Why Your Skin is Breaking out and What you can do to Help it

In breaking news… well, breaking out news, women across the country have been up in arms at the state of their skin. We’ve spent years being told to wash our faces consistently, use better products, wear less make-up, eat healthier, stop touching our faces… you name it. Well ladies, we thought this was the moment. We thought that right now, whilst being shouted at from every corner of the globe to keep our hands away from our faces, that our skin would be thriving. I mean, we’re certainly taking advantage of skipping the make-up routine each morning, and with all this time on our hands, our skincare regimes have never been more consistent. So why, for the love of all things cosmetic, do we suddenly look like we’ve just hit thirteen again?

Stress

This is always a big factor for break outs. I’m no scientist, but having drowned in beauty magazines since before I really was thirteen, I know that, in a nutshell, stress is one of those factors that can increase your body’s cortisol production, which in a hop, skip and a beat leads to oilier skin and – ta-da – more pimples.

Take some time out of your day to try centre your thoughts. It’s a globally stressful time, full of a lot of fear and uncertainty, but it’s super important to look after your mental health. Calling a friend, taking a walk, allowing a few minutes to meditate, and carefully choosing how you consume the news are just some starting points to help calm your farm…and your skin.

Diet

It’s not an uncommon assertion that diet plays a big role in your skin, and your diet is something that’s likely had a bit of an upheaval over the last few weeks. You might be reaching for the comfort foods, eating a little more now that your kitchen is doubling as your office space, or maybe you haven’t been able to access the staples you need. Either way, it’s important to try look after your health through food, and this goes way beyond your skin. If access has been hard, look for contactless delivery from your local fruit and veg grocer – many are waiving delivery fees too!

Exercise

This might have gone either way for you during quarantine. Your dog might be getting three walks a day while you kill the time in between with a bit of a butt blaster. Or maybe you’re spending a lot more time on the couch. If you fall into the latter category, it’s a great idea to try find a way to break a sweat each day. Exercise makes your blood flow, helps you sweat out the toxins and transports oxygen and other good things to your skin. If you can do this outside, a little bit of Vitamin D is also crucial for cell development – so double your dose and get moving!