor diet, drinking, diet, smoking and a lack of sleep, and your skin is under some serious stress.

Why would I want my skin to relax?
So, we’ve heard all about what causes skin stress, so why would I want my skin to relax? Well, in the same way when you’re mentally and physically stressed you might not be performing at your peak, neither does your skin.  Think: redness, irritation, pigmentation, inflammation, premature ageing. Now do you see the benefits of getting your skin to chill out? We recommend relaxing skin by tackling both the external (things like pollution, UV rays) – do this through your skincare routine (SPF & antioxidants!) - and lifestyle (smoking, drinking, diet, sleep).

Okay, now we’ve got the overview let’s do a deep dive… what exactly are skin aggressors and how do I protect my skin from them?

Let’s Start with External Skin Aggressors

So, what are external skin aggressors? Essentially these are environmental aggressors – things like pollution, blue light, temperature fluctuations and UV. These are around us everywhere in our daily lives and effect skin in different ways – UV causes DNA damage, pollutants cause oxidative stress and so can blue light. These can lead to premature signs of aging, hyperpigmentation, collagen loss, dehydration and breakouts.

How To Protect Against Environmental Skin Aggressors
This is where our skincare tips come in! Here’s how we protect skin against external skin aggressors.

1. Cleanse the day away
Cleanse then cleanse again. We love a double cleanse in the evening to thoroughly wash away every trace of the day – dirt, makeup AND pollution. The perfect combo? Our Nourish & Hydrate Cleansing Balm to melt everything away, followed by our Purify & Brighten Jelly Cleanser for a deep but gentle clean.

2. Defend Yourself with SPF!
This one is KEY for protection against both UVA (the rays that age you) and UVB (the ones that do the burning. Ours is lightweight & silky, giving skin a visible glow, sinking in fast without clogging pores, feeling greasy or leaving a white cast on the skin. It’s the kind of SPF you’ll look forward to putting on every AM.

3. Antioxidants, antioxidants, antioxidants
Antioxidants play a CRUCIAL role in skin protection, they protect against oxidative damage that comes from environmental factors by neutralising free radicals (responsible for the depletion of collagen) when they come into contact with our skin. THIS is one of the reasons we created our SUPER SHROOM range. A trio of skincare heroes packed with antioxidants rich mushrooms (5 types to be exact), ashwagandha and kombucha.

4. Limit screen time
This one isn’t skincare related BUT you should still be doing. Take breaks from digital devices (especially before bed to promote better sleep) and reduce your exposure to blue light.

 

Okay, so Let’s Talk Lifestyle Skin Aggressors
Lifestyle skin aggressors are usually factors connected to your daily habits. So, this could be something like a poor diet, smoking / vaping and drinking alcohol. For example – smoking introduces harmful chemicals to the body that can actually decrease blood flow and inhibit collagen production. Alcohol consumption can cause dehydration and disrupt hydration levels. Actual stress. Yep, we all know it but when your mind is stressed, your body and skin is too. Studies even show that high sugar and fat intake can even worsen acne and speed up ageing – eeee!  

How To Protect Against Lifestyle Skin Aggressors
Okay, so we know what causes the stress but what can we do to prevent & protect our skin against these lifestyle related skin stressors? This one is pretty simple, do the reverse of what’s causing that stress!

1. Eat balanced meals – think leafy greens, healthy fats, whole grains. These ingredients are all pretty vital for supporting skin health.

2. Limit alcohol – drinking in moderation reduces that dehydration causes skin stress. Up the water intake & you’ll be glowing…

3. Quit smoking – this is one can be much more tricky, but seeking support to quit smoking or vaping is going to help reduce stress on your skin and body

4. De-stress mind & body – again, easier said than done. But look for ways to de-stress the mind and improve overall wellness, however that may look to you.

Want to know more about how your skincare can tackle stress? Read our blog - what are adaptogens? You'll be a skincare pro in NO time.