Do you ever wonder why your skin isn’t glowing even though you’re using amazing skin care products?
Well, did you know that your exposure to stress could be affecting your access to naturally radiant skin?
In this article, you’ll find out how to reduce stress to increase skin health and why you need to manage your stress levels for natural beauty benefits.
How Can I Get Glowing Skin Naturally?
Aside from using the best products that truly nourish your skin, lifestyle is a huge factor in skin health. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that your skin is the largest organ of your body. And if your skin isn’t looking its best that can often mean it’s trying to tell you that something needs to change.
Our body always shows us signs if something is up, and usually, we listen. For example, if you develop a cough or cold, you know that you need to rest and may even be able to pinpoint exactly when you exposed yourself to a lowered immune system. This often prevents you from walking home without a coat in the cold or going out with damp hair on a windy day.
However, our skin often speaks to us, but we ignore it. And what is happening to your skin can often tell you a lot about what your body needs on the inside, or how you need to alter your lifestyle to benefit your overall health and skin health.
Tips For Glowing Skin
According to the Biological Journal Of Chemistry (H.H Mitchell, 158) 60% of the body is water, and 64% of the skin is water.¹ Water plays a key role in skin health, reparation, and restoration. It is cliche and we have heard it a million times, but - drink water.
Avoid drinks that contain artificial sugars, or are high in sugar, because they’re not beneficial for skin health. Research shows that drinking soft drinks that are high in sugar daily can significantly increase the chances of moderate to severe acne in adolescents.²
Alcohol is a dehydrator. So if you’re looking for a radiance boost and clear skin, cut back on the alcohol consumption and look for other healthier ways to let your hair down.
If you really struggle in avoiding alcohol then you can invest in the 100% Pure Organic 22mm Silk Eye Mask to ensure that you can sleep as much as possible after a late night. The Fait avec Coeur 100% Pure Organic 22mm Silk Eye Mask helps to block out light pollution or the rising sun so that you can allow your body to restore for just a little bit longer in a snoozy slumber. Silk doesn’t tug at the skin which makes it the perfect material for your luxury eye mask to help avoid fine lines on your delicate skin.
I’m not sure about you, but I highly support any science which tells me to sleep more. Clinical research shows the correlation between impaired skin health and a lack of good sleep. During sleep, the body is able to restore, and the immune system releases cytokines which are proteins that protect you from inflammation and infection. Changes in immune response from poor sleep can also affect collagen production and skin barrier function.
If you want to get a luxurious night’s sleep then treat yourself to a new bed set that makes you want to spend as much time as possible snuggled up under the covers. The 100% Pure Organic Bamboo Viscose Sheet Set comes in cream, grey, and white. Bamboo textiles are great for sensitive skin as they are hypoallergenic and antibacterial. Super soft, breathable, and complete with an impressive high quality 300 thread 100% Pure Organic Bamboo Viscose Sheet Set is the perfect excuse to spend more time in bed.
If you want to enjoy the added beauty benefits of sleeping in silk, then the 30 Momme Pure Organic Luxury Silk Bed Sheet Set is for you. Coming in white, pink, and grey this sensual heavenly set is ultimate opulence. Silk is known to be antimicrobial, non-irritating, hypoallergenic, and super soft. The 30 Momme Pure Organic Luxury Silk Bed Sheet Set has the added beauty benefit of helping the skin to retain hydration as you get your beauty sleep, and it prevents hair damage, split ends, and bed head.
A short session of daily exercise benefits the skin by increasing blood flow. Blood flow nourishes your skin cells by carrying nutrients and oxygen to the skin, whilst also carrying away unnecessary waste.
You are what you eat! What you put inside, shows on the outside. Our skin needs vital nutrients and vitamins to unlock that youthful, fresh glow. Make sure that your diet is able to provide a wide range of balanced nutritious minerals and vitamins to feed your skin.
Mother nature provides so many beautiful ingredients that work in tune with our bodies and natural rhythms. Support ethical, sustainable brands that focus on maximum results with minimal cost.
Even on cloudy days, the sun emits UV rays which cause a variety of unwanted skin issues such as dryness, hyperpigmentation, premature aging, fine lines, uneven skin tone, and poor skin texture. Investing in a daily skincare routine that includes a good SPF (sun protection factor) is really key to beautiful skin.
