Skin Survival Strategies To Combat The Effects Of Stress

 

To say it’s been a stressful few months is perhaps the understatement of the year. It seems every day brings a fresh crop of crazy whether from humans or nature. All that stress isn’t just bad for your sanity and your health; it’s also hard on your skin.

 

Your body first reacts at the weakest link. If you are acne-prone, new breakouts will be your tell. If eczema lurks in your history, it’s likely to surface in stressful times. Dry skin, dullness, wrinkles, hives, rosacea, are some of the other ways stress may materialize.

 

At the root of all these issues are the adrenal hormones. Cortisol, androgens, testosterone—the “fight or flight” hormones—light up when your world is spinning out of control and their elevated levels take a toll on skin health.  

 

There are a lot of things you can do to reduce stress in your life—exercise, hot baths, a deep comedy queue on Netflix, a larger wine glass—but because many anxiety-inducing forces remain out of your control, you need a solid skin strategy. Here are some ingredients to help combat the effects of stress and keep your skin looking radiant.

 

Green Tea Extract

The adrenal response to stress causes capillaries to expand which can result in redness. If rosacea is already an issue for you, you may find it exacerbated when stress is peaking. Green tea extract is a powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic in addition to its off the charts antioxidant properties. Use to calm redness and protect against cellular damage.

 

Find it in Green Tea Antioxidant Cleanser, a soothing, silky gel cleanser that leaves skin feeling healed and hydrated.

 

Salicylic Acid

The adrenal hormones are linked to the sebaceous glands so when these hormones spike, oil production spikes too. The excess oil mixes with dead skin cells and clogs pores. For stress related breakouts, breakout the salicylic acid. An exfoliating, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory agent, salicylic acid is oil soluble so it works on the surface as well as down in the follicle to remove impactions and reduce excess oil.

 

Find it in Daily Repair Pads. Encourage cell renewal, fight breakouts, promote healing, and brighten skin with this refining blend of anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory ingredients including salicylic acid, mandelic acid, niacinamide, zinc peptides, and lactic acid.

 

Niacinamide

Stress has been shown to weaken the skin barrier, which means dry skin, irritation, and redness. Return to resilience with products containing niacinamide. The vitamin B3 derivative increases the biosynthesis of ceramides and other stratum corneum lipids to improve the epidermal barrier function.

 

Find it in Rejuv Rx Peptide Concentrate, a skin-nourishing serum formulated to increase elasticity, decrease fine lines, and promote a healthy skin barrier. A 2017 Dermascope Magazine Aestheticians’ Choice Award winner.

 

Vitamins C & E

The stress hormone cortisol increases the oxidative stress responsible for the degradation of collagen and elastin. Boost your skin’s ability to fight against free radical damage with vitamins C & E. These two antioxidant superheroes work synergistically to protect cellular integrity, ward off age-accelerating damage, enhance collagen production, and brighten the complexion.

Find the potent pair in Vivant’s Spin Trap Antioxidant Serum, a daily vitamin C & E therapy to repair the damage caused by oxidative stress and protect against further harm.

 

Lactic Acid

Now is the time to keep calm and exfoliate on. Excess oil caused by over-stimulated adrenal glands is pushing dead skin cells to the surface faster, which means skin will look dull and heavy and be more prone to breakouts. Lactic acid is a gentle exfoliator that won’t aggravate already stressed skin. In addition to removing surface debris to reveal brighter, fresher, smoother new skin, lactic acid acts as a humectant to help skin retain moisture and suppleness.

 

Find it in Vivant’s Derm A Gel® Daily Vitamin A, a transformative serum that nourishes skin with anti-inflammatory and moisturizing ingredients while boosting cellular metabolism for a smoother, more consistent skin tone.

 

Grape Seed Oil

Loaded with calming, nourishing and antioxidant properties, grape seed oil is a must for stressed skin. The fatty acids in grape seed oil—palmitic, stearic and linoleic—improve hydration and elasticity and strengthen the skin barrier for an overall healthier, smoother complexion. Linoleic acid in particular, has been shown to significantly improve cellular structure and metabolism to accelerate skin’s ability to repair and fight off signs of aging.

 

Find it in Marine Skin Nourishment Cream, an antioxidant-rich blend of bioactive marine minerals, amino acids, sea proteins, and grape seed oil to replenish and repair.

  

Caffeine

Bags, not the designer kind, but the one’s under your eyes, are another sign of stress. The skin under the eye is thinner and prone to dark bags from worry-induced lack of sleep. Caffeine constricts underlying blood vessels to reduce the dark appearance and shrink puffiness.

 

Find it in Wink Eye Rejuvenation Cream, a light, non-greasy formula featuring caffeine, vitamin A propionate, kojic acid, peptides, and grape seed oil. Lift. Firm. Brighten. Boom.