Limbs looking dry, dull, or inflamed? Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but these are all signs your skin is stressed. The fact of the matter is, the mind-body connection is very powerful, so when you’re stressed out — regardless of the reason — it can start to show up on your skin.
Take it from board-certified dermatologist Adam Friedman, who says: “The skin is the first interface between environment, body, and mind from the moment we are born. In fact, the skin is sensitive to the same signals and regulatory mechanisms produced by the master regulator of our nervous system — so it should be no big surprise that stress can have a huge impact on the skin.”
The good news? There are several ways to minimize stress, and in turn, maintain your skin’s health. We're breaking down how, all while incorporating clean beauty products from Kiwi Botanicals for extra skin benefits.
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Turn Your Shower Into Self-Care Time
A simple way to reduce stress is with a relaxing shower or bath to cleanse the body and soul. Friedman says if you’re feeling more anxious or overwhelmed than usual, it’s even more important to keep up with your skin-care routine, as it’s a form of self care in itself. “During stressful times, make sure you’re still cleansing and following up with moisturizer on damp skin,” he says, adding that you should also keep soap use to a minimum because it can strip the skin.
Instead, try a natural body wash such as the Kiwi Botanicals Nourishing Body Shower Gel which contains skin-loving ingredients like moisturizing manuka honey sourced from New Zealand, which is known for its antioxidants and vitamins. You'll notice calm, hydrated, and all-around happy skin in no time.
Get Your Workout On
Another way to not only cope with but actually improve stress is to exercise regularly to get your body up and moving. As Friedman explains, “Regular exercise has been proven to improve stress, and subsequently, lessen the impact on skin,” so find a workout you enjoy and try to stick with it. If cardio isn’t your jam, try yoga, as Friedman says it’s a beneficial stress management technique.
Of course, after a workout, you’ll want to wick away sweat and the odor-inducing bacteria it produces to keep your skin feeling happy and fresh. The Kiwi Botanicals Soothing Shower Gel is great for this, as it cleanses the skin without stripping it of its natural oils, and hydrates with glycerin and manuka honey. Additionally, it’s free of common irritants that can exacerbate distressed skin — including sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, and silicones.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
If you’re struggling with skin dryness or inflammation due to stress, moisturizing — and doing so several times a day — is a great game plan. Not only is it nourishing for your skin from a topical standpoint, but the act alone can be calming and instill a sense of tranquility in the body and mind.
In order to make moisturizing feel like a true form of self-care, start in the shower by using a body conditioner which will work overtime to repair and restore your skin’s health. The Kiwi Botanicals Nourishing Body Conditioner is an excellent option as it contains shea butter which protects skin from daily stressors, and fatty acids to help skin stay moisturized. Just apply in the shower, massage in, and rinse off like any other body wash. The rich consistency coddles dry, angry skin and helps bring it back into balance.
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