Skin Care and Psychology!

Hello poppets!

How the dickens are we?

Today I want to talk to you about all things skin care and self care because if you are struggling with mental health difficulties lets FACE it, (see what I did there?) you’re probably struggling with your skin too!

Honestly if you are, I FEEL YOU. My goodness, I battled with my skin. Not only through my childhood and teenage years but also when I struggled with my mental health disorders too. I had all sorts of skin problems as a child from rogue rashes to eczema and then my teenage years I battled with painful acne which was no doubt triggered due to the stressful situations I was under.

Yes, stress, worry and mental health difficulties can really wreak havoc on our skin. When I told my GP back in the day that I no longer struggled with eczema he noted that even that could have been triggered by my situation and stresses of home life. There are major links between our mental health and the health of our skin as I’m sure a lot of you will have already experienced.

My theory for so long in dealing with my problematic skin was to try and strip my skin to rid it of all imperfections. I would use harsh scrubs and I specifically remember a bright pink rough textured pad (that definitely wasn’t meant for your face) that I used to use to try and scrub the blemishes and imperfections away. Surprisingly it only left my skin much worse off.

That theory I kept through my abuse and upon being diagnosed with my mental health disorders. Though doctors were telling me to not scrub my skin for all it was worth, I was determined to and wasn’t listening to anybody. It took me a long time to realise that what my skin actually needed was feeding and nourishing. Being in New Zealand holds many wonders and pleasures, but something I have loved is delving in to all the nourishing and natural skincare products available and my skin has truly been the best it has ever been.⁣
⁣

Yes I play close attention to practicing good mental health which has in turn has improved my skin dramatically but I also believe its due to improving my skincare routine as well. Even when I wasn’t scrubbing away with that brightly coloured pad I was still using lots of harsh scrubs and skin care product’s to strip my skin.

It was only when I went back to my GP and this time for oily skin (a new problem, fantastic!) that I was told it was due to the method I had been using for years to try and tackle my skin problems. My skin was producing excess oil and moisture to compensate for me getting rid of it all! It was then that she told me I instead needed to be looking after and feeding my skin.

Its safe to say once I switched methods my skin improved dramatically and I think New Zealand is the best place to find nourishing skincare products that feed the skin. Currently I am using Biohoney’s Skincare range and it is the definition of nourishing and natural. In fact, the word ‘Bio’ itself means life and nature.

Not only do I love these products but Terry Bone, the owner and brains behind Biohoney has a great story and belief in what he does. Terry takes pride in his work and practices nothing but love and respect for the bees that help create his products. Both himself and old school bee keepers make sure to prioritise their bees over their profit.

The products itself are luxurious and really match with that idea of feeding your skin. I clearly remember how those harsh products I used to use felt on my skin and that stinging sensation as they started to strip and suck the moisture out. Biohoneys range couldn’t be any further opposite to that and I love how my skin is left feeling afterwards.

Though I know our skin is all different I think one thing we can say for certain is scraping and scrubbing your skin till it’s red raw isn’t good for anyone.

If you are really struggling with your skin its important you go and see your GP as they may be able to give you a topical cream or medication. I found that these just didn’t work for my skin and instead the best way I found was to improve my general mental health and look after my skin better.

It’s really helpful to get to the root of the problem as to why you may be struggling with your skin. If you can pinpoint your skin woes to stress and difficulties with your mental health theres lots of things can you do to improve that from therapy to practicing mindfulness which will in turn betters your skin!

Also don’t forget to stay hydrated! (I thought that one wouldn’t help for a long time either!)

Truly, I feel you if you are battling with your skin and I wish you all the best on your journey to figuring things out and finding just what works for you.