As the country continues to stay home due to the coronavirus outbreak, lockdown seems to be having a not-so-great impact on the condition of our skin.
It was presumably one of the few silver linings of being confined to our homes – wearing less make-up and being less exposed to pollution as we went about our day-to-day routines.
Cue the surprise when many women started reporting breakouts and generally having worse skin than usual. But why is our skin not enjoying isolation?
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Why your skin is acting up during lockdown
Scientific Communication Director at Shiseido, Dr Nathalie Broussard, recently revealed the results of a study done back in 2018 which may reveal the answer to our ‘quarantine skin’ woes, and unsurprisingly, it’s all to do with stress.
The study was done in partnership with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) where 23 people were placed in quarantine for a period of 15 days.
And the results? Participants recorded higher levels of stress and anxiety which resulted in decreased barrier function, increased sebum production and increased inflammation.
So that explains the shiny foreheads…
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How to make your skin glow again during the lockdown
The good news is that we have more time on our hands to add a few extra steps to our beauty routine and keep our skin in check. Dr Broussard gives us a few tips on how to make sure you give your skin its healthy glow back in no time…
Keep up with your cleansing
If you think your skin is safe from pollutants at home, think again. While it’s safe from the urban kind, you still have to worry about indoor pollutants.
This is especially true if you’re doing a lot of cooking (what else is there to do?), as time spent in the kitchen exposes the skin to volatile particles, which oxidise tissue and increase the skin’s level of inflammation.
So despite not leaving the house all day, it’s still vital to thoroughly eliminate all of these particles and other harmful impurities.
How to fix this: Make sure you continue to cleanse your skin as you would after a day spent outside.
Start with something gentle like Esse Sensitive Cleanser, R425 for 200ml, a pH-balanced cream cleanser.
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And make sure you exfoliate twice a week – we love Gatineau Peeling Expert Microdermabrasion exfoliating cream, R550 for 75ml.
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Stimulate micro-circulation
Your skin is probably missing fresh air, which is making it hard for it to stay oxygenated and radiant. Lack of exercise (if you haven’t been convinced by the many online workouts available) could also be slowing down micro-circulation.
This causes cells to lack nutrients and their function slows down. Lymphatic drainage is also affected and as days go by, the skin becomes dull, pale, and increasingly fragile.
How to fix: Take more time to massage products into your skin. For extra help, run your hands under cold water to chill them and stimulate the skin even more.
Use a product which reactivates intercellular communication. We love the physical stimulation of a cold Jade stone facial roller like Nirvana Natural Bliss Dual Jade Facial Roller, R450.
Compiled by Beauty Editor Martinique Stevens
