Stress. We all deal with it, whether it's related to the current pandemic, our jobs, our families or the constant struggle to “do it all”. And we know that stress affects us – not only our mind but our whole body, including our skin.

Everyone’s body and skin react to stress in different ways. Our skin can’t tell the difference between types of stress, whether it's physical, emotional, psychological or environmental. However, chronic stress or stress suffered for a prolonged period of time, is the most detrimental for the skin. The longer we withstand stress, the more it takes a toll on the skin. 

Stress can cause inflammation which we’ve discussed before and know is bad for the skin. While inflammation is actually an important function of the immune system - when it goes out of control, it can cause serious damage. It’s been linked to major diseases such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and wait for it…signs of aging. That’s right – stress can lead to aging skin! 

Additionally, stress causes a chemical response in the body that makes skin more sensitive and reactive. It can actually make existing skin problems worse! Stress can aggravate skin conditions like acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis. It also makes it harder for skin problems to heal, can cause hives and rashes even trigger a fever blister flare-up. 

We’ve all had it happen – you have a big presentation or special event and all of sudden you break out! There’s a certain level of situational stress that goes along with those events and that stress causes your body to produce hormones like cortisol which tells glands in your skin to make more oil. And unfortunately, oily skin is more prone to acne and other skin problems.

The mind and skin are connected on many different levels. Lots of nerve endings are connected to the skin and when emotions play out neurologically, they can show up on the skin. So just like stress can cause increased anxiety, it can immediately affect the skin with issues like flushing.

Stress can also interfere with our daily skin care routines. Think about it – when you get too busy trying to get everything done or you’re tired from doing it all – you end up skimping on your Beauty Wellness routine including skincare.

While we all wish we could eliminate stress, it’s just part of life. What matters is how we handle it. There are lots of things we can do to help deal with stress and help our skin at the same time.  Some of them are things we’ve talked about before – making sure we are exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, practicing stress management techniques like breathing exercises or meditation and taking time for yourself and your beauty wellness routine. Don’t neglect your skin – even if you’re tired or stressed! Taking a few minutes for your skin will keep it looking healthy and young. There’s always time for Glotrition's Super Beauty Elixir – a quick way to hydrate with a delicious, clinically effective supplement that treats all the layers of the skin. Boost the effects with the Restore Beauty Booster and you are well on your way to skin that says "Om".