However hard we try to embrace our inner zen, for many of us, stress is an ever-present feature of our lives. Whether it’s the daily pressures of work, looming exams, juggling a family, the non-stop scroll of social media, or just overwhelming moments, modern life can sometimes feel overwhelming.

Just like our bodies can feel out of whack when we’re stressed or anxious – common symptoms include sleepless nights, pulsing heart rates or gut issues – our skin can also be directly affected by our stress levels. Put simply, stressed skin is an outward manifestation of everything that’s going on inside us and all the internal anxieties and worries soon radiate throughout our bodies to show up on our skin. How many of you were aware that your heightened anxiety could also be the reason behind your wrinkles, pigmentation, dryness, and dullness?

When you go through a stressful situation, our bodies naturally release a stress hormone called adrenaline. It increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure, and boosts your energy, hence the popular term ‘adrenaline rush.’ Basically put, it prepares our body for a ‘fight or flight’ response. If you continue to experience high stress levels, adrenaline is not enough to keep you going, thus prompting the body to release a second (and the most prominent) stress hormone – cortisol. Its purpose is to keep you on high alert, and it does so by facilitating the release of sugar (specifically, glucose) from your liver to your bloodstream. More sugar, more energy, better chances of fighting stress. While stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol sound like faithful servants doing their job to protect the body – and truthfully, they are! – they do come with some downsides. After all, too much of a good thing can actually be a bad thing. High cortisol levels trigger a whole set of other bodily functions and impacts the health of the skin delaying skin healing, disrupting the skin barrier, sending sebaceous glands into overdrive, increasing inflammation AND it can lead to the breakdown of collagen and elastin.

There are plenty of moments when you may want to bring your skin back into calm or you need an instant pick-me-up so why not arm yourself with a SWAT team of products that your skin can rely on when it gets ‘stressed out.’  

Take off the day with a gentle cleanse.

Stress can be exhausting but don’t fall into bed without cleaning your skin or you’ll leave it vulnerable to more damage. Equal parts effective and decadent, Gentle Silk Cleanser and Gentle Silk Toner are replenishing formulas designed to dissolve every last trace of residual make-up and dirt while helping to swiftly replenish cells’ reservoirs. Balancing and stress-relieving the luscious milky cleanser is perfect for those with dry, thirsty complexions swaddling them with a featherweight blanket of Silk Extract and Cottonseed Oil that leaves skin feeling calm and nourished whilst the alcohol free toner is the ultimate quick fix to instantly balance and soothe. These are the perfect first steps in your end-of-day routine.

Replenish with an essence.

We strive to keep things flawless in our lives but when it comes to our skin it is often pretty hard to have a hydrated one that looks balanced and behaves itself all the time. Bridging the gap between cleanser and serum essences help to replenish lost moisture and rebalance the skin’s equilibrium. With hydration at the heart of the mission Collagene Expert Hydra Essence is a quenching formula bursting with natural hydrators, nourishing ceramides and wrinkle smoothing collagen, to bring skin back from the brink and deliver instant and long-lasting hydration, whilst lessening the depth of lines. Soothing and barrier boosting Niacinamide is our hard-working hero that brightens and repairs whilst radiance inducing Vitamin C will leave your complexion basking in the ‘after’ glow as it sheds light on dull lack lustre complexions. There’s virtually nothing this skin care miracle can’t accomplish.

Hydrate the eye area.

Your eyes are one of the first giveaways that you’re stressed out and tired, but you can expect dark circles to be a thing of the past as Miracle Eye Contour seamlessly blurs imperfections (including dark circles) and minimises redness without any creasing or cracking whilst feeding the skin with botanical goodness. Offering the perfect balance between scientific skincare and sheer make-up this feather light formula (you won’t even know it’s there) is brimming with highly advanced skincare ingredients including antioxidant rich Green Tea, soothing Aloe Vera, and age-defying Ginseng. Paired with hydrating properties this cream smooths the contours of your eyes for a totally attainable and well-rested look.

Dial in a face oil.

When skin is stressed our protective skin barrier is weakened and can quickly become damaged; that’s when you’ll see redness, sensitivity, and dryness.  A beauty all-rounder, face oils not only elevate moisture levels but regulate oil as they help repair and regenerate. Fusing the brightening benefits of Vitamin C with a nourishing cocktail of oils, Age Benefit Revitalising Oil Serum grants a luminous glow to your skin even on days when that feels like an impossible task.  The breakthrough bi-phase formula promises to nourish, hydrate, and illuminate your skin to impart an enviable healthy-looking glow in mere moments. Your skin will shine through!

Wise up with hydration

Face masks and me-time were made for each other and are a great way to unwind. Hydration-wise, you can’t get much better than Hydra Aura Moisturising Cream Mask and whilst you sit back and relax, this face mask will be working at sterling speed to get you closer to the hydrated, dewy complexion of your dreams.  Infused with a Marine Algae complex combining Salicornia Herbacea (otherwise known as Glasswort) with Chlorella, this ‘marine marriage’ will have your skin swimming in deep hydration.  Perfect for all skin types including those with even the most sensitive skin this is the perfect pick me up and is an absolute must-try that you won’t regret investing in.

Lucy x