April, 2024 | Rediscovering You...

How Stress Affects Skin and What to Do About It

by Debi | Apr 26, 2024

April is recognized as National Stress Awareness Month, and there is no better time to consider the impact of stress on skin concerns and overall skin health.

There is more and more research about the correlation between stress and skin health —now, more than ever. To that end, Rodan + Fields’ founders Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields published an eight-week study on the impact of skincare on cortisol (the stress hormone) levels.

Can stress cause you to break out?

The study: “Improvements in acne-prone skin quality correlate with a reduction in saliva cortisol levels after use of an 8-week 3-step topical regimen”

The study uncovered the mental health ramifications of adult acne and found that following a three-step skincare routine can dramatically reduce stress levels. A team of experts, including Rodan + Fields brand founders Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields, studied 30 acne-prone women in the 18- to 45-year-old range who used a skincare regimen including antioxidants, prebiotics, electrolytes, and SPF twice a day.

Rodan + Fields developed the Multi-Med Therapy approach, the right ingredients in the right formulations used in the right order, to deliver visible results you can see and feel. Over many years of testing and assessing consumer input, Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields found that having a three- or four-step routine is optimal in terms of treating skin concerns and improving skin health. For this study, Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields didn’t provide any additional guidelines beyond their standard recommendation they have with all of Rodan + Fields Regimens. The participants used a three-step Regimen.

The Results of the Study

The results found that participants’ cortisol decreased by about 83%. In addition, the participants felt 76% more confident taking a selfie compared to 53% at the beginning of the study. Many reported being able to wear less makeup, as their skin looked better, and said their “skin looks as good as it feels.”

We know that stress can leave its mark, literally and figuratively, on your skin. Here are some of the key ways that stress can affect skin and what you can do to alleviate it.

If your skin isn’t looking its best and you’re stressed, ask yourself the following questions. Are you:

1. Not sleeping enough?

When you’re not sleeping at least eight hours per night, the restorative function of your skin can’t be completed. Having a consistent nighttime skincare routine is essential when it comes to having healthy, youthful-looking skin. However, your skincare routine is most effective with proper sleep. Lifestyle changes can also help with better skin regeneration. Checking in with yourself and assessing whether you’re getting enough sleep can make that difference. Another sleep-inhibiting factor is blue light exposure. Switch off your computers and TV an hour or so before bed, or better yet, avoid having these electronics in your bedroom if you can. Alcohol consumption can lead to a less-than-glowing complexion the next morning. Drinking in moderation will have an impact on how your skin looks.

2. Eating sugar?

Eating sugar can impact your cortisol levels, which can lead to an overproduction of sebum or oil in your skin glands, which can cause acne breakouts. What foods should we opt for, and which should we avoid? “I recommend an anti-inflammatory diet, which means low-carb and no sugar as they directly cause skin inflammation,” Dr. Kathy Fields says. “It is so important to get to a target healthy weight and maintain it by implementing a reasonable diet that fits your lifestyle and one that you can practice long-term,” she adds. Exercise is another critical component. The best foods to eat to protect your skin from aging are antioxidants (think berries), carotenoids (think apricots and carrots), and greens (think spinach and broccoli). Learn more about the best foods to achieve clear and healthy skin.

3. Dealing with bags under your eyes?

It’s hard to get that glow when you’re not getting the right amount of sleep. Bags under your eyes is a direct result of sleep deprivation. Your skin has its own circadian rhythm, which is a 24-hour cycle that’s part of the body’s internal clock. Think of it as an operating system: it runs in the background to carry out essential functions and processes. At night, your skin absorbs products better, as it’s thinner at that time and undergoes the cell renewal and skin regeneration process. During your nightly eight hours, you give your skin a chance to replace old skin cells and make room for the new ones. So, don’t skimp on that time for the sake of your skin! It’s important to consistently apply your skincare routine every morning and night—including face serum (like one with Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid, or Vitamin C) to avoid acne in addition to fine lines, wrinkles and aging in general. Consider a high-quality anti-aging eye cream to visibly reduce key signs of aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles, sagging, and crow’s feet.

4. Lips sore?

You may be surprised by this stress-related result. But it happens: people tend to bite their lips when they’re stressed out—no matter the weather conditions. Stress, fear and anxiety are some of the reasons those who are prone to lip biting may give in to the urge. Dry lips can also be uncomfortable. Make sure to keep lips hydrated by using a balm or serum daily.

5. Dealing with skin irritations?

Stress can lead to skin irritations resulting from picking at acne or scratching at your skin. If you’re stressed, you might also skimp on your skincare routine, which can also aggravate skin issues.

