At the start of this global Isolation I think we all thought we would be coming out of this ‘at home’ phase of iso like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon with the best-looking hair and skin we could have imagined. All that free time at home with nothing to do and no excuse to not eat well, sleep more and stress less was going to give us the best isolation skin around.

Unfortunately, it seems all that spare time infact made many peoples skin worst, be it from stress, lack of fresh air or the iso food binges, many of us are now suffering from skin which is acting out. It can be overwhelming juggling kids, housework, actual work, exercise, sanity and skincare. It’s a lot and its not too much to ask for your skincare to just be simple, not hard work.

For anyone currently experiencing skin flare ups, here are a few reasons why it might be acting out like your 2-year-old toddler when you say they can’t watch any more Peppa pig.

  • Stress – We all have underlying stress about what’s happening at the moment and how we work out how to live in this new world. Stress causes an influx of cortisol in our bodies and makes us have less restful sleep, all of which show up on our skin. Ensure you are applying your Vela Days Active Compound daily to give your skin the multi-vitamin supplement it needs to reduce signs of stress and fatigue.
  • You’re drinking less water – while we are all so busy water intake is usually one of the first things to get forgotten. Keep hydrated and go easy on the alcohol. A hydrating face oil like Vela Days Oil Infusion can help to keep skin plump and hydrated when its feeling dehydrated and dull.
  • Your diet has taken a turn for the worst – A lot of us are used to buying lunch every day while at a work office, this usually prompts us to eat on a schedule and mostly choose relatively healthy options. Now being at home more and if you’re trying to look after kids as well, you’re eating most probably consists of on-the-go snacks or kids left over lunches. We tend to eat more when at home and there is more comfort food or constant snacks available which leads to unhealthy eating habits. Try to stick to three meals a day and make planned mealtimes when everyone eats together.
  • Face touching – I’m not sure why this is but if your someone who is use to wearing make-up to work every day once you stop wearing it and don’t have that product you know you will smudge if your rub your eyes or scratch your cheek, you just naturally touch your face more. This leads to more bacteria on our faces which can cause breakouts and congestion. Most of us will also double cleanse to remove makeup so once you stop wearing it you have probably dropped down to a single cleanse each day, so your skin isn’t getting the extra clean its use to. Keep up the nightly double cleanse - trust me!
  • Lack of natural light and air – This can be a big one particularly those who live in apartments or are used to being outdoors a lot. Vitamin D deficiency from lack of sunlight and stale artificial air indoors can cause major irritation to our skin and lower our immunity. Remember to get outdoors for at least 20 minutes a day for natural sunlight and fresh air, but don’t forget to wear your SPF even indoors!
  • Over face-masking – I am all for applying face masks (the skincare kind, not the breathing kind), all the time don’t get me wrong. But be careful you don’t go overboard on your skincare routine. Just because we may be at home on nights in more doesn’t mean you need to go crazy and use multiple masks and serums each week. Keep a consistent and effective skincare routine every day and focus on hydrating and healing when masking. Try using your Vela Days Lipid Complex as a deep hydrating mask. Apply a thick layer over your face and leave for 20 – 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and follow with your normal night time routine.

All of the above is easy to fix and manageable, if 2021 has taught us anything its that now is a great time for us to be able to improve our skin and hair and really listen to what our bodies are telling us for a healthy glowing complexion - once we figure out how to have 2 minutes of uninterrupted time away from the kids to listen to it.