How To Care For Your Skin While Stressing

It’s no secret that stress has a huge impact on our skin, especially on our faces.

When we're feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or just all around emotionally exhausted, our skin displays the impact of our internal world through the form of breakouts, redness, and irritation — talk about rude.

Let’s be real: as much as we try to avoid the rising cortisol levels, and pretend that everything is fine and dandy, we're wearing the stress all over our skin.

Stress is the unwanted, uninvited visitor that comes to town, says hello, and hangs up its jacket while dropping its bags to stay a while on your face. Ugh, as if! (I hope you read this in the sassy fashion of Cher from Clueless)

You're feeling like you’re  on blast—everyone seeing the evidence of your overwhelm all over your face–stressed because you're breaking out, breaking out because you're stressed. When will the cycle end??

Not only does stress take a toll on your body, it can also negatively impact the health and appearance of your skin.

When you’re stressed, your cortisol levels are raised. When your cortisol levels are raised, your skin is more susceptible to breakouts, dryness, and other issues. Talk about stress on stress on stress.

 

You know you can call on us. We’ve always got you with the go-to tips for all things facial care, clean beauty, and skincare routines that feel more like rituals. 

 

First, let's talk stress, then we’ll talk care. 

HERE ARE OUR BEST TIPS FOR TAKING CARE OF YOUR SKIN WHILE YOU’RE STRESSED:

Wash your face regularly.

Cleansing the face is an important step in your skincare routine in order to keep the skin clear and healthy. Make sure to cleanse your face at least twice a day, as this will help to remove excess oil, dirt, and makeup.

Use a gentle cleanser, suitable for your skin type. We want to nourish the face, treating your skin with the kindness it deserves. We're trying to eliminate stress here, remember?

A twice-daily cleaning routine can help prevent breakouts, reduce the appearance of fine lines, and promote overall skin health.

Use a moisturizer.

Don't forget to follow up with a moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated and protected. This is a crucial step in maintaining healthy skin — by locking in hydration, you're protecting the skin from environmental stressors.

Keeping your skin nourished will make you feel and look like you got it together, even when that's the absolute furthest thing from the truth.

And when you look good, you'll feel better.

Use a moisturizer suitable for your skin type and apply to your skin as the last step in your skin care routine. A good moisturizer can improve the overall texture and appearance of your skin, making it look radiant and youthful.

 

Use a face mist.

Face mists can be a great addition to a skincare routine, as they offer a variety of benefits, and can be used any time, anywhere.

Some face mists—like our signature Face Fog—contain hydrating properties that provide nourishment to soothe stressed out skin. 

Because there’s no better feeling than spritzing a hydrating mist on your face when you’re feeling stressed, we recommend using a face mist on the daily. Who *wouldn’t* want dewy skin?! 

(Just think of how much less stressed you’ll feel when you’re confident that your skin is hydrated and looking glowy and gorgeous as ever.) 

 

Stay hydrated.

Drink plenty of water to help keep your skin hydrated and healthy. Aim for 64 fl oz a day. If getting that cute water bottle will help you do it, then treat yourself to the cute water bottle.

Water is crucial in flushing out toxins, improving the overall appearance of your skin. It also helps regulate body temperature, support digestion, and transport essential nutrients and oxygen throughout the body.

Adequate hydration is key in maintaining your health, especially in times of high stress. If you're having a hard time drinking water, opt towards incorporating foods with high water content, including fruits and vegetables.

Drink, or eat, your water babes, you'll thank us later.

 

Get plenty of sleep.

Getting enough sleep improves mood, increases productivity and enhances your overall physical and mental health.

Restore your energy by giving the body time to rest. An adequate amount of sleep will naturally lower stress levels. We recommend aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep every night.

You can create a comfortable sleep environment by keeping the room dark, quiet, and at a cool temperature. In order to relax the body for sleep during periods of high stress, relaxing 

techniques are recommended. These include mediation and/or deep breathing exercises to reduce stress and promote better sleep.

