You know that moment when every part of you starts to cringe and retreat inwards, and then your skin starts to burn, every shade of red as heat emanates from the innermost part of your being? No, not even close? I have many times, more than I care to remember. Okay, here is another one: goosebumps, the term used to describe the phenomenon when the hairs on your arm lift, when it's cold, or when your emotions run high from fear or excitement. Wait, what about going deathly pale from extreme emotions like fear or anxiety, and there is a decreased blood flow to the skin? No matter how invested you are in natural skincare or the selection of natural skincare problems, there is no escaping these moments.
The interesting point of these examples is that they show how your feelings affect your skin. How we feel is individual to each of us, and how our skin reacts to our feelings is also personal to each person. Our emotions and stress may show up for one person as a breakout, another as a rosacea flare-up, an eczema flare-up, or even hives.
Our feelings connect our mind and body. Feelings bridge our mental and physical states and influence our thoughts, behaviours, and physiological responses. When stressed, our bodies may react with physical symptoms like muscle tension, headaches, or digestive issues. Conversely, physical sensations can also influence our emotions. The barometer, or mirror of this connection, is the skin. Our skin often reflects our internal state. Stress, anxiety, and emotional turmoil can manifest as skin issues like acne, eczema, or psoriasis. In contrast, a healthy mind and body can allow us to experience clear, radiant skin.
In this sense, our skin can be seen as a mirror to our inner world, reflecting our emotional and physical health. It visually represents the intricate interplay between our thoughts, feelings, and physical well-being. I see the skin as the storyteller for the mind-body connection. Choosing to embrace natural skincare and only use natural skincare products to stay with healthy skin is a significant move to understand your mind-body connection.
Mind-Body Connection: Skin is the storyteller of the mind-body connection.
The skin, the human body's largest organ, is the "storyteller of the mind-body connection." Understanding the skin as the storyteller of the mind-body connection takes us to Somatics. Soma comes from the Greek word meaning "body," and so somatic means "of the body," it is most often used in connection with one's health.
In everyday life and its multiple moments, our thoughts and interpretations of events shape how we engage with the world and understand and react to the spaces and places we find ourselves in. A perfect example of this is travel; if you need to travel and choose a day when the airport is quiet, there aren't a lot of travellers, and everything runs smoothly, your chances of experiencing a feeling of ease are good. On this flight, you find the space to settle in, drink your green tea, use your eye mask, apply your aromatherapy relaxation oil to your temples, and plug your earphones into a restful, calming, healing sound journey, breathing and allowing your thoughts to settle into a gentle flow. Compared to travelling on a manic Monday for a red-eye flight when everyone seems to have arrived to travel somewhere, and the energy and space are frenetic, the above self-care options are thwarted. There is no room to settle your thoughts, and there is very little chance of experiencing a feeling of ease. Which option leads to glowing, radiant skin versus a depleted, tired, and ragged look?
Our thoughts and interpretations significantly shape our emotional responses, often reflected in our skin. Understanding the mind-body connection allows us to develop emotional intelligence and improve our well-being. By learning to read the stories our skin tells us, we can gain valuable insights into our deeper selves and uncover underlying needs that may be overlooked in the busyness of daily life.
What Your Skin is Telling You, The Science of Psychodermatology.
Psychodermatology is a medical field that focuses on the connection between the mind and the skin. It explores how psychological factors, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, can influence the development and progression of skin conditions. Essentially, it recognises that the skin is not just a physical barrier but also a reflection of our emotional state.
Our skin, the outermost layer of our bodies, is susceptible to internal and external stimuli. It can reflect our emotional state through various manifestations, from simple, easy reactions like blushing, sweating or goosebumps to more challenging extremes like acne, eczema or psoriasis.
This is where the language of the skin and the understanding of it come into play. These are how my feelings and emotional well-being, or lack thereof, played out for my skin journey. Undoubtedly, experiencing acute stress exasperated my teen acne and continued to play out in later years. I was never one of the “popular girls” or the high achiever, and I was more likely to be found in some hidden corner of our school, hiding away with the other reprobates, getting up to all sorts of no-good and questioning every single thing I was ever told. If the school ever took a poll, I would have won, hands down, an award for the least likely person to amount to anything. Fortunately, I grew up and earned a master's degree. But this period was filled with a lot of emotional turmoil and challenges as I found my way, which was all reflected by the acne I experienced.
