If you’re unfamiliar, mindfulness is a meditative practise that involves sitting quietly while paying close attention to the breath, the sounds around you and sensations in the body. When practised regularly, it’s shown to reduce stress and anxiety in both the mind and body, so it’s no surprise that it can also has a positive impact on our skin too.
In fact, you may notice that the health of your skin has a profound impact on your mood and confidence levels. For example, when you’re stressed and anxious, you may find that breakouts and flareups are more common, skin ageing signs appear more prominent, and you feel even worse as a result. But, by taking a more holistic approach to your health in general, you should find that your wellbeing improves along with the quality of your skin.
So where to begin? A nice way of introducing mindfulness into your everyday life is by incorporating it into your skincare routine. You could try cleansing your face and applying your usual serum and moisturiser before listening to a guided meditation while sitting in a comfy chair.
A simple way of beginning your own meditation, is by following the 4-7-8 breathing pattern. Start by inhaling for a count of four, before holding the breath and slowly exhaling while counting to 8 in your head. You can do this to help you relax at home, or in any situation that leaves you feeling anxious.
For an even simpler approach, stop what you’re doing, pause and take 10 deep breaths in and out. Concentrating on your breath in this way, tells your body to relax and actively calms the nervous system down.
Our recommended holistic skincare routine
Effaclar Duo (+)
If breakouts and congestion are your main concern, a targeted product such as Effaclar Duo (+), paired with regular meditation, can help you to take control. This dual-action gel moisturiser combines niacinamide with Lipo Hydroxy Acid and Salicylic Acid and Zinc PCA to unclog blocked pores and control shine.
Hyalu B5 Serum
As controlled meditative breathing helps to calm your nervous system, you’ll also need a hydrating serum to further calm the skin and address ageing signs. Hyalu B5 is formulated with two different-sized molecules of Hyaluronic Acid to reduce surface wrinkles, re-plump the skin and increase skin volume.
Toleriane Ultra Cream
When life gets stressful, you may feel its effect immediately on your skin – especially if you’re prone to sensitivity. Take this as a warning sign to take your foot off the pedal and make some active steps to slow down with meditation and an early night. Toleriane Ultra Cream can also help to calm the stress in your skin with a minimalist, hypo-allergenic formula that’s approved by Allergy UK and proven to reduce sensitivity day after day.
Lipikar Baume
Stress isn’t always possible to completely avoid, so we all need an emergency plan to bring back some equilibrium. Take five minutes to slow your breathing, before practising a longer meditation to really calm down your nervous system. If your skin has reacted strongly to the emotion and stress of the day, calm down inflammation with Lipikar Baume. Its new AP+M formula restores the skin barrier function, reducing the frequency of dry skin flare-ups, while helping to rebalance the skin’s microbiome.
Cicaplast Baume Hand Cream
The face isn’t the only place that stress can reveal itself, and you may find that your hands are one of the tell-tell signs that all isn’t well. Cicaplast Baume Hand Cream provides relief for overworked and stressed-out hands while leaving an invisible glove-like effect. Make it part of your daily meditation by incorporating a relaxing hand and arm massage into your practise.
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