How Stress Affects Your Skin—And How to Help It Recover

Stress isn’t just in the mind, it can manifest in many physical ways—including as breakouts, dull skin, and sensitivity. Learn how to deal with stress in a holistic way, with simple techniques for both you and your skin to bounce back.

Two weeks ago, the company I worked for went through a massive restructure, and I ended up losing my full-time, (seemingly) stable job overnight. Involuntary unemployment came as a shock to the system, my sleep schedule was all over the place, I was running on junk food and nervous energy—and to top it all off, I wake up to find my skin had completely betrayed me. I’m talking angry breakouts along my jawline, my skin looking dull and tired, and that bizarre combination of dryness and oiliness that just makes no sense.

The truth is, stress isn’t just something we feel emotionally—it shows up everywhere, including on our skin. But once we understand why our skin reacts this way, we can take steps to help it recover without resorting to a bunch of extra skincare products (because, let’s be real, who has the energy for that when they’re already stressed?).

All the Ways Stress Can Affect Your Skin

1. Stress = High Cortisol

You may have heard a lot about cortisol in the last few years—it’s become one of the most widely blamed hormones for everything from skin troubles to weight loss issues and even anxiety disorders. Cortisol is our body’s main stress hormone. When we’re stressed, cortisol levels shoot up, and one of its many side effects is—surprise, surprise—that it makes our skin produce more oil. More oil = clogged pores = breakouts.

If you’ve ever experienced a dreaded pimple rear its ugly head the night before a big event or high stakes presentation, cortisol is likely to blame.

2. Weakened Skin Barrier

When we’re stressed, our body prioritizes essential functions over non-essential ones—unfortunately, that includes our skin barrier. Ever notice that when you’re stressed, your skin starts freaking out—getting dry, itchy, or more sensitive than usual? That’s because when your barrier is compromised, your skin loses moisture more easily and becomes more reactive to products, pollution, and even the weather.

3. Dull, Tired-Looking Skin

Stress affects both blood circulation and sleep patterns, which means your skin isn’t getting enough oxygen, nutrients and recovery time. This leads to that dreaded "I haven't slept properly in weeks" look—dull skin, dark circles, and an overall lack of glow.

4. Fine Lines and Wrinkles (Yes, Really)

Chronic stress speeds up collagen breakdown, which means fine lines and wrinkles can start appearing sooner than they should. And if you’re prone to stress-induced facial tension (hello, jaw clenching and furrowed brows), you might be deepening those expression lines without even realizing it.

5. Inflammation & Skin Conditions

If you have a pre-existing skin condition like eczema, rosacea, or psoriasis, stress can exacerbate flare-ups. Stress-induced inflammation disrupts the skin’s balance, making these conditions harder to manage.

How to Help Your Skin Recover—the Holistic Way

Over the last few weeks, I’ve realised that helping your skin recover starts with helping your mind and body recover. Our skin is so often just an exterior reflection of our interior state, and I knew that fixing my skin had to start from within. Here are a few things I did that worked wonders for my physical and mental states.

1. Put Down the Comfort Food (and Drinks)

I’ll admit it, I am a stress eater (and drinker), and when things get bad, I’ll find myself reaching for sugary, fried, processed foods, and, the comfort of a nice bottle of wine. But, after the first few days of wallowing in self pity, here’s my advice on what to do instead:

• Hydrate like your life depends on it: Stress depletes hydration levels, so make sure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day. I also find that teas with anti-inflammatory properties, like chamomile or green tea, can be a great way to up your water intake while get additional benefits too.

• Eat for your skin: Eliminate processed foods, and choose whole, nutrient-rich foods like leafy greens, healthy fats (avocados, nuts, and seeds), and antioxidant-packed fruits instead. Many cortisol reducing diets recommend eating 30g of protein first thing in the morning, and while that may not always be feasible, make sure you’re eating a good amount of complete proteins. I have a whole separate article on the glass skin diet with more details on this.

• Limit inflammatory foods: Refined sugars, processed foods, and excessive caffeine can make stress-related skin issues worse. While it’s tempting to reach for comfort foods, try balancing them with nutrient-dense meals.

