Workplace Woes and Skincare: Insights for the On-the-Go
Let’s face it, work-life can be brutal on the skin. Read on to discover a list of ways your work-life may be impacting your skin and how to combat these changes.
Your Chronic Stress Levels: Stress can be detrimental to your skin's health in that it can often lead to an increased production of cortisol a stress related hormone that can lead to increased oil production. Chronic stress may also act to exacerbate chronic skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. How can you combat stress related skin changes? The answer often simpler said then done, is to naturally reduce your chronic stress level. You may be asking, how do you naturally reduce your stress? A few considerations include practicing mindfulness throughout your day, remembering to take short breaks throughout the day, and attempting to eat healthier food options while at work and drinking water.
Your Diet and Nutrition: Poor eating and drinking habits at work can have a significant impact on your skin. A poor diet and poor drinking habits may stem from an overly busy work schedule leading to unhealthy eating habits in the form of consuming more processed foods, frequently indulging in sugary snacks and/or drinking excessive amounts of caffeine while at work, all of which can impact skin. Dehydration from lack of water can also impact your skin by making your skin appear dry and lackluster. To combat poor skin due to poor eating habits, consider talking to a dietitian or nutritionist about your current lifestyle and eating habits. Work with the specialist to come up with a realistic eating plan that you can stick with. Also plan to drink the recommended amount of water that you need based on your unique needs.
Your at Work Makeup Usage: Wearing make-up for long hours while at work without properly cleansing the skin afterwards, could also impact your skin by leading to clogged pores. Consider combating the build up of skin products on the skin with regular and timely cleansing of the skin after work; consider using the 3-in-1 Wash, Exfoliating, and Drying cloth to help with this. Also, consider the use of skin specific serums after cleansing/washing the skin, and minimizing the use of make-up as much as possible.
Your level of Activity while at Work: A sedentary lifestyle at work can also impact your skin by impacting blood circulation and by depriving the skin of vital nutrients and oxygen leading to dull skin. On the other hand, a physically active person might experience increased exposure to sweat. Sweating without cleansing the skin post exercise could lead to breakouts. To combat dulling of the skin due to a sedentary lifestyle, get up and move! Start slow and build from there. Measure how many steps you take per day at work by using a monitoring device (ie. a pedometer or watch) and set goals for how many steps you would like to take per day. For the person who is already an avid walker/exerciser at work consider making timely washing of your skin a regular habit. Consider incorporating the 3-in-1 Wash, Exfoliating and Drying cloth in your skincare routine as a fast and simple way to help with this.
Your Work Environment: Your work environment may also impact your skin. Exposure to air-conditioned or heated environments, artificial lighting, and exposure to pollution during commutes may also contribute to skin problems which could cause dry skin, acne, premature aging and skin irritation. You can combat the prior by considering the following: consider using a small portable humidifier to add moisture back to the air, consider using a desk lamp with softer lighting if you are regularly exposed to fluorescent lamps, consider incorporating antioxidants in your skincare routine.
Your Pre and Post work Sleep Patterns: Your sleep patterns may also impact your skin. Those individuals who choose to work long hours and/or have a demanding work schedule may have poor sleep patterns. Poor/insufficient sleep patterns can often lead to dull skin, dark circles, and a sallow complexion. How does poor sleep hygiene cause dull skin, dark circles, and a sallow skin complexion? The answer lies in the fact that without sleep, your skin and body lack the ability to undergo efficient repair and regeneration. How might you combat these changes? The simple answer is get more sleep! How can you strive to get more sleep? A few solutions include prioritizing sleep so that you aim to get a certain amount of sleep per day, optimizing and developing your pre-sleep routine/rituals, by avoiding stimulating drinks/foods and activities right before sleep, by striving to only use your bed for sleep related activities, and if all else fails seeking out additional help by talking to a doctor about your sleep related issues.
Your Hormones: Long irregular hours and long commutes can have an affect on your hormones which can often impact your skin, particularly in women. How might you combat changes in hormones due to the prior? Consider staying hydrated, engaging in mindful meditation, engaging in healthy eating, and healthy sleep patterns.
To mitigate the effects of work life on complexion, it's essential to adopt healthy habits such as managing stress, maintaining a balanced diet, staying hydrated, establishing a consistent skincare routine, getting adequate sleep, and incorporating regular physical activity. Taking the steps above could help you maintain a healthy and radiant complexion, even amidst a busy work schedule.
Which of the tips above do you find the most helpful in maintaining your skin?
