With the rise of stress, anxiety and poor-quality sleep accelerating faster than ever before, never has it been more important to safeguard our mental health and well-being. Did you know that there is a tangible link between focusing your efforts on improving your skin health and improved mental and emotional health? Nope, we didn’t either, until now!
With the impact of Covid-19 being felt across the globe more and more people are taking the time to practice self-care in a number of different ways. What you need right now in this strange era is a pandemic skin-care self-care plan. Fast. Put simply, committing to, and following, a routine that will benefit the health of the largest organ in the body (that’s your skin by the way) can provide you with structure and pampering benefits that go hand in hand with psychological wellbeing.
Sounds intense? It doesn’t need to be. So many of us can relate to the fact that when our skin looks and feels good, we tend to feel better about not only our physical appearance but the world in which we operate in. You know, those days where things just seem easier if your skin isn’t acting up? In fact, in a recent study it was reported that 15% of women (and we know you guys are in on the act too) say they use skincare to relax. Consider this your wake-up call to adopt a bespoke emotional skincare prescription and here are five powerful reasons why…
1. A ROUTINE INSTILLS STABILITY
One of the biggest struggles we are all feeling right now is one of being out of control. Nearly every fragment of our day to day existence has either been altered or restricted and that can be really hard to get a grip on. The transition from being out and about to being at home all the time has (for most of us) had a huge change on our structure and routine. Losing this key element of our day can include everything from healthy eating habits, exercise and socialising with friends and family. These routines are critical for maintaining our overall health, in both body and mind, and its been reported by researchers that people who have less consistent routines were more likely to suffer from mood problems and loneliness along with other major mood disorders.
In a world where (at the moment) we seem to have little control over our liberty, implementing a skincare routine can provide an anchor to your day and serve as a point of stability in the weeks and months that follow. For many people, when other things in life seem beyond their control, skincare can provide a sanctuary where they actually can control exactly what happens and how. Having that sense of control somewhere can help ease stress and increase resilience. In the Covid-19 era, it’s vitally important to maintain some routines during the week otherwise, one day begins to blend into the other, are we right?! It can even go as far as to feel like a positive step or accomplishment. You know that buzz you get from crossing off something on the to-do list?
2. PUTTING YOURSELF FIRST CAN STOP SPIRALLING
For those of us suffering with anxiety a big trigger for worry spirals can be idle time in the day which unfortunately is what some of us may have a lot of right now. Engaging with your skincare routine and in the physical action of washing, applying products and moisturising can really help to shut off those parts of your brain and keep focused. Particularly in the hours before bed, the simple act of slowing down and doing something physically calming like cleansing your face, closing your eyes while a mask works, or spreading some luxuriously silky and soothing lotion all over your body can help you shed the stress of your day. Keeping up your evening skincare routine can go along way to developing good sleep hygiene before bed and promote a restful night’s sleep. The simple act of caring for your skin can also provide a great opportunity to practice mindfulness by really homing in on real time sensations and feelings (e.g. the calming feeling of warm water). This can help to keep your mind on the present and prevent it from running into worries over which we have no control: about what may or may not happen tomorrow, or the next day. In short, purposefully patting, and massaging things onto your face forces you to be present in that moment at least twice a day.
3. PAMPERING ACTUALLY TRIGGERS YOUR BRAIN TO BOOST YOUR MOOD
Creating an indulgent routine that feels good, includes products you love, and enjoy using can absolutely give you something to look forward to in lockdown when so many things are limited. Why not treat yourself and your partner or family member to the experience of an at-home facial and really make the most of setting the mood? Read all about our tips to create the perfect salon quality facial at home here. It can even go one step further and help to ease symptoms of depression. Though clinical depression is a serious illness requiring treatment, the symptoms may still benefit from a focused, mindful skincare routine. Psychiatrists typically advise those who are feeling down to do something productive or pleasurable to help lift them out of negative feedback loops. The brain is a tricky beast and tends to reflect over negative emotions and taking some time to focus on something else you enjoy can help pull you out of that negative space. Anticipating positive events has been shown to activate areas of the front of our brains associated with well-being and happiness. It releases feel-good hormones throughout the body and reduces our inbuilt fight-or-flight stress response. It’s natures version of a natural high!
4. SKINCARE CAN CONTAIN INGREDIENTS THAT CAN ACTUALLY CHILL YOU OUT.
Speaking of highs, the skincare buzz word right now if you’re looking to reset the mind, relax and generally rebalance is CBD. CBD is a naturally derived ingredient from the Cannabis plant (yes you read that right) and it’s finding its way into skincare due to its ability to help calm the mind, soothe irritated skin and provide some serenity. The CBD molecule interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (which looks after balance in the body). No, you can’t get an illicit “high” on it as the compound responsible for that (Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)) is removed but its potent antioxidant properties remain. This means you’ll still feel super relaxed and have amazingly soft skin, but still be able to drive, a win-win in our books! Outside of simply fantastic skin, the majority of consumers purchase CBD for its potentially anxiety reducing and pain-relieving properties. Sceptical? Why not try out performing our CBD Facial out at home. Simply pick your products online and treat yourself to a CBD oil pressure point and lifting face massage to start to relax your mind. We have an entire category dedicated to it on our website from oils to pillow mists, so it’s safe to say we’re big fans.
If we had to pick a favourite though it would have to be the OTO CBD Glowing Skin Gift Set which is filled with three CDB infused skincare products to leave you feeling refreshed, refocused and truly glowing inside and out. The Ritual Day Serum, Ritual Day Cream and CBD Lip Balm will have you nailing your routine. If you’re into an oil, we’d highly recommend The Drug.store CBD Oil that contains 100 mg/ml of pure isolate which is perfect for taking everyday to give you an extra helping hand towards boosting your general wellbeing.
5. IT’S AN ACT OF KINDNESS THAT SENDS A POWERFUL MESSAGE
By taking an extra five minutes to focus on taking care of yourself in this small way you’re sending a powerful signal that you’re worth it. The world is a stressful place right now so whilst it might be more tempting to endlessly scroll on social media, watch Netflix or just hide under the covers, it doesn’t do much to safeguard your mental health. The idea of breaking emotionally destructive patterns and replacing them with better behaviours such as carving out some much needed ‘me time’ is gaining traction. A lot of lifestyle benefits can be controlled by great nutrition, emotional balance, sleep, and exercise, but a good skincare regime also has the power to change the way we feel, not just the way we look. Most importantly always remember that self-care is in no way selfish.
So, the next time you find you’re feeling rushed and hurrying through your skincare routine, stop. See if you can take just five extra minutes to slow down and enjoy the process. You may find it does a lot more for you than simply improving your skin!
All products mentioned are available at https://youngldn.com/collections/cbd and we can’t wait to see you’re continued results until we are able to welcome you back to Young LDN. We want to thank each and every one of you for your unrivalled support during this difficult time and are wishing you health and happiness until we can meet (in person) again.
Until then, keep safe!
Young LDN
