ith the majority of us now confined to our homes and limiting ourselves to one form of exercise outdoors every day, various elements of our previous lives have been forced to change. And while there are far more serious events to be concerned with right now, it is undeniable that our skincare regime requires some fine-tuning.
Wearing little to no make-up combined with a speedy bed-to-desk commute might sound like the recipe for a flawless complexion, but for many the reality of being cooped up has caused an increase in breakouts, spots and skin drier than a Monday night during lockdown.
But why is it that your skin seems to be more unhappy than ever and what can you do about it?
Here, The Independent speaks to dermatologists and skincare experts to find out how staying indoors is affecting your skin and the changes you should be making to your routine during lockdown.
Our beauty round-ups are unbiased. On some occasions, we may earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to affect our coverage.
According to Dr Susan Mayou, consultant dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic, there are a number of reasons why people might be experiencing skin breakouts right now, including an increase in anxiety.
“Stress is a recognised trigger for inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne, so it’s unsurprising that more people are reporting breakouts at this uncertain and very stressful time,” she says, adding that mindfulness, meditation and exercise are all great ways to relax and refocus.
Dr Sam Bunting, skincare expert and founder of Dr Sam’s Skincare agrees, explaining that “evening rewards” such as sweet treats and alcohol are also likely to contribute to flare-ups.
As well as ensuring you stay hydrated and eat a healthy diet, Adeela Crown, an expert facialist who has treated the likes of Lady Gaga and Game of Thrones starMaisie Williams, suggests using lockdown as an opportunity to start doing at-home facials will give your complexion a boost.
“We should use this forced hiatus and the extra time suddenly available to us to practice a five-minute nightly facial massage with your favourite oil or even a mask,” Crown says.
