6 Ways Stress Affects Your Skin

Have you ever noticed that when you’re really stressed out, your body tends to reflect that? When your to-do list is endlessly piling up, it’s prime time for pimples to populate your face, which leads you to stress about your blemishes—which can result in even more breakouts. It’s a vicious cycle.

Yet there’s science behind it. Just as stress affects your brain, it affects your body—and, even worse, can get in the way of clear skin.

Abigail Waldman, MD, a dermatologist from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, discusses the serious side effects with Allure—and offers tips on preventing the skin woes that are bound to happen when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Read on for the six ways stress can affect your skin.

1. It can lead to scarring

Some people have nervous behaviors when they’re stressed—biting your nails, ripping apart your split ends, and picking your skin, for example. “Tic behaviors [like these] can cause serious skin problems,” says Waldman. “There are people who cause their own balding from pulling out their hair, which is [a disorder] called trichotillomania.”

Sometimes these so-called tic behaviors are done subconsciously, so it can be tough to control—but they can lead to permanent scarring. Try using a stress ball or meditating instead, and do as your mom has probably told you a zillion times—don’t pick!

2. Stress can worsen pre-existing conditions

If you have a skin condition like psoriasis or eczema, you may have noticed that they flare up when you’re really anxious or stressed. Waldman points out that beneath your skin’s unstable mode is a burst of the hormone cortisol, which can take a toll on your immune system and wreak havoc on your previously blemish-free face.

3. It can get in the way of your social life

Are you one of those people who wants to hide out when your skin’s breaking out? (I’m with you.) “Patients who have skin conditions have been shown to have higher instances of anxiety and social avoidance,” says Waldman. “It’s all interconnected in that stress and anxiety can impact skin conditions, and having skin issues can lead to anxiety and negatively affect someone.”

4. Fine lines will appear

Some people joke that certain bouts of stress age them. There’s actually some truth to that—New York-based dermatologist Kavita Mariwalla tells Allure that angst have a damaging effect on DNA inside the cells. “Telomeres—which are caps at the end of each strand of DNA, kind of like the plastic tips on the end of shoelaces—that protect our chromosomes and affect how fast our cells age are shorter in people with stress,” she says. “And as telomere length shortens, cells die off or become damaged.”

5. Inadequate zzz’s can make it worse

We know sleep is a big factor in our well-being. But it turns out that not getting enough sleep can show up on your face. Waldman says that swollen eyes, dark circles, and increased signs of aging are all physical consequences of not getting sufficient sleep. Sleep is “a time when we tell patients to use medications that can also work to repair skin,” she says. Mariwalla recommends a facial moisturizer that has caffeine, which tightens the skin around your eye area if you’re having trouble clocking eight solid hours of sleep.

6. Your hair could start falling out

The condition is called telegon effluvium, and occurs because your hair stops following its usual pattern of growing and falling out when you’re super-stressed. Some doctors think that if your body sees anxiety as a threat, it could possibly view growing hair as unnecessary (scary!). The good news is that your healthy hair patterns will resume in more calm times. To help prevent hair loss, Mariwalla recommends eating at least 20 grams of protein a day and consider taking prenatal vitamins.

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6 Steps to Getting that Perfectly Dewy Look

First published on Well & Good - 

You’re probably seeing it on Instagram, in your fave magazines, and on your office’s dedicated “cool girl”:  Every chic woman lately has that perfectly dewy look down pat. So we tapped YW3LL PEOPLE‘s co-founder and makeup guru Shirley Pinkson for her expert advice on getting that not-a-bit-shiny glow that makes you look totally rose-petal fresh.

Pinkson’s first commandment: “Hydrate!” she says. “Makeup is 50 percent skin, so let’s start there.” (BRB, refilling my water bottle.) What else? Pinkson, who kept A-list stars looking amazing for years before co-founding natural beauty line W3LL PEOPLE, has a lot more to say on the subject.

Keep reading for six steps to achieving a gorgeously dewy look.

1. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize

“Before applying any makeup, applying a great moisturizer and sunblock is imperative,” says Pinkson. She advises you to tap your moisturizer on: “It awakens the complexion and brings your skin to life.” Also, don’t be afraid of oils. “Facial oils can be loaded with anti-aging and reparative benefits,” says Pinkson.

2. Apply foundation while your skin is damp

Pinkson says you should apply foundation directly after hydrating—yup, while your skin is still damp. “Your foundation will blend in seamlessly,” she swears. To apply your foundation, Pinkson says to use a moist sponge or a wide foundation brush. “Use half the amount of product that you normally would,” she adds. “We tend to overdo coverage.”

For the right color, “choose a golden-based shade that warms the complexion and balances out any redness,” says Pinkson. 

3. Just dust on facial powder where you’re shiny

Luminous skin doesn’t require a powder, but if you must, says Pinkson, choose a sheer, translucent, radiance-boosting one.“Lightly dust where shine is prevalent. Ask yourself, ‘Where am I the shiniest one hour after I apply my makeup?’ There’s your spot!”

4. Think like an art major when you pick your concealer shade

“Choose a creamy, weightless concealer with a touch of pink in the shade,” says Pinkson.  “A concealer with a pink undertone will battle the blues and cleverly conceal the darkness around the eyes.”

Another expert tip: Don’t forget to apply concealer on your upper lids. “This will brighten and open up your eyes instantly,” she says.

5. Don’t be afraid to glow!

“It’s all about strategy here,” says Pinkson. What you’ll need: a sheer, satin highlighter like W3LL PEOPLE’s Bio Brightener Stick. “Apply it to the round of the cheekbone, the bridge of the nose, and on your brow bone for the perfect candlelit glow,” she says. “A great trick to create supple lips is to apply a very thin layer of your highlighter onto the outer edge of the lips before applying a neutral lipstick.”

6. Give a little radiance-boosting love to all of your features

For a brighter, more prominent eyelid, for example, you can add a dab of luminosity on the center of your eyelid. And don’t forget cream blush. “A creamy blush will enliven and rejuvenate any cheek,” says Pinkson. “Warm your blush onto your complexion using your fingertips, starting two fingers from the nose, blending towards your ear.”

Finally, for healthy, supple lips, you’ll need a lip gloss or sheer lip shine. 

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Brittany Lanier, R+F Consultant

Rodan + Fields Independent Consultant Brittany Lanier shares her life-changing journey to clear skin and her remarkable results from using the UNBLEMISH Regimen. 

Aside from the vows, the sweetest words 25-year-old Brittany Lanier heard on her wedding day were, “You have such good skin.” After suffering from chronic acne for years, Brittany knows firsthand what an emotional rollercoaster the devastating skin condition can bring—and it’s a growing concern today. Many of us don’t give acne a second thought in our post-teen years, but the number of patients over the age of 25 treated for acne is increasing, and 54% of them are women.

Brittany first noticed her forehead breaking out the summer before 7th grade. It continued through high school, culminating during college when she spent a semester abroad in Ghana, Africa. Her face became covered in cystic acne due to environmental conditions and dietary changes. After returning home, her confidence took a huge hit. “I suffered extreme sadness and self-consciousness and spent a lot of time at home, making any excuse I could to not have to go out and socialize.”

When her dermatologist couldn’t find a solution, Brittany took control of her skin’s future. “I decided to completely re-route my diet, skincare and exercise routine.” She started using the UNBLEMISH Regimen twice a day and ENHANCEMENTS Micro-dermabrasion Paste three times a week (when her skin wasn’t sensitive, red or irritated). She also began to eat healthier, exercised more, and wore less makeup. “I started to see improvement around weeks four to six. My skin completely cleared up after eight to nine weeks.”

Brittany gives her skincare routine and her lifestyle changes credit for improving her life in more ways than one. Now she associates taking care of her skin with disconnecting from daily stress, and physically cleaning off chaos. “Without habit, consistency and routine, you are unlikely to ever find results.” Ultimately, Brittany became a Consultant because of her “love for UNBLEMISH,” and she takes joy in sharing her story with friends, family and Customers.

UnBlemish: Before/Afters

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