Relax. Easier than it sounds right?

In today’s society we say “yes” too many times. We keep adding more and more to our daily schedules: work projects, family commitments, or volunteering at our kids sports events. These all sound important, right? And to “someone” they are. Maybe to you, but maybe not. We all have 24 hours in the day just like Oprah or Richard Branson. But when we over commit, our bodies “stress out”. If this is once in a while, no problem; life happens. But when your body gets overloaded and stressed day in and day out,y our body and your health are negatively impacted. Did you know that your skin is the last organ in your body to receive nutrition and the first organ to show signs of deficiencies and stress?

I’d like to address some of the more common skin conditions related to stress, their triggers and some solutions to help you have more radiant skin.

1.Rosacea: Red Face With Small Bumps

Triggers — stress, spicy foods, exercise, environmental changes, and alcohol
Solutions — yoga, deep breathing, pulsed-dye lasers, Sense Perfecting Essence cream, wearing sunscreen

Rosacea (pronounced roh-ZAY-sha) is a common skin condition that affects millions Americans usually in their 20’s and can get worse in their 30’s and 40’s. It’s a redness or flushing in the face that can be associated with a bumpy texture, burning and itching of the skin.

As previously mentioned, stress can bring on or aggravate these symptoms. One of the best ways to combat the redness is to relax. Try starting your day with a calming yoga class and add in some deep breathing.

Another way to help reduce the signs of rosacea is with pulse dye laser (PDL). Check with your dermatologist to see if this is an option for you.

For a great home remedy, apply the Sense Perfecting Essence lotion twice a day to help with uneven skin tone and redness. Two weeks after I started using this product from Sense, which was 10 years ago, people starting telling me that my skin looked so clear and pretty. We all love that! I still use it to this day every day, twice a day.

2.Pimples: result of excess oil trapped in the pore

Triggers — stress, hormones, bad food choices, bad cleansing habits
Solutions — jogging, switching pillow cases, Sense Gentle Daily Cleanser

More than 80% of teenagers get pimples or acne at some point. They can even appear out of no where as we get older when we get stressed. Here are a few simple things you can do to help deter them.

Initiate a brisk walking or jogging routine. Make it long enough and/or intense enough so that you break a sweat. It’s the sweat from exercising that cleans out your pores so they contain less oil buildup.

I know it sounds a little gross, but changing out your pillow case every week can help reduce infection from bacteria. Plus I love the feeling of a clean pillow case.

Stop with the sugar! I preach this from the mountain tops every day. Not only will it help decrease inflammation in your overall body, it will help clear up your face, back and neck from those pesky pimples.

And finally, washing your face morning and night, cleaning it from environmental toxins with a soap-free cleanser like Sensé Gentle Daily Cleanser could just be the answer. It’s not drying like those cleanser’s made with soap.

3.Picking and Scarring

Triggers — stress, hormones, obsessiveness, genes
Solutions — de-stress, therapy, Sense Rice Bran Polisher

Picking at pimples and black heads on your face can lead to scarring, which most people later regret. So what sets this off and what can you do to help the situation.

People that have OCD can become obsessed with this when they are bored.

A great de-stressing technique is meditation. It can help keep your mind active on something else and less worried about your face. Meditating first thing in the morning is calming and can set your mind, body, and spirit to be positive for the entire day. Try to meditate 2 times per week.

Taking time out for self-care is another easy, inexpensive way to de-stress. Try my Stress Relieving Epsom Salt Bath and soak your stress away.

The cells on our face are actually dead skin cells. So exfoliating our face 1-2 times per week can help scrub off the old, dead skin and let the new skin show it’s radiance. Try using Sensé Rice Bran Polisher to clean out pores, remove impurities, and nourish your skin. My adolescent son even uses this to keep his skin clear.

4.Sensitized Skin: dry, flaky, and irritation

Triggers — stress, climate, overworked skin
Solutions — cold showers, high quality fish oil, Sense Night Renewal Crème

Environmental changes, stress, high sugary diets, and hydration are some of the things that can cause your skin to become dry, flaky or irritated.

Luckily, there are many things you can do to soothe sensitized skin.

After you finish with your warm shower, turn on the cold water just for a minute. I know this idea may not sounds appealing to you, but the cold water will help seal in the moisture. Also, taking a high quality fish oil, omega-3’s, will help to nourish your skin from the inside out.

At night, be sure to apply Sensé Night Renewal Crème before bed. This amazing moisturizer renews skin while you are sleeping and hydrates so that you wake up with skin that is soft, smooth, and glowing.

5.Rashes and Hives:

Triggers — stress, allergies
Solutions — sleep, fruits and veggies, Sense Firming Body Lotion

Have you ever known someone that was under so much stress that they broke out in a rash or hives? Maybe this has even happened to you! Your skin is a barometer of your health. When your skin is clear and looking good, you are probably pretty healthy. But when your skin starts breaking out in a rash or hives, it’s probably time to stop and ask yourself, “Have I been under a lot of stress lately?” or “Am I getting enough sleep?” or “Am I eating properly and taking high quality supplements?”.

Feed your body a good night’s sleep of at least 8 hours so it can regenerate cells, make memories, and rejuvenate your body each night. If you have trouble sleeping, try a pure melatonin supplement.

Stress causes inflammation inside your body as well as on the outside. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants can aid in reducing that inflammation. Try eating these 10 foods to beat stress.

And lastly, to help your skin heal from the outside, try the Sense Firming Body Lotion to pamper your body from head-to-toe and leave your skin feeling hydrated and incredibly soft.