How to Tune Your Skin Cadence to Your Life’s Melody

As much as many of us wish that life was linear, we all know that it is far from that. There are natural ebbs and flows of life, seasons and cycles that we all go through. It almost seems impossible these days to achieve life balance. Between multitasking, overachieving, and being over tech-connected, chronic stress and exhaustion play a huge role in the ‘glow’ of our skin. Add onto that list, all of the flows of life that we cannot control like seasonal changes, monthly cycles, perinatal hormones, celebratory milestones and environmental and emotional duress, our skin cadence is continuously enduring, adjusting and overcoming.  

Here are just a few of life's rhythms and flows that make our skin more vulnerable and stressed, more prone to dry, dull, and dark circles, breakouts, blemishes and irritations. Life's cadence and its challenges need resilience and our skin needs stamina to thrive.

• The most familiar circadian rhythm is the sleep-wake cycle. Daytime is the best skin performance phase, with more metabolic function, hydration, oil production, and hormonal (cortisol-based) response. 
• Just like the rest of the body, nighttime is time for rest and renewal for the skin.  Since best skin repair processes require optimal rest, there’s a direct tie between abbreviated sleep schedules and chronic skin inflammation and accelerated skin aging. Sleep is mainly regulated by a hormone melatonin, which typically peaks at night, so exposure to natural light decreases melatonin levels. 
• So let's ensure we let our bodies know when it's day and night by exposing it to at least 20 minutes of outdoor light consistently(still being safe and using sun protective tools like sunscreen). At night, let's rest our bodies with 6-8 hours of wellness restoring sleep, while our skin revitalizes: DNA repair, wound healing and cell renewal. Also check out our Stamina Sleeping Serum, designed to assist with night time skin recovery.
• Skin Circadian Cycle Tip: Explore and Establish Your Daily Skin Care Ritual, which enhances skin wellness. Check Integrative Skin Care ritual to get into your regular skin cycle.

• If you find yourself jet-setting across the world for vacation only to find that your skin didn’t get the memo and flaring, welcome to the skin’s time zone adjustment. When you travel to another time zone, there’s a dramatic shift in your exposure to light and a misalignment of your body’s sense of day and night. The sudden disruption of your circadian rhythms can be distressing to your entire body, including your skin. There are ways to avoid this and similar Daylight Saving Time disruptions:
• Rest 😴 while you travel and stay awake as long as possible when you hit the new time zone for faster adjustment. 
• See the light, discover the new surroundings, the most important factor in resetting your body to a new clock.
• If it's approved by your healthcare provider, consider taking melatonin supplement the first couple of nights to assimilate to time change. There is even a melatonin-containing serum, Melatonik. 
• Your skin may also benefit from a calming refresh with skin adaptogenic power of Hypochlorous Acid, Stamina Calming Mist.
• Cope with your travel stress with Gratitude Practice during your skin care practice. How grateful are you to have an adventure somewhere new and your skin doing its best to acclimate?

• Puberty launches us into major hormonal swings affecting mood, sweat, hair growth, voice changes, growth spurts, and oily skin changes. As sex hormones production and cortisol fluctuations ensue, the skin expression may shift rapidly, too.
• Common adolescent skin developments include elevation of sebum (skin oil) production, therefore our pores can get more congested and more likely to break out in acne and blemishes. Our skin barrier’s  inflammatory changes and increase in acne-activating C. acne bacteria, leading to more inflamed pimples and cysts.  
• It's no secret that women are familiar with hormonal breakouts, a visible sign of PMS. But, did you know that greasy skin and dryness could also be linked to your menstrual cycle? According to research, the key is to work with your skin, rather than against it and understand your monthly ‘skin cycle.’  Here are some “that time of month” tips for your skin:
• Diligent cleansing and toning routine throughout the day with Stamina Mist.
• Remove dirt and grime when you take off your makeup at night with a purifying cleanser, such as Bright Girl Cleanser.  
• Moderate inflammatory foods (processed, high glycemic index and dairy)
• Fortify your skin barrier by daily using oil-free and lightweight moisturizer, which balances microbes, and reduces skin inflammation with brightening and soothing botanical ingredients, such as those found in our Stamina Intention Moisturizer. It contains the adaptogenic Stamina Complex to deliver that #StaminaGlow 💪!
• Should puberty or monthly cycle result in frustrating blemishes, our Stamina Blemish Remedy Mask can come to the rescue!
• Instead of picking at pimples, which can lead to more marks and scars, try out our self-care Integrative skin care practice, Stamina Synergy with stress-coping Affirmations while you apply your therapeutic skin care.

• With a change in season comes a different temperature, humidity, wind and UV exposure which can all affect skin’s behavior. Transitions in seasons can be a skin aggressor either presenting with flaky and tight dryness in the winter or extreme oiliness in the humid summer. While there’s not much you can do about seasonal shifts, that doesn’t mean your skin has to suffer. Here are a few tips you can have guide you during the seasons:
• Daily apply moisturizer quickly after coming out of the shower. Look for ingredients with nourishing, yet not occlusive ingredients like squalene, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid, such as Neutrogena Moisturizer. This helps to seal and protect our skin barrier.
• Throughout the year apply SPF30+ sunscreen every morning to protect your skin against sun damage. However, as the hot summer season heats and days are longer with prolonged sun exposure and sun intensity, we have to remember to reapply sunscreen regularly (about every 90 minutes) to avoid sunburn, skin cancer, and early skin aging, such as Cerave Sunscreen.
• Implement a therapeutic Stamina Serum into your regimen to control acne outbreaks and blemishes
• Switch to an oil-removing cleanser in the hot and humid months, such as Creamy Cleanser for Oily Skin or more soothing and gentle Cetaphil Cleanser for winter months.
• Check in with your-self through Reflection and Intentions as the seasons turn. This way you stay aware and direct your life’s navigation.

