Whether you know it or not, really we're all sensitive (skinned) souls: our skin is reflective of internal goings on, and often never more so than during the dreaded Time of The Month!
When acne rears it's ugly head, so many things can contribute to these pesky blemishes and breakouts, including diet, stress, genetics and even the consistency of your skincare routine, but more often than not it's fluctuations in hormones caused by your period which is the main culprit.
These fluctuations in hormones cause the sebum (natural skin oils) levels in your skin to increase, which in excess tends to lead to spots. When acne appears, or if your skin is naturally oily anyway, the temptation - and outdated 'advice' and marketing from other skincare brands - is to use overly-aggressive products which tend to dry out skin. By doing so, the skin then goes into protection mode and over compensates for the dryness by producing even more oil!
But fret not! You can do things to help your skin, simply by making a few easy lifestyle changes around the time of your period, and thus minimise breakouts before they even start.
Pre-period
In the lead up to your period you'll often find you are pretty tired and want to sleep anyway, but it's particularly important to try and catch as many Z's as possible round this time, as a lack of sleep can make your body overproduce the hormone cortisol, which in turn leads to excess sebum production. Make sure you're cleansing and toning well to avoid dead skin cell and excess sebum build up, and a gentle exfoliation will also help too - using a face cloth in conjunction with our Comfort Cleansing Balm is perfect.
Period
Make sure to drink lots of fluid -preferably water - so your body can rid itself of excess toxins during your period. To prevent the aggravation of hormonal breakouts, cut back on stimulants such as alcohol, caffeine and sugar, and to prevent dry, flaking skin, moisturise regularly.
Post-period
As your skin and sebum levels are returning to normal, keep nourishing and soothing skin with a hydrating moisturiser - our Rosehip and Camellia Day Cream is perfect, as it is very moisturising whilst still being lightweight. Continue to drink water - aiming for at least 2 litres a day - to help your body detox, and focus on increased sleep but decreased stress, to avoid disrupting cortisol levels and therefore excess sebum production.