Is the key to healthy skin looking within?
Are you feeling stressed out about your skin? Have you tried everything on the market and yet still battling breakouts? Do those anxious feelings creep up on you when you look in the mirror?
Guess what, know you’re not alone.
The relationship between skincare and self-love often appears to feel like a vicious cycle. Any stress that you experience appears to have a direct impact on the way your skin looks and feels. Look, I’m probably not alone in admitting that those breakouts then make me feel even more stressed and the cycle goes on. This has been proven by scientists who have long acknowledged that there’s a huge connection between a person's inner feelings and skin health.
With this in mind, skincare takes on a whole new meaning. Rather than rushing to buy the latest skincare products (yes, even though we love our products) there’s actual science behind looking within and addressing internal thoughts and feelings before reaching for your retinol creams. In fact, in our evermore stressful world, this is actually more important than ever.
Not only does healthy skin make you feel good, but it’s also pretty important when it comes to keeping your body protected. Clearly, it’s also in our interest to achieve optimal skin health by practicing both internal and external self-love.
And *drumroll please* this is where meditation comes in. Within the last few years, there’s been a growing amount of studies that have looked into how meditation can impact various parts of our lives. One area where meditation appears to have had a huge impact is skin health. In fact, one study found that just 15 minutes of meditation helped to slow down the aging of our skin cells. So, how the hell does that work?
The science behind meditation for healthier skin
According to mindfulness and meditation coach Claudia Mirallegro, the connection between meditation and skincare is pretty simple. Speaking on the Dr. Barbara Strum social media page, Claudia explains that it all stems from the fight or flight chemicals that are produced when we feel stress.
These feelings trigger the production of chemicals within our bodily systems. Adrenaline and cortisol are produced internally, while externally this leads to acidity which can actually have an impact on our skin. Acidity contributes to skin redness and blemishes as well as various inflammatory ailments.
There are many ways to tackle anxiety and stress. In fact, this journey is a very personal one and different for each person. However, Claudia argues that meditation is one way to address the wider skin issues triggered by such feelings. That’s because less than a minute of meditation prompts the production of calming, happy hormones within your bloodstream. Ten minutes of meditation helps those chemicals enter your bone marrow — seen as the most visceral part of our bodies.
In short, meditation helps to calm the nervous system. This prevents the production and release of chemicals that might be harmful to our skin health while encouraging the body’s own self-repair processes. What’s more, as we meditate, we spend more time focusing on our oxygen intake which can in turn help it circulate around our bodies and skin.
Claudia also isn’t the only one talking about the benefits of meditation. In fact, people have been talking about this for decades and I’m actually shocked that I’m only learning about this now. One study conducted in the 1980s revealed that people who meditated tended to have a younger biological age than those that didn’t. What’s more, there’s actually a whole arm of medical study known as “psycho-dermatology” that specifically looks into how our mind and skin are connected.
How to implement meditation into your routine
Right, so we know that meditation can benefit our skin. In fact, there are countless scientific studies and journals that back this up. However, this doesn’t mean that you should throw away your skincare products and spend 24 hours meditating instead.
If you’re new to meditation, it’s important to take things slow and explore what processes work for you. As with any practice that involves self-reflection, this is a deeply personal process. Luckily, we have a wealth of information at our fingertips that can help us find our way.
For instance, there are plenty of Instagram pages that can help you kickstart your meditation journeys such as Calm and Meditation & Mindfulness. The writers among us can immerse themselves in guided journals such as But First, Inner Peace, and those that prefer to stick their headphones in can check out guided meditation podcasts such as The Daily Shine.
You can even explore some of our previous blogs to get started on the basics of breathing. These are just a few recommendations, but there’s a wealth of information online that can help you select meditation support that works for you.
Whatever path you choose, remember that meditation should actually be part of a wider healthy lifestyle. We all have our cheat days, but loosely sticking to a clean diet and trying to get a good night's sleep can also help alleviate the stresses contributing to skin concerns.
Your journey with self-care
As it turns out, meditation might actually be a secret weapon you never knew you needed for amazing skin, and the scientists seem to agree. So before you look for your next skincare remedy, think about looking within.
Take your time to breathe out the bad vibes and embrace the feelings of doing good. Your skin (and your soul) will thank you for taking that moment to meditate.
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