Everything that you put your body through, will show in your skin because it’s the largest organ of the body and visible. Reflect on ways that you can improve your routines and habits that also benefit your health and skin health.
Evaluating your daily routine, such as having a great morning ritual can be an easy way to avoid the stress of being late for work in the morning. Check out the UpCircle Cinnamon And Ginger Soap Bar which is the perfect scent to really wake you up for that morning shower.
Filled with botanical ingredients like shea butter which hydrates and protects the skin, salicylic acid which exfoliates dead skin cells and prevents clogged pores, and chamomile flower oil and olive oil which soothes inflammation and sensitive skin. The UpCircle Cinnamon And Ginger Soap Bars are great for oily skin as they hydrate and exfoliate whilst lovingly nourishing the skin.
How Does Stress Affect My Skin?
Stress affects your biological function, and therefore it affects your skin. Stress is subjective as everyone has a different level of tolerance to emotional, mental, physical, and environmental pressure. However, when experiencing stress the biological response is the same.
Your brain processes stress due to triggers and perceived threats. And then releases hormones such as epinephrine (adrenaline), cortisol, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), and glucocorticoids.⁴ Stress hormones trigger a cascade of physiological changes (such as an increase of blood pressure) as the body adapts to the situation. And when this stress response is in excess of the body’s needs or inadequate, this can have unwanted physiological effects.
Clinical research shows that stress can trigger a variety of skin problems, especially when they are related to inflammation. Those who have acne-prone skin, or those who experience psoriasis, and dermatitis will be susceptible to outbreaks during stress. Stress impacts the skin’s ability to function properly which can lead to water loss, dry skin, aggravated allergies, impaired protective skin barrier function, dull skin, slower wound healing, and premature aging.
When it comes to the environment, the skin is the body’s stress perceiver. It evaluates pain and temperature, such as hot or cold. Based on the stimulus it can trigger the body’s stress response which is designed to adapt physiologically to environmental stress. Your skin is a highly intelligent and intricate organ that holds multiple functions and requires certain factors to look it’s best.
If you want to reclaim your natural glow we highly recommend ramping up your self-care rituals.
What Are The Top 14 Ways To Reduce Stress?
Whether you like it or not your environment can lead to stress occurring almost daily. But whilst it’s impossible to entirely remove stress from your life, you can get better at processing, managing, and relieving stress through practice.
Here are some ways that you can access the healthy glow that comes with healthy skin. Notice when stress is arising by tuning in to your body, and then focus on a calming and soothing activity that calms the nervous system. Any distraction which allows you to release happy love hormones, or reduce the body’s stress response is effective to counter stress hormones. Don’t wait for stress to arise, these techniques work best when incorporated into your daily rituals
- Daily Deep Breathing Exercises
- Daily Yoga
- Walking Outside In Nature
- Booking A Regular Massage
- Having A Weekly Self-Love Bath
- Daily Meditation
- Listening To Relaxation Music
- Developing Positive Daily Habits To Remove Unnecessary Stress Such As Being More Organized
- Creating A Healthy Work + Life Balance
- Going To Therapy, Or Opening Up To Friends
- Committing To A Regular Exercise Routine
- Spending Some Time Playing With Your Cute Pet
- Channeling Your Emotion Into Self Expression Like Journalling, Painting Or Drawing
-
Singing Or Playing A Musical Instrument
Conclusion
Healthy glowing skin requires positive lifestyle habits as well as amazing skin care products. Ensure that you take the time to indulge in self-care, and reflect on ways you can eliminate unnecessary stress triggers in your daily life.
Radiant skin requires a truly holistic approach that spans inner work and outer work. Including the awareness that your skin is a highly complicated organ that requires love, patience, care, and respect. Enjoy that extra hour in bed, take a walk in nature after an uncomfortable conversation, and let your inner child express itself and paint the stress away.
Carmen Lee is a certified yoga teacher, childbirth doula, and wellness coach. She educates on womb wellness, sacred wisdom, and ancestral-connected living. You’ll find her passionately advocating radical self-care and transformational self-empowerment through sustainable beauty and self-love rituals.
Some of the products promoted in our blog are from our online store. Many others are brands we have researched and found to be great examples of sustainable, ethical, and innovative brands in their field, and we don't make any profit from mentioning them in our blog. #CollaborationOverCompetition
- https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/water-you-water-and-human-body?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30274928/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20678867/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4082169/
