Hey, guys it’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been super busy with work. Some of you may not know that I travel to Houston twice a month for work. I’ve noticed that when I work out of town that my skin doesn’t have its usual radiant glow. I know that sometimes we get so busy with life and we tend to start taking short cuts when it comes to our skin care routine. Well, not me I am a rule follower, and I am very consistent. Even though I never skip my skin care routine we don’t realize just how much work and travel effects our mind, body, and lifestyle choices. A hectic lifestyle, highly stressful environments, frequent traveling and long workdays can only lead to weary and troubled skin.
What Is Weary Skin?
Weary skin also known as skin fatigue is mainly caused by a combination of lifestyle, and stress-related factors. Such as, lack of sleep, exercise, smoking, unhealthy diet, as well as environmental aggressors like pollution and sun exposure. When under constant stress, your adrenal glands release the stress hormone cortisol that, in turn, affects blood flow throughout the body and damages the collagen in your skin. This accelerates the aging process and hinders your skin’s ability to repair itself, resulting to weary skin. The main symptoms of weary skin are dullness, large pores, and persistent dryness. Weary skin also doesn’t reflect light well, so skin looks generally tired. If you find your skin looking older, or looking more haggard than usual, and no longer responding to the products you’ve been using, your skin is probably tired. To help bring life back into your weary skin, it’s important to know where and how to start. Below, I’m sharing everything you need to know about weary skin.
1. Weary Skin is one of your skin’s ways of telling you that something is wrong. As the largest organ in the body, you skin is your first line of defense against external damage. So, it’s very important to always keep it in fighting shape, particularly its delicate barrier. When your skin barrier is healthy, your skin retains moisture and nutrients better. When it is compromised, problems beyond the superficial will start surfacing. Therefore, when signs of fatigue start to become more pronounced, it’s your skin’s call to action, alerting you of potential concerns that you might have unintentionally ignored.
2. Your lifestyle choices may be making your skin weary. People who are frequently exposed to smoke from cigarettes and pollution, travel often and live in the city are more likely to develop weary skin. Smoking depletes the body’s natural supply of antioxidants, while pollution and smog from large cities can cause damage to the skin’s barrier. FYI, I’m a country girl and the city has started to wreak havoc on my skin.
3. A few lifestyle changes can make a world of difference for your skin. Putting your Netflix subscription to good use may sound like a good way to relax, but if you want to be kinder to your skin, consider having a good night’ sleep instead. Seriously, an extra 30 minutes of sleep every day may be all your skin needs. Also, try Squeezing in a workout to help boost essential circulation and to strengthen your immunity. Another way you can fight off the signs of weary skin, premature aging and acne is by reducing inflammation. Try incorporating essential fatty acids into your diet (from wild salmon and avocado, for example). I’m not a fan of fish oil are blackcurrant oil supplements but they are now a part of my life style. They are great for overall skin health and resveratrol, pterostilbene and vitamin C for antioxidant protection.
4. Topical products with the right ingredients can neutralize the signs of weary skin. Antioxidants and retinol are your skin’s best friend. Antioxidants work by protecting the skin from oxidative stress caused by free radicals and are known for their anti-inflammatory and anti-aging benefits. As for retinol it’s one of the best things you can use on your skin. Retinol treats acne, pigmentation and wrinkles, speeds up cell renewal and refines large pores so skin looks less tired and more radiant. But if you’re wary of known retinol side effects, you should look into encapsulated retinol as they are next-generation versions that give all the benefits without any of the traditional irritation or dryness. Other ingredients to look for in your skin care products include l-ascorbic acid (vitamin C), resveratrol, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and nutrient-dense oils like argan, rosehip and acai oils. As you guys know I can’t live with put my rosehip oil!!
5. Adaptogens can help the skin fight off environmental stressors and boost its natural defenses. Basically, adaptogens are herbs that reverse and reduce fatigue and the toxic effects of stress on the body. They get their name from their ability to adapt to the body’s needs and to respond to constantly changing stressors that you encounter in your daily life. They boost the body’s natural defenses and keep it in a state of healthy equilibrium.
I hope you have found these tips helpful. What changes will you make to help you fight weary skin. I have started going to Houston a day early, so that I am not so tired the day of my events. It gives my body time to adjust to the environmental changes, I am able to squeeze in another workout and let my body rest.