Establishing a bedtime routine is helpful in creating a relaxing environment in preparation for sleep. Incorporating a regular routine allows your body to recognize when it is time to start winding down. By creating a pattern of behavior, your body will tune into the actions of this habit to promote relaxation and ease for better quality sleep.

 

Practice relaxation techniques.

Relaxation techniques don't only have to occur solely before preparing the body for rest.

Especially during times of high stress, the body may need guidance in breaking down the heart rate and re-centering the mind.

Grounding exercises can be utilized for this purpose. Tune into the sense of the body by identifying things within your surrounding environment that you can see, smell, taste, touch and hear.

Clearing the mind creates clarity to create pathways for a more positive, healthy thought process. By calming the noise in the mind, there's more room for creating habits to care for your body to help reduce stress and improve health.

 

Take real breaks throughout your day. (Screen-free, if you can!)

Make sure to take regular breaks throughout the day to recharge. You are not a robot that can work several hours on end, you are a human that needs to reset throughout the day.

When becoming stressed, step away from the task at hand for a few moments to recollect your thoughts and recenter your mind. This can look like refreshing your water bottle, grabbing a coffee or tea, or taking a walk outside.

Especially when in the midst of completing a stressful and daunting task, the only thing on our minds is getting the task done. When your mind is clouded with stress, causing brain fog and presenting difficulty to stay on task, you mind as well take that time to recenter your mind instead of fueling the negative self-talk that is further compounding your stress.

You don't have to take an extended period of time either. Just 5 to 10 minutes it's sufficient in regrouping your thoughts and clearing the mind.

 

Connect with others.

Social support is a powerful tool that can greatly benefit our mental and emotional well-being. As humans, we crave connection and often feel fulfilled after spending time with loved ones.

Making time to connect with your people provides you with a sense of belonging that may have been exhausted during your period of high-stress.

Engaging in activities with others, even if just going for a walk or cooking a meal, can help relieve stress and improve overall well-being. Reaching out to loved ones for connection and support can have a positive impact on our mental health and overall happiness.

 

Now, let's talk skincare rituals—try this easy 5-step routine designed to help you de-stress & stay on top of your skincare goals!

When it comes to skincare, the key is to find a routine that works for you.

While you have so much on your plate, we’ll take a little off for you by building your skincare routine. Here’s a skincare routine for stressed skin:

 

STEP ONE: CLEANSE

Begin your skincare routine by cleansing your face to remove excess oil, dirt, and makeup. Use a gentle cleanser that is suitable for your skin type. Cleanse your skin with a gentle product that won’t strip your skin of its natural oils.

 

STEP TWO: TONE

After cleansing, use a toner to help remove any remaining impurities and balance the pH of your skin. Choose a toner that is suitable for your skin type and apply it to your skin with a cotton pad.

 

STEP THREE: SERUM

Apply a serum to your skin to help nourish and repair damaged skin. Look for a serum that is formulated with ingredients that are known to help reduce the effects of stress on the skin, such as vitamin C or hyaluronic acid.

 

STEP FOUR: EYE CREAM

Apply an eye cream to the delicate skin around your eyes to help hydrate, nourish, and reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness.

 

STEP FIVE: MOISTURIZE

Finish your skincare routine by applying a moisturizer to help keep your skin hydrated and nourished. Choose a moisturizer that is suitable for your skin type and apply it to your skin after your serum and eye cream.

 

BONUS! ADD A FACE MIST, MASK, OR SCRUB!

Consider using a face mask or scrub once or twice a week to help hydrate, nourish, and soothe stressed skin. Exfoliate and clear away any impurities that are clogging your pores.

By taking the time to manage your stress levels and develop a skincare routine that works for you, you'll be on your way to healthy and glowing skin.

Follow these tips to help better manage stress and keep your skin looking healthy and beautiful, under any condition.

& if you want more skincare tips from us, make sure you’re following along with Calling on Instagram! We’ll also be launching our intimate Geneva community for women who want to make connections with friends, & chat about beauty, life, and more. Subscribe to be notified when you can join!