The Link Between Skincare and Mental Health: Self-Care Tips for a Thriving You
Have you ever noticed how your skin reacts when you’re in a stressful situation? You may have wondered why you seem to get a rash or break out, and of course it’s always when you need to be looking your best for a big event. But did you ever look at it from your skin’s point of view?
It’s no coincidence that your skin reacts when something big is happening in your life…and it reacts to other events and conditions too. In fact, your skin is a good indicator as to what is happening to you internally, and that includes your mental health.
Along with environmental and physical conditions, your skin picks up on how you’re feeling. When you’re stressed or feeling depressed, you may also tend to neglect self-care, including your skincare routine.
The connection between skin and mental health has been well documented through medical science studies. The good news? There are things you can do to soothe and calm your skin when it’s reacting to the stresses that show up in our lives.
How Does Mental Health and Skin Relate to Each Other?
Skin is easily affected by hormones and emotions. Both men and women experience noticeable skin changes when brain and body systems are impacted by factors like illness, stress and environmental conditions. Negative emotions can influence immune responses and affect the way our skin responds to outside stressors. Things like psoriasis can be exacerbated by stress, causing increased inflammation. Mental health affects our quality of life and your skin is going to let you see for yourself where you stand on that subject.
Stress can show up in a number of ways, but ultimately your skin is going to react to whatever is happening no matter the cause. For example, stress can affect your quality of sleep. Less sleep can lead to inflammatory cytokines, which can contribute to numerous skin conditions. Stress can sometimes lead to destructive coping behaviors like alcohol use that also shows up in the way your skin looks. Red, inflamed skin is common after drinking alcohol.
Stress can impact all of your body systems. Your mental health controls everything. When you are stressed or ill, your skin is going to be one of the first red flags telling you that something needs to change.
Benefits of a Good Skincare Routine
Self care may be one way that you can begin to calm and soothe the connection between mental health and your skin. Even if your skin conditions are caused by illness, reducing stress can still be a significant tool.
A regular skincare routine can be one form of self care that can promote improved mental health. A study in 2019 showed that a regular skincare routine lowered the level of cortisol by 83%. In another study in 2018, it showed that looking forward to a pleasant activity can activate an area in the prefrontal cortex of the brain associated with a sense of well being.
The anticipation of your skincare routine can give you a feeling of being loved and cared for, and the actual motions of applying lotions after a warm bath or shower can leave you feeling less stressed and relaxed. If the lotion you choose is scented, you’re also reaping the benefits that aromatherapy can bring.
Benefits of a skincare routine can help with mental health by:
Helping you to feel relaxed. Self care just feels good!
Allowing you to focus on you instead of outside circumstances - it’s called “me time” for a reason.
Uplifting your mood through scented oils and lotions - you get all the benefits of aromatherapy.
Improving the quality of your skin and helping you look your best.
Giving you a sense of control in an otherwise chaotic world.
A good skincare routine can go hand in hand with good stress coping skills to improve mental health and your skin will thank you for it.
Create a Positive Self Care Space
Boosting your skincare routine with mantras, affirmations and visualizations can give you even better outcomes when creating your self care sanctuary.
If you’re not familiar with mantras or affirmations, they are basically a repeated word or phrase that you say to yourself to encourage and remind yourself to align with your personal beliefs and goals.
For example, repeating the sound “OM” is a common mantra that is helpful with promoting a calming effect through the parasympathetic nervous system. Some believe that chanting this sound removes negativity from within your body, supporting a positive effect that is apparent on the outside.
Affirmations are positive phrases that you repeat to yourself that can affect your subconscious thinking to reset your belief system. Your brain responds to what you tell it, so using positive statements can have an impact. Some examples of affirmations could be things like:
I am cleared of negativity. I am loved and protected.
I love my skin. I love myself.
I am calm. I am relaxed. I am peaceful.
My skin is clear and beautiful.
Whatever statements feel most true and comforting to you can be used daily as you are performing your skincare routine. There are also calming and positive affirmation apps and videos you could use to help you feel good and promote that sense of peace and well being.
Visualizing clear radiant skin and picturing yourself in pleasant surroundings can also add to creating a positive self care space.
Music is another great tool to enhance your skin routine. Music speaks to the soul and can have soothing effects on your overall nervous system. Choose quiet meditative music without lyrics that promotes a relaxing atmosphere or put on your favorite bop and sing along. Whichever tune makes you feel the best is the right choice.
The documented research on the relationship between skincare and mental health is well known and widely accepted within the medical community. While some illnesses or immune responses may be more difficult to manage, any reduction in stress by using mental health coping skills and a relaxing skincare routine can be helpful.
