How to care for stressed skin

Skin feeling a little odd? You may be experiencing the side effects of stress, which can greatly impact the condition of your complexion. Keep reading to discover what causes this, and how to combat the effects head on. 

What are the signs of stressed skin?

Stressed out skin can manifest in many ways, unfortunately. As stress can impact the skin’s natural protective barrier, there can be signs of dryness and dehydration, as well as inflammation and itchiness. You might also notice everything from pigmentation to dullness, and of course, there is the chance breakouts may appear. 

How can skin become stressed?

Stress can impact us at any point throughout the year, but as we enter the colder months, it does tend to hit harder. For example, things like central heating and the harsh chill of external plummeting temperatures can cause skin to react. Christmas party season can also take its toll, with an increase in indulging in things like alcohol and rich foods. 

Lifestyle of course has a big impact on the way skin looks and feels, and highlights the strong relationship between mental and physical health. The more stress we encounter, the more cortisol (the ‘stress hormone’) is released within our bodies, which is known to impact our immune systems. This affects the skin’s natural barrier and defence mechanisms, meaning everything from dryness to acne can thrive. 

Discover more about how to support a healthy moisture barrier.

What can you do to target stressed skin?

While some stress is inevitable, there are ways you can help to both prevent and treat the signs of stressed skin. These include:

Addressing the stress head on with lifestyle changes

Stress is not just damaging for our skin, but our health overall. For this reason, getting to the root cause of the excess stress in our lives is the most effective way to help. Making big lifestyle changes like changing job or location may not always be possible, but taking small steps such as getting enough sleep and practising yoga or meditation can benefit you. 

Re-focus your skincare routine 

Topically, you can absolutely make all the difference with the products you choose to reach for. We recommend re-focusing your skincare routine to include products that re-hydrate, calm, and provide anti-inflammatory benefits. 

Hydration-wise, you can’t get much better than Hyaluronic Acid, and INKEY’s new Hyaluronic Acid Cleanser, along with our bestselling Hyaluronic Acid Serum, pack a real punch especially when used together. Finish off your routine with the INKEY Omega Water Cream, which deeply hydrates and nourishes, helping to re-strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier. 

Inflammation is a major side-effect of stress on the skin, meaning products like Caffeine Eye Cream will come in handy. This eye cream can help tend to puffy skin around the eyes, which is far more sensitive. 

Last up, there is the redness and breakouts that come with stressed skin. Glucoside Serum uses Endethelyol 2%, an ingredient which helps with redness and even rosacea. And for those pesky spots? Try our C-50 Blemish Night Treatment, which features 2% Salicylic Acid to exfoliate and unclog pores. 

Protect from outside aggressors 

Finally, you’ll want to keep skin protected year-round, even when it gets colder. Pollution and UVA rays can only make stressed out skin feel more vulnerable, so we recommend including a strong antioxidant such as INKEY’s Vitamin C Serum, along with our SPF to keep the complexion safe.

Want more information or help with your routine? Contact the askINKEY team or create your own personalized skincare routine with out Skin Quiz.