• It’s the happiest moment of your life – a new baby! But, what’s going on with your skin? Most women experience similar issues with their skin that they faced during pregnancy, for months after giving birth. Just like your mind and body, it takes awhile for the skin to rebound after pregnancy. 
• Your skin can be in constant flux because of hormonal swings, vascular changes, and even structural changes in your skin. The most important aspects of erratic hormonal fluctuations around birthing and breastfeeding are oil gland and pigmentary reactivities. So random breakouts and dark mark discoloration such as melasma may often appear. If you’re experiencing postpartum acne, dry skin, oily skin, or loose skin you can try these  
• Use chemical free sunscreen every morning to prevent pigmentary changes, such as Simpli.
• Use balancing pregnancy-safe acne therapies to help the breakouts and blemishes, such as Stamina Serum, Avene Cleanance Concentrate.
• Moisturize with oil free moisturizers and non-comedogenic makeup, such as Stamina Intention Moisturizer, It Cosmetics.
• Find time to Breathe to anchor your stamina through early parenthood challenges. Better yet, give your-self a 5 minute self-care skincare moment while you breathe during Stamina Synergy practice using our brightening Stamina Mask (FYI, a beauty mask safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.)

• Menopause can bring some disturbing changes to your skin and hair. As estrogen levels plummet, skin can become dry, sensitive, slack, thin and more lined with wrinkles, while hair thinning appears. Trouble with sleep, mood, hot flashes can lead to stress and more skin breakouts. And yes, you can still break out with acne into your 50s!
• At this phase of life, skin aging becomes more noticeable due to accumulation of skin aggressors (sun, smoke, pollution, diet, rest, stress, etc) causing inflammaging, DNA and cellular damage, skin senescence over our lifetime along with the natural process of aging.
• There are some habits you can implement into your routine to make your peri and postmenopausal journey and well-aging a little easier on your skin:
• Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 every day. Some sunscreens are awesome multi-tankers to moisturize, energize and protect the skin, such as Eucerin Sunscreen. 
• Wash with a hydrating and gentle cleanser instead of soap to reduce stripping lipids from the fragile skin barrier, such as Vanicream Cleanser.
• Apply an Adaptogenic moisturizer, Stamina Intention, twice daily to hydrate, brighten, and plump skin with the help of antioxidants, gentle exfoliative polyhydroxy acids (PHA) gluconolactone, and adaptogens such as Resveratrol, Cordyceps mushrooms and Guarana, which protect, balance and revive skin to its graceful supple form. 
• Consider adding a skin rejuvenation retinoid to your regiment at night, to enhance skin repair, such as Renutriate and if very estrogen-deficient, Emepelle. 
• If hair loss is becoming more noticeable, consider Nutrofol supplements to strengthen and thicken hair with the power of marine collagen and adaptogens. 
• Don’t forget the 8x8 rule of Hydration! Drink 8-ounces glass of water 8 times per day to moisturize skin holistically, inside out. 

• As I write this, it's the end of May, the time period full of celebrations: graduations, weddings, and glorious summer vacation coming upon us. For some, this chapter is full of smooth sailing, while others, it brings overwhelm and our skin may reflect this vulnerability and fatigue. Here are some pearls to Glow with the Flow with Skin Stamina:
• Practice Self-Compassion, your skin is on your side, just listen to its story and nurture it while you Visualize the best version of You. 
• Don’t Freak, Pick at and Over Layer products on your skin to get a “quick fix.” The best skin glow is a long game. So stay consistent with your skin care routine and consider adding one or two rescue remedies such as Stamina Blemish Mask and Sleeping Serum, Mighty Patch.
• Discover a few minutes of sensual (texture, aroma, visual results) of skin care experience and relish this mindful moment, it may bring you closer to overall wellness. Check out Stamina Synergy.

We are all “work in progress” and are learning to navigate life’s melody with flexibility and positivity to obtain healthy life satisfaction. Stamina Cosmetics is here for you to help with maintaining skin strength, endurance and youth, throughout these transitions. Using adaptogenic ingredients blend, Stamina Complex, and a Stamina Synergy, meditative, mindful, affirmation-based skin care routine, we can enhance skin stamina to align your skin to optimal skin cadence. 

Follow Stamina @staminacosmetics for more advice on a journey to healthy, beautiful and restorative skin and more ideas 💡 of healthy #DoseofStamina. 

Be well,

Dr. Marianna Blyumin-Karasik, 

@dermwithstamina

Founder of Stamina® Cosmetics 

Relevant Sources:

1. Circadian Skin Rhythms
2. Puberty and Skin
3. Pregnancy and Skin
4. Menopause and Skin
5. Hypochlorous Acid and Skin