Is your skin Zen?

Have you ever noticed how some people practically exude calm? Those otherworldly creatures just seem to have their proverbial chakras aligned. We could learn something from them. And the benefits will show in our skin…

After a tumultuous couple of years, many of us are still battling stress-related skin woes, while feeling overwhelmed by the vast array of lotions and potions promising to soothe a facial freak-out. But it’s not just what you put on top of your skin that counts, it’s also about addressing the causes behind an unhappy epidermis, from specific physical problems to general stress.

We can’t promise rainbows radiating from every pore, but with the help of yoga teacher Rosie Underwood (@rosiejunderwood), we can at least help you and your complexion feel a little bit more composed.

‘For me, having happy skin is all about having a happy mind,’ says Rosie. She believes that, when it comes to her complexion, turning down her stress response is the first port of call. ‘Twists, forward folds and strengthening postures, as well as breath work and leaning into discomfort, are all facets of yoga that give stress its marching orders,’ she adds.

‘Our complexion is a mirror of our internal environment, so we have to really tune into that internal dialogue – the stories we tell ourselves, how we’re feeling physically, and moving in order for our skin to give us positive feedback,’ Rosie continues. ‘The trillions of cells in our body renew themselves on their own, our nails grow on their own, our hair grows longer, yet it’s our internal dialogue that can keep us stuck in the same place emotionally. Hello, dark circles and stress etching itself into our face!’

Rosie believes that yoga can help. ‘This can be reversed with something as simple as a seated forward fold creating space between the vertebrae of the spine, deep belly breathing and seated twists that release fresh nutrients into the bloodstream,’ she advises. ‘The increase of blood flow in the body gives you that yoga “glow” and can help you look better.'

For advice on getting started, check out our wellbeing guide to learning yoga at home.

‘I cleanse with a rose diamond exfoliating cleanser, and on days where I’m in the city I use a hyaluronic aloe water, too,’ says Rosie. ’I love a nourishing cream with an added hit of vitamin A for a youthful glow, and I wear Ren Clean Screen Mineral Sun Screen all year round, as I spend a lot of time outside.’

As for makeup, she uses mineral-based and breathable products, because her work involves a lot of movement. ‘I have heart palpitations if I can’t find my lip balms!’ she laughs. ‘I take a magnesium stress complex supplement at night – magnesium as a bath soak is also a great way to prepare your body for bed. I sleep in Ren Overnight Glow Dark Spot Sleeping Cream, because slumber is where the magic happens.’

Describing herself as an ‘aromatherapy junkie’, Rosie advises really inhaling the smell all of your products to get the full benefits. ‘Smell receptors in the nose are linked to the limbic system, which is our emotional centre,’ she says.

Her final tip? ‘In the morning I take a cold shower or go for a swim outdoors for an added endorphin boost!’