Skin and Stress: 7 Natural Ways to Support Clearer, Calmer Skin

When your skin flares up, it's easy to point the finger at your skincare routine or the food you ate last night. But one often-overlooked trigger that can quietly wreak havoc on your skin? Stress.

Whether it's the pressure of a busy work week, emotional upheaval, or the mental toll of a chronic skin condition like eczema or TSW, stress has a powerful impact on your skin. If you've ever noticed a breakout, rash, or flare-up appear during a particularly overwhelming period, you're not imagining it. The skin-stress connection is real, and it runs deeper than most people realise.

The good news? There are gentle, effective, and science-backed ways to support your skin from the inside out. Here's how stress affects your skin and 7 natural strategies to help you calm both your mind and your complexion.

The Skin-Stress Connection

When you're stressed, your body releases cortisol, your main stress hormone. While cortisol plays an essential role in your "fight or flight" response, chronically elevated levels can lead to inflammation, hormonal imbalances, impaired digestion, and a sluggish detoxification system.

These internal changes can show up externally in a variety of ways:

• Increased sebum (oil) production leading to acne breakouts
• Weakened skin barrier function, causing dryness, redness, and sensitivity
• Flare-ups of chronic skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, or perioral dermatitis
• Delayed wound healing and slower skin regeneration

In short: when your nervous system is under pressure, your skin often is too.

1. Prioritise Restorative Sleep

Sleep is your skin's reset button. It’s when healing, repair, and regeneration take place. Yet stress often disrupts our sleep, leading to a vicious cycle of increased inflammation and slower skin recovery.

Supportive tips:

• Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep each night
• Create a wind-down routine (e.g. herbal tea, magnesium, low lights)
• Avoid screens 1 hour before bed to reduce blue light exposure

2. Balance Your Blood Sugar

Fluctuations in blood sugar trigger the release of cortisol, which can add more stress to your system. Over time, this can increase inflammation and worsen conditions like acne, rosacea, or TSW.

Supportive tips:

• Eat balanced meals every 3–3.5 hours
• Include protein, healthy fats and slow carbs at every meal
• Avoid skipping meals or excessive fasting, especially in the morning

3. Regulate Your Nervous System

Chronic stress keeps your body in "fight or flight," and your skin can struggle to heal in this state. Activating your parasympathetic nervous system (your "rest and digest" state) is essential for skin recovery.

Supportive tips:

• Practice deep belly breathing for 3–5 minutes daily
• Try vagus nerve-stimulating practices like gargling, humming, or cold face splashes
• Engage in gentle, grounding activities (journalling, nature walks, slow yoga)

4. Love Your Gut & Liver

Your gut and liver are key players in hormone metabolism, detoxification, and immune function, all vital for healthy skin. When stressed, these systems can become sluggish or overwhelmed.

Supportive tips:

• Eat plenty of fibre-rich, colourful plant foods
• Stay hydrated and include bitter foods (e.g. rocket, dandelion greens) to support liver flow
• Consider a probiotic or gut repair support if needed

5. Herbal & Nutrient Allies

There are many beautiful herbs and nutrients that can support both your stress response and your skin health.

Favourites include:

• Magnesium: calms the nervous system and supports hormone balance
• B Vitamins: fuel stress resilience and skin regeneration
• Adaptogens like withania, rhodiola, and holy basil: help modulate the stress response
• Zinc: supports skin healing and immune health

Always speak to a qualified practitioner before starting supplements.

6. Embrace Mindfulness & Nature

Mindfulness isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a proven practice that can reduce stress, improve resilience, and create space for your skin to heal.

Supportive tips:

• Start a simple mindfulness practice: even 5 minutes counts
• Get outside daily and expose your skin to morning light
• Create screen-free time to reset your nervous system

7. Don’t Forget Your Topical Support

While internal healing is key, your skin may need a little extra TLC during times of stress. Focus on calming, nourishing and pH-balanced topical support.

Supportive tips:

• Avoid stripping products and fragrance-heavy skincare
• Use barrier-repairing products with gentle, microbiome-supportive ingredients
• Work with a Corneotherapist for customised, professional skincare support

Final Thoughts

If your skin is flaring and you feel like you’ve tried everything, don’t underestimate the role of stress. Your body (and skin) thrives in safety, not in survival mode.

Start small. Choose one strategy above and gently work it into your daily routine. With time and consistency, you’ll begin to see shifts in both your skin and your sense of wellbeing.

Ready to create a solid foundation for skin healing? The Foundations of Health Guide is the perfect place to start. Inside, you’ll learn how to support sleep, stress, detoxification and more.