Things to Remember When You’re Feeling Stressed

Think of your skincare Regimen as your daily ritual – a few moments each day where you can practice self-care. Carve out time each morning and night to treat yourself (and your skin!) to some much-needed TLC and ideally, some stress relief.

*All referenced results are based on an 8-week U.S. clinical and consumer study.

Learn more about Rodan + Fields and how you can get your most radiant skin ever. Trust your skin’s glow to the Doctors and to your consultant who know how to help you get your skin glowing.

Results may vary depending on multiple factors: age, gender, skin type and condition, concomitant products used, health history, location, lifestyle, and diet.

Share this with friends or family members. It will save their skin — and boost their confidence.

PM me for the best options to suit your budget 🙂

*information is taken from The R+F Source.

Why a Skincare Regimen is Worth Your Time and Money

by Debi | Apr 10, 2024

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR SKIN FROM HEAD TO TOE

Show me a person new to a multi-step routine — any routine — and I will show you a skeptic.

It makes sense. Disappointed in the past, they want to know if all those steps really matter or if it’s just marketing. What they’re really asking is: “Is it worth my time and money?” and “Will it work for me?” So, how can you know for sure if purchasing a full Rodan + Fields skincare regimen is worth it? Let’s dive in and see!

When using a skincare regimen, you should always do your due diligence to get familiar with all the steps and the potential results from following the regimen:

Look over the clinical studies to see what results are possible
Review the before and after pictures to see real examples
Take your own before and after pictures to track your progress
Follow the directions and be consistent

Rodan + Fields Skincare Advantage

Dermatologists Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields set high standards by challenging their chemists to create cutting-edge, life-changing skincare solutions for common skin issues to give visible results. They evaluate every ingredient and formula down to the molecular level to make sure it delivers the transformative, visible results we’re known for.

The Regimen Advantage

R+F regimens use Multi-Med Therapy: the right ingredients, in the right formulas, applied in the right order. Let us deep-dive into the product types that make up a skincare regimen—an orchestra of strong and gentle instruments performing together in the perfect combination for a majestic masterpiece: healthier-looking skin.

-Cleansers: Does using a cleanser matter? You just rinse it off anyway. As the first step in the routine, cleansers are a very important step to prep the skin for what’s to come. R+F cleaners offer a range of benefits that include gentle exfoliation and purifying skin as they remove dirt, oil, makeup, to chemical exfoliation of the skin’s surface for a more even appearance in tone and texture, and lines and deep wrinkles. Your cleanser offers its own benefits while also affecting how your skin responds to the remaining products in the regimen.

-Toners: Often seen as a throw-away product, a toner clears the skin for optimal application and efficacy of the products that follow. Our toners are not drying or astringent in any way. So, this format allows us to layer ingredients effectively on the skin’s surface. The different toners in each regimen offer different benefits depending on the regimen you choose, like minimizing and unclogging pores or gently exfoliating and promoting natural cell turnover.

-Creams/Moisturizers (AM + PM): Is using a cream both morning and night necessary? The cleanser and toner have prepared the skin for these next steps to allow for maximum absorption and additional benefits from creams and moisturizers, like moisturizing and protecting from UVA and UVB rays during the day (make sure to re-apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen every 2-2.5 hours when exposed to the sun), and replenishing or exfoliating the skin overnight.

Can’t I just make my own regimen?

Let’s explore this possibility. There is an immense amount of time and money dedicated to research, selecting the targeted ingredients to make a visible improvement on the skin, quality control, trial and error in stabilizing and developing effective formulations, and determining product compatibility and effectiveness. And sometimes, you might try a combination of products where some ingredients may not play well together, or you could get too much of a good thing like exfoliation, and this misjudgment may affect your skin negatively. Can’t I just buy the “hero” product from the regimen? You can but realize that we cannot guarantee the same results if you were to use the full regimen. Following a regimen is like baking a cake, it’s best to stick with a highly tested and studied regimen with all the right ingredients and to follow all the directions for the best results.

Can one regimen do it all?

R+F skin and hair regimens are designed to address common skin and hair concerns, but everyone’s skin is different. So sensitive skin may have occasional acne or discolored skin may have lax sagging skin. This is why our Consultants invite customers to use the Solution Tool to receive personalized recommendations to address a combination of concerns.

Putting together your own regimen can be overwhelming and isn’t clinically evaluated for specific results. Rodan + Fields has done the research and work for you so you can focus your time, energy and commitment to getting started right away on your skin improvement journey with proven results!

Written by Mary Radford, RNBA
Mary Radford, RNBA, has an extensive background in Dermatology, Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Spas. She worked side by side with Dr. Katie Rodan as a Registered Nurse in her dermatology office before being recruited to Rodan + Fields in 2004, where she currently focuses on Field Education + Tools.