2. Get Your Beauty Rest

I mean, it’s called beauty rest for a reason. Sleep is when your skin repairs itself, so if you’re running on fumes, your skin is going to suffer. I know my skin looks its worst when I’m tossing and turning for hours in bed, my head spinning with negative thoughts, fear and worries. If you struggle with winding down, try:

• The 3, 2, 1 method: This involves eating your last meal 3 hours before bed, having your last drink 2 hours before, and avoiding any screens an hour before bed time.

• A relaxing night routine—maybe some journaling, reading a book, doing a face mask or other relaxing skincare, even light stretching.

• Consider supplements: I’m currently taking a magnesium supplement at night to help me sleep better, and have experimented with herbal supplements like ashwagandha in the past. PLEASE consult a doctor before incorporating any supplements into your routine.

3. Calm Your Body and Your Mind

Easier said than done, right? But finding ways to physically keep your mind and body from tensing up can make a huge difference. Some things that help me:

• Meditation and deep breathing exercises: I find it very hard to meditate for long stretches of time, my mind just can’t help but wander. So, instead, I try breathing exercises like the 4-7-8 method, box breathing and more. Getting an app like Calm for guided meditation can also be helpful.

• Getting outside: I’ve found that staying inside for hours at a time is not great for my mental health. I like to go for short walks, even if it’s just 10 minutes, but always out in a park, preferably when it’s sunny. Being in nature, and getting some much needed Vitamin D always picks me up. Whenever possible, I love to go for longer hikes with my partner, my dog or even just by myself with no phones or other distractions.

• Exercise (even if just a little): Exercise might be the last thing you feel like doing when stressed, but, for me, it's been one of the most effective stress regulators. They key is to avoid stressful HIIT type workouts and focus on strength building or bodyweight exercises like yoga and pilates. I try and workout at least 3 times and week, plus being able to lift heavy gives me confidence and self belief like nearly nothing else does.

• Get a massage: If you’re like me, you may carry all your stress, quite literally, in your shoulders. When possible, I like to indulge myself in either a full body massage or at least a foot or shoulder massage. And if I’m too broke to get one, I’ll just ask my partner to give me a shoulder rub. Trust me, it does wonders.

4. Simplify Your Skincare Routine

Now, once you’ve done everything in your power to get your mind, body, and gut back to health, let’s talk skincare. If you’ve read any of my blog posts, you know that when my skin is struggling, I strip my routine down to the bare essentials:
✔ A gentle cleanser (because stressed-out skin doesn’t need harsh scrubbing)
✔ A hydrating serum or toner with ingredients like green tea, centella, and panthenol
✔ A moisturizer that supports my skin barrier look for ceramides, squalane, or oat
✔ Sunscreen because UV exposure can make stressed skin even worse

That’s it. No intense exfoliation, no retinoids or other harsh actives—just hydration, soothing and barrier repair. The goal is to calm your skin, not overwhelm it. You’ll know your skin barrier’s healed when it no longer feels dry, sensitive and irritated, and a new breakout isn’t popping up every other day. At that point, you can slowly start introducing a few of your actives back into your routine. I’ve written in more detail about how I fixed my skin with a simpler routine, so do check that out for product recs.

Final Thoughts: Go Easy on Your Skin, and Yourself

Life happens—and you can’t always plan for it. We can’t control stressful situations happening to us, but we can control how we take care of ourselves and our skin during those times. I know how easy it is to spiral downwards into a vortex of doubt, anxiety and, even self hatred. But it did me no good, and instead, made things only worse for me.

Instead of swirling in a self-induced haze of stress, take a step back. Focus, instead, on diet, hydration, gentle skincare, sleep, and physical stress relief. Your skin doesn’t need a fancy routine—it needs consistency and care. And remember: both you, and your skin, will bounce back.

Are you going through a similarly stressful period? What helps you recover? Let’s chat in the comments!

About The Skinimalist

Hi, I’m Mal, a 30-something recovering skincare addict, and this is my blog. A space where I attempt to de-influence you from chasing trends and buying more skincare products you may not need.

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