Life can be a little relentless even at the best of times-but when you throw in holiday-season stress alongside a busy work schedule and often-impossible family demands on your time and energy, the stress can be very real indeed. Unfortunately, that stress can manifest physically in a number of different ways.
One of the key ways in which stress can impact you physically is through your skin. Even just one hectic week can have serious consequences for your skin and introduce dullness, dryness, fatigue, or all of the above. With a few simple steps, some neat at-home skincare tricks, and a little help from some clever skin-brightening products, you can restore that healthy glow to your skin-and maybe even feel refreshed for the weekend to come.
Start With Deep Hydration
Stress can impact your skin in a number of ways, but one of the more immediately impactful consequences is that of dehydration, which has many different consequences itself. With this in mind, hydration (or, indeed, rehydration) is a foundational aspect of any skin revival.
To combat dehydrated skin, you need to make sure you're drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day. Have a glass or a water bottle with you throughout the day to constantly sip on. Of course, you can directly target dry skin too by using humectant-rich products like hyaluronic acid and moisturizers. With regard to the latter, make sure you're applying them to damp skin for maximum absorption.
Prioritize Sleep for Overnight Repair
It's fair to say that there is some sort of real science behind the term 'beauty sleep.' A lack of rest, or poor sleep, can accelerate aging, dullness, and dehydration, making your skin look duller. Where possible, try to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. You could supercharge your skin by adding an overnight face mask or a heavy skin cream to your routine. Both of these can be great for moisturization.
Indulge in At-Home Spa Rituals
Using skincare to tackle the consequences of a high-stress week is a little like using a plaster to treat a gash that clearly needs stitches. Tackling the root cause can work wonders long-term-and all the better if you get a short-term radiance boost from it as well. At-home spa techniques can improve your skin while also going some way to bringing down your cortisol levels. Try facial massage techniques like gua sha and sculptural lifting to improve circulation, reduce puffiness, and reduce your stress levels all in one!
Use Antioxidants and Barrier-Boosting Ingredients.
Considering your skin is impacted by a wide variety of different things, you have a wide variety of angles of attack for improving your skin after a stressful week, and your nutrition is a huge part of the puzzle. Introducing more antioxidants into your diet, through something as simple as a cup of green tea each day, can fight oxidative stress and help restore your glow. As for topical treatments, ceramides and peptides can also be added into your skincare routine to help strengthen your skin barrier.
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