My time in the shipping industry was also filled with stress and ill at ease, never being or doing what I wanted. Again, this was reflected in my skin. I developed the most uncomfortable eczema that would flare up as these large purple welts of uncomfortableness under my breasts and armpits. I used to want to jump ship and escape my body completely. I was that ill at ease and uncomfortable. There is no doubt in my mind that alcohol and bad eating habits did nothing to improve my skin.
Learning today what I know about natural skincare and natural skincare products has created room for me to delve deeper into the story of my skin. It has allowed me to learn to read my skin and, in turn, give myself what I need to create comfort and ease in my skin.
Deciphering the Messages, How to Identify Your Emotional Triggers.
Understanding your emotional triggers is crucial to managing your reactions and fostering emotional intelligence. For me, the best way I have learnt to understand and connect with my skin, to give me a clear idea of my emotional state, thoughts, and needs, is to find the moment to PAUSE and work towards being mindful. This gives me room to experience my emotional responses to different situations, noticing how I am feeling, recognising and allowing myself room to experience what I need. A shortcut for me has been to stop and just feel how I am experiencing these feelings physically. This has led me to the present moment, and out of the million busy thoughts racing through my head, I have been told so many different versions of each story. There are so many mindful practices to explore and connect with, like journaling to understand the patterns and habits we can fall into that actually may not serve us. Finding the ones that work for you and serve your needs is a nourishing and hugely beneficial journey.
Holistic Skincare: A Spiritual Approach to Clear Skin with Somatic Practices.
Over the years, somatic practices have been the best method for creating healthy communication between my mind-body connection and the resultant effects on my skin. Incorporating them into my life has greatly benefited my well-being and skin health.
Somatic practices are a broad term encompassing various techniques and practices focusing on the mind-body connection. They involve attention to bodily sensations and movements to improve physical and emotional well-being. The five elements to look for in a somatic practice are body awareness and a deeper understanding of your body's sensations, tensions, and patterns. To establish a mind-body connection, understanding the interplay between thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. Look for gentle movement in slow, mindful movement practices to release tension and improve flexibility. Breathwork is a tool to calm the mind, reduce stress, and increase energy. And finally, working on sensory awareness, learning to observe sensory experiences like touch, sight, sound, taste, and smell.
Somatic practices profoundly impact skin health through the mind-body connection in many different ways. They facilitate stress reduction; as we now know, chronic stress can lead to hormonal imbalances and inflammation, which can manifest in skin problems like acne and eczema. Another benefit is improved blood flow circulation to the skin, which gives us all the essential nutrients and oxygen we need. A massive advantage is that somatic practices can help regulate sleep patterns, which I have always battled with as a light sleeper. Somatic practices can help strengthen the immune system and encourage mindfulness and self-awareness, leading to healthier lifestyle choices. Incorporating somatic practices into your daily routine can improve your overall well-being, and as we now know, this works towards achieving more nutritious, more radiant skin.
I have tried somatic practices over the years and found them to be hugely beneficial. One of these is yoga. I even qualified as an Iyengar Yoga teacher, but now I call myself a recovering yoga teacher. That is a story for another day. I now know that moderation and ease are the keystones to a beneficial somatic practice. I love Pilates, but for me, the teacher is essential. The teacher I most value is Anula Maiber, unfortunately, living in South Africa leaves online as the only option. I have attended Feldenkrais Method and Alexander Technique classes, but they never stuck. My most recent exploration has been TRE (Tension and Trauma Release Exercises), and it is brilliant for grounding and recentering.
By incorporating somatic practices into your daily life, you can reduce stress, improve your physical and mental health, and enhance your overall well-being. However, without natural skin care choices, something will always be missing. Skincare routines support emotional healing and choosing to use natural skincare products, and embracing a holistic skin care routine, enhances and encourages our skins to flourish.