Breakouts, skin irritation and redness can be a nightmare to deal with. They always seem to happen right before a big event or special occasion right! Well, these common skincare concerns might be down to your lifestyle and stress levels rather than your skincare routine.

Hormonal imbalances and being stressed out can significantly impact the look and feel of your skin. So, if you’re stressed out at work, going through a difficult or emotional time in your life, unfortunately, it’s going to show on your skin. But, there are ways to combat these skin issues!

First here are 5 things that happen to your skin when you’re stressed out!

1: BINGE EATING SHOWS ON YOUR FACE

Many people reach for convenience food high in salt, sugar or fat when they’re stressed out. While this is very common, it’s important to try and fight this urge. Binge eating and indulging in comfort food a little too much, can ruin your skin and lead to breakouts. The more dairy-rich and sugary snacks you eat, the more likely your skin will break out and acne will begin to form. As if you weren’t stressed out enough!

Try to resist the urge to eat fast food and sugary snacks and if you can’t help yourself, try to switch your sugar cravings for sweet fruit such as pineapple, mangos and berries. Use natural sugar like honey drizzled over yoghurt and fruit to curb your sugary comfort food cravings. Remember to hydrate and nourish your skin from the inside out with plenty of water and fresh food. Your skin will thank you for it later!

2: BACTERIA BUILDS

Being stressed out can also lead to a common skin problem known as picking. This is when you start to obsess over your skin and start picking or popping pimples. This compulsive behaviour is often triggered by anxiety and the feeling of being out of control. You might even experience skin irritation or itchy skin, and start touching your skin more than usual. The problem is, over-touching your skin will lead to bacteria build-up and, you guessed it, breakouts and acne.

To keep your hands busy while stressed out, invest in a distraction such as a Rubix Cube or stress ball or fidget spinner. Wash your hands often to remove as much bacteria from them during the day. Make sure to cleanse your skin morning and night to prevent breakouts too.

3: BREAKOUTS BEGIN

Unfortunately, stress eating, touching your face and being stressed out will inevitably lead to breakouts and hormonal acne. When you’re stressed out, your cortisol levels will spike and this means your oil glands will go into overdrive. As you may already know, excess oil means a much higher chance of a breakout. Now add more face-picking and stress eating into the equation and you’re not going to be happy the next time you catch a glimpse of your skin in the mirror.

While your first instinct will be to conceal your imperfections, you must not cover up with layers of makeup. Instead, it’s time to address your stress levels head-on and consider changing your daily routine to minimise stress. Take a long warm bubble bath, drink herbal tea and nourish your body with a colourful salad. You can also use Swiss Toniq’s Genuine Dead Sea Mud Mask, which has been proven to have an antimicrobial effect on strains of bacteria that live on the skin. This natural skin care treatment will minimise breakouts and remove excess oil.

4: MOISTURE IS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN

While many people experience oily skin during stressful times in their lives, some people notice dry and flaky skin when they’re stressed out. This is again down to your cortisol levels. When the fight or flight response is triggered, your vital organs are pumped with blood so that you can fight or run away from danger. However, these days the danger might be a stressful day at work, and there is no need for us to attack or retreat. Unfortunately, our body hasn’t caught up to this change and so you may have to fight dull and dehydrated skin instead.

If you suffer from dry, dull or dehydrated skin when you’re stressed out, pamper yourself with Swiss Toniq’s 24 Hour Hydration Pro Face Serum.

5: YOUR SKIN SEES RED

Do you have red, itchy and irritated skin? You’re probably stressed out. Blushing red can be your natural response to a surge in hormones and unfortunately, this can cause acne, eczema and rosacea. Prolonged redness can be very frustrating especially if you prefer to go make-up free on a daily basis.

Before you layer on the foundation, use Advanced Repair Serum to neutralise skin redness and blur out any imperfections. Advanced Repair Serum has also been proven to fade and remove dark circles on your skin permanently. It's always best practice to wait before the serum dries before applying foundation.