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Can a well-curated beauty regime really help to reduce stress and anxiety levels?

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Every evening for the last year, without fail, I have designated a one-hour block to pamper myself silly. I run a bath, scan my bathroom cabinets for the most relaxing beauty products I own and soak up all of the stress-relieving goodness.

I’ve suffered with high-functioning anxiety for as long as I can remember. I work myself into a frenzy all day, tackling the daily grind with a serious level of hyperactivity and then get home and crash into a state of nervousness. It’s truly exhausting. The concept of relaxing is not something that has ever come naturally to me. In fact, the idea of doing absolutely nothing used to absolutely terrify me.

That was until around 12 months ago when life as I knew it changed. One of my friends insisted that her anxiety levels dropped significantly when she started indulging in a daily bath and recommended I give it a go. With scepticism, I poured some relaxing bath oil under the running water, smothered my face in a hydrating face mask, hooked out the dreamiest smelling body scrub I owned and had my first ever truly ‘relaxing’ bath.

While at first I struggled to relax, by day three of my new bath routine I started to realise that if I broke my bath down into relaxing stages (I like to call this organised relaxation) such as face mask, hair mask, body wash and body scrub etc. I was so focused on the task at hand that I had no time to focus on anything anxiety-inducing.

Now, my anti-anxiety beauty rituals have moved far beyond a humble bath. As more and more beauty products hit the market that aim to make us feel better as opposed to look better, a calming skincare routine with some facial massage or a thorough manicure using cuticle oils and balms is enough to take my mind off the stresses of the everyday. And with a huge spike in products aimed to relieve stress and anxiety, it seems I’m not alone.

But is suggesting that a mental illness such as anxiety (that affects 6.6% of the UK population every week) can be treated with little more than a nice smelling beauty product over simplifying the matter? Possibly. You see, my anxiety definitely does still exist, it’s just that coping with it has become a whole lot easier since I started curating my beauty regimes around it.

In fact, lots of experts agree that certain symptoms of anxiety and stress can be improved with the help of certain beauty rituals and products. Kirsty Eaton, National Trainer at de-stressing beauty brand Skin Regimen reveals: “An innovative, independent pilot clinical evaluation has been conducted to evaluate how a beauty routine with specific products and a specific massage can moderate the stress responses in comparison with placebo products and without the application with a specific massage. Immediately the non-placebo products have the ability of stimulating part of the neural component associated with wellbeing, relaxation and protection from stress-related disturbances. The prolonged application has generated a positive effect in reducing cortisol and the perception of anxiety.” But how does it work?

Breathe it in


First up, the smells help. Founder of Disciple Skincare and Psychotherapist, Charlotte Ferguson explains: “Essential oils are an incredible solution. Clary Sage was historically used for emotional tension, shock and mild depression. The aroma also works well for pain relief, helping to calm the mind, reduce cortisol levels and reduce anxious thoughts. Alternatively, lavender is a natural anti-inflammatory that helps to calm anxiety, improve relaxation and promote a good night’s sleep.” Incorporating products rich in such fragrances and essential oils into your regime is enough to make a huge difference, just through smell alone.

The power of touch

It seems that something as simple as a quick facial massage while cleansing might be enough to help alleviate stress and anxiety. Nataliya Robinson, facial therapist and founder of Quantum Botanika, says: “When relaxed, the Parasympathetic nervous system takes over and allows the body to function in a “rest and digest” state. There are a lot of nerves within the skin and tissue. Touch is highly important to the body’s mind.” To inject some serious relaxation into your everyday cleansing routine, try swapping out your normal first cleanse for a nourishing cleansing balm that not only smells divine, but also allows for an easy facial massage too.

Taking a break

Above everything, the power of indulging in a beauty ritual to help lower your stress and anxiety levels really lies in the concept of just taking a well-deserved break. “When we really take time to care for ourselves it can do many things, firstly it allows the mind to take a break and just focus on the present moment. Anxiety can be triggered when the mind is dealing with an unfamiliar situation, so by having a regular simple skincare or beauty routine to follow, it helps to bring about the feeling of calmness,” says Kirsty. If you’re the sort of person who (like me) freaks out at the idea of doing nothing, the regularity and routine of having a beauty ritual is the perfect compromise.

So what sort of products should you be reaching for? Here’s our pick of the most relaxing and de-stressing beauty products available…



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