Healthy Skin during Quarantine

Susan Leeming
Mar 27, 2020
4 min read

As we self-quarantine and keep our social distance from others to stay safe and flatten the curve, what is this doing to our skincare? For almost two weeks now salon’s and spa’s in this state have been closed. By now some of you may be getting bushy brows, terrible root growth, or have maybe 2 or 3 eyelash extensions left. Fear not people, we are all in the same boat!! Rest assured though, by us all sticking to our social distancing we will hopefully be able to be back in business soon to help you!

Even for those of us that are healthy however, staying indoors to reduce the spread is a massive change in environment and routine and can have a huge negative impact on your skin. A change in activity, diet and the lack of fresh air can cause, amongst other issues, facial breakouts and skin dryness. To combat those issues here are a few tips you can use to revise your daily skincare regime.

The skin is the body’s largest organ and when our body is suffering the skin is often the first indicator that something is awry and needs addressing.

Stress. First let’s address stress. I doubt there isn’t one person that is not feeling some stress right now. Isolation may be making you feel lonely, your kids or family driving you crazy being cooped up for days under the same roof. Money issues are giving you anxiety, as is thinking about your elder relatives and their health and welfare. Your chest feels tight and it becomes hard to breathe, then fear sets in that you may be sick. Take a moment to breathe, turn off the news for a few hours. Try to think of all the things that make you happy…make a list if it

helps. What keeps your mind from rushing with bad thoughts? My coping mechanism has always been to stay busy, (which is why I work so much). I’m having a hard time not becoming lazy right now because I’m not rushing from one thing to the next. I find that I’m forcing myself to get up and do something. But for my mental health I know it is important that I try. Not only that, but for vanity sake too, stress can lead to major breakouts, or Rosacea or psoriasis flareups. Try to take a moment to breathe and do whatever you need to for your own mental health.

Eat Healthy. With restaurants closed, grocery stores running low on foods and general tightening of the belts financially, it may be easy to slip into poor choices for your diet. I saw a post on Facebook last week that

we’re all doing” holiday eating”! Don’t! Remember how you feel in January after binge eating. Remember what it feels like to detox and purge all of that bad food…..not fun and when we’re through this, we’ll only be a couple of months away from summer and less clothing!! Don’t just do it for your body, but for your skin too. Greasy or sugary foods don’t do much for your skin, try to choose foods high in antioxidants like berries, and healthy lean proteins.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate. Again, staying indoors can cause dry skin, it is important to stay hydrated from the inside out. Drink plenty of water, it helps to keep your skin more supple and soft. It also helps to flush toxins out of your

system helping to combat any acetic breakouts. Health authorities suggest drinking eight- 8oz glasses of water per day. Excessive alcohol consumption also can have a negative effect on the skin, causing immediate breakouts and long tern premature aging. By no means am I saying don’t drink, because after all, with the world as it is right now, you sometimes need that tipple to get through the state of the current affairs. Drink in moderation and flush out those toxins with water!.your skin will thank you for it later.

Stay active. Yes, gyms are temporarily closed but there are alternative ways to

exercise. I’ve dug out my 25-year-old tap shoes and I’m watching lessons on you tube. Not only is it a great workout but it is relieving some of my stress and anxiety too. Skipping workouts altogether will negatively impact your skin. Working out delivers blood flow and oxygen to your face, improving your skin and giving you that post workout glow. If you can get outdoors once a day to walk, you’ll be doing a double duty….fresh air and exercise. Remember to social distance however, and wear your sunscreen, even if the sun’s not shining.

Sleep. Getting enough sleep is imperative to the healing of your skin. During sleep, our body goes into a regenerative and constructive mode where it also produces collagen, which is the building block for our skin. Most studies show that an adult needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. Try to stick to a regular routine too by going to bed at a similar time each night.

Avoid touching your face. I know I for one have become lazy with doing my hair and make-up. I’m pretty

much living in leggings and sweats and a messy bun, sans makeup!!!! I’m sure I’m not alone. However, it’s not a bad thing to let your skin breathe without being encased in makeup and let your hair air dry without artificial heat. It is important however that you still use your moisturizer and keep your skin hydrated from the outside. While we don’t have lipstick we can smudge if we touch our face or mascara to rub to give us panda eyes, it doesn’t mean you should touch your face. We are constantly hearing that touching your face can spread Coronavirus, but it can also spread dirt, oil and bacteria which can clog pores and cause breakouts.

I vote that one day this week (Friday or Saturday) you choose, we all take a moment for ourselves. Do our normal skin and hair care regime as if we were going out. Put yourself together to feel pretty and add a sense of normalcy to this crazy life we have all been plummeted into. I would love to see your “going out looks” please post them in this feed. Let’s be social while social distancing.

I will post some simple at home skincare treatments soon! Stay safe and most of all healthy friends! Looking forward to seeing you all soon.