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When you think ‘self-care’ your mind almost automatically goes to skincare (and with good reason as it is the largest organ in our body). You think of dreamy smelling creams, DIY face masks and whatever the latest facial service may be, but there are many ways to care for your skin without having to dish out your hard-earned monies.
Health coach and skin positivity champion Camille Knowles believes that one of the many causes of skin that looks less dewy and glowy is stress. She says that more people should not only focus on the topical ways of treating it, but also focus on practicing stress intervention techniques.
"As someone who has suffered from eczema all of my life, one of the things that I am deeply passionate about is helping people to understand those skin flare-ups are our body's way of telling us that something is not quite right, and at the root of it all is usually stress," she says. Check out below the different techniques that Camille suggested!
© Unsplash / Jonnelle YankovichGo for a walk
Camille says that nature possesses a lot of healing qualities that can affect our mood and help us deal with stress and axiety.
"Being outside in the fresh air can do wonders for our wellbeing levels. In fact, it has been proven that spending time outside in nature can make us healthier and happier" shared the expert.
© Grosby GroupA young woman performing skincare
© Unsplash / Logan NolinMake sure to get sufficient sleep time every night
Not enough sleep can affect our mood, how we feel, willpower, hunger and so much more. Our brains need time to recharge and recover.
"Sleep is an important restorative process in which our bodies rest and repair muscles and support immune function. Meanwhile, our brains process our memories and our dreams help us to work through our worries," she continues.
© Unsplash / BookblockJot down your thoughts
Camille says that journalling can be a great stress relied tool that can help us work through our emotions and moods. "What is more, it can really help you to track and explore the triggers that could be having a negative impact on your skin," she says.
© Unsplash / tu tuKeep things clean
"Physically decluttering our living spaces by removing the things that don't matter to use will give you breathing space and more mental energy to deal with whatever comes your way," Camille advises.
© Unsplash / Angelos MichalopoulosGirl with flower on her hair
Camille's final tip, and maybe the hardest one, is to love yourself and your skin through it all. "A flare-up of any kind of problem skin can make you feel really low but to truly heal you need to give your mindset a makeover and make friends with your skin," the health coach advises, explaining that she does this by repeating positive affirmations about herself.
