We all want that beautiful, clear skin that is radiant and smooth. Sometimes, however, our skin just isn’t in its best condition despite our best efforts. If having a regular skin care routine and good hygiene practices is not helping your skin look any better, perhaps you should look at these 6 non-skin factors that is causing stress on your skin.
Our bodies are tuned in to our daily habits and routines – and a change in rhythm and patterns can cause your body and skin to react negatively. If you are experiencing disruptions in your daily habits and routines, this post may just be for you too!
1. Sleep Problems
With Singapore cited as the top country lacking in sleep, it is no wonder we all feel tired and lethargic all the time. Irregular sleep cycles, poor sleep and lack of sleep all take a toll on our skin as the body secretes more cortisol, which breaks down skin collagen. This affects skin elasticity and stimulates sebum production – which ultimately leads to the dreaded shiny skin and open pores. Premature ageing is also encountered as your skin starts to lose firmness.
Cortisol is your body’s main stress hormone and work with certain parts of your brain to control your mood, motivation and fear. It is best known for helping fuel your body’s “fight-or-flight” instinct, but it also plays an important role in:
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Managing how your body breaks down carbohydrates, fats and proteins
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Keeps inflammation down
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Regulates your blood pressure
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Increases your blood sugar
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Controls your sleep/wake cycle
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Boosts energy so you can handle stress and restores balance afterward
Thus, an increase in the body’s main stress hormones due to lack of sleep will most surely affect not only how you feel, but how your skin looks as well.
2. Stress
We are no strangers to stress – we spend our waking moments thinking about work, our families, our other half, having a life of our own and more. A common thought most Singaporeans have is how the 24 hours we have in a day is barely enough – we need more time to do all the things we need to do; let alone want to do.
Excessive stress causes the body to produce more cortisol and adrenaline – leading to an inflammatory reaction. This causes damage to the cell mechanism, resulting in premature skin ageing and a dull complexion. This is why people can tell when you are stressed – it’s all there written on your skin!
3. Poor Nutrition
Eating out on a daily basis is commonplace in Singapore, where cooked food is easily and cheaply available. However, this can lead to poor nutrition – especially if you are choosing unhealthy choices: fast food, fried and oily food, little fruits and vegetables.
This lack of nutrients and an excess of fat, sugar and salt will impact your collagen and elastin proteins through the glycation effect and promote silent inflammation – which can affect the skin quality in many ways. Acne, skin inflammation and breakouts are often associated with eating too much oily food – and not without reason! Your body reacts to the food you eat; thereby affecting your skin condition.
4. Hormones
Hormones play an important role in the integrity of our skin – for example, when women enter the menopausal stage, estrogen levels decrease and causes the skin to become thinner and the collagen matrix is impaired. At this stage, skin ageing is accelerated – skin firmness and tonicity decreases, wrinkles and fine lines appear deeper and dark spots may start to appear.
Puberty, pregnancy, menopause and hormonal disorders are some reasons your skin may be acting up even though your skin care routine and environment remains the same.
5. Lack of Movement
Sitting in an office all day will definitely take a toll on our bodies, especially if we do not partake in exercise regularly. Physical activity is the most effective natural form of anti-ageing for our skin – lack of movement leads to an accumulation of toxins and impacts the cell oxygenation process, resulting in premature skin ageing.
Physical activity promotes healthy circulation by increasing blood flow – nourishing skin cells and keeping them vital. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to working cells throughout the body, including the skin. In addition to oxygenating the cells, blood flow also helps carry away waste products, including free radicals from working cells. This helps flush cellular debris out of the system – cleansing your skin from the inside out.
6. Environment
External aggressors such as air pollution, UV rays, air conditioning, tobacco and excess drinking can impact the cell mechanisms and the metabolic functions of the skin as there is increased exposure to free radicals. This leads to oxidative stress on the skin - resulting in poor skin conditions and premature ageing.
Oxidation is a normal and necessary process that takes place – oxidative stress, however, occurs when there an imbalance between free radical activity and antioxidant activity. When functioning properly, free radicals fight off pathogens, which causes infections. However, where there are more free radicals than antioxidants, the free radicals can start damaging fatty tissue, DNA and proteins in your body. Protein, lipids and DNA make up a large part of your body, so that damage can lead to problems in your body, and of course, your skin.
The Solution
This is why Maria Galland introduced 6 problem-solving boosters that support your skin needs in real time. The active ingredients used in the boosters remain in skin for at least 12 hours and increase the efficacy of all products applied to improve and protect your skin as well.
Coming in 6 variations to solve 6 different needs, we have
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001 Ultim’Boost Hydration - containing a 4-molecular hyaluronic acid mix, crystal rocks, apple extract and a cell booster, your skin is deeply hydrated from within
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002 Ultim’Boost Purity – lotus flower extract, caviar lime and wild pistachio gum mastic is used to brighten, smooth and refine the pores for a mattified and flawless look
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003 Ultim’Boost Regeneration – powerful ingredients that include the Argan stem cell extract, royal peptide and sea buckthorn pulp oil is used to stimulate the skin’s cell renewal and improve skin regeneration instantly
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004 Ultim’Boost Radiance – not just a placebo, 24-carat gold, an energy booster and sweet millet extract increases energy in the skin cells, while tightening, firming and smoothing wrinkles for the ultimate radiant glow
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005 Ultim’Boost Lifting – an absolute must for an instant face lift, a diamond complex and swiss ice wine is used to lift, tighten and protect the skin
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006 Ultim’Boost Uniformity – white peony extract, pearl extract, pea extract and a cress and soy liposome complex is used to brighten and protect the skin against pigmentation by regulating melanin synthesis
A stressful, polluted environment that results in poor health and skin is inevitable. However, we must always find the right skin care products to boost our skin with nutrition so that it can remain radiant and bright. Find out in our next posts how these boosters can help improve your skin and what is most suitable for you!
If you find that your skin looks dull and tired, maybe it’s time for a Skin Detox. Call 6337 0060 to find out how we can help you achieve bright, radiant skin.