What Is The Mind-Skin Connection?
Psychodermatology - or the mind-skin connection - has long been a point of discussion in dermatology. In a nutshell, it is the intersection of the mind and skin, or how our mental health impacts our skin health.
While anecdotally you might feel your skin is impacted by your mental state, there is a slew of scientific evidence to support this, multiple studies have demonstrated that our emotions affect our appearance, and the appearance of our skin can in turn affect us emotionally.
How Does Psychodermatology Play Out?
A classic dermatology textbook exploring the relationship of the skin and the mind noted that, when diagnosing a patient with a skin condition, ignoring underlying emotional factors would leave almost 40% of cases unsolvable.
As this shows, our mental state can have a serious impact on our skin, affecting not only its appearance but also its sensitivity - and even its temperature.
Cortisol (the stress hormone) is thought to impact the skin most widely - it affects oil production which can lead to breakouts and is connected to the body’s immune response that can exacerbate skin conditions such as dermatitis, acne, psoriasis and rosacea.
And this isn’t a one-way street. Our psyche affects our skin, and our skin also affects our psyche - for instance, research has shown that there is a direct correlation between a person’s skin sensitivity and their sadness - and as sensitivity increases, quality of life decreases. Recent studies have also shown that people with skin conditions such as rosacea or acne are more likely to report lower self-esteem and depression.
The good news is, there is increasing evidence that mindfulness improves both psychological and dermatological quality of life.
How Can Body Care Benefit The Mind?
Consciously taking time out of your day to build a considered body care routine can positively impact your skin, your mind and your soul.
While our faces are often more visible day-to-day, how we feel about the skin on our bodies also impacts our confidence. Body confidence builds self-esteem, which creates a foundation for more JOYful living.
And beyond appearances, body care is self-care, an experience that helps you connect more mindfully to your physical self.
Developing a daily ritual that prioritizes experiencing JOY through fragrance, texture and touch can be transformative, grounding us in the present and connecting us to the past.
Your Skin-Mind System
Ready to reinforce your mind-skin connection? We’ve created a body care system to nourish your body and your soul.
Carve Out Time: Make sure you give yourself a moment to really connect with your body. Whether this means getting up 5 minutes earlier to indulge in a mindful massage with your moisturizer post-shower, or massaging in a hand treatment each night before bed, your body and brain will thank you.
Search Out Soul-Lifting Scents: The impact of scent on our psyche cannot be overstated. We’ve shared a few key notes and their benefits to keep in mind below:
Vanilla: Promotes peace
Coconut: Creates comfort
Coffee: Enhances energy
Caramel: Prioritizes pleasure
Chocolate: Assuages anxiety
Cardamom: Creates clarity
Orange: Powers positivity
Invest In Products That Treat Skin & Soul: Prioritizing body care with powerful ingredients will keep your skin barrier healthy, and help build your body confidence - giving you a glow inside and out.
Keep It Simple: Body care routines that include a high number of steps - or a huge number of products - impact our skin health, our wallets and our time. A simplified self-care routine will therefore save you money and time, as well as being beneficial for your skin health: allowing active ingredients to penetrate, making reactions less likely, and ensuring consistency.
A Skin-Mind Shopping List
Ready to add a skin-mind-body-connecting routine to your cart? We’ve rounded up our top picks below:
Mindful Massage: Our DOUBLE DATE Body Serum Duo is the perfect partner for a JOYful daily ritual. Smooth on DAYDREAMER Body Serum’s potent toning serum, and follow with a skin-stimulating, stress-relieving massage with our amethyst-crafted HEARTWARMER Body Gua Sha Tool. Repeat daily for silky, sculpted skin and a calm, clear mind.
Happy Hands: Studies show that massaging your hands can improve your mood. Power up this moment of positivity with CONFETTI SKY Multitasking Hand Treatment. JOYful notes of sandalwood, chocolate, coconut, rose and star anise will lift your spirits, whilst its supercharged formula will leave your hands nourished, soft and smooth.
Power Shower: Don’t rush your morning routine. Start each day with an uplifting ritual with MOON SWIM Body Wash and LITTLE LOVE Body Lotion’s caramel latte fragrance. Imbued with milky vanilla, maple syrup, caramel and roasted coffee bean, this will leave you feeling energized and centered for the day ahead.
The Debrief Digest
Looking for a quick skin-mind connection crib sheet? Read on:
1. Psychodermatology - or the skin-mind connection is the intersection of the mind and skin, or how our mental health impacts our skin health, and vice versa.
2. There is increasing evidence that mindfulness improves both psychological and dermatological quality of life - so consciously taking time out of your day to build a considered body care routine can positively impact your skin, your mind and your soul.
3. Our products are designed to deliver your best skin yet via our powerful formulations, but to also uplift your soul through evocative color, texture and fragrance.
Discover more Science with Soul.
